I found We All Live Here to be a good fit for anyone in the same stage of life- parenting children at the same time as caring for parents. Jojo Moyes did a wonderful job of balancing this story between the main character’s concerns for the generations she cares for, as well as her own relationship and employment needs being met.

This book was a long one for Jojo Moyes but worth it. It is a character-driven, family drama. Moyes always has great character development and this one has a satisfying ending. It will resonate with many readers.

Trigger Warnings: medical situation, parental abandonment, infidelity, and death of mother/grandmother (off-page)

WE ALL LIVE HERE, by Jojo Moyes, is the perfect story for readers who love family drama. Lila is a 39- year-old single mother with two teenage daughters. She is caught up with a new writing project when surprise company arrives. Her estranged father and sickly stepfather are under her roof, and they do not get along. Lila’s life is anything but normal, but it’s still believable and relatable.

One day, Lila meets another single dad in the school pick-up line. (No pun intended!) And then there’s the gardener. It’s no surprise that Lila has a brief affair, but then she writes about it. She needs the money, and a spicy story is what her readers crave. Her relationships suddenly become very messy.

This story is serious and yet funny at the same time but, oh, so realistic. This could really happen! I love the family dynamics and the excellent character development. Every single one is flawed but has some redeeming trait. Jojo Moyes is a new writer for me, and now I can’t wait to read her backlist.

This book is about a middle-aged woman who is at her wits end and many of the problems that have arisen are no fault of her own. The question is how will she deal with everything thrown at her. This book was enjoyable and the main character, Lila, is very relatable. I do question why the author occasionally included other points of view; for me, this took me out of the story. I enjoyed the outrageousness and banter of Lila's fathers, her interactions with her daughters and ex, as well as her relationship woes. I recommend this for those who enjoy reading about the crazy situations that can happen to a woman in the midst of life.

What a complicated living arrangement!

Lila life is no less than a train wreck and every time she turns around there is some kind of issue. For example her house is falling down around where even flushing the toilet is a gamble. This same scenario seems to aptly describe her life… flush! Currently she is dealing with her ex husband, a hormonal teenage daughter, a precocious younger daughter, and her very own two long-lost, and suddenly found fathers. Two? Yes there are two of them with very different personalities and they have moved into her falling down house.

Lila is the author of a very successful self-help book about repairing marriage which publishes about the same time her husband leaves her for younger and now pregnant woman carrying his child. This fact derails her next book, which was to be her bread and butter. Her stepfather is subtlety and gradually moving himself into her home, much to the dismay of her daughters who can’t take many more of his healthy meals that include mounds of lentils as well as his endless tidiness! Then Lila’s biological father, who she hasn’t seen in decades, shows up in a needy manner. He’s a seedy actor still riding high on his hit TV show from years before. And there’s plenty of other problems that rear their ugly heads as the entire family moves day by day into their new lives and relationships.

Wow, the character development is outrageous. I felt kind of sorry for Lila’s aging actor father, just because of the way she treats him, but you have only one father and why not give him a chance? The ex is a word that rhymes with whoosh. Her other father was a bit intense. The guy she wanted to romance with seemed a dud to me. And her two daughters who think they know everything are very typical. Still, Lila moves on with her life. The romance she hopes for doesn’t end up being the one she wants. As you see issues abound, and as things develop, and are out in the open, you begin to see the change in family, love, and forgiveness. These characters pull at your emotions all in their very own ways, with their own part to play and each is equally important.

This is family drama and we can… admit it… all relate to in some way. The chaos keeps you entertained throughout. This is a slow moving story of life with no thrillers where everything is grounded in real life and believable and relatable situations. “We All Live Here” is such an enjoyable book and I’d love a sequel to revisit these folks even though I thought the book ended perfectly.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is a character-driven story that follows Lila, a woman barely holding it together after her husband leaves her. She’s juggling raising two daughters, coping with her mother’s death, dealing with work issues, and now navigating the challenge of her estranged father and stepfather moving in. On top of it all, she finds an unexpected love interest. There is so much going on, but you are never confused or lost in this plot or with these characters. It’s a story of a grown woman rediscovering herself—almost like a coming-of-age journey in adulthood. This would make a great pick for book clubs. I look forward to what is next from Jojo Moyes.

