We Are Family by Beth Moran was a different read from her other books. I still enjoyed it but went in expecting something different. After a death of a child, and money issues, things were rough for Ruth. However, this book is all about family and needing family in darkest times. While this wasn't my favorite from this author, I still plan to read all her future works.

An excellent, well written book, which a sad in some parts. Family is everything and sometimes you have to let bygones be bygones for the sake of a better life.

Absolutely loved this book. Heart warming and deep. I fell in love with the characters. Just amazing and a must read!

I was surprised by this book. The books I’ve read by Beth Moran have been more lighthearted and centered on romantic relationships. This book is deeper and more about family. I’d call it women’s fiction. That being said, I really enjoyed the book. I loved the relationship between Ruth and her teenager Maggie. It rang true for me, and I’m the mother of 2 30-something daughters. Great book and one of the best I’ve read so far this year.

Another fabulous book by Beth Moran, this such a heartwarming book, the narrative is so beautifully written and the subject of grief is dealt with sensitively. The characters within this story have a depth that makes you relate to them and feel all their emotions. I think the friendships and relationships are beautifully crafted too and feel so genuine.

When the father of Ruth’s child passes away, they inherit a mountain of debt. But the decisions Ruth made in her past she must now go back on; this will be the best outcome for her and her child.

Soon Ruth will face her family as well as the friends she left behind.

This is a novel full of friendship, family, trust and forgiveness.

One thing I think is great about this author is the depth of the characters they have in their novels; but also the growth of the main character throughout the novel.

Each character added an individual added extra to this narrative and is a reason I always go back to this author.

What a lovely heartwarming story. With all the emotions that can come along with life, you feel as though you are in their lives. Great story, well written and I enjoyed every page of it. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

After the death of her partner, the father of her teenage daughter Maggie, Ruth finds herself facing a mountain of debt she knew nothing about – and with little option but to return to the childhood home she left in her own teenage years. Her relationship with her father is a difficult one, but her bubbly mother – who glides and twirls as a lifelong ballroom dancer always should – is welcoming while steadfastly ignoring the problems in her own marriage, while her sisters are still as hostile as she remembers. Both Ruth and Maggie are hurting – while her mother copes by withdrawing under her duvet for a while, Maggie lashes out at everyone within reach and becomes increasingly out of control.

In an attempt to tackle her money problems and to try and restart her life, Ruth finds two jobs – one in the exclusive boutique owned by the woman she believes stole the love of her life, the other as a cleaner at the local community centre where individuals come for advice on life’s problems. But perhaps what most begins to change her life is rediscovering her childhood friendships – Lois, her second best friend, is now married to the much-changed childhood bully, both of them working for the church and providing a home for troubled youngsters. And finding her again brings a whole group of supportive (and wonderfully quirky) women into her life – something she really needs while coping with Maggie’s excesses, her current situation, and an obsessive admirer who brings an edge of real darkness to the story. And then there’s that former love – David, now a much-loved TV celebrity, also spending time now and then at his childhood home next door, still making her feel the way he always did. But it does seem that he’s already taken – and even if he wasn’t, Maggie has made it amply clear that she’s not ready for her mother to move on and start a new relationship.

I entirely loved this book – the wonderful characters and the way they were developed, but more than anything else the relationship between Ruth and Maggie that was so beautifully handled and felt particularly authentic. There’s plenty of laughter, and the whole book is filled with exceptional warmth – but there’s also a real chill you feel in your bones from those darker edges to the story, so very well done. The tentative rekindling of the childhood romance was something I really loved – and the repairing of the family relationships, however challenging that proves to be with such a legacy of hurt.

Every element of this book – and there are many I haven’t even mentioned – is an absolute delight. In fact, I think I must say that this book might just be my new favourite from this wonderful author – well, maybe until she writes another. Very highly recommended – and you might well love it as every bit as much as I did.

I usually adore everything from Beth Moran - I found this one, We Are Family, to be a bit harder to get into because it was far more women’s fiction than the rest of her books (which lean more to clean romance). As the title suggests, it’s far more about her family than other relationships. Much better as it goes on.

Ruth and her teenage daughter have to move back home to the small town she grew up in, and back in with her parents, after her long-term boyfriend (and daughters father) passes away… and they discover that the money they thought they had had been squandered, and she’s far in debt. Ruth and her daughter are both miserable, but life goes on.

Ruth has to get a job from a high school bully, re-make friends with those she left behind, and deal with a moody teen… and watch the “boy next door”, now famous, come and go from town and be into someone else, so she accepts a date with the son of a nice lady she befriends, that turns quickly into something very different.

