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Member Reviews

This was such a good story on grief and healing. Surprisingly funny, too! I loved the interconnections that Barbara (the main character) was fighting the entire time, when we could see they were what she needed since page one.

Some of the situations in the book, while interesting, I felt pulled from the plot a little. I never would have forgiven someone who faked serious illness after losing my husband to SET ME UP WITH ANOTHER, super shitty, person. I feel like that was just swept under the rug?

I enjoyed this book for the little things though and I’m glad I got to receive and ARC.


There was also a name switch, I think! Harry’s name was used instead of Eddie’s in Ch 33

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This story is a 4.5-star read for me!

I enjoyed the humor in this story along with the mother-in-law and daughter dynamic! What a fun read!

The characters are so well done. They have their flaws and make plenty of mistakes throughout this book, but boy did it make me love them even more! I absolutely loved her friend Janet too! She deserves a story of her own! Now when women talk about having a community, this is what they are talking about!

Now I will say the only thing I wish was different was the ending. I felt it was rushed and we didn't get to sit in the moment with our characters as much as I would have liked. Outside of that, this was a phenomenal read! Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and GetRedPR for my advanced reader copy!

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I have read all of Sara Goodman Confino's books and this one is another winner! I first encountered Sara through the Peloton Mom's Book Club (PMBC), and she is every bit as witty as her novels. I love that all her novels are fun, fast reads, and always include strong female characters. "Good Grief" highlights the trials and tribulations of Barbara, a young widow trying to maintain stability for her children in the 1960's. How can the topic of grief be humorous? Because Of SGC delightful storytelling! Inititally, Barbara has the help and support of her mother. Eventually her mother goes back home, but who shows up uninvited? Her mother-in-law, Ruth, and she's there to stay. The antics begin as the two widows try to navigate daily life without their husbands, and Ruth manages to do ALL the things that drive Barbara crazy.

I enjoyed this story of two grieving women from different generations, moving through their losses and learning to understand and appreciate each other. I also loved the "Easter eggs" sprinkled throughout. It's fun to see the characters we loved from other SGC novels pop up in her newest offering. I know she has completed another one (insider info from PMBC-wink-wink), and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

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Sometimes, I'm in the mood for a neatly packaged feel-good story that fits perfectly between deeper works. In this regard, Confino never fails to deliver. She has perfected the art of developing characters that readers quickly become invested in. They are relatable, as are the trials and tribulations they navigate. Good Grief is another example of a story executed perfectly in this way.

Barbara and her two children are two years past the death of her husband and their father. Her mother had moved in to help her through the hardest part of the transition, but now she feels ready to lead her small family forward without outside assistance. However, as she says goodbye to her mother, her mother-in-law steps into the picture.

Ruth is the perfect yet imperfect mother-in-law from the start. Her crazy antics provide comedic relief, even as they drive Barbara to the brink of pulling her hair out. Beneath it all, there is a deep loneliness, as Ruth's husband also passed away young, and she wants Barbara to navigate this new life differently than she did.

I laughed at the funny moments and felt the sadness and grief when appropriate. This well-written novel is just what the "doctor ordered" if you’re looking for light humor and a good time.

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Set in the early 1960s, it’s the story of two women linked not by choice, but by loss-and how that loss forces them into the same too-small space. One is still learning how to breathe again after her world collapsed. The other arrives uninvited, carrying more than just luggage.

What unfolds between them is layered and messy: crossed wires, clashing personalities, and love offered in imperfect, sometimes intrusive ways. But along with the tension comes tenderness. There’s laughter where you least expect it, moments of real connection that sneak up on them and the weight of things left unsaid.

It’s not a simple story of letting go…it’s about what it costs to stay. And what we find when we finally give in to the mess of connection. Through grief, misunderstandings, and unexpected grace, two women slowly find their way toward something quietly life-changing: a beginning neither of them saw coming.

A heartfelt, character-driven story that made me laugh, cry, and most of all, feel. This gem deserves all the stars.

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It's been two years since Barbara Feldman's husband Harry passed away, and she's finally ready to navigate raising two young children on her own. This is, until her mother-in-law Ruth shows up on her doorstep and announces that she's moving in. As Ruth's visit turns from days to weeks full of antics, Barbara knows that Ruth has got to go - and what better way to do that than introduce her to some (interesting) gentlemen and marry her off. However, Barbara quickly realizes that Ruth is trying to do the same for her. At least they've found common ground, trying to help each other move forward.

