This story is reminiscent of stories already told involving a dying parent with plans to reunite their children with plans in the will to sell a jointly owned inherited home. The story is different yet the same anticipated plot. The cast of characters here has the matriarch, Marti planning her funeral after her death from stage 4 lung cancer. Her husband Leo had already passed away at 66 years old. She has a secret, of course, which will only be disclosed after her death and the reunion of her 3 daughters.

Beck is an unhappily married freelance journalist married to Paul, an editor for 25 yrs with 2 adult children and a granddaughter. She has aspirations of writing a novel in the scenic Maine cottage. Claire is a pediatric cardiologist who is recently divorced but still holds a torch for an unrequited crush for years. Sophie is living the Instagram-ready life spending more money than she has to fit in with the glamorous, fashionable celebrities. She struggles to keep her IRS "irregularities" a secret. The Geller sister all seem to have drifted apart from each other and this reunion just adds stress to their already chaotic lives. They each have "secrets" or situations for which they feel embarrassed and try to present themselves as successful adults.

The façade is soon exposed when CJ Reynolds, a southern with a hidden past of his own, appears as the buyer of their family Mount Desert Island, Maine cottage. The sisters never expected their mother would want them to sell it when she died. It becomes more complicated when his relationship with one of the sisters is exposed. Again, the family need to share their secrets and lives in order to move forward and possibly reunite the family again. ( )

This book is about three sisters dealing with the death of their mother. There was too much philosophical rumination and introspection from these women and not enough action. It got very boring at times. Everything was wrapped up neatly - and perhaps unrealistically - at the end. Not as good as some of the author's previous books. ( )

This is a fun, light, family read. There are twist and turns and everything gets wrapped up nicely in the end. But, none of that detracted from the enjoyment of the story. ( )

Families. Interesting book. Loved the author sly comments ( )

It All Comes Down to This is the story of three very different sisters who come together after their mother’s death. Beck is a freelance writer with kids and a seemingly happy marriage though she suspects her husband might be gay. Claire is a doctor in Duluth who was recently divorced by her husband and is navigating this new life with their child splitting time with her and his dad. Sophie is single and an influencer in the art world, traveling and living the high life, posting it all on social media, and glossing over the hard facts of her life.

When their mother dies, they come together for the funeral. They love each other but distantly, separated not only by distance but by age and interests. Their mother wrote in her will that the family’s cabin in Maine had to be sold. Beck imagines going there to write, but Claire and Sophie just went to sell. Before they can do that, though, they have to spend a weekend there together. And that’s when a lot of truths come out.

I was surprisingly disappointed in It All Comes Down to This. I loved Fowler’s A Good Neighborhood. I just think everything was a bit too pat. I know from her past books she can leave things unresolved, but she chose not to this time and that felt very wrong. I liked the people who felt well-developed at first. But it was just too neatly done. I also think the situation with Beck and Claire is not very credible. Not that I think two sisters cannot overcome what might feel like a betrayal, but overcoming it so quickly makes people feel emotionally shallow, as though they didn’t care. Sophie’s resolution felt too perfect. It all felt too nice.

I received an e-galley of It All Comes Down to This from the publisher through NetGalley.

It All Comes Down to This at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Review of A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
Therese Anne Fowler

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2022/09/04/it-all-comes-down-to-this... ( )