Jennifer Weiner returns with an emotional and layered story in ‘The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits’, a novel that sings with family drama, ambition, and the power of music to both unite and divide.

Told in a dual-timeline format, the novel follows sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg — polar opposites in personality and appearance, but forever bound by their shared love of music. Cassie, immensely talented but riddled with self-doubt, is reluctantly pulled into the spotlight by Zoe, whose charisma outshines her actual talent. As the two rise to fame in the music world, their bond fractures over ambition, betrayal, and heartbreak, especially when love enters the picture and becomes a pawn in Zoe's relentless pursuit of stardom.

Fast forward twenty years, and the story picks up with Cherry, Zoe’s daughter, who inherits the same passion for music. But Cherry has never met her enigmatic Aunt Cassie, now estranged from the family. As Cherry follows her own dreams of fame to California, she becomes the bridge between the past and the present, determined to unravel the secrets that splintered her family and possibly repair what was broken.

Weiner’s writing is as sharp and insightful as ever, with characters who feel heartbreakingly real in their flaws and longings. You’ll want to hug them one moment and yell at them the next — a testament to Weiner’s skill in capturing the complexity of human relationships. The narrative balances emotional depth with a fast-paced, almost nostalgic glimpse into the messy reality behind stardom, creativity, and familial ties.

Poignant without veering into sentimentality, ‘The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits’ is a moving exploration of identity, legacy, and the long road to healing. For fans of music, sisterhood, and redemption arcs that don’t take the easy way out, this book hits all the right notes.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This book had a tv series/film vibe. Zoe craved fame as a youth and nothing would get in the way of her pursuit of this. Zoe had the looks but her cripplingly shy sister had the raw, magnetising talent. .

The book is multi-perspective, told through the eyes of Zoe, Cassie (then and now) and Zoe's fame seeking daughter Cherry (now).

This was an interesting premise and though enjoyable it didn't quite hit the mark for me, perhaps because there were too many unknowns.

Cassie & Zoe ❤️

🎹Sisters born so close in age, it shocked their parents, Zoe was the slim beauty who had confidence in spaces. Younger sister Cassie was the social misfit, awkward and gawky.

🎹In a twist, Cassie’s prodigy-level musical talent was discovered at a young age, causing the balance in their family to be tilted. As young adults, Zoe is desperate for fame while Cassie would prefer to stay in the shadows.

🎹When their musical talent is discovered, their rise to fame is swift, but it also brings out the jealousy between the sisters. The fame tears through their lives, leaving chaos in its wake.

💫This is the second book of Jennifer Weiner’s I have read, and I enjoyed reading it as much as the first, That Summer. While I get the strong link to Daisy Jones, it’s mostly because of the effects of fame echoes, and not so much the era, since this story harkens back to the early 2000’s. This lovely study of sisterhood shows real life up close, warts and all. Hurting those we love, maybe beyond repair. The things we do when we are too young to properly understand the consequences.

My rating 4.5/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

In 2024 sisters Cassie and Zoe are estranged and haven't spoken in years. However, in the early 2000s they had the world at their feet, creating what would end up being a 'one-hit wonder' album that changed their lives. This creative fictional story jumps between the past and present and unpacks what went wrong as the narrative unfolds. Bit by bit we experience the story from the perspective of different characters, including Zoe's daughter Cherry who has musical aspirations of her own. There are a few narrative missteps, but there's enough charm and intrigue to keep the pages turning.

An enjoyable and easy read that is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers. Think Taylor Jenkins Reid and similar authors. At times it seems to confuse itself as to whether it wants to come across as a piece of fictional music journalism or something that focuses more on the emotions and actions of the characters from a more personal perspective. The hybrid dynamic just about works well enough.

Ultimately, the story is about family, motherhood, fame and forgiveness. Can the sisters find each other and find music again? It's this question that lingers in the background and haunts all the characters. Regardless, I added an extra star for the boygenius reference that came towards the end. You cannot go wrong with that.

This is a dual time line family drama. The Griffin Sisters at the top of their musical game and then it all ends.

One sister disappears.

The other unsuccessfully tries to start her solo career.

The plot delves into how their star rose, flew and crashed. And in the middle is a man.