I've read almost all of Sara Goodman Confino's books, and I have to say I was a bit let down by this one. As always, the writing style was easy to read and I love that she explored grief as a theme. I also love that we get cameos from characters in her other books. However, I didn't find there was much plot driving the story forward, and the ending was very predictable from early on. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but not one I'll find myself visiting again and again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

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Sara Goodman Confino is quickly becoming a favorite, must read author. I absolutely adored this book that pulled me in from the very first page. It is a story of loss, love, family, and life with all of its messy complications. Barbara is a widow with 2 young children and is learning to be independent and is ready to live on her own. Her mother has been helping since her husband’s death and is heading home and Barbara is ready for the challenge. But her meddling, widowed mother-in-law Ruth moves in. Now Barbara is navigating her relationship with Ruth as well as trying to rebuild her life. What she discovers about Ruth and herself surprises her and sets the path for the future. Barbara and Ruth were strong and resilient characters and the relationship between them felt real. I felt all of the emotions with Barbara and laughed and cried and worried with her. The cameo with Beverly from Behind Every Good Man was enjoyable and was a nice addition to this story. The storyline of harassment at work was timely and well written and honestly portrays what women too often have to deal with. I loved this story of love, loss, family and learning that being independent does not mean doing everything alone and highly recommend it.

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Another single day read - I truly can’t get enough of her books. The Easter eggs and connections sprinkled in are always such a treat. This was another master class in relationships, from family to chosen family, friends, and love. It felt truly effortless how the story unfolded but man - I could have read about 100 more pages. Another home run!

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Confino novels always draw me in. She has a way of telling a story which is realistic and full of fun. Barbara Feldman is a widow trying to raise two small kids, while grieving nearly two years later.

One day her mother-in-law, Ruth shows up on her doorstep and invites herself to live with Barabara. They are like fire and ice, their personalities do not mesh. Ruth is condescending, but well-meaning. Ruth is also a widow and missing her son, so they connect on that level.

Can they both move forward and help each other in the meantime? Get ready for a fun novel which will bring a smile to your face.

This one is full of witty banner, heart, and a delight to read. I adore this author and look forward to her books. I discovered her last year and quickly purchased and read all her back-list.

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Good Grief
Sara Goodman Confino
Pub: 8/26/25
5☆

#gifted @getredpr

Good Grief Sara Goodman Confino you have 💯 done it again. 🤣

All kidding aside, I truly loved this one. There is just something about the way SGC writes, and the characters she creates. I find so much joy in reading her books, and Good Grief was another stunning example. It was a beautiful mix of women’s fiction, historical fiction with a side of sweet romance.

Barbara is a strong and relatable character and I loved her and her story. BUT it’s the feisty, older, characters that always work their way into my heart. Even though I really wanted to dislike her, Ruth stole the show for me and I could not get enough of her meddling MIL antics.

While I love relating to people characters, there is just something so fun and sweet when you can relate to a pet character. Feel free to laugh at me, I know I’m ridiculous. BUT, I have dog named Pepper and as soon as they named the dog I kid you not I totally AWWWWed out loud and then proceeded to smile every single time her name was mentioned.

What I loved;
🧳 Feel-Good Story
🧳 Witty Humor
🧳 Jewish Rep
🧳 Pepper!
🧳 Meddling Ruth

While it’s a book about grief, Sara does a beautiful job balancing the journey of healing with the perfect amount of humor and heart. I loved every minute and absolutely would recommend.

Thank you so much to Get Red PR and Sara Goodman Confino for my gifted copy.

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Good Grief follows Barbara working on being independent after her husband passed away a few years ago and her mom moved in to help take care of the household and the kids. Barbara decided it was time for her mom to leave because she knew she could do it on her own. That lasted only for a minute as her late husband’s mother (Ruth) showed up on the doorstep and chaos ensues. Despite the fact this book is about grief, this was such a wholesome book. I loved reading about Ruth’s antics throughout the book. But I definitely would be annoyed if I was Barbara. I also loved reading about their relationship development! Thank you to Get Red PR, NetGalley, and Sara Goodman Confino for this arc!

