The title of this one immediately caught my eye! I was pleasantly surprised to find out the creator of Latched Mama is the author. I love Latched Mama and wore them pretty religiously for two of my three of my pregnancies/4th trimesters. This was a very timely read about how all of us (no matter what “kind” of mom we are) desire a village of other moms to support us, guide us, love us and help us raise our babies.
But how? We are all busy with our jobs, homes, and families. Melissa breaks down how to start developing your own village in simple, tangible steps - though I’d be lying if I didn’t say that some sounded easier said than done. This did have some good ideas, ideas that I do plan to try to implement. It also made me really grateful for the village I do have - even though most of my mom friends are far away. I know I can text them, snap them, or IG message them whenever I need to. I have so many moms I reach out to - they vary depending on what topic I need help or support with - healthcare, politics, age-related issues, illnesses, PPD/PPA, emetophobia (oof!), the list really goes on and on! Thankful for each and every one of them for putting up with my idiosyncrasies, conspiracy theories and irrational mom anxiety. We are all in it together and I hope they all know I am here for them too - even if I can’t answer that text or message right away. A must read for all moms! Thanks to Melissa, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley! Look for this in stores or online this Tuesday April 8th!

I'm torn on I Was Told There'd Be a Village. I did get a lot of what I wanted, but I also ended up with some extra that frankly annoyed me.

When Latched Mama was mentioned in the description, I made the mistake of assuming that was just for street cred. It wasn't.
It felt like 35% of this was listening to random tangents about how wonderful Latched Mama was at first (I had my son 2 years ago and can't remember this company. I spent DAYS in bed searching for *the best* products. Do with that what you will), how innocent the author is in the complains filed by employees (wouldn't have even known about the complaints, so it was esp weird to be presented with these claims only to be told why it's inaccurate) or specific to working moms.

Some of that remaining 65% was extremely valuable, validating, informative or all of those things combined. But I'd just warn that you're getting more than you bargained for with this one—and not in a good way.

(Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Melissa Wirt for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!)

A solid start for parents (and those wishing to build any sort of community). Becoming a parent during COVID after loss was extremely isolating and I wish I had something like this to hold my hand along the way. I appreciated the various scenarios in which to find the gaps in your village and how to address them. I never felt as if I was being told I had failed in building my village, but guided along the way.

I listened to the audiobook and Melissa's voice is very gentle - it did sound very podcast-y (if that makes sense). Enjoyable either way. A lot to reflect and act on.

Thank you Grand Central Pub and Harper Audio for the ARC & ALC. All thoughts are my own.

MUST READ FOR MOMS! I am not the biggest non-fiction reader, but as someone who LIVED in Latched Mama clothing during pregnancy and breastfeeding, this felt like a must read. Melissa's unapologetic stories about her experience in motherhood as well as countless others was refreshing. She lays out the importance of having a village in motherhood, acknowledge how hard it is to build a village, and providing tips and anecdotes on building your own village. There is something for every mom out there, whether you have a solid village or you are building one from scratch. Highly recommend.

As someone who became a parent during the pandemic shutdown, I knew this book was a must-read. This book provides practical advice that a reader can take or leave in building a village. Much of this advice might seem obvious, but in the throes of parenthood it's a helpful and thoughtfully organized guide.

This is especially helpful for people raising children who feel isolated, especially if they don't have help from relatives or are raising children in a new community. I appreciate the format because it includes anecdotes, advice, and a list of suggested actions/activities at the end of each chapter. This would have taken me a year to get through when I had a newborn, but it would be so easy to pick up, put back down, and pick up where I left off. I also think it could be read out of order and be helpful.

I appreciate this book and believe many others will find it helpful as they navigate the transition to motherhood.

