Jojo Moyes is a master of character development and the family dynamic, creating evolving characters that completely come alive in her novels. "We all live here," is no exception. The relationship between step-family, biological parents, and the children they share is at best a slippery slope. Throw in the daily chaos of everyday life, work deadlines, and trying to navigate as a single parent after your husband leaves you for a younger woman and you have an enthralling backdrop for a terrific tale. The main character Lila struggles to manage all of this then, when her birth father suddenly steps back into her life after being nearly nonexistent she must decide if he too has a place in her precariously full life. This novel is a great roller coaster ride through the ups and downs of life and how, when, and where we should forgive those who have hurt us along the way.
One note: Many "British" words are used that I was not familiar with. This is fun for me as I can't stand it when I don't know a word's meaning. I literally had to stop and look up the word throughout the novel. I am glad to do this, but will the reader in the American/US market be just as willing, or will this be a distraction? Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy.

Lila is dealing with a lot. She's raising her two daughters... on her own... after her husband left her for a younger woman... in house that is falling apart.. and has a new longterm guest as her stepfather seems to have moved in with her... after the sudden death of her mother. Plus, her writing has hit a brick wall after the explosion of her marriage since her first book focused on rebuilding that marriage. It doesn't help that she runs into her ex-husband's new wife on a regular basis as their children attend the same school. If that wasn't enough, her biological father reappears on the scene after years of minimal communication since leaving Lila and her mom for a career in Hollywood.

My favorite thing about Jojo Moyes is her characters. She writes believable characters with a focus on their development. We All Live Here is no exception. There's a lot happening in this book's plot, but my focus and the heart of the story was on the characters. I loved seeing Lila's growth, and the growth of this family as they come together and redefine what makes a family.

Jojo Moyes always writes a great book. I look forward to each one and so do our patrons. Everyone will love this.

At first I found this book (and Lila's life a little depressing--she is the epitome of the "sandwich" generation, taking care of parents (dads) and kids. But as the reader progresses through the book, as Lila progresses through her "life", as she opens herself to new experiences (and people) a certain lightness shines through that was not there at the beginning. What I especially liked about this book was that none of the characters were perfect (although Jenson came really close) and all the characters had some redeeming qualities (sometimes it was hard to fine, from Celie's mean girl friends to Lila's "crumbing" so called boyfriend. Some of the events were predictable, but there was always a twist that kept the reader on his/her toes. Read and enjoy!

Lila Kennedy is a 42-year-old woman who is recently divorced and has lost her beloved mom. She is doing her best to raise her two daughters in an old house that has some problems, and money is tight. On top of all those personal changes and struggles, Lila is behind on the deadline for her next book, her stepfather has mostly moved into her house, her ex-husband is expecting a new baby with the younger mistress, and her estranged father shows up.

There are several funny and poignant points along her journey as Lila comes to terms with a new definition of family, deals with hurt and forgiveness, and even has a chance at a new romance. Even though I haven’t been in her shoes, I felt I related to her and her struggles. There are some humorous moments with her youngest daughter, Violet, and her new friend, Jensen. There are great lessons about forgiveness, making memories, adaptability, and dealing with busyness.

This heartfelt story should be added to your TBR list. It will be released in February 2025. Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. The story is well written and tugs at your heart strings. The life of a newly divorced mom trying to keep her life together and provide for her daughters despite everything life throws at her (like a stepdad who insists on making healthy meals only and her long lost dad all of a sudden showing up on her doorstep). Full of compassion.

Jojo Moyes is always a joy to read. We All Live Here is a story about a 42 year old woman who is going through a ton of change in her life, while the responsibilities keep piling up. As a woman in that same demographic, I connected with Lila even more!

Throughout this book there are some lovely, quotable moments that could bring this book to the tops of lists like Goodreads Choice Awards, and as with many other Moyes novels, there are many characters to connect with. This could prevent the book from being super easy reading, as you do need to keep track of different characters and sub-plots, but it keeps things interesting for sure. I would describe We All Live Here as a character study, as it lacks some of the plot-driven character actions that some of Moyes novels have. I would recommend to library patrons who are fans of Liane Moriarty, Kristen Higgins, and Susan Mallery.

I've read a number of books by Jojo Moyes and needed a break from more serious fiction--this fit the bill.

Lila Kennedy, divorced, two daughters, an elderly stepfather [Bill] who has quietly moved in to her deterioriating house (especially the plumbing), a literary career in freefall, and a long disappeared father {Gene, a lesser, former, Hollywood "star"--who just shows up. The complications of an ex-husband [Dan] who now has a new girlfriend {Marja, and her son, Hugo] and soon to be baby.... Lila is just having trouble keeping it all together. Then there's the ghostly presence of Lila's dead mother, Francesca [who she loved and has "conversations" with]. And Bill's new companion, Penelope, a colorful person to say the least! And others: I loved Eleanor, Lila's best friend--combination of a hoot, and good advice giver and Anoushka, Lila's agent. Add in two men/potential love interests--Jensen and Gabriel -- phew!

Considering--the many characters were well drawn.

The story line keeps growing. A blended family and other difficulties--from finances to exes, to a teenage daughter in the midst of mean girls, to the deadbeat dad who just shows up complicating things--especially with Bill--considering they were both married to Francesca and are now living in the same house=-it's a lot to juggle! Moyes does it admirably.

Descriptions I liked:
"face like thunder"
"school playground can feel gladiatorial at the best of times..."
"smiling at him in the gooey way she does"

And some laugh out loud moments mixed in with the seriousness.

There were a few trajectories that I picked up on fairly early. Not a fan of the neat and tidy and predictable, but in this case I didn't care.
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3.75, rounding up because...

