LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER
Susan Rieger

This is my first time reading Rieger. I enjoyed my time reading LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER. I found it to be both timely and prescient with us being on the dawn of this election season.

She being Grace, her being Lila, are daughter and mother.

There is no one she would rather be less like, and no one she resembles more. Their relationship is complicated. Full of disappointment and broken promises never given. Part of her is blood let to strangers that others interpret more as a willing donation.

There is a comfort in the river that runs between them. And loneliness resides in the current. Abandonment flows underneath. Constant and enduring.

She is reading the teleprompter and missing the message of the speech. The intention behind it, the driving force, is something she has never had the pleasure of knowing. For her, there is a lack of sincerity. A little bit of do as I say, not as I do. Her words do not match her walk; her heart ungiven. Because it was never hers to begin with.

I recommend this to those of you who found a home with the characters of SUCCESSION. It shows that women are as varied as their male counterparts. Men do not own the drive for success, and women have a place on boards other than the PTA. But nothing is without sacrifice.

The writing is smart, and the unflattering angles of Lila’s life are a reflection we can see ourselves in. Life is messy and we are intricate, delicate creatures. Splashing around in the mud and muck, trying to stay clean.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for the advanced copy!

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Like Mother, Like Mother" by Susan Rieger is a captivating multi-generational family saga that explores the intricate dynamics between mothers and daughters across three generations. The novel delves into the lives of Lila Pereira, a driven, successful editor, her daughter Grace, and the shadows of family secrets that have shaped their lives. Beginning in Detroit in the 1960s, the story touches on themes of abandonment, ambition, and the powerful influences of family legacy.

Lila, at two years old, is separated from her mother when her abusive father has her committed to an asylum. This traumatic event reverberates through Lila’s life, affecting how she raises her own daughters, particularly Grace, who grows up feeling neglected due to Lila's career-focused priorities. As Grace matures, she becomes a journalist and writes a book about her mother, only to discover how little she truly knows about her family’s past, particularly her grandmother’s fate.

Rieger’s writing is praised for its sharpness, humor, and emotional depth. The novel effectively captures the complexities of familial relationships, especially the generational tensions between mothers and daughters. It also examines the idea of how much of our identity is shaped by the stories we inherit from our parents and the lengths to which we go to forge our own path.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven, emotionally resonant family dramas. Fans of Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful or Meg Wolitzer’s work will likely appreciate Rieger’s nuanced portrayal of strong-willed women navigating the challenging balance of career, family, and personal identity​.

I had read and enjoyed the author's two previous novels, so I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I absolutely loved it. I think each novel Rieger has written is better than its predecessor, and they're all completely different styles. It's a complex story with fascinating characters. I had to draw a family tree for myself to keep track of the many characters at the beginning, but as I got into the story, it wasn't needed. The author did a wonderful job bringing her unique characters to life, and I was fascinated by their lives. I appreciated the humor mixed in with the dramatic events in the book, especially the humor related to political events. I loved how friends became incorporated into every generation of each other's families despite religious and "class" differences. It was also interesting to have some role reversals from the usual family dynamics. I liked reading about the ethics related to writing books based on one's family, even in disguised form, and the impact on the subjects. I think this book would be an excellent choice for book discussion groups. I highly recommend it, and I hope I won't have to wait so long to read her next book.

A fascinating book, slightly strangely written (often hard to follow due to murky composition) but a worthy book nonetheless. Will be talked about I’m sure!

The women in this book are unapologetic, brash, truthful and hard edged. But they are also loyal, responsible and care deeply. I liked them very much! The men were important as spectators, endlessly devoted and cheering on their incredible women. All except the one man whose cruelty and selfishness created the mystery of the lost mother. It felt deliberate to create weaker men and stronger women throughout. But the weaker men were strong like 1950s housewives, holding the family together, picking up everyone’s slack.
The writing was succinct, no time spent on endless descriptions of place and surroundings. This was dialogue heavy, always my preference. And the dialogue was brilliant. I read this in one sitting.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

An amazing cross generational novel following 3 women as they navigate their past and relationships to each other.

4.5 stars! Thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel by Susan Rieger who depicts women as they should be - complex, ambitious, loving and forgiving. I was a bit surprised at the onset of this novel that there was a guide to all the characters and near the end , understood why. I enjoyed how the book was developed from different points of view and how it spent lots of time in the "grey". People (women) are not black and white - and Rieger understands that deeply. I also appreciated how important women friendships were in this novel - chosen family for sure. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC and I look forward to more offerings by Susan Rieger. Read this! You will be glad you did.

I love a good family saga, especially when the focus is on the women. In 1960, Lila Pereira’s abusive father has her mother committed to an asylum and she never sees her again. Lila grows up to be an esteemed editor for the Washington Globe and her career becomes the most central focus of her life. Lila’s husband, Joe, is the primary caregiver to their daughters but, in spite of his best efforts, the girls struggle with abandonment issues with their mother. This is a complicated story spanning from the 1960’s to modern day and explores multigenerational trauma, domestic violence and begs the question “how do we break the cycle of generational sin”? There is also a compelling mystery that drives the plot line. I found this story to be engaging, heart breaking and witty at times to break the tension, it was very well written. Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on October 29, 2024.

