ARC REVIEW

I had a terrible time trying to get through this book. It was incredibly boring and took me almost a month to read (I usually finish books in max a week) The only interesting part is the last part “Zelda” which was like that last 80%ish of book. The story was seems really choppy and was hard to know when they were switching to a different character as there was no indicators. It also has WAY too much “she said" “he said” to the point where it is beyond annoying and repetitive. There also are so many unnecessarily big words that most people wouldn’t know that can make it hard to read. After every time I read it debated not finishing but I have a very hard time not finishing books especially ARCS. I definitely don’t recommend this book.

“Like Mother, Like Mother” is a compelling and emotionally charged novel that delves deep into the complexities of family dynamics, ambition, and the search for identity. The story spans generations, beginning in 1960s Detroit with the traumatic separation of Lila Pereira from her mother, and follows Lila’s rise to power as the executive editor of The Washington Globe.

Lila’s character is both inspiring and flawed, showcasing the sacrifices and determination required to reach the pinnacle of her career. Her unapologetic prioritization of her professional life over her family creates a poignant tension, especially with her youngest daughter, Grace. Grace’s journey from feeling abandoned to becoming a successful reporter in her own right is both heart-wrenching and empowering. Her quest to uncover the truth about her grandmother and understand her family’s past adds a layer of mystery and depth to the narrative.

The novel excels in its portrayal of complex, multi-dimensional characters. Lila and Grace’s relationship is particularly well-drawn, capturing the push and pull of familial bonds and the struggle for personal identity. The themes of ambition, power, and the lies we tell ourselves to become who we think we should be are explored with nuance and sensitivity.

However, the book occasionally feels weighed down by its ambitious scope, and some plot points could have been more tightly woven. Despite this, “Like Mother, Like Mother” is a thought-provoking and engaging read that will resonate with anyone interested in the intricate tapestry of family life and personal ambition.

Overall, this novel is a powerful exploration of the stories we inherit and the lengths we go to in order to forge our own paths. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy multi-generational family sagas with strong, complex characters.

Mother-Daughter relationships have always been complex . Like Mother Like Mother is a generational story with a focus on Lila and one of her daughters, named Grace. I absolutely loved both characters. Grace was so much like her mother in many ways and they would often butt heads. A family secret is ultimately revealed in this story and it definitely held my interest throughout the book. I was a little disappointed with the ending though. It seemed rushed and left me feeling like I was missing something. Still I will give this a solid 4 stars.

This was a very good book. I liked all the different points of view and the way it was written. Really kept my interest throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.!

Like Mother, Like Mother is a complicated story of 3 generations of ambitious women who put themselves first to the detriment of their children. The story of grandmother Zelda, mother Lila, and daughter Grace relies heavily on character development, and unfolds across timelines that are not always in chronological order. There’s a detailed list of the many characters in the beginning of the book, and I was initially intimidated by their sheer number, but I came to appreciate all of them. Even minor characters are given a full and rich backstory. I found Lila to be the most sympathetic, as she was unapologetic about her lack of motherly instincts and loved her husband and children in her own way. The novel would give book clubs plenty to discuss, including: motherhood, marriage, abuse, lies, ambition, family. 4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

A "saga" spanning 1960s to present, that comprehensively details the story of three generations of women & mothers to try and answer the question: what to we actually inherit from our mothers: looks, drive, compassion; and how much of what we inherit from our mother was affected by her relationship with HER mother. Lila is Grace's mother and Zelda's daughter. Initially we meet Lila and learn of her back story of a rough home life: including child abuse and her mother being sent to an asylum by her father. We also follow Grace's coming of age in which she repeatedly questions why her mother doesn't love her as much as she loves her work. Finally, we learn Zelda's story and in such realize why Lila handled motherhood, marriage, work the way she did.

This book had SO much going on: so many details and backstories that end up working, but to me this made the middle third of the book drag just a little (still investigating why: I usually enjoy a nice family drama...was I just not in the mood? was it actually just clunky in these parts?). Ultimately it was required to end up pulling the last 1/3 of the book together that I think I actually sped-read because I NEEDED to know what happened to Zelda! I feel like I can usually categorize most books into either vibes or plot type-books quite easily, but this had a bit of both honestly.

