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.

This book was fantastic! I was sucked in from first few pages, with the story of Lila, a child who grew up with no mother, an abusive father, got through life with grit, and was now a high powered editor for a major newspaper out of Washington D.C. Lila is unapologetically selfish, but knowingly and lovingly so, and most forgive her for it except her youngest daughter.

Cut to part two, daughter Grace trying to reckon her upbringing with mother Lila, but leaning on her wonderful father, best friend, grandmother and other loving family. She opens the pandora's box and instantly regrets it- but the book continues on to have everyone forgive, move on, and draw closer. The title comes from the original mother who left Lila, and drawing the parallels for the next 2 generations- Zelda, Lila, Grace.

I found the characters realistic, though easily forgiving. The main characters are imperfect yet lovable. The older generation family is surprisingly together after major childhood trauma, which leaves you to admire the children who made their own lives, though suffering, thought abandonment and abuse. I loved the extended family, and then friends who became family. The settings of Detroit, NYC, Tallahassee, and the West Coast brought a dynamic that fit with all the characters and their differences that just worked together.

It has been a long time since I read a book I've loved this much. Started off strong, got a little bumpy in the middle, but then recovered nicely. A solid 4.5 stars, and strong recommendations from me! Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy, it was a pleasure!

(Would compare this book to The Most Fun We Ever Had by Clare Lombardo, another book I loved.)

Like Mother, Like Mother is a captivating read about three generations of women.

Zelda (grandmother), Lila (mother) and Grace (daughter).

You cant help but think of your own family as you see the resemblance of traits both personality and character.

It is a book about perseverance, motherhood and all the complexities that go with families.

Every family has its secrets.

Susan Rieger takes us on an emotional journey that at times is funny, moving and sad all at the same time.

Like Mother, Like Mother will be a Book Club favourite no doubt.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House/ The Dial Press.

Like Mother, Like Mother is an immersive, powerful read capturing the dynamics of families lost and found, broken and irreparable. The writing is brilliant; the characters are unique and unconventional.

Lila is a big shot media exec who escaped abuse and the damaging effects of her mother's abandonment. She then in turn "abandons" her own children, married to her job, while her husband Joe (a saint) takes over the childcare duties.

Before Lila dies, her daughter Grace writes a book which sets the stage for Grace tracking down Lila's mom (presumed dead) to understand the family history.

There's a lesson here. Sometimes people do what they can to survive, and it may not align with our ideals, but it's all they have to offer.

Lila grew up with a violent father who had her mother committed when Lila was two and she was never heard from again. Lila went on to become a successful newspaper editor. When she and Joe had three daughters, Joe raised them as a married single parent. Lila was a self-proclaimed terrible and absent mother, completely consumed by her job. When her youngest daughter, Grace, writes a hardly fictionalized account of her life, Lila and Grace consider what really might have happened to Lila's mother.

This literary fiction book is excellent. I think this will be THE BOOK of this fall. It is in the vein of Ann Napolitano's book Hello Beautiful, but I liked this one much better. I loved the three generations of woman and as they examine if mothering instincts can be affected by generational trauma. Although on the longer and slower paced side, you will not regret reading this book. It is very engaging and memorable and a perfect combination of character development and plot. This one is an absolute stand out book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I found myself drawn into the family dynamics in Like Mother, Like Mother. The strained relationship between Lila and her mother was particularly compelling, as was the way the author explored themes of abandonment and betrayal. While the pacing was a bit slow at times, especially in the middle of the book, the mystery surrounding Lila's mother kept me engaged. Overall I would recommend this book
#LikeMotherLikeMother #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House/ The Dial Press for the ARC. A three generational family saga. This book was enjoyable, although I didn't feel the need to be reading it. The mystery kept me going in the book because I wanted to see how it played out. Overall it just seemed like it could have been done a bit better. Slow in my eyes.

“Like Mother, Like Mother,” by Susan Rieger, is an interesting book. This covers three generations of women - grandmother Zelda, mother Lila, and daughter Grace. There’s a family mystery about Zelda - did she die in a mental institution as Lila was told or did something else happen? Lila, who the first part of this book focuses on, is a rather interesting character - she was shaped by Zelda’s disappearance and had to become tough - first to protect her siblings and then as the editor of a large newspaper. I found Lila to be the most interesting of all the characters in this book. Grace’s story covers the majority of the second part - where the reader gets some background about Lila, but also meets a number of additional characters (who, at times, I mixed up, and ended up consulting the “family tree” at the beginning of the book - good call to include it!). Zelda’s story - with more of Grace’s story being told - I felt was nice for solving the mystery of what happened, but by the time I got to that part I was feeling this book was a bit too long. This book, as others have noted, has a left-leaning slant; it’s not important, but it is there [I rolled my eyes a few times at some of the asides, but overall it didn’t bother me enough to take away from the story]. I guess besides the story feeling a bit long (mainly Grace’s section), the dialogue felt a bit off at times - stilted may be a stronger word to use. This book, for me, wasn’t a bad read, but it wasn’t a fantastic read. I liked it (3 stars) but I cannot say that I *really* liked it (4 stars) though it did for the most part keep my interest. A solid 3.5 stars - rounded down to 3.