In "I Was Told There'd Be a Village," Melissa Wirt shares her personal journey from isolation to connection, revealing the stark contrast between her successful career and the loneliness that crept in during a crisis. Through heartwarming anecdotes and insights from mothers nationwide, she highlights how common beliefs, like the misconception that we must manage parenting alone, hinder our ability to form supportive networks. Wirt emphasizes the transformative power of small, intentional actions to foster community, providing readers with a relatable roadmap for overcoming isolation and embracing the collaborative spirit of motherhood. This heartfelt narrative serves as both a wake-up call and an encouraging guide for anyone seeking to create their own supportive village.

4.5/5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC of I Was Told There'd Be A Village by Melissa Wirt.

This was a beautiful and a must-read for all (new and atypical) moms. I really connected with this because of my kids with special needs. Reading this was sort of like a refresher and became a check list for me to explore when I first found out about my son's rare genetic disorder. The "other moms" relationships that the author shared, reminded me of how it was up to me to reach out to other moms who have gone through this path, and allowed me to ask all of my questions and to really find my village. This was a reminder of how you should and can always ask for help to find that connections with other moms. The only "con" thing I can remember of this book is that some of the things were repetitive, however, I feel like it may be needed so that we don't forget.

This also reminded me of the time when I lost my son back in 2022 and was finding my village on how to help me grieve. Again, this was another uncharted territory that I did not know and did not know what to expect for the future. This reminds me of the relationships that I have with other friends who have gone through this dark path and can rely on one another to be supportive and just...be present. I would reach out to my other grieving momfriends to ask for help on methods of grieving.

Beautifully done! I will be recommending this book to all of my mom friends!

This book is a memoir of moms everywhere relating to the pressure and the shame they may or may not feel . But provides a guide as to what to to not feel left out at the end of each chapter. I love how the author provides that and makes each chapter relatable w humor.

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend to any new mom! I felt very inspired and seen. This book had great voice and really relatable content. I put a lot of the ideas into practice to start my village! The only critique I have is it would have been helpful to know ahead of time that birth and miscarriage mentions were made in the book as trigger warnings. Otherwise, Great book that I will be recommending to friends!

While this book makes some salient points and is certainly an encouraging and uplifting read, it felt better fit for an Instagram carousel or a substack article. The target audience is busy moms, many of whom have a holdup with building a village due to a lack of time, so it’s hard to imagine that they’d be able to make the time to read a book about it instead. Still, the author makes some great points and it was well written. My main takeaways were that looking for mom friends is not like looking for a spouse — we need to be less picky sometimes. You will surprise yourself with the array of people that you end up connecting with despite what appear to be few commonalities. Really, that’s what adulthood and parenthood is: accepting that other people (your spouse, child, family and friends) are not you and that’s not only okay, but also a really good thing.
I think there’s a bigger systemic and societal issue of women being pressured to build a better village and find time for self-care when ideally that would be built in to our society, but that’s not where we’re at.

Thank you to the author, Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am not normally a non-fiction reader. But as a first-time mom who has been struggling to feel confident in motherhood, I knew I needed to read this book.

This book hit on so many things that I had been feeling since having my son and even some extras that I haven't experienced. Melissa does an amazing job making you feel seen and not alone on this journey called motherhood.

If you are a mother in any capacity, you should pick this book up! There is so much to learn and different perspectives to help you see things from someone else's point of view as well!

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book but I will definitely be buying a physical copy once it's officially released!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the early digital copy 🙏

Life Changing must read for ALL moms! Melissa has given a voice to the invisibility of modern mothers in our deeply broken society with a beautiful honesty that will leave you in tears screaming “YES!” She reveals the very thoughts and situations we all struggle with day to day with such accuracy you’d swear she was hearing your internal monologue. But she goes beyond just seeing mothers. She teaches us literally step by step how to build our own village through REALISTIC, actionable connection. She speaks candidly about her own struggles and setbacks and creates space for imperfection. This is not a book just for new moms or mothers to be, this is for ALL moms. Read it, gift it, share it with anyone and everyone because it truly gives you the power to change your life in a most remarkable way!