Overall will this go on the list of best of all time for me? No. But it did have pieces of a nice family drama, strong female perspectives, and mother/daughter complexities.

I WOULD recommend if you love or are in the mood for a deep dive into motherhood and really understanding character perspectives/growth.

*Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing/Dial Press for providing me with a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Remarkable, Powerful.

Where do I start, Like Mother, Like Mother This book has so many wonderful aspects, which is one of the reasons I found it so difficult to put it down. I was drawn to the story by the title, the cover, and the synopsis. I adore women's fiction, and this story well exceeded my expectations. I still can’t get the story out of my mind. Within the first few pages of the book, I was engrossed in the story, and right when I was about to put it down, something else occurred that kept me reading for several more hours. My favorite kind of books are these. <b>Like Mother, Like Mother</b> follows three generations of women, Zelda, Lila, and Grace, each with a distinct story to tell.

I adored both Lila's and Grace's stories. Even though Lila was Grace's mother, I felt like I was reading two different stories since they were so different, which was one of the things I liked about this novel. One thing I saw about Grace and Lila was that they were both powerful women who would not back down once they set their minds to something. They both seemed interested in discovering what happened to Zelda, but Lila didn't understand it until it was too late. Like Lila and Grace, I wondered the truth behind Zelda's absence, and I was curious to see what Grace would uncover.

Like Mother, Like Mother was a beautifully written story. You'll be drawn into the plot and fall in love with the characters. I turned the pages because I needed to know how it would end and if they would discover the truth about Zelda. A few parts of the book, notably the last chapter, were lengthier than they should have been. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and know it's a story I'll never forget.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5? I enjoyed this, but it also felt like it took quite a long time to read. It was a really interesting look at family dynamics and how a person can view the same situation differently.

This is a stunning book following generational trauma and the lengths people will go to break the cycle. I really enjoyed the characters because they are all incredibly nuanced. Can any of these women be blamed for their actions when looking at their past relationships? Readers will certainly be thinking about this book long after the final page.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My first Susan Rieger novel but definitely not my last. Crazy great characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. In depth look at three generations of women. Excellent storytelling. Really enjoyed this one
Thank you NetGalley, Susan Rieger and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Strong characters are the hallmark of this novel. And families. Rieger put a cast of characters in the front of the book, and I found it very helpful. There are a lot of them in this book and it helps to know the family relationships. There’s a good reason the author called this book Like Mother, Like Mother. Its a deep exploration of the family relationships and dynamics of a handful of families, particularly the females.

Lila is my favorite. She the tough-as-nails executive editor of a newspaper. Before they had children, Lila told her husband Joe that she didn't have a maternal bone in her body and he would have to raise any children (with help from nannies). Her youngest daughter, Grace, finds this difficult, if not impossible, to accept. Grace and Lila are at loggerheads all the time. But Joe says Grace is too much like Lila.

Everybody should read this book before Election Day because Lila will tell anyone how words are manipulated by politicians. I had forgotten that Newt Gingrich was the expert on this three decades ago.

One of the important things to say about Rieger’s novel is that it is interesting. I wish I could say that about every novel I read, but some are boring as hell. Some I never finish. I will definitely finish Like Mother, Like Mother. Rieger makes me think without making me bored. She’s savvy and observant. As I'm reading, I find myself saying, “Yeah, I understand that. I can relate.”

I suppose I finished this book to find out Zelda's story. The characters never felt real to me, they were jumpy and obtuse. As for Zelda, well that ending finally was presented and I could only feel disappointed.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Like Mother, Like Mother follows three generations of complicated women - Zelda, the mother who disappeared, Lila, the mother who just wasn’t there, and Grace, who tries to make sense of both of them.

