Member Reviews
A delightful story about a newly divorced women juggling single-motherhood, her red hot but maybe not literary career, burgeoning romance, money troubles, cliquey school mums, elder care, and her crazy absent actor father. If you like Jojo Moyes, she does not disappoint with this entertaining novel.
Jojo Moyes is a great writer and I’ve read a lot of her work. She creates characters and plots with depth and We All Live Here was no different.
We All Live Here is a story of family, grief, forgiveness, romance, and moving on. The story has a chaotic start that I found very relatable even though it made me feel anxious at times. I found myself wondering if I should pick a different read that would be more of an “escape,” but I’m glad I stuck with it. I do wish there was more of Jensen - a green flag if I ever read one!
Life is messy and complicated and beautiful and this book captures all of that perfectly. Check it out on February 11th!
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is a compelling and heartwarming novel that explores the complexities of community, belonging, and personal growth. Set in a diverse neighborhood, the story follows several characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. Moyes crafts a narrative that is both engaging and emotionally resonant, as she delves into the challenges and triumphs of the individuals who live there. Her writing is accessible and evocative, making it easy to connect with the characters’ struggles and victories. While the plot may feel a bit predictable at times, Moyes’ ability to capture human emotions and relationships makes the novel a satisfying and enjoyable read.
Another good story by this author. A bit short I thought or maybe a bit underdeveloped characters but over all a good read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher
I will read anything Jojo Moyes puts in front of my face and this one was a beautiful addition to our history together. I'm extra sensitive to books about recently divorced women and watching Lila deal with the fallout and find her new normal amidst a sometimes chaotic life was a beautiful journey.
This book was an absolute joy to read! Jojo Moyes brings us a cast of wonderfully dynamic and diverse characters.
The plot is packed with twists and turns. Our main character, Lila, is riding high as the author of a bestselling book about the triumphs of marriage, motherhood, and success—until everything unravels. Her husband has an affair with a much younger woman he met at school pick-up, then announces he wants a divorce after getting her pregnant. As if that weren’t enough, Lila’s beloved mother passes away, her methodical stepfather moves in, her long-lost father reappears after chasing an acting career for over 35 years, and her agent demands a follow-up book.
Both Lila’s life and her old house are crumbling as she faces the chaos of death, divorce, reimagining her love life after more than two decades, raising two daughters (a spirited grade-schooler and a moody teenager), and a spiraling career as an author.
You’ll love the colorful characters and Lila’s rocky, often hilarious journey. This is a thoroughly engaging read! I received an ARC from NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking. If you enjoy stories that blend life’s obstacles with raw realism and humor, mark your calendar for this release on February 11th.
3.5 stars - Overall, I liked "We All live Here", however, I did find it way too long and also a bit slow at times. I did like the FMC Lila, a lot - her character arc was really well written, and her two Dads and cray daughters kept her & things developing. This is a good story about the changes that family (and found family) go through. Overall, decent women's fiction. Not my favorite by the author, but to be fair, we have all changed profoundly since "Me before You" (I do miss Lou). Many thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my advanced reader's copy - it was a decent break from some of the thrillers I read :).
This was a fun book to read. Jojo Moyes gives us such dynamic and diverse characters.
The book's plot has a lot going on. Main character, Lila, has just written a best selling book extolling the virtues and wonders of her marriage, her role as a wife, a successful author, and mother; but wait...her husband had an affair with a much younger woman (that he met at school pick up). He asks for a divorce after impregnating said younger woman; Lila's beloved mother dies; Lila's sweet, but so regimented, step father moves in; her long lost father reappears after chasing stardom as an actor 35+ years ago; and now her agent wants a follow up to her best seller.
Lila's life (and old house) are both falling apart as she attempts to deal with not only death, divorce, reimaging her love life after more than twenty years, and raising two daughters (a spunky elementary aged one and a sullen teenager) but also with her spiraling out of control career as an author.
You will love the colorful characters and rocky (and sometimes hilarious) path. It's well worth the read. I received this as a NetGalley ARC through Penguin Group Viking Penguin. If you enjoy reading about people's obstacles with some raw realism and some hilarity, look for this one hitting shelves and bookstores on Feb. 11th.
This was a bit more rom com than I expected. I loved the characters so much though. Sweet sweet Bill. I want to read his story of meeting her mom.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin for an advance copy of this novel about family, starting anew, letting people make their own mistakes, and learning to forgive, but never forget.
I was very blessed to grow up in a family that had nothing in the way of sit-com potential. My parents liked each other, never joked about the trials of marriage, and stayed together until death made them part. My brother and I both liked the same things, I would say he did better in school, but I know more about Star Wars, so no real funny antics there. Cats and dogs for most of my childhood. Looking back I realize how lucky I was. I had friends whose parents hated each other and being married. Parents who divorced with vengeance. And other things. My brother being younger probably knew a lot more. In many ways my family was a perfect family. However what makes a strong family. A family that has never been tested, or one that has been tested in many ways, found wanting in a few, and yet still stays together, and while not perfect by any means, is perfect in its own unique, sometimes sad way. These are some of the questions that author Jojo Moyes asks in the novel We All Live Here, a story about family, imperfection, responsibility, running away, chasing dreams, and learning to love and trust again.