I know a lot of people are enjoying this book, but I honestly was so confused by it. It read to me like one massive chaotic mess. The timeline didn’t seem like it lined up, and it was just all over the place for me. I had such high hopes, but unfortunately this book just was not for me.

Like Mother, Like Mother charts three generations of women from the 1960's in Detroit through the present day in Washington DC. Secrets are uncovered and challenging relationships between mothers and daughters emerge. The book is split into three sections- one focusing on Lila who grows up in Detroit. Her father was horribly abusive, and he had her mother Zelda committed to Eloise Hospital (a side note- if you'd like to learn more about that real hospital the book "Annie's Ghosts" is fantastic) and he tells his children that she died there. Lila flees her home as soon as possible and ultimately marries a man who comes from substantial wealth. Lila is incredibly focused on her journalism work, and while her and her husband Joe have three children, her job is her passion and she becomes editor of a major newspaper in DC, breaking political scandals. A minor point I found odd was most of the political stories discussed in the book are true, but the author has one fictional president that just seems like an odd choice. The second part of the book focuses on Grace who is Lila and Joe's youngest daughter who feels quite abandoned by her mother, and she finds herself in the same career path as her mother. The final section is about Zelda who is Lila's mother. I found Lila to be the most fascinating character in this book and she's really the linchpin of the story. I wish more time could have been spent on Zelda's backstory, and I found myself not particularly engaged with Grace's grievances. But I appreciated the common threads shared by the different generations of women (the title of this book is appropriate) and many will enjoy this one!

Thank you to the Dial Press (Random House) for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

I loved this story which explored three generations of women. There were also secrets and fun, a perfect mixture.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A great story about the complicated relationship between mothers, daughters, and the sense of self. There were a lot of characters, so I’m glad I read this on my kindle and could search the names when I got confused. Definitely my favorite ARC read so far. Thank you NetGalley!

Susan Rieger writes a fascinating multi-generational drama featuring 3 distinctly different, flawed women we follow through time, exploring mothers and motherhood, family, relationships, who they are, what has shaped them, and repercussions of past history. Lila Pereira is a toddler when her abusive father has her mother, Zelda, committed to an insane asylum, she never sees her mother again, as later she is informed she has died. Despite the traumatic background she and her twin sisters are raised in, Lila grows up into a fiercely determined and tenacious woman, she marries Joe, but her strong ambitions ensure she is career driven, rising to the top of her field.

Lila becomes recognised, acclaimed, and celebrated as the executive news editor of The Washington Globe, and has 3 daughters, Stella, Ava, and Grace, but it is her career that is the focus of her energies. She and Joe have a non -traditional marriage, unusually they swap the 'expected' gender roles as it is Joe who stays at home, but it leaves Lila, as a mother, distant from her daughters, but this is who she is, she can give no more to her family. However, her youngest child, Grace, is far from happy with this situation, wanting more from her, wanting a mother genuinely interested in her and involved more closely with the family. Becoming a successful writer, Grace becomes engaged in writing about her mother, and involved in the intriguing mystery of her grandmother, Zelda, what did really happen to her?

Rieger writes vibrantly of generational trauma, the complexities, emotions, dynamics, and legacies of families, personality traits, dysfunctions, that mothers cannot fit into one size fits all roles, what might be expected from them, the social norms and expectations, and the inner needs and desires of mothers and children. The characters are not necessarily particularly likeable, but I was engaged with them and immersed in their individual stories. When I reached the end, I was left reflecting on the women, their strengths and weaknesses, the question of identity, influences, how its hard to escape the repercussions of the families we grow up in and so much more.

The themes and issues resonate, families are the foundations, bricks on which society is built, which is why this novel is likely to appeal to a wide range of readers. Many thanks to the publisher for and ARC.

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger is a captivating and emotionally charged novel that explores the complex relationships between mothers and daughters across three generations. The story is set in Detroit and New York and follows the Pereira family, whose lives are shaped by secrets, ambition, and the power of maternal love.

The novel is beautifully written, with richly drawn characters and a gripping plot that kept me turning the pages. Rieger expertly navigates the complexities of motherhood and the ways in which our family histories shape our lives. The themes of generational trauma, resilience, and the pursuit of personal ambition are all deftly explored, making for a powerful and thought-provoking read.

I highly recommend Like Mother, Like Mother to anyone who enjoys family sagas, stories about strong women, or novels that explore the complexities of family relationships. It's a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant book that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

This is the story of three generations of very strong women. This is a complicated story, the characters are well developed each with their own story to tell. Is a thought-provoking novel that will get you thinking about motherhood. Would you follow the path? Perfect book for book clubs.