This novel is a five star read for lovers of this rag to riches to rags glossy familial drama. But I'm not giving it five stars as the fat shaming that goes on is appalling.

One pretty, thin and less talented sister. One very talented, beautiful and heavy sister. Both of them jealous of each other but the way Zoe thinks about her sister, and her partner. And the way Cassie sees herself as rubbed me up the wrong way.

The novel is more than the Griffin Sisters its about love and redemption. I really wanted to give this five stars but the fat shaming got me. Its still a very healthy 4 stars.

Really loved this story of a fictional band whose reputation and music lives on long after their sudden split. Added to the mix is Zoe’s daughter who desperately wants to break into the music industry much to the horror of her mother. I loved the different chapters of the band and their differing perspectives and views on how the music industry treats young hopefuls. Cassie’s neuro divergence makes her all the more vulnerable. Engaging but also a timely reminder of the way fame negatively affects those young hopefuls not able to deal with it.

This book had everything! Emotion, tragedy, family relationships, music - you name it, it was in this story. A fantastic read of how the music industry used to be and how it's changed now. The family dynamics were brilliant, and each family member's emotions were sympathetically dealt with. I loved reading about how reality music shows work, and how young people are viewed in that world. The relationship between Zoe and Cassie was so detailed and made me laugh and cry especially at the end. All in all this is one of the best books I've read in a very long time - loved it!!

I really enjoyed this book, following the story of two sisters who become an almost overnight success as musicians, the stage welcoming the beautiful Zoe and her hugely talented but physically unattractive sister Cassie. The book follows the story of the sisters and juxtaposes this with the life of Zoe’s daughter Cherry, looking to launch herself in the music world as part of a huge reality pop show.

The plot is a good one and the stories of the sisters and then of Cherry is relatable for their eras. I enjoyed the story of how Cassie and fellow musician Russell worked together to write lyrics and songs and the love/hate relationship that built between him and the sisters.

A story of love, hurt and abuse of position which can be a difficult read if triggering. However, one I would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a book I really couldn’t put down. It sucked me in almost instantly.
Cantering on a fictional band featuring two sisters, Zoe and Cassie, and their brief but indomitable rise to musical fame in the early 2000s as ‘The Griffin Sisters’. The book is fast paced and makes for addictive reading with the ups and downs of the sister’s relationships with each other and with other people.

Reading about the music industry in the 2000s was nostalgic and really enjoyable. I have no idea got accurate it all is but it felt convincing and well-researched, and I loved imagining what felt like a behind-the-scenes peek into the music industry at that time.

I really liked Cassie and it took me a while to warm up to her sister Zoe - who had many, many faults in my opinion - and also to Zoe’s daughter Cherry, who evidently meant well but came across as a bit self-centred at times. However as the book continued I found myself absorbed in their story.

There’s plenty of drama in this book but it didn’t feel too much or too over the top. There were emotional points and a lot of chapters that I just raced through.

The ending was slightly cheesier than I like to read but it just worked so well with the storyline that I didn’t mind!

I’ve never read any other books by Jessica Weiner, but I’m certainly going to now!

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for a complimentary copy of this novel! All opinions expressed are my own. The Griffin Sisters is the stage name for Cassie and Zoe
Grossberg. Cassie is the musical prodigy with an amazing voice. Her sister Zoe is
the beautiful one who can charm the entire crowd. Cassie never felt comfortable singing in front of a crowd. So when Zoe begs her sister to sing with her locally,their lives change forever. It's the early 2000’s and they are suddenly thrust into the limelight.They get signed on by a record label,their band is formed and they go on tour for various shows, radio stations, and other venues. But just as quickly as they rose to stardom, they quickly disbanded! No one knows why. Now 20 years later, Zoe’s eldest child Cherry(a musical prodigy herself), is intent on becoming famous. So she runs away from home to join a talent competition. Cherry has questions about what happened to break up the band.She searches for her Aunt Cassie who is living off grid and hopes to get answers as to what happened. But what Cassie thinks happened and what Zoe knows really happened are two different stories. Will the sisters be able to finally put their truth out there and move on from their hurtful past?

