I don't really know why, but I loved this novel. It is character-driven and not much really happens, but what a book! We learn most about two mothers who meet for the first time at their children's wedding. Helene, mother of the groom (Tom) and Evelyn, mother of the bride (Ruth). Both families are Jewish, but that is not important to the story.

From the late 30s to almost our present, we enter the lives and personalities of two very different women who would never have met if their children had not married. We learn about their histories, their backgrounds, their marriages and less so about Ruth and Tom's life. Their daughter Francie, obviously suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), not only plays a large part early on (being the reason for competition between her two grandmothers). But there is a lovely coda to the novel as the last chapter from Francie's viewpoint.

When I finished reading, I sat for a long time trying to come back to my own present, having been so completely immersed in the lives of this family.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the ARC of this fine novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The book follows two families brought together by the marriage of their children, Tom and Ruth, and explores the early lives of their grandmothers, Helene Simonauer and Evelyn Turner. The experiences of these women shape their parenting styles and influence their shared granddaughter, Francie, whom they both hope will consider them her favorite.

While the novel touches on important themes, character development is lacking; both grandmothers remain trapped in unfulfilled roles, and Tom and Ruth struggle in an unhappy marriage. Although Francie faces identity issues and addiction, making her the most compelling character, her journey feels underdeveloped.

The ending is somewhat bittersweet, reflecting the matriarchs' later years while hinting at hopeful possibilities for the next generation. Overall, I had hoped to enjoy this book more, but I ultimately found it disappointing.

This is such a beautiful story of generations and family. I enjoyed very much the back and forth chapters between Helene and Evelyn and I really thought the final chapter being shown from Francie's perspective was such a lovely touch. This book was a fast read for me and I mean that in the best way! The pacing was on point and the book offered many opportunities for my own life/family life reflections as I read. I will most definitely recommend this book to others!

I struggled to stay focused and follow the plot of this book. I constantly felt a mix of boredom and confusion while reading it. Ultimately, I had to set it aside and walk away from it.

I was asked to read and review “At Last” by Marisa Silver.

“At Last” is a multigenerational story focusing on Helene and Evelyn who are linked together when their two children Tom and Ruth marry. The novel takes us through three generations of these two families but does so a non-linear and somewhat confusing way. Part of the novel focuses on how women’s place in society changed from the homemaker to much more. I wanted to see more of the characters as human beings and not just how events shaped them. I would have liked to have seen more growth with Helene and Evenlyn who experience all of these pivotal changes. Additionally, while I found the plot points intriguing, I often felt story points were lost (or forgotten). I also wanted to spend more time with Francine, who was Helene and Evelyn’s granddaughter.

Three stars

Thanks to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Quick read about two families that are joined together by the marriage of one's son and daughter. Enjoyed learning about the early days of the mothers that lead them to their parenting styles which carried down to their granddaughter who they shared and both wished would consider them her favorite. Enjoyed the history involved going back in time and social differences of today. I admit the ending was a bit sad seeing how the matriarchs became in their later years but enjoyed seeing options for the future for the next generation. Definitely would recommend.

I see that this book received a lot of four and five star reviews, but it fell a little short for me. I feel like it had so much potential but didn’t quite deliver. Many of the chapters were told in different time frames and through the perspective of different characters, and I found that to be a little confusing at times. I also felt like there were important details missing, such as the letters that Ruth translated for Helene. I’d like to know the meaning and what came of that.

Parts of the book were quite nostalgic for me as I grew up around the same time period as Francie with two Jewish grandmothers.

Thank you for this ARC!

Wow - what a delightful surprise! I picked this one on a whim, and boy am I glad I did. Evelyn and Helene were both very complex, formidable characters. I loved how the timeline spanned over decades. I read this one while delayed at the airport, and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. Highly recommend!

At Last is marketed as a story about two women Helene Simonauer and Evelyn Turner whose lives become intertwined when Helene’s son Tom, marries Evelyn’s daughter Ruth, and how the two women vie for the love of their granddaughter Francie. I don’t think this description of the book hits the mark.

This is a multigenerational story of the four women Francie, Ruth, Helene and Evelyn. The chapters jump from different points in time in different decades which did not make for a cohesive story.
While I think the intention was to make the reader reflect on how at different points in time the women’s actions and motivations shaped them over time. I didn’t get the sense the characters grew or developed much. All the women read to me as deeply happy. Evelyn and Helene came of age during a time when being a wife, mother and homemaker was aspirational. Their unhappy childhood’s led to unhappy marriages. Once Francie is born the women just want the title of favorite grandmother (who doesn’t)

Their trauma gets passed down to Tom and Ruth. They come of age at a time when women begin working outside the home, yet Ruth is unable to “have it all” and is unhappy. Tom and Ruth do not stay married.
I found Francie to be the most interesting character, but she wasn’t as well written as she could have been. She was an odd child, a young adult struggling with identity issues and pill addiction. I felt like the last chapter put a bow on all the misery by giving Francie the happy ending.

Overall I give this book 3.5 stars. If you like multigenerational family stories its worth a read. Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy.

3 stars

I expected more drama between the two grandmothers. Instead, this was just a sad, depressing book of loss and unhappiness and being stuck in certain roles with little room for individuality. Maybe that was the point? To remind us that the “good ol’ days” weren’t actually all that good?

Also, as another reviewer pointed out, the whole situation with the translation of the letters was just forgotten. What could have been an interesting plot twist was ignored.



I appreciate being invited to read. Thank you to NetGalley. and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read a digital arc in return for an honest review.

What a refreshing point of view story from two grandmothers over their granddaughter. It made me think a lot about the roles grandmothers play in society now vs earlier times in history. I was entertained throughout and think the author crafted interesting characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

At Last
This book about three generations of women started out interesting. Evelyn and Helene are connected through the marriage of their children Ruth and Tom. I found the chapters in different time frames confusing, especially when it was years apart. I felt I had to guess what happened in the intervening years. Some important story lines, such as the letters translated by Ruth from German, were totally abandoned. I kept reading to find out what happens, but to my disappointment, actually not much was revealed. The granddaughter Francine was tossed between her grandmothers and her divorced parents and probably as a result had many coming of age issues. Overall, I am surprised of the four and five star reviews, I couldn’t give this book more than three stars.
I received a complimentary copy, opinions are my own.

This book is about Helene and Evelyn whose lives come together when their children marry. They are different in many things and want the love and attention of their granddaughter. This book was a multi-generational story because it also told the story of daughter/daughter-in-law and granddaughter. This was a well written book and the characters had a lot of depth.

For fans of Ann Napolitano and Claire Lombardo, Marisa Silver's At Last is about two women and the relationship between them after their children marry. Marisa Silver's writing voice is wonderful, and her characters are deeply thought out and multidimensional. I didn't fully grasp the "point" of the story and the ending felt like a last ditch effort to wrap it up; however, her writing and character development were enough to make me give this book four stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of At Last by Marisa Silver due to be published September 2, 2025.

Helene Simonauer and Evelyn Turner are two formidable women whose paths cross when their children marry. This book captures the essence of these two women, their children, and their granddaughter – whom they fight over for her affection.
This was a great book that told the story of three generations of strong women and their lives – from the two grandmothers to the daughter to her daughter. It was a multi-generational story that I will long remember.
I look forward to more of her books!

#NetGalley #MarisaSilver #Simon&Schuster #AtLast