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Barbra is a young widow after her husband Henry passes away from a heart attack. For the next two years her mother stays with her while she grieves and tries to take care of her children. Once she feels ready to do things on her own, she lets her mom knows she is ready to let her leave. Immediately Barbra’s mother-in-law Ruth comes over and says she will be staying for awhile.
Barbra is taken aback but willing to let Ruth stay two weeks and no longer than that.
Ruth is a force to be wrecked with and at times had me very frustrated. But she eventually grows on me.
As a mom, I know firsthand how hard it can be to ask for help. I think this book is a great reminder that even when we feel like it’s the end of the world or that we are all alone, there will be people that will always be there for us, even if we initially don't want them to be.
This book was a great reflection on grief and just a lighthearted fun read. I smiled a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Get Red PR for the arc of Good Grief!

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Yet another 5 star read from this author. All of her books are so enjoyable- and yet another one I enjoyed set in the 1960’s. Barbara and her mother-in-law Ruth navigate grief together, while trying to live with each other peacefully. Both women and strong willed and there’s so much humor in the story. The dramatics and things they get themselves into helped the story and were so well written - the frustrations and emotions were palpable. It was also a story of hope and how to move forward. I loved the appearance of Beverly and Stuart from last years book by the author. It was perfect! Can’t wait for this authors next story!

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Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy of Good Grief.

Sara Confino Goodman has written another amazing novel. Good Grief is a tender, heartfelt exploration of loss, healing, and the unexpected paths to recovery.

The second I saw the name Beverly Diamond I teared up.
Loved how she talked about mental health in the hospital even though it was 1963

Good Grief will be released on August 26, 2025.

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I read “Behind Every Good Man” and thoroughly enjoyed it (5 Stars). Thus, I was excited to see a new novel by this talented author and I found it entertaining, but not quite up to my previous experience. There is the trademark smart, witty dialogue, and insightful commentary, in this case tracking the healing process following the death of a loved one.

The year is 1963 and Barbara Feldman, a young widow with two small children, is about to demonstrate her ability to manage her home, family, and career as a single parent. Just as her mother returns to her own home after living with Barbara for the past two years, Barbara’s mother-in-law appears on her doorstep uninvited and proceeds to move in with no exit strategy in sight. Not only is this unexpected guest not wanted, but she is also a thorn in Barbara’s side – criticizing her cooking, her parenting style and even her home décor. What ensues is an emotional journey full of compassion, anger, resignation, acceptance, and love…as each woman begins to appreciate the other and forge a new bond through their shared loss and new possibilities for romance.

As a protagonist, Barbara I easy to relate with and she is surrounded by a strong cast of supportive characters – Eddie, the grocer, Jenn, her best friend, and, of course, Ruth, her mother-in-law. This is an entertaining and enjoyable read that addresses the grieving process with both sensitivity and humor as Barbara faces everyday life.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

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Sara Goodman Confino's knocks it out of the water yet again! In Good Grief we meet Barbara; a young widow with two young children, who has decided to stand on her own two feet after using her mom's help for the past two years. After a short lived night with the children in barrels Ruth, her widowed mother-in-law, who has decided she is now moving in to help. Absolute chaos ensues as the two women butt heads at every turn, eventually realizing that they have more in common than they think.

Ruth antics were often over the top and I certainly admired Barbara for the patience I don't possess. There is a lot of hilarity throughout the pages and one thing I love about Confino's writing the most is her use of side characters that elevate and move the story forward without feeling like filler. We see this with Barbara's relationship with her best friend Janet and her brother Eddie. I also enjoyed how Barbara often spoke to her late husband Harry; I imagine that is something I would a lot if I lost my husband too.

Started and finished in a single weekend, it is a page turner at every part and I am already dying for her next release when this one isn't even out yet!

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the gifted ARC.

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Sarah Goodman Confino is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors I found this year.
This book is a beautifully written exploration of grief, love, and resilience, filled with witty and charming moments, and strong female characters who show remarkable grace in the face of adversity, making space for both joy and sorrow. I adore how she incorporates relatable Jewish cultural references, and reunites us with cherished characters from her previous books. The progress made in women's rights serves as a powerful reminder of how far we've come, and how much further we can go in the pursuit of equality even though it doesn’t feel that way in some ways at the moment.

