The story of Naomi, and her two daughters, Willow and Martha. It's a well written story that deals with some quite dark stuff around abuse, and family secrets, and how that affects the relationship between mother and daughters. But a good read with lots of uplifting moments. Thoroughly recommended.

A family saga that actually deals with some serious issues. Erica James has a real talent for portraying the relationships within families in such a way that you almost feel you are part of them. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I have always loved Erica James books but this one certainly excels itself. I could not put it down.
It tells the story of mother and daughter relationships and the length a mother will go for her daughters. Although the theme is a serious one the writing has offered it as an uplifting read and something that mums can relate to.
A wonderful book to lose yourself in. It was an absolute delight to read this book.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This was my second read from this author and once again focused on family relationships - mother and daughter, sisters, and in-laws or newcomers. The storytelling switches between recently widowed Naomi and her two grown-up daughter's, Martha and Willow (who are chalk and cheese) and its heart-warming to see the effect various events have on their dynamics. Despite having equal 'air-time', however, Martha's story wasn't as powerful as the other two which was a shame. This was a nice, easy read but I did find it quite slow and a little underwhelming compared to "Coming Home to Island House" which set in the war was a beautifully epic story.

I really enjoyed this book especially as it touched on the relationship between mothers and daughters
i won't ruin this review with any spoilers
with thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

A warm and compelling family drama by the sea, where sorrows, conflicts and tragedies are handled sensitively and reassuringly leaving the reader satisfied and uplifted.



Martha and Willow think the time has come for Naomi, their widowed mother, to sell the family home by the sea and move closer to them. They are both now in relationships, with Martha longing for a baby, so it would be good for them to have their mum nearby.

But Naomi has just met an old friend, a former flame and they have rekindled their relationship, so when her daughters talk about their plans for the future, not only does she have to disappoint them about any potential move, she also has to tell them she has found a new love.

As Martha and Willow process the news, there are issues in their own lives to deal with. Martha is struggling to conceive while Willow's partner seems excessively possessive. How will they both deal with the challenges they face, and will they show some sensitivity and solidarity to each other as the family dynamics change?

This is a lovely read. Escaping to the sea with engaging characters in believable scenarios, there were a few twists and turns along the way with some serious and troubling issues handled with sensitivity. Overall it was an uplifting and reassuring read. Very enjoyable!

An enjoyable enough and well written book, enhanced by the beautiful south coast setting. Sadly, the multitude of viewpoints proved too much for me and I didn't enjoy this one as much as I had hoped to. The viewpoint changed every chapter, and sometimes within a chapter, for me, this broke the flow of what would otherwise have been a really enjoyable story. It made the pace feel slow - even though it truly wasn't - and I can only conclude that it just wasn't for me.

Even happy families have their secrets…

Naomi is rebuilding her life after the sudden death of her husband Colin two years ago and is happy still living in the family home, Anchor House in Tilsham on the Sussex coast, but her eldest daughter Martha has other ideas, she would like her mum to sell the house and move closer to her and her husband Tom, especially as they are trying for a baby and she is trying to get her younger sister Willow to go along with the idea. Martha and Willow couldn't be more different; Martha follows her father, very much in control of what she wants from life, Willow is very laid back and has drifted along through life, however she now has a new boyfriend, Nick who is very charming, could he be the one to finally encourage her to settle down? Naomi is very close to her daughters but she has kept things from them, including the fact that Ellis, an old friend from years ago is back in her life, and their father wasn't always the wonderful man they thought he was.

Mothers and Daughters is a contemporary family drama following the lives of these three women, how they are still dealing with the death of Colin, whilst also trying to move on with their lives. The characters are realistic, they all have their own flaws, which makes them very relatable and I became so invested in them, I loved how the dynamics of the relationships changed continually throughout, and the trials and tribulations they had faced in the past and continued to in the present day made them closer and stronger together. There are some delicate subjects covered in this story, which the author writes with compassion and sensitivity. Erica James' books are easy reads which will have you smiling one minute and in tears the next, and this one is no exception. It's a fabulous story, which I didn't want to put down, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are believable, and the story well-paced - and the writing is just lovely. Read in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read an Erica James book. I used to read them as soon as they came out and I loved every one of them. So, I was so excited to be approved for this new one and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it. I loved every page it was such a good story with some sad bits but lots of happiness and a happy ending. I’m now going to have to catch up on the books I’ve missed and re-read the ones I read in the past. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

It has been quite a while since I last read an Erica James novel but I remember reading them and loving them. This one was a pure delight and pleasure to sink into. It’s so satisfying to read and really envelopes you into this great family story. I loved the writing style and it felt familiar and warm, possibly because I’ve read some of the authors work before??
The characters in this particular book are wonderful, well thought out and developed very well. I was hooked in right from the very first few pages and absolutely raced my way through the story. It’s twisty, consuming, warm and involving