Publishes Oct 29. Outstanding! Riveting story! Great characters and relationships. Strong women! One of my faves of the year.

Let me first say, families are complicated. The families portrayed in this book are complicated. I was pulled into the drama right from the start of the book. The author drew me into the family choices and how those choices affected multiple people. The narrative was well done, told from multiple perspectives. I loved that Lila, who fought to escape the family hell she was into, fought for herself for her entire life. Although I was saddened by Lila's inability to be a mother in the traditional sense, her strength and character were influential in her daughters' lives. The story expanded from Lila's family to her grandchildren in a way that had me engaged to the end. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a story of family drama and triumph.

An enveloping family saga, but so much more.
Smart, witty story filled with original, engaging characters and spirited dialogue.

With thanks to NetGalley & Random House/The Dial Press for this e-ARC!

I love a good multigenerational story. This one had a me shaking my head a little trying to keep up with what was going on because it is not chronological. I did read the cast of characters list at the beginning but reading on the kindle makes it a little more difficult to flip back and forth but after a few chapters I really started getting into the story and by the middle of the book I could not put it down. Was is sad? Yes, no family is ever perfect and Lila, Grace and Zelda were far from it. The emotional and physical trauma that Zelda and Lila faced was awful. But they had characters around them that were both very interesting and supportive in their own unique ways. Frances was by far my favorite. When she was first introduced I was like "oh no, another unpleasant MIL" but that was not at all what she was like. Overall, I really enjoyed this unconventional multi generation story. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I think the characters were very well written, but not very likable. It is the story of three women Lila, her mother Zelda and Lila's daughter Grace. All three of them have experienced trauma in their life. This is basically the story of how they cope with this trauma. I found this book to be sad because none of the women seemed very hopeful about their life. I guess I just like happier books. If you like to read books about dysfunctional families, then I think you will like this book. It just wasn't for me.

I put off reading this book for a while, but I’m so glad I eventually pulled up this arc on my kindle. Like Mother, Like Mother is the story of Lila, whose mother abandoned her when she was little. Lila goes on to marry Joe, have three daughters, whom she let Joe raise while she focused on her career as a journalist. She had few if any emotions, but provided everything else the girls needed and let the emotions up to Joe. She dies young, shortly after she retires. In her death, her daughters and sister investigate her awful childhood and how she became the person she was

I’m sad to say I can relate to this book. I’m not a crazy emotional person, but I do my best. I wouldn’t say I’m Lila level in emotions, but for sure a schedule is much more important to me than the average hug. It was just the way I was raised. I believe this book has such depth, clarity, and feeling (ironically) that it could qualify for one of the best this year.

The novel examines the interwoven narratives of three generations of women: Lila, Grace, and Zelda. Lila’s tumultuous early life is characterized by abandonment, as her mother is institutionalized, forcing her to endure an abusive upbringing. In spite of these adversities, Lila emerges as a prominent journalist and the editor of The Washington Globe, channeling her energy into her career while her husband, Joe, assumes the primary role of caregiver. The narrative intricately explores the multifaceted dynamics of motherhood and the sacrifices made in the quest for professional aspirations, highlighting the repercussions of Lila's decisions on her daughters, particularly Grace.
Grace, sensing emotional neglect from her mother’s relentless work ethic, struggles with her sense of self and the familial legacy that looms over her. Her quest for autonomy propels her to become a successful reporter; however, she remains inextricably linked to Lila's influence. As Grace pens a bestselling biography about her mother, she confronts her family's complex history and the enigmas surrounding her grandmother, Zelda. This voyage of revelation prompts significant inquiries into the interplay between past and present, as well as the fundamental nature of self-identity.
The prose vividly encapsulates the essence of memory and familial connections, often transitioning seamlessly across different time periods. While some may find this narrative style demanding, it powerfully conveys the emotional richness of the characters and their experiences. Ultimately, the novel serves as a poignant meditation on the legacies of motherhood, ambition, and the concealed truths that shape our existence, offering a compelling portrayal of three resilient women navigating their intertwined destinies.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.