THE OTHER BROTHER

A woman spends the summer vacationing with her husband, her children, and her brother-in-law, the lead singer of an enormously famous band.

When Mona met Jack Springer, she had no idea that his older brother was Denny Springer, lead singer for one of the world’s greatest rock bands. In fact, she didn’t find out who Jack’s brother was until their wedding day, when Denny failed to show up. Mona and Jack have been married for years and have two sons by the time Denny finally comes home for Easter dinner. Mona, Jack, and their sons are planning to spend their summer at a rental house in Connecticut, and Mona invites Denny to join them. Jack is also a musician, although his albums are much less successful than those of Denny’s band. It might, she thinks, be an opportunity for the brothers to bond over their shared love of music. But when Denny shows up, his presence is more bothersome to Mona that she thought it would be. He brings bodyguards, a driver, and a sense of entitlement that she can’t stand. As their summer goes on, Mona starts to wonder how well she knows Jack and Denny in the first place. Baratz-Logsted’s (I Love You, Michael Collins, 2017, etc.) writing sparkles, and Mona’s voice feels pleasantly conversational. Readers will feel like they’re hearing a story from a best friend, although they might wish for slightly more drama. A twist near the end doesn’t carry the emotional heft that it should, since the stakes—in Mona’s relationship with Jack, Jack’s relationship with Denny, and Mona’s relationship with Denny—are never quite high enough.

A fun summer read about the secrets families keep from one another.