This is a lovely story of love loss and anything inbetween. Naomi Miller is a widow who owns a lovely home in an English village. The home is a big family home with a garden that leads down to the beach. She has been a widow for a couple of years. Her two daughters Martha and Willow live in London. Martha is very settled, married to Tom and everything is going the way she planned her life to go, she being set in the way of doing things. One thing that is evading her and that is motherhood. Willow is living with Rick and on the surface seems happy. Naomi has a new neighbour who turns out to be a man she met many years ago and if she had not been married to Colin with a young family would have turned to Ellis and would have had a very happy life but that was not to be. Willow becomes unsure of her relationship with Rick as she feels she is being undermined in all respects even down to her telemarketing job which he feels is not the right thing for her to do. After thinking about her relationship with Rick she finds herself pregnant and alone. She feels she cannot tell her sister who is battling with this and is ashamed and feels caught in a bad situation. The family take to Rick but eventually they feel he is too controlling but if Willow does not ask for help there is nothing they can do. Eventually everything comes to a head. Martha is pregnant and completely thrilled as is her husband Tom. Rick does something to Willow which makes her run back to Naomi and life takes a complete turn for all of them. The story really is about kept secrets as Naomi as a big on herself and wonders if she should have been more open with her girls. Would that have helped them in life. The book concludes and really all ends well which pleased me. I really enjoyed this book and will read more from this author

What a roller coaster of a book.

I do need to point out that there is a potential trigger at about 80% so if you want to know please send me a message.

I loved Willow, she was so down to earth and had really dealt with some things in her past. I found Martha really infuriating but I knew she was only trying to protect her little sister and Rick... well the least said about him the better. He really did get under my skin.

It's been a few years since I've read an Erica James book and it was so lovely to get back into her familiar writing style.

The absolute highlight for me was my nearest town (which is tiny) being mentioned at the start of the book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

What a fantastic read..Naomi is the mother of two daughters Martha and Willow and after her husband's death she finds love again when an old flame from the past moves in next door to her beautiful beach home but she is very weary of telling the girls especially Martha who idolised her father. There are plenty of secrets that come out that will both shock and surprise Martha when she realises her mother's marriage wasn't as happy as she thought and when Willow finds herself in a difficult relationship the family find themselves having to come to terms with what happened in the past. Some really interesting characters and a lovely location and with family at the heart of the story makes it a wonderful story. Really recommend it

This is the story of a widowed mother and her two adult daughters. The relationships of the three women with each other and their partners are explored from their individual points of view. Topics of domestic abuse, gaslighting and childhood trauma are covered and the protagonists gradually learn secrets about those they thought they knew best. Beautifully written with a great sense of place, this is the type of family fiction that Erica James excels at and is highly recommended.

This is about a family and its strength and confronting the truth. Love the way the characters evolve a lovely story for a afternoon of relaxing.
Would highly recommend and thanks to NetGalley.

I think if you're an Erica James fan, you'll absolutely love this novel. It is, as the title says, about mothers and daughters, and family generally. Naomi's two daughters live in London. Willow falls pregnant, and one of the threads of the narrative is about why it's not the right time. Meanwhile, other daughter, Martha, who is married and trying for a baby, actually does fall pregnant later on. Naomi meets an old boyfriend when he becomes a neighbour. What James does well is writing entertainingly about what seems to be the everyday, about the way that people miscommunicate and the misunderstandings and irritations that occur in family life. Secrets abound, of course. It's cosy, it flows, and whether you buy into the characters or not, it doesn't really seem to matter.

Thanks @ netgalley for arc.
I love. Erica James books and this one doesn’t disappoint it follows the family of Naomi and Colin who have two very different daughters Martha who is sensible, coordinated and married to Tom and trying at the right time for a baby. Willow is easily pleased and flighty never seems to stick at anything her father says
But are they really like this?
Colin dies suddenly and Naomi finds herself quite happy on her own until Ellis reappears she knew him at uni and he seems to come back at just the right time
This book seems covers a lot of topics that are very current like a domestic violence and coercive behaviour it’s dealt with in a sensitive way and also in a way that relates back to previous relationships
Great read

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for introducing this new author to me as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It is an up to date family oriented book centering around Mum, Naomi and her two grown up daughters Martha and Willow. The characters were well drawn and I was so immersed in the story I felt like I knew them personally. It is a story about family, grief, secrets, and new beginnings. Other topics include domestic violence, miscarriage and gas lighting which are all handled sensitively.

Highly recommended!

Erica James is one of my favourite authors and this is one of her best books so far.
We are told the story of three women, mum Naomi and daughters Martha and Willow. All very different in character, but all hugely likeable.
Naomi is re-building her life following the death of her controlling husband.
Martha has a very happy marriage and is trying desperately hard to get pregnant.
Willow is flighty but finally appears to have met the man of her dreams.
This is an engaging book, with each character's story gradually unwinding. I couldn't put the book down and found myself caring about what happened to the main characters. This book celebrates all that is great about the bonds of family and learning to support each other through good and bad times.