It’s mostly about the friendships, family and moving on - healing everything that was broken when she fled town as a pregnant teenager, but it’s not too bad. Not so much romance, so go in knowing it’s definitely women’s fiction, and you’ll enjoy! Far different than Moran’s other novels, but still a good read.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books, and this is my honest feedback.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my copy of We Are Family by Beth Moran in exchange for an honest review. It published June 15, 2023.
Goodness, I just love Beth Moran! I will read anything she writes! Naturally, this was another great one! I did NOT want to put it down, and would read to the point of exhaustion if I could get in another chapter! I loved the overall story, that the problems were realistic, and I was all-in, I had to know more.
The character development in this book was excellent, the ups and downs, this is like a chick-flick with substance in the best possible way!

I will say that I think that Beth Moran is becoming one of my favorite female authors of all time. I dont know what it is that she does but she finds a way to make these characters almost feel life like and the fact that you might not like them in the beginning but over time, you grow to love them and you just want to know if the main character is going to be okay in the end.

I do think that the writing style of this book, made it one of my favorites to read. Because the more I got into it the more it became “I just want to sit here and finish the whole book in one sitting”. I think that Beth Moran has a way with words to where you want everything to be okay for the character when they are dealing with real life issues and I think that is one of the many reasons why I really enjoy Beth Morans books. Because she can have a book that deals with things like debt to where the message can be “it might be hard now but it will get better”.

I really enjoyed Ruths character development as well as those around her. Yes, she still has her flaws in this book. What person in their 30s doesnt have any flaws. But I think one of the things that I really loved about it was the fact that she was always going to put Maggie first. Even if it meant taking a back seat to what it was that she really wanted. And yes, Maggie was acting like your typical 14 year old in this book. But I dont know what else you expect from a teenage girl who is going threw probably a lot that even she doesnt understand on top of losing her father 18 months earlier. But I will say, that I think that the more that they are around each other in Ruths hometown it almost seems like they got closer in a way.

I will say that at first, Ruth didnt really want anything to do with her hometown. But I think that the more that the book went on the more that she was willing to grow and become more apart of a community again. And I think that she would have gotten there eventually but I think that with her mothers help, it became easier to be around people even when it seemed like it was near impossible.

I wasnt the biggest fan of waiting nearly half the book to read ANYthing from the potential love interest. Because up until he has lines its “hes so wonderful” and “i remember how things were when we were 18” and all this other stuff. And its almost like how do we as the reader know how amazing this character is if we havent be formally been introduced to him in story yet. And as the reader, I was having a hard time believing how wonderful this guy is when he was hardly there.

Then the “love interest” that we did get couldnt take a flipping hint that Ruth wasn’t interested in him whatsoever. I loved how Beth Moran wrote this character because I was honestly stating like “can you get the hint that she doesnt want you” every time that he was around. Just as a reader, I was getting this weird creepy vibe from him and I dont know what it was but I was not a fan at all.

We Are Family is a heartwarming story that leads the reader through every possible emotion. It is a lovely story which I very much enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I received an advance review book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Beth Moran, Netgalley, and Rachel's Random Resources. I'm excited to be a part of this tour.
This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last! The writing style flows easily, and I found myself fully immersed from start to finish. In We are Family, we meet Ruth recently widowed and in a huge financial mess. Forced to move back in with her parents when she impulsively tells her boss off and quits. Her teenage daughter Maggie returns home from school. Feeling as if her life has fallen apart, Ruth is struggling with the ramifications of her decisions.

To make ends meet, Ruth takes on two part-time jobs. The money she earns barely scratches the surface in paying off her inherited debt. With the support of her mother, Ruth begins to find her footing and begins making new friends. As Ruth comes into her own, her relationship with her daughter improves. I loved seeing these two become closer.

I love books that dive deeply into family dynamics and how they interact with one another. The generational aspect added a depth that kept me intrigued and wanting more. The backstories brought the characters to life and gave me all the “feels”. The story plunges the reader into dark and difficult topics. The author does an excellent job of handling these topics with compassion and empathy. This story is so good, you will find yourself thinking about it long after the last page.

Her partner's death has left her alone and with regrets
Along with a shockingly high mountain of debts.
Unsure of her welcome but desperate, too,
Ruth Henderson is unsure just what she should do.

Not speaking with her father for fifteen years,
After her teenage pregnancy fall out caused tears,
Can she - and her daughter - return home to live once more
Or will her father just show her the door?

Maggie is a teen and grieving for her father, too,
Starting a new school is the last thing she wants to do.
However, a new home, new place and new friends to find
Maybe this close community will help change her mind?

