Books Read: Mothers and Daughters by Erica James

Even happy families have their secrets…

Since the sudden death of her husband, Naomi has steadily rebuilt the life they shared in the village of Tilsham by the sea.

Her eldest daughter, Martha, is sensible and determined – just like her father was – and very much in control of where her life is going. If she could just get pregnant with her husband, life would be perfect.

Willow, the youngest, was always more sunny and easy-going, yet drifted through life, much to her father’s frustration. But now, with charming new boyfriend, Rick, she has a very good reason to settle down.

The three women are as close as can be. But there are things Naomi has kept from her daughters. Like the arrival of Ellis, a long-lost friend from way back, now bringing the fun and spark back into her life. And she’s certainly never told them that her marriage to their father wasn’t quite what it seemed…

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I'd like to thank to HQ for my copies of Mothers and Daughters to review, I downloaded eBook via NetGalley but then won a proof copy via Readers First.   

Mothers and Daughters, the latest novel from Erica James, is as the title suggests a multi-generational story featuring widow Naomi and her two adult daughters Martha and Willow which explores the family dynamics of the three women and their relationships.  

The story is narrated from the viewpoints of each of the women with the occasional chapter from their male counterparts which gives us an insight to each of them, their everyday lives and the complexities of their relationships. The more we read, the more we discover about hidden secrets - both in the past and the present day - and that the girls are struggling to accept that their mother is starting to make a new life for herself after the death of their father.  

At first Martha really irritated me with her judgemental nature and not being able to be happy for those around her, whereas I found myself wanting to shake Willow and tell her to stand up for herself and see what was really going on in her relationship. But by the end both women had redeemed themselves in my eyes, Martha for being there for her sister and Willow for standing up for herself. As for Naomi, she deserved happiness but I understood why she didn't want to upset her daughters especially when they were both dealing with their own issues that were making them unhappy.  

Mothers and Daughters is a book that you will easily lose yourself in. But don't be fooled into thinking this is going to be a light-hearted read as there are some dark and serious issues explored that show us that you never really know what is going on behind closed doors.