A review by helplesswhilstdrying
The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

2.5

Taking place roughly a year after the first book ends, we have a dual timeline story, delving into a character Rachel, who we didn’t get to know much in the first book and following on some of the characters we focussed no the first time.

The Family Upstairs ends in a neatly tied up bow, and this one felt like for 3/4 of the story it didn’t really have a purpose and it was really just carrying the characters stories on a little. However after the first book it felt like a ramble that I’d not left the first book feeling invested in without another juicy plot line to follow, for most of the book I was bored and found it a slog to get to (not my usual opinion of LJ!), I was waiting for a plot twist and when it came it was quite weak.

This is really a review for anyone who has read the first in the series and is questioning if they should read this - and honestly my answer is no, but I was a little shocked that when I read reviews afterwards I seem to be in the minority of people who didn’t seem to love this!