Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Let me start by saying that I loved Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. I was sad when it ended because I loved the characters so much. I did not feel quite the same way about Commonwealth. It's the story of a combined family--with 6 kids and various parents and stepparents. So there are a LOT of characters to keep track of, which is part of the problem. We first meet the main players at the christening party for  baby Franny, daughter of cop Fix and his wife Beverly. Bert, a lawyer for the DA's office, crashes the party mostly to get away from his own house full of kids with pregnant wife Theresa. And that sets in motion a series of events that will change both families forever.

My two favorite characters were probably Theresa, who manages to pull herself together and create a nice life after Bert leaves her (with all the kids, no less. He is truly a prince.) and Franny as an adult.
Franny can't quite figure out what she wants to be when she grows up but she has a good heart, which makes her an appealing character. Some of the characters, like brother Cal, I didn't feel we got to know very well, though he has a huge impact on his siblings.

Patchett is a wonderful writer, so if you've enjoyed her other books, give this one a whirl. But to my mind, it can't compare to Bel Canto.