This took me a little while to get into but I thought it was a really interesting study of a complicated family and intergenerational trauma/dynamics. Glad I kept going, and I loved the ending.

I struggled to finish this book, sadly. I don’t think I was the intended audience of this story! Okay ish plot

Loved this novel about three generations of strong women, stretching from a Jewish family in 1960s Detroit to modern day. I especially loved Lila who was a high-ranking editor in Washington, D.C., but each of the women’s stories were fascinating. Susan Rieger did a wonderful job of creating each character and their story. The novel is both funny and moving. I could see it as a film someday. Trigger warning: Some descriptions of domestic violence and suicide attempts. I loved spending time reading this and thank the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. It is scheduled to be published October 29.

It took me a while to warm up to this. I wasn't prepared for the conversational writing style, but once I figured out who was who (whom?). I settled in and enjoyed the tale. The last section felt a little rushed and not up to the standards from the first two sections. I appreciated the intellectual nature of the conversations, and while most of us didn't grow up in families like that, some of us did.

I think this will have a large appeal to a big audience. I will look forward to the probability of a Netflix series in two years....Well done.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

The enjoyed the last 10% of the book, but this would have been a did not finish if it wasn't an ARC. It was just too slow and repetitive.

For anyone who loves a multigenerational family saga, you’re definitely going to want to get this October release on your radar. Rife with Jewish representation, LMLM snuck up on me as one of the best books I’ve read as of late!

Sophisticated with serious issues, some humor and lots of wisdom from three generations of family members.

It starts with a complete cast of characters from six families. Two thoughts: how useful it will be to know who’s who; and then I started to panic with the long list of names. And yet, it wasn’t overwhelming.

There was so much to like: the well written plot, people and places. There are three parts: Lila (the mother), Grace (her youngest daughter who was so much like her mom) and Zelda (the absent grandmother). Lila was the strong one who didn’t have the benefit of love from her mother, Zelda. She had to put up with her abusive father, Aldo, in Detroit while her older brother and sister sadly watched. Aldo figured he was doing her a favor. What a ruthless man! She moved on with emotional baggage.

It’s captivating from the first page where everything else in your life gets put on hold while you read. It makes you feel like you’re inside of the family circle as all sorts of deep secrets come out. There are those that show their good hearts and words. Grace decides to write a memoir but to make it fiction of her mother’s life. Was it a good idea while she was alive? You decide. It can make you pause thinking about your own families with past histories. I didn’t want it to end.

My thanks to The Dial Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of October 29, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, Susan Rieger, Random House Publishing Group for this copy of Like Mother, Like Mother out October 29, 2024!

📜Quick Summary: This moving drama follows Lila and her daughter Grace, as well as Zelda, Lila’s mother. Lila grew up without a mother; when she was only two, her father told her and her siblings that she was institutionalized and then later died. Through the trauma of growing up with an abusive father, Lila swears to never have children; she would not know how to mother. After having three daughters of her own, it’s clear she doesn’t know what she’s doing. As the story unravels and Grace becomes one of the main players, your heart hurts for all of them on different levels.

❣️Initial Feels: I am going to have to really focus on the changing of time frames.

🙋🏼‍♀️Moving Character: It was really hard for me to connect to these group of ladies. Lila couldn’t find herself ever really being a mother and loved her job more; I quit my job because all I wanted to be was a mother. Grace resented her mother for not being there, and that broke my heart. Joe tried to be there for her, but she was a difficult cookie. Interesting cast!

📖Read if you want: different POV’s, multigenerational family saga, trauma, political drama

💡Final Sentiments: Overall this was a difficult book to follow. The timeline jumps, the 3 part story lines… the continuity of the story was not pleasing for me. It was an interesting saga, and the best part was finding out what happened to Zelda. There was a lot of political aspects as well, as her job revolved around that so it’s heavy in the politics and drama surrounding elections.

👀Trigger Warnings: physical abuse

🌟Overall Rating: 3 stars


This novel was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Like Mother, Like Mother is a beautifully woven inter-generational tale. This is an epic story of women, their families, and the way they carry the pain from their parents throughout their lives.

This novel follows Lila Pereira and the people in her life. Her abusive father has her mother committed to an asylum, and she never sees her again. Lila rises to become a famous newspaper editor, has kids with her loving husband Joe, and seemingly has everything. Yet, she didn't want to be a mother. She doesn't think that she knows how to be a mother. Joe parents the children while she pursues her career, at the cost of a true maternal relationship with her children.

Years later, following Lila's death, her daughter Grace seeks to understand what happened to Lila's mother. Grace feels abandoned in her own right, and wanted more from Lila than she could have given. Grace goes on a mission to find out what happened to her grandmother, because she doesn't believe that she was committed to an asylum and then died.

Like Mother, Like Mother echoes the structure of Richard Powers and Tommy Orange, beautifully weaving together multiple interconnected tales. This story will make you think about your own family, and what the people that love you had to carry to raise you. This is a rich story, that sucks you in immediately. I felt deeply connected to each character in this novel, due to Rieger's masterful character development.