Lila Is abandoned by her mother who is put into an institution when Lila is a young child. She is left in the care of her abusive father and grandmother.
Later, she is told by her father that her mother has died. Lila never saw her mother after she was institutionalized.
Lila becomes a journalist. She marries her college sweetheart, and has three children. Lila wants a career, and is not around much for her children. Grace, her youngest child resents this very much and wishes she would spend more time at home. Grace writes a book about her mother and investigates about what happened to her grandmother Zelda.
This is a beautifully written book about family dynamics. It is at times humorous and emotional. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House for this invitation to read this arc copy of this book. I truly enjoyed it.

interesting exploration of three generations of women. grace (rebel/outcast granddaughter coming into her own), lila (mother who only knew how to work and not how to mother), and zelda (dead[?] grandmother whose story was riddled with sadness and pain).
i very much enjoyed the storyline which followed grace on her hunt for the truth about zelda. did she really die in the asylum? if not, what will that mean for the family members who are still alive?
some of the characters felt really pretentious and their voice/language used felt that way, as well.
i thought the end (final quarter) was quite rushed. if the rest of the book could have some meat, why couldn’t this portion have it, as well?
i didn’t love it but i didn’t hate it, either.

thank you to random house publishing for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

What an interesting premise. A story of a very successful mother Lila, raised by a monster of a father who goes onto be one of the most successful news editor in history. She breaks a Watergate like scandal with a very Trumpish like president (I've seen other readers offended, but it's hard to be offended when he mirrors the exact person). However, Lila is not a successful mother, and made it clear when she had kids, that she wanted a nanny to take care of them.

Grace, and her twin sisters go on to live successful lives regardless, but are still enthralled with the legacy left behind after Lila dies of cancer. We go back and forth, as if Lila hasn't passed away, reflecting mainly on Grace's life, and then who was actually Lila's mother. Is she still alive after being left in a mental institution? It becomes somewhat of a mystery by the third chapter.

However, while the premise is nice, the story was long and tedious. There were so many moments that just seemed like filler. I ended up skimming through the end as I couldn't take the over wrought and quite frankly, boring characters any longer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/The Dial Press for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. Like Mother, Like Mother is a multi-generational family story, following three generations of women (Zelda, Lila, and Grace along with other secondary characters including their sisters, close friends, grandparents, etc.) who struggle with their familial relationships, with marriage, with motherhood, and with how these complexities ultimately affect their personal ambitions and paths forward in life.

I was hooked in to the premise of this story when I read that it was a female-centric, multigenerational story and I’m glad to say that it did not disappoint. The story was well written and well paced, which kept me engaged throughout the whole read and made me eager to return to the story. When I read family stories, the characters can often either make or break it for me; in this story, I found the characters imperfect, yet likable and in particular, I found Lila’s character to be fascinating. Her unconventional, relatively unapologetic approach to motherhood was really stunning to observe and although some of her stances may have been a bit harsh, I think it was so thought-provoking and awe inspiring to read about.

The hardships that these characters endure feel very real and there are difficult questions posed throughout this book, especially on the topic of domestic physical and emotional abuse. These topics are handled gracefully but, also brought into the spotlight and the reader is really forced to examine these situations to try to make sense of the situation and character motives.

Finally, the mystery element in this book worked well for me because it didn’t feel overwrought or exaggerated but, rather almost like this nagging question that you had to know the answer to. I think this element was woven so well into the story and was definitely one of the reasons why I was repeatedly drawn back to finish the book. I was satisfied with the ending and although I may have wanted just a bit more to feel like the story fully concluded, I can appreciate that the semi open-ended nature of it is reflective of reality.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this to contemporary fiction fans and readers who enjoy multi-generational stories! I look forward to seeing what others think of this one when it’s published!

3.5 stars
Lila, youngest of three siblings, was only 2 when her mom left. Aldo, the father, says she was institutionalized until one day he told the children that she had died. No funeral, no nothing, just move on. During those years he no longer had his wife to beat, so he beat the children. Lila was the toughest and would not give him any satisfaction in beating her.

She grew up with a lot of drive and made it big, got married to a man who would be a good mother to the children she would have, but would not mother them. Lila was convinced her mother had died, but Lila's daughter Grace was convinced that her grandmother had run away.

This abandonment affected not just the children, like Lila and her siblings, but also Lila's children, their spouses and extended families, making it into a quest that sooner or later had to be settled.

A good story, well written and keeps you wanting to read just one more chapter....
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

Like Mother, Kike Mother, is 3 generations of women, Zelda, her daughter, Lila, and her granddaughter, Grace. Their journey's will take you, through the life Zelda had, and how it affected her daughter, and then we see how Grace's journey goes.
Zelda life wasn't what she wanted, and her husband abused her, until the day he put her in an asylum. Lila was the youngest of the three children, and she doesn't remember her mother, but she protested the older twins, and took the beatings that her father gave her. Lila's life was affected by the loss of her mother, and the abuse of her father, and we see that she became the executive editor of The Washington Globe, and choice her career over her family. She worked and her husband, Joe, raised the girls. Grace was the youngest, and she felt abandoned. Her journey leads her to being a reporter, and writing a bestseller about her mother. While writing it, she sees she knows nothing about her family, and decides to find out.
This will take you through, what she finds out, the untangling of her family, all that she learns, and what the journey brings her too.
There is a lot to this story, it kept me reading, because I wanted to know the answers to the many questions I had while reading it.
I received an ARC from The Dial Press through NetGalley.