Turns out, I love a messy family saga. This book was full of imperfect people who I really grew to appreciate, though some took longer than others 👀 There was so much nuance to each familial relationship.
The writing style is beautiful and engaging, but did I *enjoy* reading this book? Did I love the 500 pages of heartache? Yeah, I guess I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for the advance copy!

Claire Lombardo does it again! She is the queen of writing flawed, sprawling, loveable family stories. By the end of this book, I felt like I was a part of Julia's family and I was so sad to say goodbye to them. Read this book if you want to settle in and really get to know and love a character. Excellent! I cannot recommend it enough!

Julia Ames, 57 is happily married with two young adult children living a privileged life in her upscale town. That's how her life looks on the outside but, Julia has a past that has had a profound affect on how Julia sees the world and carries herself in it. While reading this book, I felt as if Julia were a real person. She is deeply flawed but also very relatable.
I really enjoyed reading a novel about a woman in late middle age that is not just a stereotype. This story is so much more than domestic fiction. I highly recommend it.

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>Same as It Ever Was</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I'll admit that I tried reading this book on three separate occasions before I got through the first 50 pages. It was a slow start for me to get invested in Julia's story. Only the recommendation of a fellow reader brought me back to this wonderful, messy, complicated family.

Julia has lots of baggage from her childhood which always keeps her separated from those she loves and who love her. At times it seems like she is testing her husband. Will his love for her last no matter what? She questions her emotions, her love, for those around her since she never feels as though she meets "expectations" as a mother or a wife.

Julia's husband, Mark, is steady and loving. Together they just keep trying, succeeding, failing, and trying again.

I want to start off by saying I did really enjoy the writing style and ended up liking the book. With that being said, the whole time I felt like I was waiting for something big to happen or another piece of information to be revealed and unfortunately that never really happened. For some reason though that didn’t ruin how much I liked the book so honestly I’m a little confused but mostly excited to hear what others think.

Same As It Ever Was is a beautifully written novel following several stages of the life of Julia Ames. In present tense Julia is a married, soon to be empty nest mom to teenager daughter Alma, and her always steady, PhD student son Ben. What I loved most about Julia is the depth this character has. Claire Lombardo navigates her rocky childhood, brutally honest ups and downs of parenting and marriage, as well as unexpected friendships that aren't always easy to define. I absolutely loved this book, and would highly recommend it to other readers who love a family drama, a relatable flawed main character, and are looking for a book they will not want to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

I was in the minority with the authors last novel, I thought it was just ok but I wanted to try her again and I’m so glad I did! I really enjoyed this one much more and can see why she has so many fans. Her writing is so strong, it seems really simple at times and at others there was a sentence that was so beautiful and relatable it made me gasp a little. She has an uncanny and unmatched ability to really dive deep into familial relationships and the complexities that exist in a way that feels so authentic it hurts. Her characterization here was flawless, this a meaty novel, not only in length but also in just how far she delves into the characters psyches and it allows the reader to connect with them so deeply and so personally. There are universal themes and commonalities that I think many people will find relatable and relevant, especially if you are married or in have been in a long term relationship. There are also so many thoughts and ideas on parenthood at all its different stages and iterations that were profound and really made me think. The entire thing packs a powerful punch and is one of those books you need to take your time with, there is so much to unpack and ponder over, definitely not a quick or light read but one I really enjoyed.

I've been thinking about this review a lot. The three stars for me is because it was just too damn sad. The protagonist, a wife, mother, librarian, friend, and lastly daughter, was never happy. Every happy-ish moment that I thought might spring some sunshine into her life, she just found the sadness within. I know this was the depression that she unspokenly dealt with daily, but it was awful. No one in her life saw this side of her as an illness because she mocked it with anger and indifference.

I like to escape to books for whatever a story has to tell me, but wow this one was not one of my favorites. :(

SAME AS IT EVER WAS is a good title for the frustrations implicit in the life of a mother seeking something more, and believing that everyone else has the key to finding it. This inside look into the life of a family, as it grows and matures, reveals the mother’s take on the minor successes and perceived huge struggles as her flock grows up. She is depressed but not sure she has any reason to be; until she creates one. This is a long book and a deep read best suited for readers who love immersive experiences. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGally.

This book put a toll on my mind, body and spirit… which is exactly how I felt reading The Most Fun We Ever Had.

In true Lombardo fashion she has created a complex family drama… with the main focus on Julia who’s life appears to be picture perfect on the surface but a chance encounter with an estranged friend at the grocery store starts to peel back the layers of secrets and of reminiscing of Julia’s past.

Listening to the audio I felt like I absorbed Julia’s character and felt really down… it was bizarre and couldn’t be helped. I raced through listening due to the audio feeling very cinematic with the storyline and Julia’s introspective journey. Approaching this one I would say to get ready for a realistic family dynamic that may not be your own but could be anyone’s and really made me more grateful for my own journey through life.

