Apples Never Fall, Liane Moriarty

[ThisMomentIsReal]

Has anyone else read it? What do you think?
This was the fifth book of hers that I read. The writing was great and I really felt like I could get into the lives of the Delaney family. The twist was clever, though slightly a little less exciting than I thought.
It is also the first book I read that makes a mention of COVID-19.

I really enjoyed it and thought it was a return to form after the (IMO) woeful Nine Perfect Strangers.
Thought Joy, particularly, was a great character and the way families work when the adult children are grown was skilfully portrayed. It was also my first book with a Covid mention - it will be very interesting to see what novelists do with covid in the future.

I haven't got this one yet but it's on my list. I really didn't like nine perfect strangers either. Sounds like I'd enjoy this one though.

I thought that it was very good. A return to the standard of her better, earlier, books.

I read it recently. It was my third Liane Moriarty novel and my favourite so far. Some really great characters, and liked how it brought in the pandemic at the end to give it current relevance.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped, found it a bit over-long. Maybe because I'm not a tennis fan!

I'm enjoying reading peoples' thoughts. I agree she did a great job portraying the pandemic: initially I was worried that one of the characters would get it, so glad that was not the case. I'm also generally not into sports, but was OK with it as that was only part of the issues facing the family.
I read Nine Perfect Strangers (my mother recommended it) and I thought it was different but still liked it, though that was actually the first novel of hers that I read. The more popular one I could not get into was The Husband's Secret. I just had an immediate dislike for two of the characters (the couple who were having an affair and being sort of holier-than-thou about it). Perhaps I will give that book another go.

I really like Nicola moriarty's books aswell.

@MinnieJackson
I read Nicola Moriarty's novel The Fifth Letter not too long ago. It was great!

Maybe I’ll give this a whirl.

She sank so low with the dire Nine Perfect Strangers, that I assumed she’d run out of ideas and this was her trajectory.

I loved it as well- listened on audible rather than read which was really good apart from Savannah’s boyfriends accent.
Also thought it was a return to form after Nine Perfect Strangers which I just couldn’t get on with at all.
Delaney family were v believable and Joy was a great character.

Yes! I also just finished you need to know by Nicola and it was great @ThisMomentIsReal

I've just finished, it's the first book of hers that I've read. I really enjoyed it, liked the characters and the relationship between parents and adult children.
It wasn't my first book with a Covid mention (that was 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard), but it was interesting to have it included.

I'm just starting American Dirt - it's very different!

I've read and enjoyed all Liane Moriarty's books, with the exception of Nine Perfect Strangers which could have been written by someone else, it was so out of line with the others. It took me a while to get into Apples Never Fall, but once I did I really enjoyed it. The Delaney family and their relationships were very believable and well written.

I just can't warm to Liane Moriarty's writing. It's so cold. Same with Sally Rooney. Soulless writing.

I thought Savannah's character was really chilling in the end

Completely agree. I love her work but was very disappointed with Nine Perfect Strangers.

I really liked having a fully rounded and developed older female protagonist. That bit was especially good. It took me a while to get going with it but did enjoy it over all.

Hated the pandemic chapters. That bit should've been left off, I was cringing the whole time.

Just finished this - finally!
It was quite long and slow going.
Unconvinced by how it all tied together at the end and thought maybe the last chapter was unnecessary.
Was an OK read though, though don't think it's Moriarty's best work.