I really enjoyed this novel! It brought back memories for me since I am an 80’s child. I loved the setting and the time period! Definitely got Daisy Jones and the Six vibes. This novel is not one to miss. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

I really loved the premise of this story, but it ended up being a complete let-down.

The story follows the dynamics between sisters, mothers and daughters. I did feel like the author did a good job in showing the nuances of these relationships and presented us with realistic characters. But these characters weren't likeable. I could feel more sympathy for Cassie, whose mother didn't like her and always favoured her sister, and she clearly displays neurodivergent tendencies, but I don't think the author ever directly says she is autistic. I feel like the story may have been better if this was clear and could have made her character more relatable. It was frustrating that the author focused so much on portraying Cassie as the ugly duckling and repeatedly mentioning her size. It just felt unnecessary. In comparison Zoe is described as pretty, but not as talented as Cassie.

The build-up to anything happening took way too long. I was 25% in and still nothing happened, just background information. This wouldn't have been an issue if I was invested in the characters, but I wasn't and this just made it feel like a complete slog. The timeline wasn't linear so could have been more interesting if we had snippets of their stardom days weaved in earlier in the story.

Overall, I couldn't get invested in the story to care what happened to these characters but do appreciate how the complex family dynamics were well written.

If you liked Daisy Jones you will like this book. If you like stories with musicians in them, you will then love this book. A good story overall

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits was really captivating even with the presence of some unpleasant characters but this make the story feel more complete. While there were some scenes that were some actions and scenes that were kinda easily to predict it was an enjoyable reading.

Much-anticipated, and though there seem to be a fair number of less than positive comments I found myself really enjoying this. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to its publication.
A book about music, its ability to touch people and the industry that finds, nurtures and - all too often - exploits those involved. For anyone fascinated by the stories behind the public face this will be a story that hits hard.
The story does take a little while to settle down. We learn that Cherry is determined to sing and has, without letting anyone know, got herself a spot on a national talent show. We then learn a little more about her family and her mother, Zoe, and her reluctance to support Cherry in her dream. Then we shift back in time and see Zoe’s mother finding out that she is pregnant only months after having a baby. Slowly, we are given the story of Zoe and her sister, Cassie.
Though Cassie is socially awkward and struggles to interact with people she is musically talented. When her skill is discovered, Zoe lets her mum know that Cassie sings with her. Over time Zoe encourages (no, bullies) her sister into performing with her. One night they are scouted…and thus begins the story of The Griffin Sisters.
The varying timelines was, initially, confusing but once we have the characters established it was the kind of story that drew me in. A major success and much of it is down to Cassie’s prodigious talent. We learn early on that they had one hit album, that one of the band members died and that from that moment on the group was no more. The latter stages of the story focus on explaining what happened.
Many of the characters fail to come out of this well. They are reckless with one another and each does things that hurt others. Yet they are wonderfully human. They make mistakes. They make silly decisions. All of which is relatable, which is why I think I found the book so more appealing than if it had focused solely on the musical background.

Jennifer Weiner delivers a poignant and emotionally layered exploration of fame, family, and the quiet echoes of the past in The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits. At the heart of the novel is the complex, deeply human bond between Zoe and Cassie, two sisters who once ruled the stage, only to fall silent under the weight of secrets, regrets, and choices made in the glare of the spotlight.

Weiner masterfully captures the intoxicating highs and devastating lows of the music industry, while grounding the story in themes of sisterhood, forgiveness, and legacy. The dual timelines, set between the sisters’ rise to fame in the early 2000s and the present-day reckoning, are compelling, offering insight into how time reshapes relationships and dreams. Cherry, Zoe’s headstrong teenage daughter, adds a fresh, modern thread to the narrative as she searches for both her own voice and the truth buried in her family’s past.

Rather than relying on fast-paced suspense, the novel favors emotional depth and introspection, drawing readers into the personal journeys of its characters. It’s a reflective and immersive read, rich with nostalgia, heartache, and ultimately, healing.

A touching, beautifully written story that lingers like a favorite song long after the final note.

