The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster

Feeling an outsider in her white family as well as among her soon-to-be in-laws, and disconnected from her father’s Black family whom she barely knows, biracial Mae Townsend attends her paternal grandmother’s funeral, hoping to forge new relationships. She is sure that the large extended Townsend family, with its many traditions, will finally give her a sense of belonging. Before she knows it, she has agreed to get her late grandmother’s house ready to sell, to throw the last Townsend family BBQ, and to uncover her grandmother’s incredible mac-and-cheese recipe. To add even more stress, Mae’s wedding is in two weeks. Soon she is faced with mysteries and revelations about her beloved father and has to admit the secrets that she has been keeping from her fiancé. Though filled with relatable humor, Robinson’s (The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks) comedic novel explores truth in difficult situations, messy relationships, and feelings of not belonging. Narrator Chanté McCormick brings a conversational air to the audiobook. Her character voices are distinctive without being overly dramatic, and her comedic timing is excellent.