In the Family Way - a 1960s suburban housewife faces challenges and societal change.

It's 1965 when we meet Lily Berg, a suburban housewife in Ohio, married to a doctor and pregnant with her second child. (Lily would refer to it as being in the "family way.") The family takes in a teenager from a local home for unwed mothers. Fifteen-year-old Betsy Ann Eubanks moves in with the Bergs, helping Lily care for her daughter, Jo-Jo, while awaiting the birth of her own baby. Lily is very close to her sister Rose, who works as a teacher and lives nearby with her husband. Lily's tight-knit circle of friends enjoys a weekly canasta game, and she is among the more traditional women in the group, just before the Women's Movement gains momentum. Over the next few months, the women face various challenges, such as infertility, unplanned pregnancy, spousal abuse, and unequal rights, which open Lily's eyes, leading to an awakening for her. She begins to question, "Is this all?"

In the Family Way by Laney Katz Becker offers a poignant exploration of a time marked by significant change, as women like Lily evolved from the 1950s attitudes to the quest for freedoms in the 1960s. The book is a satisfying, nostalgic journey about female relationships and empowerment. It highlights the progress made but acknowledges that there's still more to be done.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: June 3, 2025.

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