I’ve absolutely loved reading Mothers and Daughters. The characters in this book, each with their own problems, drew me in more and more as I got to know them.
Sixty-three year-old Naomi, widowed mother of Martha and Willow, is completely relatable for me. Having recently reconnected with Ellis, a former love, she’s certainly not remotely interested in listening to Martha, who wants her to sell the family home and move closer to her daughters, ostensibly so she can be close to her future grandchildren. I couldn’t blame her. Her family home is a gorgeous, welcoming, seaside home in a village where she is well connected and heavily involved.
It took me a while to warm to Martha, who initially appeared to be overbearing and pushy. She is actually meticulous, loves planning and lists and falls apart when life gets in the way of all her effort. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and I actually found myself feeling sort for her at times.
As for Willow, well, I liked her right away, though it soon became apparent that she hated making waves and as a result had dug herself into a challenging situation.
With three such different key characters, there was plenty to keep me turning the pages. There were multiple themes including domestic violence, narcissism, jealousy and possessiveness, all of which were addressed sensitively. I couldn’t wait to see how the story evolved. This book is an absolute cracker and one I will definitely be putting on my keeper shelf.

A gorgeous read with great characters, great storyline, and I kept turning the pages not only for the beautiful writing and setting but to find out how it would all unfold. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book

This is a story of exactly what the title reflects. It is the story of a mother and her two daughters. It is the story of the interaction of this family and how they react to the changes in each others lives and how they deal with the changes around them and their families.

The characters Naomi (the mum), Martha (the eldest daughter) and Willow (the youngest daughter) are all very different on some ways and yet similar in other ways, They each have their own unique personalities which I like. Some of the characters annoyed me, some made me angry and others were people who I could relate to which all made the story more real to me.

The topics covered in this book are all very relevant to our world and the lives we live. I think we all would have experienced something that has happened in this book and possibly find that the different characters could relate to some of the people in your life.

But I did find it all a bit long and drawn out and also a bit predictable which made the story drag on for me. It is a good read and as I have not read any other books by this author I may look into some (as there seems to be a few) and see how they compare.

I would say 3 1/2 stars for me.

Naomi Miller lives in the English village of Tilsham, her beautiful garden leads down onto the beach and her property is called Anchor House. Naomi’s husband Colin passed way two years ago, and she has two adult daughters Martha and Willow.

Martha is her eldest daughter and she’s married to Tom Adams and has a successful marketing career. Martha’s very much like her father, a high achiever, determined and a perfectionist. Martha and Tom want to start a family, after months of trying, she’s still not pregnant and Martha’s feeling very stressed.

Willow is the opposite of her older sister, she’s currently working as a telemarketer and didn’t finish university. Her father found her annoying as a child, she was too sensitive and Martha was his favorite. Willow’s new boyfriend Rick Falconer is charming, he has a good job and an immaculate apartment. Her father would approve of Rick, Willow’s not sure if she and Rick are really suited, she has a more laid back and casual approach to life.

Ellis Ashton moves into Waterside Cottage next door to Naomi, and they have been dating for two months. Naomi doesn’t know how to tell her daughters about Ellis, especially Martha, she was very close to her father and she won’t be happy. Naomi has always kept aspects of her marriage to Colin private, she’s never told anyone what really went on behind closed doors and now is the time. Martha and Ellis both have their doubts about Rick, unfortunately it’s a case of history repeating itself, Naomi needs to protect Willow and she must tell her daughters the truth about their father and they will be shocked.

A captivating story about a mother’s relationship with her two daughters, to protect them she has kept secrets and her daughters now understanding their mother is a free and independent woman, she has every right to live where she chooses, start a new relationship and fall in love.

I received a copy of Mothers and Daughters from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, this is the first book I have read by Erica James, and it won’t be my last and five stars from me.

Siblings Martha and Willow couldn’t be more different – chalk and cheese they’d always been told, especially by their father. Now with Colin having died of a heart attack two years prior, Naomi, the girls’ mother, was getting on with her life at Tilsham, where she could hear the waves, walk on the shore and enjoy the scenery from the home she loved and where the girls had grown up. Martha was trying desperately to become pregnant to her husband Tom. They loved each other dearly and balanced one another out, with Martha being pedantic, sensible, prone to organizing everything, and Tom happy to cook and care for her when she needed it. While Willow had always had great empathy, was a good listener and had no ambitions other than to enjoy life. When she met Rick, it seemed she had finally met the man of her dreams…

When Naomi bumped into Ellis, a man she’d known through university, their rekindling of friendship was immediate. He’d moved into a cottage next door to Naomi to be nearer his mother who was in care and not expected to last much longer. Naomi and Ellis found they enjoyed one another’s company, laughing and reminiscing over the past. But Martha – especially Martha – wasn’t happy to see this new man in her mother’s life. It was too soon in her opinion, although Tom tried to temper her irritation. As emotions ran hot, and tempers flared, the discomfort which ran through the family was damaging. What would be the outcome for this family – this mother and her daughters? Would things right themselves; would they make their peace with one another?

Mothers and Daughters is another excellent read from the pen of Erica James. I was so involved, I was talking to the characters, telling them what they should or shouldn’t do! I wasn’t too fussed on Martha to start with, but she grew on me – Willow was a delight, although she let herself be walked over. And Naomi was pretty much perfect – secrets and all! Mothers and Daughters is a novel I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a compelling and fabulous story about relationships and life and what mothers will do to protect their children, I loved it from start to finish, it was a hard book to put down and what a beautiful setting, a beautiful cottage Anchor House on the coast of a small English village Tilsham. We get to meet Naomi and her daughters Martha and Willow, this is a moving and emotional story and so beautifully told.

Naomi’s husband Colin passed away suddenly two years ago and life has moved on well for Naomi she has settled into life on her own in her beautiful home by the sea and has her daughters and friends and is very happy.

Martha is the eldest daughter happily married to Tom she has a fabulous job, she is organized and always in control of her life, she is very much like her father. She and Tom are trying for a baby but things are not going as Martha planned and this is causing a little stress for her.

Willow is easy going, caring and loving and just ambles through life changing jobs and boyfriends, her father found that so frustrating and was very open to letting her know that she needed to make some plans and be more like Martha. Willow has a new boyfriend Rick who at first everyone thinks is just what Willow needs in her life, even her father would approve of Rick but Willow is not sure if he is the right guy.

Mother and daughters are very close and talk often but when Naomi meets her new neighbour, Ellis who is actually an old friend and more, Naomi decides that now is the time to move forward, a new Naomi and that includes having Ellis by her side. Martha has other ideas and wants her mother to sell her home and move closer to the girls, this causes some major problems with the normal flow of family life with them.

Emotions boil over with these woman and soon there are secrets being told that Naomi had kept a long time about her husband, their father, add to this the stress with trying to fall pregnant for Martha and what is happening to Willow, this story becomes very emotional but a story that is told beautifully with care and thought, it takes in issues that are very prevalent in today’s world. The characters are so real, the author has bought them to life on the pages. Really this is an awesome story one that I would highly recommend I can’t praise it enough, it is the first book from Erica James that I have read but it won’t be the last.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review

A captivating story about a mother’s relationship with her two daughters, to protect them she has kept secrets and her daughters now understanding their mother is a free and independent woman, she has every right to live where she chooses, start a new relationship and fall in love.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Family drama with widowed mother and pushy daughter. Bit over the idea that women over 60 need to have someone else make their decisions for them, particularly after the death of their controlling spouse.