The Other Brother

Written by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Narrated by Henrietta Meire

Ever wonder what it must be like to be the younger sibling of someone so popular, princes and presidents are excited to meet him? Mona knows. Or thinks she does. Mona is married to Jack, younger brother to Denny Springer, lead singer for The Greatest Rock-and-Roll Band in the World. Jack happens to sing too, of course, not that anyone in the world notices very much. After Denny attends the family Easter dinner in London for the first time in decades, Mona invites Denny to join her and her family for the summer at a rental house in coastal Connecticut. She tells Denny it'll be a chance for him to finally bond with Jack, from whom Denny has been estranged for twenty years. Denny initially laughs at the idea . . . but then shows up on their doorstep.

As the summer progresses, though, questions arise: Did Denny really have a change of heart and a sudden commitment to family, or is he hiding something? More importantly, why did Mona invite him in the first place? Most importantly of all, how well do we ever really know anybody?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781541478404

Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written books for all ages. Her books for children and young adults include the Sisters Eight series, The Education of Bet and Crazy Beautiful. She lives with her family in Danbury, Connecticut.

Reviews for The Other Brother

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Other Brother by Lauren Baratz-Logsted is an entertaining, light-hearted contemporary novel.

Mona and Jack Springer are happily married with two young sons. During a family dinner, Mona impetuously invites her brother-in-law Denny to join them on their summer vacation. The lead singer in a wildly popular rock band, Denny has spent little time with their family over the years. Never imagining he would take her up on her invitation, Mona is stunned when he shows up with his bodyguards and driver. Needless to say, Mona is somewhat annoyed by her brother-in-law's presence but she remains hopeful Jack and Denny will bond over their shared love of music. Does Mona's plan have any chance of succeeding?

When she first met Jack, Mona had no idea his brother was THE famous lead singer of her favorite band. Since she downplayed her interest in the band, they never really discussed the band so she is flummoxed to discover on her wedding day that Denny is her soon to be brother-in-law. Although she surreptitiously follows his career over the years, Denny rarely joined them for family gatherings. No one is more surprised than she is when he shows up at the beach house, and despite her irritation over the extra work, Mona holds out hope Jack and Denny's relationship will improve by summer's end.

The Other Brother is a fun-filled romp that is fast-paced and engaging.  The storyline is imaginative and well-executed. The banter is witty and Mona's inner dialogue is rather humorous. Lauren Baratz-Logsted brings the novel to conclusion with a plot twist that is a bit of a letdown since it was fairly well telegraphed over the course of the story.  All in all, an amusing read with likable characters that fans of contemporary women's fiction will enjoy.