Lila Kennedy is an author whose life can be best summed up as a person living in interesting times. Lila latest book is going to be late, which has her publisher upset. Lila's daughters are acting out in ways that might be dangerous. Her husband has left her for another woman, who is now with child. Her mother has passed and her stepfather has moved into her house, cooking horrible things, and taking up lots of space. Space that is slowly falling apart around her. And without warning her father,Gene, last seen leaving for Hollywood to pursue his real dreams has come back to live with her also. As things fall apart the center that Is Lila has a lot of interesting things to deal with, though Lila fears that something in her might break first.
Jojo Moyes has an ability to take a simple idea, something that sounds very sit-com-ish, and create a work that is full of compassion and understanding of the human condition. Lila Kennedy is a character that is well-develeoped and real. She makes mistakes, oh boy does she make mistakes. Yet she goes on. The other characters are the same, real, capable of meanness and yet under it all, human. The dialogue that Moyes writes sounds like people having real conversations. Yes there are a few weird things, I don't know if that is for the inevitable Netflix series, but even that doesn't seem fake. Moyes really understands families, and how families can hurt each other in ways that friends cannot. There is a lot to take in, and a lot to feel, and Moyes makes sure that readers do.
One appreciates one's own family at the end of this. Moyes is a very good writer, and this would be a good starter book for new readers. Fans will probably have this finished before they even read the reviews. A great book for winter days, or for sunny beaches.
Ok, as I got started reading this book, I was afraid it was going to be a stinker. I should have known better—JoJo Moyes brings it once again with a lovely novel that takes the reader on a journey with a family of flawed, troubled but loving people who somehow, against all odds, find a way to love and appreciate each other (most of the time).
I don’t know how Ms Moyes does it with one engrossing book after the other! Please give her another book contract when she’s had a chance to catch her breath! This was just such a lovely read. I will add it to my reader’s advisory suggestions for customers needing help picking a good book.
Again, thanks so much for sharing this galley with me.
Man, for a lot of this book I really hated the main character but she pulled through in the end for me. Love Jojo Moyes and really enjoyed this one!
Jojo Moyes has a style that is beyond comparison. The dialogue is so perfectly delivered with an ease and authenticity that is what makes her books so fun to read. A dysfunctional family under one roof all rich in character and full of conflict. Our protagonist is passive and aggressive, hopeful and morose, and always cheeky. Moyes truly delivers and, as always, does not disappoint. Jojo Moyes proves she is a master storyteller!
A big, warm hearted novel about the family we have and the family we make.
Lila has a complicated life. Her husband has left her for a younger woman who is now pregnant. She has 2 daughters, a house that is falling apart, a stepfather who moves in and an estranged biological father who suddenly shows up and needs a place to stay. In addition, her love life starts to look up, adding yet more confusion to her life.
Lila struggles to balance all the people and events in her life while still mourning the loss of her mother. Somehow, all these people bring eveything together in a wonderful story. One of her best.
Three generations find new beginnings in a house in the aftermath of divorce and death. Wonderful characters!
I really enjoyed this book. The character development was great and even though I could predict some things, it was still very enjoyable. I didn’t find myself getting annoyed at the characters like I do with other books. Really a very lovely and enjoyable read.
At it’s core, this is a story about embracing the human experience with all its joys, sorrows, quirks and successes. I loved Lila and her unconventional yet totally relatable, chaotic and messy family. The book was perfectly structured with strong character development amidst a heartwarming family dynamic. I found myself snort-laughing multiple times. I loved how realistic the characters were- full of both flaws and redemptive qualities.
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is a beautifully crafted novel that explores the intricate dynamics of community and the power of connection. Set against the backdrop of a changing neighborhood, the story weaves together the lives of diverse characters, each grappling with their own struggles and aspirations. Moyes' signature style shines through with her insightful character development and poignant storytelling, making me feel invested in their journeys. The themes of belonging and resilience resonate deeply, reminding us of the strength found in unity. This book is a heartfelt and uplifting read that I highly recommend!
This is when I wish Goodreads had half ⭐️ ratings. I enjoyed reading about Lila’s adventures with her daughters, her father, her stepfather, and her best friend. But the storyline with her love interests seemed too “made for Hollywood” for me. I am much more interested in a book about a middle-aged woman just trying to figure out her life. But the love interest scenes remained me of when I have had recently divorced friends start dating and that’s all they want to talk about. So, although it was realistic, I just skimmed through those parts. I also would have appreciated the story more had it been written from Lila’s perspective rather than changing perspectives. I wanted to like her more and I think changing the point of view would have made me like her more.
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview.
I wanted to like this book. It starts off with the main character, a self-help book author named Lila, trying to put her life back together after her husband ran off with another mother from her youngest daughter’s school and her mother’s recent death. Her ex-husband’s wife also is pregnant, her house is in need of many repairs, she lives with her stepfather, her biological father shows up at her door needing a place to rest. And of course she has two daughters that she needs to care for. While I liked Lila initially, I found myself very frustrated by her reactions and her inability to speak up for herself and either accomplish tasks or warn that she couldn’t do those tasks. About halfway, I just reached the point where I was reading to just finish the book. I also did not care at all for the few but graphic group sex references or guinea pig innuendo. Definitely not a book for me.
I received this ARC book in exchange for my honest opinion.