Best Behavior: A Novel

Wendy Francis

May 2020 · Harlequin

About this eBook

A divorced mother and almost empty-nester navigates her twins’ graduation weekend with her ex and his second wife in this warm and witty family drama.

Meredith Parker has made the journey to Bolton, her twins’ college, dozens of times. This weekend, though, is different. Dawn and Cody are about to graduate and move away to separate corners of the country. Meredith is proud of her kids, and she’s proud of herself for helping them get this far. She just never expected the tidal wave of emotions sweeping over her—or the tangled family dynamics complicating everything.

Meredith doesn’t miss her cheating ex, Roger, one bit, but sitting across from his very young, very gorgeous second wife threatens to unravel the graceful facade she’s trying so hard to maintain. Joel, Meredith’s husband, can see she’s feeling the first pangs of empty-nest syndrome and wants to soften the blow—but he’s distracted by a familiar face. Meanwhile, Cody and Dawn are sitting on their own secrets, and Roger’s new wife, Lily, wonders if she really wants to be a part of this wild, mixed-up family.

As tensions simmer with each passing appetizer tray, Meredith’s vision of the perfect weekend goes up in flames. But before the party’s over, as best behavior gives way to brutal honesty, there’ll be a chance for this new blended family to truly come together—in all its messy and glorious imperfection.

Praise for Best Behavior

A Lee Woodruff “Book Marks” Pick

A Liz and Lisa Best Book of May

A Zibby Owens Recommended Summer Read

“You can be sure you’re in for some very juicy BAD behavior—and Wendy Francis doesn’t disappoint. With warmth and humor, Best Behavior delivers a delicious family drama; look no further for your perfect poolside read!” —Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Forever Summer

“Francis writes with grace, depth and humor about complex family dynamics and the joy and heartache of watching young adults spread their wings and fly from the nest.” —Meg Mitchell Moore, author of The Islanders

“Wendy Francis captures all the joy and pain of being an (almost) empty-nester in her latest novel . . . . A terrific summer read.” —Amy Poeppel, author of Small Admissions

Ratings and reviews

Best Behavior by Wendy Francis has Meredith Parker along with her husband, Joel and her mother, Carol are heading to Bolton College in Boston, Massachusetts for the graduation of her twins, Dawn and Cody. Meredith is not looking forward to seeing her ex-husband, Roger and his bride of six months, Lily along with Roger’s extended family. Meredith has a variety of emotions swirling through her. She is proud of the twins graduating from college, but also upset because they moving to different states. Of course, Meredith is not the only one worried about the upcoming weekend. The tension is palpable from the beginning. Best behavior can only so last so long and then watch out. Best Behavior is a story about a blended family trying to get through seventy-two hours. There is a banquet to attend, graduation, Roger’s elaborate graduation party as well as get the twins moved out of their dorm rooms. They all want the weekend to go well, but there is always tension when families get together. Meredith is especially touchy because she is going to miss her children who will soon be living in different states. She resents her ex-husband, Roger who is now wealthy and flaunts it (I believe Meredith needed a better divorce attorney). Meredith loved raising her kids and now is not sure who she is without them. Best Behavior has secrets, lies, anger, drugs, bitterness, jealousy, love, and vast quantities of alcohol (they will need it to get through the weekend). I do want to mention there is foul language in the book (I know people use it, but I still find it offensive). The point-of-view alternates between Meredith, Joel, Dawn, Cody, and Lily. It can be a little confusing at first until you adjust. It does allow you to see each situation from different perspectives. You never truly know what another person is thinking, feeling, or going through as we discover. The book is well-written with complex characters. I liked that there was humor sprinkled throughout to help lighten the tale. Best Behavior shows the complex dynamics of a blended family. Escape reality for a time by diving into Best Behavior.

I don't read a lot of chick-lit/women's fiction, but I could certainly identify with Meredith being an empty nester, which is what I think drew me to this one. There were things I liked about Meredith and things that kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but that's merely the sign of a well-rounded character. After all, how many people do we meet in real life and actually like every single thing about them? Anyway, this story is told from a handful of perspectives and everyone has a secret as this blended family gets ready for a graduation weekend. Did I like every character? Definitely not, but like them or not, this group of characters certainly made for interesting drama. And let's be honest, we all kind of enjoy the bird's eye view of family drama as long as it's not our own. So, there you have it - An entertaining bit of family drama in a story that has a steady enough pace to make for a good bit of beach reading or a pretty good way to while away a weekend.

About the author

Wendy Francis is the author of the novels, The Summer Sail, The Summer of Good Intentions, and Three Good Things.  A former book editor, she has written for Good Housekeeping, the Washington Post, the Improper Bostonian, and WBUR's Cognoscenti.  She lives outside Boston with her husband and eleven-year-old son and has two stepchildren, who will soon be proud graduates themselves.