A story where returning home after so many years
Brings to the forefront friendships, worries and fears.
Can Ruth really make a fresh start here now?
And help Maggie settle in and heal somehow?

With friends she abandoned all those years ago
She's amazed they're still there and proving so
There are surprises, new friendships and old ones to renew
As Ruth learns to face the future with new things to do.

For her first love will there be a future romance -
Or will Maggie rebel and not give them a chance?
What of the new man who wants to be in her life?
Will this be roses all the way or trouble and strife?

There's family drama a plenty for everyone, too,
With betrayal, new friendships and inspirational things to do!
A moving story of community and friends
Showing life goes on and on some we can depend.

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Hope, inspiration and strength!
I love Beth Moran's books. They have warmth and emotion, and it's like wrapping up in a warm blanket on a Sunday afternoon. Which, as it happens, is how I love to read them!
This has a big sense of intrigue to start with, the readers know Ruth is having to return home after losing her husband and is left with a substantial amount of debt. However, Ruth and her father's relationship is strained, awkward and clearly stressful for both parties, and we don't know why. This element gave the book even stronger readability than I already have with Moran's books- I was completely enthralled!
As Ruth tries to get back on her feet, there is drama, laughter and a little romance, and I lapped it up!

I love Beth Moran books. Something like slipping on your favorite sweats, cozying up and diving into a story with your besties.

I just loved this so much - Beth, thank you for sharing your gift with the world!

Oh I really loved this warm hearted book. You got swept into the lives of these characters and there was humour, pathos and joy. I skipped through the pages to the lovely ending. Would recommend!

This was a beautifully written story about lost love, ending the scarey moments in life while learning to love yourself, putting the past behind you and moving forward with life's opportunities.
This story will be familiar to lots of women, including myself, when one life ends and another single life begins with children. All the worries, financial and personal, getting a relationship back with family who have taken a back seat in your new life and you haven't really kept in touch with, until you need them. They are then there for you totally without question, and it's lovely to have a new grown up relationship where you support and love each other.
Poor Ruth had been through the ringer!. She'd lost her partner, and after his death, she found herself faced with a mountain of debt, while her partner, Fraser, kept up the illusion that they had money!. She'd had to move back home with Maggie, her emotionally struggling teenager, to a place she swore she'd never return to, Many years ago, running away from a teenage romance that had ended badly and some issues at home with her dad. Her teenage love still lives at home with his father and he is still broken hearted after a teenage romance that ended badly.......
You won't be able to help becoming invested in Ruth's life, helping her friends support and love her again after so many years apart. Join in the highs and lows of Ruth's return to Southwell.....
This arc book was given to me for free for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #bookandtonic, #bethmoranauthor.

Reading Beth Moran books is a treat, always enjoyable and as they are set around where I live, I feel a special connection to them.. almost as if I am within them all.
Widow Ruth must move back in with her parents with her teenage daughter Maggie due to her late husband amassing debts she was unaware of. It is not what anyone was expecting and it’s difficult as the relationship with her parents is difficult, at best.
Also, moving back to the place where her first love and heartbreak took place is overwhelming, (especially given his new celebrity status) her lack of skills or qualifications leads to a struggle with work and her teenage daughter needs her.
Slowly but surely, we see Ruth’s life start to change, her outlook become more positive and she allows herself to become part of the community she once left behind. She meets a group of friends and sees that nobody has the perfect life, everyone is struggling and it’s fine to need the help and support of others.
Shocks, revelations, ups and downs along the way; I thoroughly enjoyed We Are Family and how Beth wrote a story full of heart, laughs and lows, where we see importance of friendships but also rediscovering yourself.
I always look forward to another Beth Moran book, but I highly recommend every book so far!

I am a huge fan of Beth Moran and love her style of writing. Having already read and loved Let it Snow and Just the Way You Are, I knew I was going to love We Are Family just as much. This story follows Ruth, who after her husband dies and leaves her in a huge financial mess, is forced to move back to her parents with her daughter Maggie. Feeling like her life is falling apart, Ruth struggles to cope with this new reality she faces.

To make ends meet, Ruth takes on 2 part-time jobs, although this barely touches the surface of all the debt that her husband left behind when he passed away. With the help of her Mum, Ruth slowly starts to fit back in at home and even begins to make some friends. We slowly start to see Ruth coming out of her shell again, and even forming a much better relationship with her daughter, Maggie.

As with the other books from Beth Moran, this story takes the reader on a real emotional roller coaster, and at times, the story explores some dark and difficult topics, but all handled in a very sensitive way. We Are Family is a beautifully written story, showing that no matter what happens in life, family and friends are all that really matter. A beautiful, thought-provoking, and heart-warming story.