The novel is divided into three sections, each ostensibly focusing on one of the women above, but really centred around Grace. Grace is deeply dissatisfied with Lila as a mother, despite acknowledging the similarities between them, in temperament if not in appearance. Grace follows in her mothers footsteps to first become a successful journalist, and eventually the author of a bestselling novel loosely based on her mother’s life. In the book, Grace speculates about what may have happened to Lila’s mother, Zelda - is she really dead? Lila understands that Grace is trying to make sense of her past, and in a final letter before her death, sends Grace on a quest to find out the truth about what really happened to Zelda.

Like Mother, Like Mother is a twisting family drama, exactly the kind of novel that usually draws me in. While I enjoyed it, I found some of the characters a little too “on the nose.” Zelda was a deeply depressed and repressed wife and mother. Lila is an independent, career-focused woman without a motherly bone in her body. Grace is resentful, willful, and has a chip on her shoulder. Joe, Frances, Ruth, and Xander stand by to rescue and support Lila and Grace - they are almost too good to be true.

Despite Grace’s placement as the central character, I found myself mainly engrossed in the stories of Lila and Zelda. Lila’s badassery and the possibility of finding out what happened to Zelda kept me reading until the end. 3 stars for this one!

My thanks to Net Galley and Random House publishing for this arc but dnf. Wasn't for me. Too many characters, too much going on, heavy subject matter. Could not connect or focus.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were great. The story was so real. Loved all the different parts and storylines and how they came together.

Like Mother, Like Mother is a multi-generation novel about three generations of women and how each generation is impacted by the other. While I love a good multi-generation novel, I struggled a bit with this one. It took me a while to get into it and a while to be able to keep the generations straight. That might just have been me and I did enjoy the story, so I'm rounding my 3.5 up to 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

An enthralling novel about three generations of strong-willed women, unknowingly shaped by the secrets buried in their family’s past.

Detroit, 1960. Lila Pereira is two years old when her angry, abusive father has her mother committed to an asylum. Lila never sees her mother again. Lila fights hard in her life to overcome the loss of her mother and the violent life with her abusive Father. She becomes a highly successful editor of The Washington Globe newspaper. She has also married into a very rich and powerful family, and she and her husband Joe have three daughters of their own. Having never learned what a mother was like, she leaves the raising of the girls to Joe. The youngest of the girls, Grace, feels her Mother's abandonment equally as much as Lila did with hers. The older she gets, the more resentful she gets. After becoming a reporter, she then writes a book about her Mother and Grandmother's story. The book kicks off a real desire for the truth and Grace digs in to find out what really happened to her Grandmother.

The story spans several decades with richly developed, memorable characters. It's a real look into family, marriage, abandonment, loss and the power of long buried secrets. I loved watching it unfold and find out what really happened. Put this one on your Fall reading list for sure!

Thank you to @netgalley, @randomhousepublishing and @dialpress for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Publishes October 29, 2024.

This was an incredible yet difficult novel. It’s a multi-generational story that involves domestic violence, abuse as well as grief and loss. Several characters were amazing, strong and resilient females.
This well-written story enlightened me and kept me thinking throughout.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this book! I love multigenerational family sagas, and books starring complex female characters, so I knew LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER would be a definite hit for me, and I was right. The characters weren't necessarily likable all the time, but that just made them all the more fascinating to read about! Zelda, Lila, and Grace all felt like such vivid, fleshed-out characters, and Susan Rieger did a fantastic job of developing the mother-daughter relationships that truly lay at the heart of the story. I also loved the Jewish rep woven throughout! I will say that the writing/transitions felt a little choppy at times, mostly because the story spans multiple generations and covers so many different points in time, so it could sometimes feel jarring to go from one time period to another. But overall, that didn't take away from my investment in and enjoyment of the story! Highly recommend this one, especially for readers who love family sagas and stories about strong, complicated women. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and The Dial Press for the ARC.

I tend to love a generational story, especially about women but something did not connect here. The dialogue was choppy and too quick, and a lot of the time I felt confused and dumb. I enjoyed the self half a lot more, and am glad I stuck with it but probably won’t recommend to customers so that’s a bummer.