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    Family Pictures: A Novel
    Family Pictures: A Novel
    Family Pictures: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Family Pictures: A Novel

    Written by Jane Green

    Narrated by Amy Quint

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Who can you trust if not the ones you love? That is the question at the heart of Family Pictures, an emotional, page-turning story about what it means to be a family from New York Times bestselling author, Jane Green

    "Green's novels consistently deliver believable, accessible, heartfelt, often heartwarming stories about real people, problems, and feelings."-Redbook

    Sylvie and Maggie are two women living on opposite coasts with children about to leave the nest for school. Both are in their forties with husbands who travel more than either would like. The looming emptiness of their respective homes has left them feeling anxious and lonely, needing their husbands to be home now more than ever. It isn't until Eve, Sylvie's daughter, happens to befriend Maggie's daughter that the similarities between these two women become shockingly real. A huge secret has remained well hidden for years until now-and their lives will be blown apart as dark truths from the past come to the surface. Can these two women learn to forgive, for the sake of their children...and for themselves?

    "This gripping story is ultimately one of redemption."-Library Journal

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 19, 2013
    ISBN9781427235077
    Family Pictures: A Novel
    Author

    Jane Green

    A former feature writer for the Daily Express, Jane Green took a leap of faith when she left in 1996 to freelance and work on her book. She is now the bestselling author of numerous novels including Jemima J, The Beach House, and Falling. Jane lives in Connecticut with her husband and their blended family of six children.

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    Reviews for Family Pictures

    3.5/5

    136 ratings20 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      A fantastic book that is with out a doubt in my top 5 books I have read this year thus far. Emotional and touching while reaching into your heart and staying there long after you put this back on the shelf. Can't wait to start another book by this author.
    • 4/5
      I received a copy of Family Pictures via Goodreads firstreads giveaway. Thank-you to the author Jane Green for the opportunity!

      Family Pictures tells the story of two different families, living on opposite coasts whose worlds collide in an emotional and rather unbelievable manner. The plot was more than predicable from the start, however, it did not keep me from wanting to learn more about the characters, their lives and how they would face adversity.

      Sylvie and Maggie, the main characters, possess different strengths and levels of resiliency in times of crisis. The author exposes the impact of various life tragedies on all of the novel's characters. True to reality, they all endure their experience uniquely and with varying degrees of support, hope and control.

      This is the first novel that I have read by Jane Green and it is not my typical read, however, I could not help but to race through this one. I would recommend the novel to anyone wanting to delve into a modern day "chick lit" book. I am a new fan of Jane Green and intend to explore her other reads!
    • 3/5
      **Received a ARC from Goodreads.**Sylvie thinks she has a perfect life. She has a husband whom she loves, even if he isn’t around all the time. He travels a lot for his work, being away weeks at a time. She has a daughter who is about to leave home; graduating from high school and wanting to attend college in New York instead of California near her parents. Then we have Sylvie’s mother, Clothilde. Not exactly a mother figure, but blood is blood.And then there is Maggie. Mother of three teenagers who attends teas and charity events in Connecticut. She has the perfect house, the perfect husband, and also manages to host events amazingly. She is the quintessential New England Trophy Wife.But after things come out, both of their lives are turn upside down. Neither is able to go on living the life they are used to and their families are changed forever.Jane Green weaves a story of family, trust, and forgiveness which grabs at your heart and reminds you how important certain things are. While I will admit it was well written and interesting. The ending was one which I knew was coming. It screamed at me from the beginning of the book, practically even before I started it. I guess someone has to have a somewhat happy ending.Overall, I really didn’t like it. I don’t know if it was the way she wrote about the characters, or perhaps it was the storyline, it seemed too contrived, too ‘I am woman, hear me roar.’ Or possibly it could just be it is not my style.
    • 4/5
      family pictures 4 stars, just barelyIt took awhile to get into this book. The first 1/3 was kind of boring but finally it did get quite good. I would have liked as much background on Maggie & her family as there was on Sylvie and hers. This is a story of two women living very different lives, very far away from each other. Sylvie is a woman of simple tastes and creative interests who lost her husband years ago and now her daughter and her are putting their lives back together slowly…Maggie is a rich yet insecure woman married 25 years with 3 kids and a very busy husband.I really can not say much more with out giving the plot away… these two women and their families come together in many Unexpected, horrible and joyous ways. I laughed and cried while reading this book and would recommend it.
    • 5/5
      Love how the author writes. So glad to read again.
    • 2/5
      Too predictable for me.
    • 5/5
      This is a great easy fun read. Some people say that the plot is predictable but who cares. It is not like most books or movies are any different. The story is nice and I loved the characters.
    • 2/5
      Not my favorite Jane Green. This book was very predictable and I figured it out rather quickly. I would have liked to have a chapter or 2 from Mark and maybe even a little more Maggie. Overall a solid story and good book.
    • 4/5
      I love reading Jane Green. I think I have read every book she has ever written. This one did not disappoint. I kind of knew what was coming but still it was a nice surprise what happened and how everything unfolded. This is a nice beach read. Pretty fast read too. You get invested in the characters. I would have liked to have known a little more of how Mark got away with everything but this storyline was more about the relationships of the women instead of Mark. I recommend this book.
    • 3/5
      Another good Jane Green novel. It's a fast, engrossing read.It's all about family relationships, secrets, trust, emotions, and forgiveness.
    • 4/5
      I have read quite a few books by Jane Green; however, Family Pictures was one of her best! Without giving away the book, it is a heartfelt story of two women with two families and find they have a lot in common. Only when one daughter visits the other, their world crumble.

