Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

It’s been a few years since I read a Jennifer Weiner book. I used to devour them, and then, for whatever reason (likely too many book choices), I fell off the wagon. I was super excited to receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher, and I’m happy to say that it was precisely the book I needed at exactly the right time. The novel captures the nostalgia of the music of the early 2000s while also delivering a deeply personal story about two sisters, their complicated bond, their rise and fall from fame, and the daughter who seeks to uncover their past and bring them back together years later.

At its core, this is a book about family – specifically, the tangled and often painful relationship between sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg. Zoe is the charismatic, ambitious one, always craving the spotlight. Zoe dreamed of being a star from a young age, and she’ll do anything to make this dream come true. Cassie, on the other hand, is a musical genius who never quite fits the mold of society’s unreal expectations of what makes a beautiful woman. The emphasis on pretty and thin is an even bigger issue when Cassie suddenly finds herself a rising pop star. Their differences lead to tension and, eventually, the implosion of their career as the Griffin Sisters.

The characters in the book are absolutely fantastic, but I found myself drawn most to Cassie. She’s the kind of character you want to protect. Anyone who has ever struggled with body image or felt like they don’t belong will see themselves in her. She’s immensely talented but forced to shrink herself (figuratively and literally) to fit the impossible standards of the music industry. Her pain and self-doubt are heartbreaking yet all too familiar.

Zoe, meanwhile, is the kind of character who can be frustrating but is undeniably real. She makes decisions that are selfish, sometimes even cruel, and while I didn’t agree with them, I understood what drove her to make them. The way Weiner writes her – flawed but not irredeemable – makes her feel like someone you might know in real life.

And then there’s Cherry, Zoe’s teenage daughter, who, years later, gives her mother a run for her money in the determination department. Her quest to uncover the truth about her mother’s pop/rock star past gives the novel a fresh, modern energy.

While the family drama is the emotional heart of the novel, the book also delivers a searing indictment of the music industry’s treatment of women, particularly those who don’t fit into a narrow definition of beauty. Cassie’s experiences immediately brought to mind the real-life treatment of women like Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips – a band that was popular in the 1990s (for those of you too young to remember). It also highlights how the industry hyper-sexualizes young women and discards young women who don’t conform to the sexy pop star archetype. Cassie’s journey is a painful reminder of how talent alone is never enough in an industry obsessed with image. There were so many times I wanted to reach through the pages and hug her. She seriously broke my heart.

Another thing that I loved about the book was the way Weiner approached the love triangle. Rather than leaning on tired clichés, she crafts something that feels fresh, inclusive, and deeply character-driven. Without giving too much away, I appreciated that the romance never overshadowed the larger themes of the book. While it was an integral part of the story and a catalyst for major events, it never felt like it existed just for the sake of drama.

I also really appreciated how the author committed to an unexpected ending. Weiner doesn’t force her characters into a picture-perfect resolution, but she gives them the realistic closure they need. The book doesn’t end with a grand display of fireworks and a perfect resolution. Instead, it delivers a more honest and, in my opinion, more impactful conclusion that the characters deserve.

In case it wasn’t clear, I really enjoyed this book, and I think it’s one that Gen X and Millenial readers will especially love. With its compelling characters, rich storytelling, family secrets/drama, and insightful commentary on fame and body image, this book is a must-read. Whether you’re a longtime Weiner fan or picking up one of her books for the first time, you won’t be disappointed.