Thank you Doubleday & PRH Audio
Releases 6/18

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Julia Ames has settled into what she hopes is a good life, but can't help thinking about the things she has done to nearly derail herself over her lifetime. She longs for deep, meaningful connections, but doesn't feel that she has made them in her life. Can she navigate her life through the new bumps along the way, or will she fall back into old, bad habits that will take her off course and lead her down the wrong path?

So on a sentence level, this book is excellent. On a plot level, it sagged in the middle but redeemed itself at the end.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Super bummed about this one - I made it 60% but it truly felt like such a slog. Initially I was invested, and into the story, but the FMC just was so whiny and "woe is me" the whole time - I understand you have struggles, and maybe she WAS depressed but she never tried to better herself or do anything about her feelings (i.e. go see a therapist) - I didn't agree with some of her decisions, fine but overall she was just selfish and I really didn't like her. I don't find myself caring how this one ends - I adored her first novel so this was a disappointment.

“Same As It Ever Was”
is one of the most enjoyable novels I’ve read all year.
I cried at the end —
I related at times to one of the characters who felt lonely and loss.
I also wished to be one of the characters who was wise and generous- whose house was lively and filled with love.
I can still smell the bread baking in the oven.

This is a grand messy family book with delicious storytelling- characters and life experiences.

Being honest here a minute —
I gave up my weekend plans to sit and enjoy this novel - which I did VERY MUCH!!!
My selfish joy!!!
Then …
Wanting to write a worthy review —
- I gave it my time and heart like nobody’s business writing review.
I worked on it for two days trying to find words and feeling - [without spoilers] - but with respectable details to be able to express how much value I got from Claire’s
novel —
I shared content - but not too much — I shared feelings -
I honestly wrote a darn good review BECAUSE — I sooo wanted to share how meaningful this book was for me.
(maybe my book club will choose it so I can engage with other readers for desired discussions)….
THEN -
I lost it! I completely lost my review. After hours of working on it.
I felt sick - I still feel sick. My iPad ‘easily’ erased my review as I was sending it. Gone in seconds.
I tried everything- nothing retrieved it. It’s lost.

So - I don’t have the energy to write another review like the previous one. I’m too sad!

But I loved it this novel!!
I’ll read anything by Claire Lombardo.
She has an uncanny ability to portrait the workings of a marriage and a family with exquisite storytelling prose —exploring mistakes, jealousy, sorrows and joy.

5 stars > ABSOLUTELY 5 stars!!!

A couple of excepts that spoke to me:
“My life is my own, my days are my own, I can do anything I want in the world, at any moment. The punishment for that, though, is—well, peaks and valleys. I can fly high for a good stretch but the longer I’m happier, the harder to comedown. I guess that’s just—physics. If you’ll allow me to mix my metaphors.”
“So the comedown—“
“Makes a miss him more than I ever have before. Every single time”.

“Just because I have a lot of people in my life, Julia, doesn’t mean I ‘like’ a lot of people. I liked you a great deal. You were terrific company. It’s a chemistry thing, isn’t it? Don’t you sometimes just ‘feel’ something for another person? Like you were meant to have found them? That’s how I felt about you when we met. Like I already knew you”.

Congratulations to Claire Lombardo. She deserves awards!!
“Same As It Ever Was” is a magnificent achievement…with an examination of the fragility of human relationships and desires ….
Powerful & wonderful!

Thank you to Doubleday and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy.

Wow, this book was quite the journey. My first Claire Lombardo and I’m - if not her biggest fan then at the very least - hugely impressed. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this tension laden, seemingly innocuous (on the surface) suburban family saga that instead reads like an epic thriller while shedding light on the darker corners of family life and associated traumas, thrumming with discomforting social commentary (in reality).

The story is largely told from the point of view of Julia, a middle-aged suburban mom who has the perfect life on the outside but, like all of us, battles with skeletons in her closet.
The novel kicks off with her bumping into a woman from her past while grocery shopping and that sets off a chain of events which the authors mirrors with things that unfolded in the past, in alternating chapters. Something is always happening in this book and the narrative never felt stunted - if you’re a reader that reads for turning points or climaxes, you will get plenty: from the first few pages to the last few sentences, Lombardo does not stop the shock and awe.

Touching upon marital woes, childhood traumas, depression, cheating, family problems, societal pressures and a lot more, Same As We Ever Were has everything a fiction reader may look for. This may be an odd comparison but at times I found myself equating Lombardo’s writing to another favourite of mine - Rachel Cusk. If for nothing else, her razor sharp ability to peer into a modern day woman’s mind is uncanny and for me, was reminiscent of Cusk’s consistency in this area.

The author’s vocabulary was almost another character and deserves a special mention. It constantly felt like there is something just under the surface that you as a reader have to uncover, making this book an un-put-down-able read - even though it is 500+ pages and may not have needed to be? I’m not sure? Anyway, for me, that’s why it lost one star.

One of the best books of the year.

Having read an enjoyed the author‘s previous work, „The Most Fun We Ever Had“, I was eagerly awaiting her newest release. And while this is another long book, this time I did not mind its length; so intricately arranged are the events, so tenderly described the struggles plaguing 57-year—old Juliq Ames and her family, that the entire almost 500 pages flew by, even as I was trying to savor them.