This book truly caught me by surprise. Lila Kennedy’s life is a mess—her marriage is broken, her daughters are spiraling, her house is falling apart, and now her estranged father shows up after decades away. It sounds overwhelming, but that’s what makes this story so real. Life isn’t perfect, and neither are the characters, which is exactly why I connected with them.

I loved how each character had their own quirks and struggles. The mother-daughter relationships felt so authentic, full of love, tension, and those little moments of understanding that stick with you. Gene, Lila’s father, stole my heart. Even with his messy past, he’s trying so hard to make things right. It’s a reminder that even the people you’ve written off can surprise you.

The book is a mix of sadness, humor, and hope, and it hit all the right notes for me. The author doesn’t shy away from flaws or imperfections, and that’s what makes the story so relatable. You see the beauty in these messy lives, and it makes you think about your own relationships.

This was such an engaging read, and I can’t wait to recommend it to friends. It’s heartfelt, honest, and sticks with you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A realistic view of a blended family moving through divorce, aging, and reconnections are woven throughout this story. Give the book time as it starts off slow and builds. Characters are all likable and seeing how they support one another is heart warming. Reading this each evening felt like having a phone conversation with a friend going through it. A bit predictable but still enjoyable.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

*We All Live Here* by Jojo Moyes is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that delves into the lives of residents in a housing estate. The story weaves together diverse characters, each grappling with their own struggles, desires, and secrets. Moyes’ writing is heartfelt and engaging, drawing readers into the intimate lives of ordinary people. As the characters’ paths cross, the novel explores themes of community, belonging, and resilience. The depth of emotion and insight into human connections make *We All Live Here* a compelling and resonant read, showcasing Moyes’ talent for crafting relatable, multifaceted characters.

I was hesitate to pick this one up as jojo moyes has become a heavy read for me and while relaxing on the weekend I have been more drawn to lighthearted reads. However this one was a little more light than her recent releases.

This story opens with a newly divorced single mother of two daughters trying to adjust to being a sole provider, her husband and his mistress having a child, her estranged father coming back into her life and trying to meet her publisher’s deadline.

Overall a cute way to look at adjusting to a changing lifestyle and learning that real family might not exactly what you think it should be but in the end everything comes together.

This book is fantastic! I am so glad I was able to get an ARC. I laughed, teared up, commiserated - so many things. But really this book is a warm hug. It’s about belonging and being the bigger person and looking out for others. I just loved it.

This book is about a family, all broken in different ways, that finds their way to love again.
Lila is a recently divorced mother of two daughters. The divorce is ugly and the whole family is in pain. Lila’s mother also has recently passed and finds her lonely step-father moving in with them to help. She never has a moments peace and finds life pulling her in all different directions.
The story feels pretty real, maybe a little too much for me. The house is falling apart, teen is angry and angsty, school is needing a volunteer, money is in short supply and relationships are complicated. I liked the book well enough but I like escaping from reality when I read. Just not the read for me.

I love Jojo Moyes books so I couldn't wait to read this one. Lila Kennedy is living in an old run down house with her blended family. Her husband has just left her for a younger woman. She has two wayward daughters and an elderly stepfather. Her writing career has hit a dry patch and she's worried about how she will survive. To complicate everything, her long lost father shows up at her door. This is a story of family ties and forgiveness. Families don't have to fit a certain mold to work. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

My only other experience with this author was the Me Before You books, which I refuse to go back and read again because I am still emotionally damaged all these years later. This book may not have left such a massive hole in me but it definitely left its mark. How Jojo Moyes writes about love and loss and what can come from that with such beautiful words and emotion, I don't know. Highly recommend if you are in need of a emotional read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and didn't want it to end. It was like a mini-holiday from real life with laugh-out-loud moments, chaos and cringe-worthy encounters. All the characters were quirky but in their own way likeable. Chapters were the perfect length. Happy ending, of course. Also loved the fact that it was set near Hampstead Heath (London) which brought back fond memories of my student days.

like other reviewers have said, JoJo Moyes is a go to author for me. This was a good story of love, family dynamics and moving on after the death of a loved one. The story is touching, funny at times and the characters are relatable. All in all, a good story. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is unlike anything else I have read by this author. I am a huge fan of Jojo Moyes and have read most of her backlist so I was very excited to get an early review copy of this book!

Lila is a middle aged mother of two whose life is imploding. Her husband has left her for a younger woman who is now pregnant, her writing career has stagnated, her estranged biological father has descended on her home, and her father (technically stepfather) has moved in following the loss of her mother.

On top of it all Lila has absolutely no idea how to re-enter the dating scene. If it sounds like a lot is going on, it is, but somehow it reads at a very slow pace. In the first third of the book I wondered where things were going until I realized that they weren’t going to go anywhere and this was going to be purely character based.

In the second third of the book the drama really picks up in regards to Lila’s love life. In this part of the book I felt like Lila is grasping for any amount of control and sanity she can hold on to which clouds her ability to think clearly. We've all been there at times and I really felt for her in this section of the book. The last third of the book was the best part because I had fallen in love with all of the characters. In this last section of the book we see Lila give up control and start to pick up all of the pieces one by one.

This book demands patience and trust from the reader. Jojo Moyes does a great job with the characterization but it takes a while to get invested. Another criticism I had was that the multiple points of view didn't necessarily have different voices, so they didn't really add much to the story for me. Celie is Lila's teenage daughter and I felt her sections could have used more attention and development.

Ultimately I enjoyed the book but I didn't fall in love with it or find myself grasping to read it like I have with other books by Jojo Moyes.