Cassie a musical genius and Zoe who wants to be famous. The sister's couldn't be more opposites in looks and temperament but together they are outstanding.
Plucked from obscurity and on the fast track to fame. Constant touring with the band, relationships professional and personal become intwinned. Jealousy and insecurity are highlighted by the pop machine.
Is history repeating itself when Zoe's daughter wants a music career and enters a tv contest? Is fame worth the cost of family relationship's?
A look back at the pop machines of the aughts. I really enjoyed the book and the emotions leap off the page. A book that will make you feel, happy, sad, angry and hopeful.

An interesting premise; a story about sisterhood and the terrible cost of fame, told in a sometimes confusing back- and -forth time frame through the eyes of Cassie and Zoe, the very different sisters, and Zoe’s daughter, Cherry, who wants only to sing and be famous but has little idea of her mother and aunt’s long ago experiences with just that. Lots of moral complexities, and Cassie, the over-weight, on-the-spectrum sister and the one with the massive talent the most complex and only likeable character of the three women. Not up to the Daisy Jones and the Six standard. But enjoyed as a light read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital ARC.

I haven’t read a novel by Jennifer Weiner for a while, but I felt this one was very different from her previous work. It revolves around two sisters, Zoe, pretty, popular and averagely talented and Cassie, who considers herself unpopular, and ungainly, but who is immensely talented. The novel follows the story of their incredibly popular band and how they come to find themselves twenty years later not making music and completely estranged. The novel was quite good with an interesting premise and I would recommend it as a good light read. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins William Morrow for an ARC of this novel.

I’m so horribly conflicted when it comes to this book. It’s been like this the whole time I read it so hopefully I can manage to put my thoughts in order to write this review.

So this novel was sort of advertised as being similar to the famous “Daisy Jones and the Six”. I’m not the biggest fan of that book but I do love the idea behind it so reading about the Griffin Sisters sounded fun. And it was…at times. My biggest issue with this book is the structure. I understand why we have present time and flashbacks but I would have preferred a story told chronologically. We start when the sisters are born (I did enjoy the commentary on motherhood in those chapters) and then we get to present time. Doing a bit of a flashforward rather than jumping back and forth. My favourite part of the story was when the band was on tour and we got the love story as well. It was a beautiful depiction of love and accepting someone for who they are instead of allowing society to tell us who to choose. That’s as vague as I can be given this is an ARC review. And that would have happened earlier in the book had we not spent so long in the present time. So to people reading who might not feel connected to the story or the characters, please try to get to halfway through the book. Because that’s where I felt more connected to the story. Still, it took so long and I’m usually super emotional reading books and didn’t feel that way this time. So that lowers the rating for me.

Cassie is a great character to have as a protagonist. We don’t generally have female characters who are as complex as her and I loved and appreciated that. From the very beginning I got the sense that she was on the spectrum and writing that isn’t easy so I applaud the author for doing it well. In my opinion, of course. Plus the commentary about her body size was pretty spot on. It might be hard to read some of the things Cassie was called but what’s the point of sugarcoating? People like her are called all those names. Because those saying those words want to hurt them as much as possible. And it’s understandable that Cassie was extremely insecure and her reactions felt so realistic given her situation. I also love how it was portrayed that finally finding someone who understood her and respected her allowed her to come out of her shell a bit. And how losing that affected her so negatively.
And of course, her presence in a big band had such a positive effect on so many people who, like her, felt they didn’t fit the impossible standards of our society. Things haven’t changed much in the last 20 years in that regard.

The character of Zoe is very interesting as well. She’s a horrible person. But people like her exist so I don’t have an issue with her being portrayed in this way. But it was frustrating to read about how she was a terrible sister, mother, girlfriend, …to the point when it felt like her character could never be redeemed. But I did enjoy how it was added to the story that being what society considers attractive isn’t enough. How she was also insecure and jealous of her sister. But she was still so selfish and hateful. Cassie and Cherry deserved better.
As for Cherry…I understand her role in the book. But again, I would have preferred for a chronological narration which would have removed most of Cherry’s story from the book.

The last part felt a bit rushed. Things got resolved too quickly, even if I find they were resolved in a mostly satisfying way.

So overall, a good read but with some flaws that made it harder for me to get invested in the story.

I enjoyed this book that focuses on a broken relationship between two sisters. The plot was easy and the writing style was definitely reminiscent of Daisy Jones. My first book by this author, however I’d definitely read more in future.