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Another beautiful work of fiction by SGC. She really knows how to write rich characters, captivating storylines, and sweet romances. I was lucky enough to get an arc of this one, but I’ve already preordered my own physical copy. Barbara and Ruth have a complicated relationship (what mother and daughter in law don’t?), but the depth and growth of their relationship carries this novel beautifully.

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A beautiful story about navigating life after losing a partner and how to move forward. Set in the early 1960s, Barbara has found herself a young widow after losing her husband suddenly 2 years prior. With two elementary school children to look after, Barbara is learning her new normal. Then, her mother in law, Ruth, shows up, with no plans on leaving.

While this story is largely about grief and sadness, there were so many moments of humor and tenderness. I loved watching Barbara and Ruth, both navigating grief, start to rely on each other as time moved forward. Grief can be overwhelming and all consuming, but this story brought to light the brighter moments that we have to try to see through the grief. I loved this story and highly recomend!

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Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved Don't Forget To Write and I couldn't wait to read this one.

Set in 1963, Barbara, who lives in Washington, DC suburbs, was 32 and a widow with two kids Susie 8 and Bobby 6. He hardly remembers his father since he was so young when her husband and their father died of a heart attack 2 years ago just like his father, at a young age.

Her mother has been living with her for these 2 years and finally going back home. Barbara needs to come out of her cocoon of grief after 2 years. She was so young with 2 young kids and in so much grief and pain, she couldn't handle it alone.

One of my favorite lines when her mother was leaving said "all you need to do is say you need me."

Just as they were starting to get used to being a family of 3 and making new memories, but who shows up at their doorstep literally when they were coming home from the zoo but her mother-in-law Ruth, who lives 1/2 hour away and hardly saw them before now. What was humorous was as they were pulling up Bobby thought he saw a package sitting on their porch. It was her mother-in-law of course with 5 suitcases. Huh? She lives 1/2 hour away. LOL and hardly saw them before.

It was going to be a long 2 weeks that's for sure. Now she needs to prove to Ruth that she's independent and can do it alone with her kids. Luckily she works 4 days a week at a hospital helping patients and doing what she can and schedules things. She started when her son started school and she's grateful for it. Now she's worried with Ruth here she'll rearrange her house. She thought there was a ghost in the house years ago but found out from her husband that she used her key to get in the house when no one was there. Well, guess what? And then even more crazier things happen. Let's just say, Ruth invited the single fireman to dinner when her stove blew up thanks to Ruth putting things in the oven when she ran out of room in the cupboard. One item was Jiffy Pop!!

Then Barbara has an idea to get her out of the house when she's working and takes her to the hospital to be a volunteer. There is this patient Mrs. Kline, who everyone hates to deal with her and is a hypochondriac and refuses to see Jewish doctors, and has everything against Jewish people and refuses to eat a bagel, rye bread or anything "Jewish." She gets along swimmingly with her and she puts her into her place and invites her to have lunch with her at a deli. She told her before that just because she was Jewish didn't mean that she nor any Jewish person didn't like Chinese food.

Barbara starts thinking of how she can get "rid" of Ruth and has the brilliant (?) idea of fixing her up with the neighborhood grump Mr. Moskowitz making up a reason why they should go out to dinner. Ruth figures out it wasn't the reason it was. Barbara thinks if they marry she doesn't want her Ruth to live 3 doors away. Then Barbara meets a patient who's sort of Ruth's age (60) who she's thinking of that might work. Well, that backfired when she invited him for dinner for another reason.

Ruth is only 60 but for some reason she comes off an old lady. Maybe because Barbara is so young or maybe, to me, it's the 1960s, and they seemed to be older then.

Then there of course her best friend Janet who's she's been friend with since college, Janet's father Joe Greene, who's had a grocery store since way back (that even Ruth went to at a different location), and Eddie, Janet's brother who's had a crush on Barbara for years but she always thought of him as a brother of course.

I loved the references to the restaurants in D.C. area because even though it was the 60's they were still around when I moved in the area in 1980. The author lives in the area so I can understand the location of the book and the places.

This book is a laugh a minute! I really should have pared this long review down but there are so many good scenes in this book it was hard for me to do so.

Yes, there were some serious moments but most of it was funny.

The epilogue was 1964 and it was exactly how I thought it would be.

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