      There are many take-a-ways from this book – people are not always as they seem, and it takes something bad to happen in order for us to find our true selves. Things do not bring happiness and you find out your true friends when lose it all. You really learn to love Maggie towards the end of the book and sometimes---we can find family in others when we cannot find it the biological way. Highly recommend!
    • 3/5
      Reading this book, particularly the first part, was like watching a car speed down an icy road, approaching a curve, and knowing that there was a crash coming. No amount of pumping the brakes or steering into the curve would prevent the horrific damage when impact with that guard-rail was made.Then as the story moves into the second part, you realize there's a tree on the other side of the guard-rail, in direct line with the trajectory of the car. You see it, can't stop it --BAM!!The rest of the book is the car tumbling down the embankment, as you, the observer, hold your breath waiting to see if it will burst into flames, or if, against all odds, any survivors will stagger out.The biggest thing that struck me was that this was a Jane Green novel without a gay best friend.
    • 4/5
      Was so excited to receive this is a goodreads giveaway! I am a big fan of Jane Green and this did not disappoint. I read the book in just a couple of sittings. The big plot twist wasn't a big surprise but the story was still great regardless.
    • 4/5
      Just a great read. Finished in two sittings. While you know what will happen next, it doesn't take any enjoyment from this book.
    • 4/5
      I thought this was a WONDERFUL book. I appreciated that an eating disorder was part of the book. It seems we hear a lot about a topic for awhile and then we are on to something else. This book reminded me that people still suffer these disorders even tho we don't hear as much about it. Ms. Green did a GREAT job keeping my attention from beginning to end. It was interesting to see how the two women dealt with the situations they found themselves in. I will definitely recommend this book!
      Rhonda
    • 3/5
      Good story ultimately, but very repetitive.
    • 5/5
      I started reading this book last night - I could not put it down, falling asleep with it beside me. I woke up in the middle of the night and picked it back up. When I finished work today, it was back in my hands until I finished reading it. I smiled, laughed, cringed and cried with the ladies that this book is about. I felt each character as if I knew them. And loved how they evolved as a result of their shared experience. I cried over the damage to the children in the story. This is a must read book. Jane Green thank you for an amazing experience. I have no doubt this story will become a movie.
    • 4/5
      family pictures 4 stars, just barelyIt took awhile to get into this book. The first 1/3 was kind of boring but finally it did get quite good. I would have liked as much background on Maggie & her family as there was on Sylvie and hers. This is a story of two women living very different lives, very far away from each other. Sylvie is a woman of simple tastes and creative interests who lost her husband years ago and now her daughter and her are putting their lives back together slowly…Maggie is a rich yet insecure woman married 25 years with 3 kids and a very busy husband.I really can not say much more with out giving the plot away… these two women and their families come together in many Unexpected, horrible and joyous ways. I laughed and cried while reading this book and would recommend it.
    • 5/5
      Family PicturesByJane GreenMy "in a nutshell" summary...Two families...one East Coast...one West Coast...and a crisis...an almost unbelievable crisis..that literally almost destroys everyone!My thoughts after reading this book...Wow...I could not put this book down! I loved every chapter, every event, every dysfunctional moment that these family members lived through. Sylvie and Maggie...living the lives they felt they were meant to live...destined to live...and a chance meeting of the daughters and lives collapse. I don't really want to share too much of the actual story...you would hate me...it's so much better to have your suspicions about Mark...the husband/perpetrator...really...each chapter just flies by as you read more and more of this supercharged family saga. Just know that it's about two families who are totally unaware of each other's existence until this chance meeting...this random chance meeting...literally destroys them. Enough said about the destruction because this book is also about growth and salvation. So yummy!What I loved about this book...You can't read this book without loving Sylvie and wanting her in your life! Loving, creative, strong, insecure, sad and infinitely cherishable...that is how I would describe Sylvie. Wait until you read about her French mother...OMG...you will love Sylvie even more.And...Maggie...you will love after the crisis Maggie... this was one of the best parts of Family Pictures...Maggie's story.And Buck...Maggie's youngest son...you will want to cry when he takes Maggie to dinner...I loved it!What I did not love...Just because it's so much fun to read about the characters you love to hate...Sylvie's mom, before the crisis Maggie, dishonest husband Mark...some...if not all...of Maggie's friends...even Grace and Eve...daughters...could be annoying at times.Final thoughts...Just a yummy yummy book...filled with awesomely fascinating dysfunctional situations and characters...who were able to grow and change.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this book, but was pretty upset with the "gimme" of the blurb on the book. The writing is great and the plot gets you hooked - even having guessed most of the plot, I didn't want to put it down and finished reading in one evening.There is much warmth and love in the way the characters, their traits and lives are described. This book makes you wonder how well we know and understand the people around us and, more importantly, how much we are actually willing/ brave enough to learn about them.