We All Live Here is the newest novel by Jojo Moyes. This one centers around Lila and her convoluted family. Lila is newly divorced, her ex has a new baby on the way, her stepfather seems to have quietly moved into her home, she's raising two daughters, and still trying to manage her career as an author. So much to juggle and then a new face appears unexpectedly at her door to add even more turmoil. To say there's a lot of family drama would be an understatement. My life felt like a vacation while I was reading this. Read and enjoy!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

In general, this book hovers around a 3 star most of the time. However, I thought the last 25% of the story really elevated the book out of that 3-star range. Moyes really knows how to write a character driven story!

Lila is a writer and single mom to two girls. Her mom recently passed away, her stepfather is living with them, and then her wayward father shows up. In the chaos that is her life, Lila needs to come up with a new book idea and her friends are encouraging her to get back into the dating world.

I admit that much of my problem with this book had to do with not liking Lila for a great deal of it. I could see the writing on the wall about a few things, especially her love life. The part of this book that really shines, though, is the realistic portrayal of the family situations--the good, the bad, and the ugly. It shows how real life doesn't always have a straightforward path, there are mistakes, forgiveness, missteps and refocusing. People are never all good or all bad, it is the choices we make when dealing with heartaches and disappointment in life that make us learn and grow.

If you're looking for a heartfelt family drama with some romantic spice thrown in, Moyes is always a great choice.

Another divorcee coming of age book but I liked the cast of characters and it was realistic - post divorce chaos that turns into found and real family

We All Live Here follows Lila, a divorcee living in her fixer-upper of a house with her two daughters, and sometimes elderly her step-father Bill. Suddenly her real father shows up at her door and begs to live with them also, and it's almost too much for Lila to handle, what with having written next to nothing on her current book. Moyes's novel was okay, definitely not the author's best work, and I found parts of it boring.

**Early ARC release from NetGalley

If you are a Jojo Moyes fan, you will enjoy this book! This particular book showed and portrayed several different characters in different points and stages in their lives. It mainly follows Lila, a divorced author that was betrayed by her ex-husband, lost herself in the process, and learning to find what her next chapter is in life. Although the view point is mainly through Lila, all characters were unique and full of personality in very different ways. I often was laughing out loud especially any banter that involved Lila's estranged Dad, 'your good pal gene'. Excited for Jojo Moyes next one, thank you Jojo Moyes and NetGalley for the early release!

Great book! This is the first book that I have read by Jojo Moyes, but it will not be my last. Highly recommend!

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes was exactly the kind of read I needed; a refreshing break from my usual true crime books. Moyes has a way of crafting stories that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable, and this one was no exception.

The novel follows a single mom trying to navigate her "new normal," and I was completely drawn into her journey of resilience, self-discovery, and the complexities of family relationships. One of the themes that really stood out to me was the idea of letting go of past trauma while trying to reconnect with family; recognizing that they, too, are figuring out life as they go. It was a touching reminder that no one has all the answers, and sometimes healing comes from understanding each other’s imperfections.

Jojo Moyes never disappoints, and I was so excited when I saw she had a new book out. Her writing is as beautiful as ever, capturing emotions in a way that lingers long after you turn the last page. If you're looking for a heartfelt, engaging read with characters that feel real, We All Live Here is definitely worth picking up!

Lila’s life is not what she pictured for herself at forty-two. Her husband left her for the neighbor down the street, her stepfather has moved in after her mother died in a tragic accident. Lila’s house is constantly in need of repair, and her biological father, Gene, an eccentric, attention-seeking actor, has just shown up needing a place to stay. As if all of that isn’t enough, Lila sees the woman her husband left her for everyday at her daughter’s school pickup.