After a chance encounter at the grocery store, Julia, married for almost 25 years, mom to a 24-year-old and a surly teenager about to graduate from high school, finds herself back in the familiar territory of despair and self-destruction that plagued her when her son was a baby. Spanning decades - the author expertly weaves in events from the past, both from Julia‘s difficult childhood as well as from the earlier time she almost derailed her entire life, twenty years previously - the novel unveils itself slowly and beautifully. While I did not recognize myself in Julia‘s particular struggles, I was nonetheless touched and invested, a testament to the author‘s extraordinary skills.

The final chapter was so gut-wrenchingly beautiful, I am still recovering from it.

Give this a read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„Same As It Ever Was“ is slated to be released on June 18, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Same As It Ever Was! This is a highly anticipated 2024 release as I LOVEDDDD The Most Fun We Ever Had! I had a hard time deciding how I was going to rate this book when I finished it. Claire’s writing and storytelling is unmatched. The way she writes her characters and the time hopping she does to create drama and conflict while keeping the reader turning the page is really why I am rating this 5 stars! This is also why she has taught at the Iowa Writers Workshop, GO HAWKS! The way she writes about parenthood, finding yourself, childhood trauma, and how these things affect our lives was amazing. I saw myself in parts of the book because of the way Claire was able to articulate what a character was thinking and doing so well. Otherwise. I think I really HATED a lot of the characters in this story. And a lot of the main characters at that. I wanted to shake them until some common sense got into their brain. ALSO, WHYYYYYYY?!?! The ending?!?! I’m sorry, but no. That also made me so mad, Claire didn’t have to end it that way. I mean I get why she did it, but it adds to my anger. I will be thinking about this book for a LONG time and even if it made me mad, a good book is one that sticks with you for a multitude of reasons. Thank you again for the ARC!

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo is a highly recommended literary, character-driven domestic drama.

Julia Ames, 57, is married to Mark, 60, and the two have a son Ben, 24, who is about to get married and become a father, and a daughter, Alma, with an attitude who is graduating from high school. While shopping for Mark's 60th birthday celebration, she runs into Helen Russo, an older woman she hoped to never encounter again. Twenty years ago Helen met Julia and Ben (3 at that point) at the botanic garden. Helen took Julia, who was floundering, crying frequently, and socially inept at the time under her care almost like a surrogate mother. This encounter lead to Julia reexamining her past actions and why the friendship ended abruptly.

While the writing is excellent, detailed, and can even be humorous, the plot is slow moving. The narrative alternates between current events and events from years ago, including meeting Helen and even earlier to Julia's childhood. The alternating time lines document Julia's emotional turbulence and her self-sabotaging behavior while trying to be a wife and mother. It does accomplish the task of examining Julia's current life, her relationship with her children, and the friendship she developed with Helen, along with reasons for the end of the friendship, years ago.

All of the characters are portrayed as fully realized, realistic individuals. Julia is a deeply flawed, complicated character. As she struggles to show affection and seems bent on self destruction, Julia is not necessarily always a sympathetic character. At other times information is revealed that makes her an overwhelmingly a sympathetic character. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Claire Lombardo’s strength is writing nuanced, multifaceted characters who you have complicated feelings about. They are always deeply flawed and real, and combining that with writing that compels you to highlight every sentence, makes for a truly captivating story.
Did I love Julia? Yes. Did I also want to shake her? Yes.
I wanted her to act and react certain ways, along with the side characters, but this isn’t that kind of story. This story is one that is full of the realities of choices we make, both great and small, and how they shape others as well.
I love this author’s debut and I am so happy to say that this novel absolutely doesn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put it down and was a complete emotional wreck by the last few pages.

Another contemporary family drama from Claire Lombardo, Same as It Ever Was explores the marriage of Julia and Mark Ames. Like all decades-long relationships, they weather conflicts and losses, but their commitment and enduring love sustain them. Prickly and insecure Julia is the key character. The author takes us through episode after episode of Julia's childhood, youth, and early adulthood to mine the elements that have made her who she is and explain why she bends toward self destruction. Her husband, on the other hand, is maddingly well-adjusted. "Mark has always thought about the world in this way, in terms of plans and steps, as though life itself is just an evenly spaced series of mile markers." His life plan includes children, but Julia is terrified she will be a dismal failure as a mother. After their son Ben is born, Julia's fear deepens, and she spirals into a long-lasting postpartum funk. She makes choices during this period that nearly destroy her marriage and have long lasting consequences. They are determined to heal their marriage and have a second child. Julia loves her children with a ferocity that rivals the strongest mother-love, but the self-doubt never recedes. I love Julia. She is a survivor and a deeply decent human being. Same as It Ever Was is a satisfying novel and as compelling as Lombardo's previous book, The Most Fun We Ever Had. Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for the advanced copy of the novel, which is scheduled to be released on June 18, 2024.