Thank you for the ARC. I was intrigued by the description of this book. Unfortunately, I just could not get into it and it was a DNF for me. It might be a case of wrong book, wrong time.

In 1960, Lila's abusive father has her mother committed to an asylum, and the family never sees her again. Lila grows up, marries, and works her way up to being executive editor of The Washington Globe. Luckily for her three children, her husband Joe becomes their main caretaker, while Lila prioritizes her career. Eventually, Lila's youngest daughter, Grace, writes a book based on their family history, partly to expose her mother and partly to bring to light the idea that Lila's mother ran away rather than going to the asylum. For some reason, I had a hard time following parts of the story. The characters were so similar it was hard to keep them straight. In the last part of the book, new characters are introduced that help with the asylum mystery but the story both dragged by that point and ended abruptly. Thank-you to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Ms. Rieger for the ARC of this title.

I love novels about multi-generations so knew I'd enjoy this one. Zelda is committed to an asylum in 1960 when daughter, Lila is only two. Three decades later, Lila works at the Washington Globe as husband Joe raises their daughters. It's an insightful look at how family members work together even when times are tough and not everyone gets along!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was well written and kept me captivated throughout the entire narrative. You will find it has something for everyone. It's an intergenerational family saga; there is some romance and a mystery to be solved. It's a book about careers, and especially the life of a writer. It's a book about friendship, and how important those relationships are; the way they shape us. It's a story about loss, not just the things we lose, but the things we gain through loss. It's about hard work and commitment and the quest to become your authentic self. There is drama and conflict -- what novel succeeds without that-but nothing is overdone. You will find the characters to be believable and, (for the most part), sympathetic.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.

"Like Mother, Like Mother" by Susan Rieger offers an intriguing storyline that spans multiple generations within a family, exploring how they navigate different environments yet end up remarkably similar. While the concept caught my attention and held it, I found the writing a bit stilted and awkward at times. The dialogue between characters felt disconnected, making it hard for me to fully engage with their conversations. Overall, it's a decent read, but it didn't quite become a favorite for me.

This is a sprawling family story about mothers, fathers, and daughters. What makes a good mother? Grace is the daughter of Lila, nothing like her, but very much like her. mother. Lila came from a rough upbringing to rise to be a powerful DC newspaper exec, often leaving the child raising to her wonderful husband Joe. After Lila passes away, Grace longs to find out what happened to Lila's mother Zelda. I was very invested in all of the characters and my mystery of what happened to Lila's mother. The book was witty and well-written at times funny, at times heartbreakingly sad. Great bookclub book.

I love a story that dives deep into how parenting affects our children into adulthood. His novel does not disappoint. A saga of generational trauma. Excellent read

I enjoyed this interesting read about three generations of women and motherhood. Opening in the 1960’s, Lila is out to make something of herself after escaping a childhood with an abusive father and a mother who has been institutionalized. Years later, Lila is the editor of the Washington Globe and has three daughters of her own. Her youngest, Grace, finds her identity shaped by the absence of her own workaholic mother and ponders what really became of her missing grandmother. The idea of what it means to be a mother, the gender stereotypes of parenthood, and the generational effects of parenting are focused on throughout the novel. While I found the plot and both main and secondary characters engaging, the dialogue often felt stilted and unrealistic. Overall it is a recommended, but somewhat uneven read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @netgalley and @thedialpress for the ARC

In addition to the ARC I got to attend a small group discussion hosted by the publisher to discuss the book with other readers, which was such a cool experience.

This book is a good intro the family saga genre and a very interesting character study on nature versus nurture.

Like Mother, Like Mother is one of those books I had to sit with for a bit after I finished. I wasn’t quite sure what I thought, and I wasn’t ready to move on right away.

I really do enjoy books that highlight complicated familial dynamics. The relationships between a mother and her children are so interesting, and I have a new perspective now as a new mom, myself.

This book spans different POVs, different periods of time, and has mystery woven in the pages as well of what truly happened to the matriarch of this family.

I can see this book being polarizing in opinions, but it is surely a good book club pick because there is SO MUCH to be discussed.

First I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel prior to publication. This is multi-generational story that spans decades of secrets, lies, and heartache. I enjoyed hearing the story from different points of view and I was happy with the way the storylines ended. However, for me, it wasn’t until about halfway through the story that I was really engaged and wanting to read more.

#LikeMotherLikeMother
#NetGalley

I absolutely adored this book. Which is weird today because this book could have easily been called "Generations of Bad Mothers." This book is about three generations of women: Lila, her daughter Grace, and Lila's mother who died when she was little. Each part of the book dives deeper into each woman. My favorite part by far was Lila's but I loved each part. I loved the characters. Even all the side characters like the amazing Joe who might be the best dad of all time. Joe's wonderful mother. The "twins," Grace's best friend and the man who runs the paper with Lila. They are all wonderful and written so well that they jump out of the page.

I savored this book so much and tried to read a little each day which is incredibly rare for me.

There's so much at the heart of this book about motherhood and family and siblings and marriage and money and choosing work over family and dysfunction and all the different ways in which we can mess each other up. I won't forget this one for a long, long time.

with gratitude to netgalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.