I was outraged for Lila and completely rooted for her! At the same time, she wasn’t perfect either. She made mistakes, as most of us do. There’s a romance with some bumps and I hoped it’d all work out!

We also have the POV of Lila’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Celie, who is going through some tough times, too. I loved that Gene, Lila’s MIA bio-dad, form a bond, and he helps with some of her trials. Gene definitely had a lot to answer for, but I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for him, especially when we get some that last insight.

We All Live Here portrayed a slice of messy, relatable life, and I felt all the emotions acutely! I was angry, I laughed and cried, but the story left me in such a wonderful place of joy and hope! A definite recommend!

Solid 3.5 Stars
Jojo is one of my favorite authors! I've read all of her books and enjoyed each and every one of them. We All Live Here is a good read, not her best novel, but it was still an enjoyable read.
With that being said, I used this novel as a pallet cleanser between two fantasy reads. It was a nice shift of gears, held my attention with the quirky characters and I loved the family drama. There is nothing like reading about 'family drama' to make your own 'family drama'... seem normal!
We All Live Here is about the all the complexities of everyday life, joys and difficulties of blended families, grief, mistakes and learning to love again.
"Life is long and complicated, Lila, as we all make mistakes. What matters is what we do beyond them."
This novel follows 42 year old protagonist, Lila, as she navigates the challenges as a recently divorced and mother of 2 young children, as she overcomes a block within her writing career.
It also addresses the real struggles of middle-age women dealing with grief over a lost mother, supporting an aging step-father (Bill), and overcoming the childhood trauma of abandonment when her biological father, (Gene), returns to her life. As if Lila doesn't have enough on her plate, enter in dating interests, Jensen and Gabriel.

While this novel seems light on the surface, there is depth to it as it touches on forgiveness, making amends, and moving on.

It took a while for the story to really get going, but once it does, you won't want to put it down.
As always in a Jojo novel the ending is well worth sticking it out!

Many many Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Viking/Pamela Dorman Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review.
I will be highly recommending this book and pushing library patron hold/requests.

Jojo Moyes' We All Live Here is a heartwarming and humorous exploration of family, resilience, and the complexities of relationships. The novel revolves around Lila Kennedy, a recently divorced writer and single mother, as she navigates career struggles, raises two daughters, and deals with her stepfather moving in. Just when she thinks life can't get more complicated, her estranged father, a washed-up actor, reappears. Moyes crafts a believable and funny world with distinct characters, such as Lila's lentil-loving stepfather and egocentric biological father, interacting with each other. While there aren't many surprises in the story, Moyes' signature wit and warmth shine through, making it a poignant and enjoyable read. The story explores themes of forgiveness, identity, and the complicated love that binds families together.

I enjoyed this book even though there wasn't much of a plot thanks to Jojo Moyes' great writing. The tale of a woman and the odd lot of characters that make up her family and household. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into this story, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. The family dynamics were incredibly written and believable. I enjoy a book where the characters are fully developed and I feel like it was done beautifully

This book was such a delight. Jojo Moyes has a real talent for taking difficult life circumstances and writing them to be bearable, humorous and intriguing. Our main character Lila was a mess but quite endearing. The full cast of characters were each well developed, interesting and likable. I loved Lila’s journey of growth, and witnessing the immense love she has for her family.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Jojo Moyes has done it again! She really knows how to tell stories that touch the heart. Lila Kennedy’s journey—dealing with single motherhood, work challenges, and the surprising return of her estranged dad—is so relatable and engaging. Moyes blends humor and emotion perfectly, making it a fun read from start to finish. While some parts of the plot might be a bit predictable, and a few storylines could use more depth, the warmth, laughter, and heartfelt themes of forgiveness make it a truly worthwhile experience. It’s a beautiful tale about resilience and second chances. Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!