This book, kinda felt like a read. Like I knew most of these things were going on and I had these thoughts sometimes out loud or even just in my head. Some of the studies felt a little old (like from 2009--and we're in 2025 now) but other than that---it also goes to just show you how nothing really has changed in a big way I guess.. I was a little bummed it didn't come off more empathetic and more confidence building (the first chapter kinda goes into how to find a villigage and how it CAN be just as easy as talking to someone) but like.....i don't know,. I feel like picking up this book and admitting i needed community wasn't enough and I needed a little more from it. Maybe i"m just too far gone,...

Melissa Wirt’s I Was Told There’d Be a Village is a refreshing and much-needed reminder that moms aren’t meant to do this alone. She shares her story of feeling isolated—even while running a massive online mom community—and how she made intentional changes to build real, in-person connections.

The book contains relatable moments and practical advice on shifting from an “Isolation Mindset” to a “Village Mindset,” making asking for help and creating a strong support system easier. Wirt’s writing is warm and conversational, and the stories from other moms make it even more engaging.

Some parts felt a little repetitive, and I would have loved more insight into how different parenting situations—like single motherhood or balancing work—impact building a village.

Overall, this is an excellent read for any mom who feels overwhelmed or disconnected. It’s a reminder that parenting isn’t supposed to be a solo mission—and that small steps can lead to real, meaningful support.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an eARC! As someone considering motherhood but isn't all the way there yet, I'm certainly not the intended audience for this book. However, I found so much hope in these pages.

Melissa is refreshingly honest as she recounts her toughest days of early motherhood, all without the kind of village she expected. I love how she wove in stories from other moms, so it felt easier to connect with the thesis beyond her personal experience.

She gives practical advice and very simple strategies on how to get started in building your village, one connection at a time. She also reminds us we don't need every person in our village to be our closest friends. Sometimes, having a go-to person to walk with or go on park play dates with is all it takes.

I loved this book but it also cracked me open in ways I didn't know I needed. I am not a mother yet but I felt her pain and cried at different times throughout the book. It shows a side of motherhood that not everyone will experience.

Parents are always looking for guidance -- after all, it is the hardest job in the world and features absolutely no training or preparation. We need to rely on one another for wisdom, and that is what this book is all about. The author, a mother of six children and the owner of a breastfeeding apparel company, suffers a crisis, which makes her realize that even though she is surrounded by acquaintances and has a multitude of online followers and friends, she is very isolated as a parent. She resolves to change that -- to build her own "village" of supportive people who would help one another along the parenting journey. This is her story of how she does it, and it is filled with commonsense advice for fellow parents and parents to be.

I like this book!! It was interesting and had some good ideas! i do definitely agree that women need friends, family, and support. It was a good book and had lots of ideas and options women can do to support each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

From the second I opened this book, I was inspired to action. It made me feel not alone and encouraged me to get comfortable navigating this role as mother instead of feeling like I should have it together on my own.

This book was relatable AF. Eye opening. There are phrases that make you have Ah Ha moments. Things like "We can't connect if there's no one around to connect to". The internet and our current culture has made it so easy to avoid contact with other people. Simply put, we can decrease isolation by increasing the number of people we encounter. Another great takeaway - "Small talk has it's purpose; it's a 'verbal wave' & a gateway to common ground".

I've felt extremely isolated since the birth of my third child. My best friend moved away and I'm farther from my sister than I had been. I've thought often that I should have a village, but wasn't sure where to start.

Enter Melissa Wirt & her awesome book I Was Told There'd Be a Village. It took me 10 days to read this one, and it's not because it wasn't fantastic! It's because there is a lot of reflection that comes with changing your mindset. Each chapter gives small action steps you could try. And try I am.

Thank you SO much to the author for the well researched and actionable ideas to building a village. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. If you're a mom (or parent) and you've ever wondered where your village is, I encourage you to read this book and take action to creating one for yourself.