A Family Matter is an emotional, tightly written drama told in the present day and the early 1980s. In 1982, Dawn is a young mother who is deeply in love with her little girl but feels lost in her marriage. In 2022, Heron is an older man receiving a troubling diagnosis and keeping it secret. But it is not Heron's only secret, and it's perhaps not his biggest. 

This novel builds rich, dynamic characters and a moving story in a quick 224 pages. I loved Lynch's writing style, especially what she leaves unsaid for the reader to infer. This story takes a seemingly ordinary family of a little girl who grew up with her father and shows just how devastating a culture's selective beliefs around who can parent can be. 

I recommend this for readers of family drama. It may be a great fit if you enjoyed The Vanishing Half, My Government Means to Kill Me, or This is How it Always Is.