Mothers and Daughters is a sweeping family drama of old secrets and new beginnings.
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…
Sunday Times bestselling author Erica James returns with this gloriously compelling tale of mothers and daughters, secrets and love. James has written twenty-three international bestsellers, including Swallowtail Summer and Coming Home to Island House. She’s no stranger to crafting gripping, relatable and compelling domestic dramas, and she has done so once again with her latest novel Mothers and Daughters.
The title gets straight to the heart of this novel, which alternates between the perspectives of Naomi and her two daughters, the very different Martha and Willow. Some of the male perspectives also come into play, however less prominently. The story traverses the women’s relationships, as secrets about their father come to light, as the daughters become mothers, and the mother becomes a grandmother.
Many readers will relate to the ebbs and flows of mother-daughter relationships that are portrayed here, as well as the journey to becoming pregnant and pregnancy itself. It’s not all light and airy though, James also tackles the at times disturbing and violent truths hidden behind seemingly perfect relationships. The novel is set in a recently post-pandemic UK, where characters have lost loved ones to the virus — making this read a very contemporary and relatable novel.
If you’re a fan of gripping domestic dramas exploring complex characters and familial bonds, add Mothers and Daughters to your TBR pile. James knows her way around a domestic drama, and this one has enough plot twists to hook a wide range of readers.
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