Skip to main content

Readers' Comments for Family Pictures

In March, a select group of readers who participated in one of our Women's Fiction Author Spotlights won copies of FAMILY PICTURES by Jane Green. The novel introduces two women, Sylvie and Maggie, who live on opposite coasts of the country. They are brought together by a crisis that shakes the very core of each of their families. Now, the two ladies must find a way to navigate their strange and uncomfortable relationship, and deal with the important question; What if the person they love is not who they imagine him to be? Take a look at some of the readers' comments to give you more insight into the story ---  SPOILER ALERT!

We thank all of those who participated in this promotion. For those of you who would like to read this novel, FAMILY PICTURES is in stores.

Belva
I completely devoured this book --- reading it over the weekend and not being able to put it down. I have to say, I was not prepared to enjoy this book as much as I did. I having never read anything by this author. This book takes you on an emotional journey through two women's lives that are connected in an unexpected way. You connect with the characters and feel their pain and joy as the story unfolds. I would recommend this book to any woman who loves to read, but especially anyone who has lost a loved one, suffered through a divorce, or dealt with eating disorders.  This is truly a wonderful book and I enjoyed it immensely. 

Kay
FAMILY PICTURES was a real page turner. I really loved how the characters, each married to the same man, came together to pull the story together. Each wife had her own set of problems besides being married to the same guy. I did feel that the kid’s chance meeting was a bit far-fetched, but it did pull together how they came to find out about each other. Overall, I loved the story. It seems this type of storyline could have been pulled straight from news headlines. I love Jane Green!

Rosalie
This has been a most delightful book! I love Jane Green's books anyway, but I believe this is one of her best! The book dives into issues/problems of mothers, daughters and marriages. Modern day issues of medical concern are also interwoven into the story as well as sexuality concerns. I found myself very eager to turn the pages to read more, yet I was compelled to put it down occasionally - -- just so the book would last longer.

I also like the division of the book into chapters about individual characters and I like the short chapters which made it easy for me to "treat myself" to a few minutes of a great read on a very busy day! I highly recommend the book to women of all age groups and I would describe it as an absolute great beach read!

Laurie
Jane Green’s FAMILY PICTURES is a riveting novel that encompasses the joys and heartaches of love and family. Sylvie is a widow with a small daughter, Eve. She never thought she would get married again, but then she meets Mark. They are as much in love after eleven years as when they first met. They are the perfect family until Mark is nowhere to be found. Mark’s secret life is exposed when Eve goes to New York City with a friend and makes a life-changing discovery.  However, Sylvie already has been enlightened to his other life.

Maggie is a woman possessed by material things and community status. She is the complete opposite of Sylvie. Maggie starts to question was she truly ever happy and in love? The whirlwind has started and doesn’t stop. I was pulled into FAMILY PICTURES at the very beginning. I cried over Eve’s illness and Sylvie and Maggie’s broken hearts. I think this quote sums up the lesson I learned from FAMILY PICTURES, “A life that celebrates warmth, and honesty, and human connection. A life that would never think to worship at the altar of money or success.” Why spend our life looking for great things when we have them in our own back yard?

Pat
Jane Green weaves her storytelling magic in her riveting, page turner about two women whose lives are forever changed when a secret from a chance meeting is discovered. Sylvie and Maggie are both attractive and in their forties, living on opposite coasts. Both are mothers concerned that all too soon their children will be leaving the nest for school. Both have handsome husbands who travel constantly, but show no sign of stopping. Neither is content but unable to improve the situation.

Eve, Sylvie's daughter, keeps secrets and the biggest is an eating disorder. Grace, Maggie's daughter meets Eve at a party in NY and both decide to leave when the bash becomes disruptive, ending up in CT at Grace's home. Here, a shocking, dark and dirty secret is uncovered and their lives are blown apart.

Rebuilding lives, discovering loyalties, becoming a loving family, finding love and all with --- one of the things I love best --- a happy ending!

Betty
What a great book! I think this may be my favorite by Jane Green. I loved Sylvie's character throughout the book. I didn't like Maggie in the beginning, but by the end of the book, I loved her.  She grew and changed when she discovered the deception. It took some time, but it turned out to be a very positive experience.

I really related to the lesson this book taught. Often bad experience turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to people. They go through their grief phases, but then they change and grow to be better people from their negative experience.

The relationships depicted in this book were very real and unpredictable --- as life is. Because I didn't find this story predictable, I couldn't put it down until I finished it! It was a wonderful story!

Bridget
Not even Survivor could keep me away from this book! I haven't read a book that quickly in a really, really long time. Now I can't stop thinking about the book!

Don't know who I felt the sorriest for --- definitely not Mark, what a cad to do what he did! It was bad enough for the two adult women to be involved, but to bring kids into the situation? Wow! He was probably one of the biggest villains in books that I've read.

Sylvie had such a hard life. First her awful mother, then she lost the love of her life so tragically and she almost loses her daughter. She really is a survivor!  I think this book will be a bestseller and appeal to many book clubs.

Nancy
I really enjoyed reading this book. It shows how two families deal with a lot of problems in their lives and still get through them by working together.

John
I just finished reading FAMILY PICTURES by Jane Green. I thought it is one of the best books I have ever read. It is well-written, easy to follow and true to life with a few twists.

Geri
I loved this book! At first I thought it was going to be the stereotypical man-has-two-families-what-a-jerk read, but was I pleasantly surprised by the side stories of Eve, Sylvie and Maggie and all the other intertwining of events. I was so happy with the ending of this book and would highly recommend it to my fellow readers.

Linda
I've just finished the book and will definitely pass it on and recommend it to my Book Club members. I feel that this book was intriguing and I enjoyed the foreshadowing of events throughout the book.