A story of second chances, finding peace, and accepting life.     Laura and Abby are mother and daughter that have virtually no relationship.      Laura left Abby to be raised by her grandmother at age 2 and never looked back.   Now they are back in the small town they both grew up in and trying to find a way to establish a relationship.     

I loved that both Laura and Abby are looking to find peace and happiness and that it doesn’t mean they need a man in their lives.   They are trying to find it themselves.    They both had/have dreams and are trying to find the way to make them happen.    

To say that Abby does not trust Laura is an understatement.     Not only does Abby worry about Laura leaving her but now she has to worry about her young son getting attached to his Nana and her leaving him also.     I liked that Abby was cautious.    There was no doubt that she wanted a relationship with her mother but she knew that she had more than herself to think of.  

There were many twists and turns that I did not see coming and I loved each one of them.  Kate Hewitt wrote a book that I fell into.   The small town, the complex relationships, and the love was all part of the perfect story.

I hadn't realized this was part of a series when I requested it but despite that I had no problem reading this as a stand alone title. The author gave enough background information so that I didn't feel as if I missed something from the previous books. I enjoyed the book for the most part although I have a hard time believing that a reconciliation could be so smooth after 20 years apart. I liked it enough that I may go back and read the others but I'd also be interested in seeing where they go from here.

I love a beach read that's, well, beachy. This was a beautiful novel about family ties and struggles and just all of the things. Heartwarming and wrenching and breaking and healing. I recommend.

A Mother Like Mine is listed as Kate Hewitt's third Hartley-by-the-Sea novel. It seems that these novels are simply tied together by a place and a town. I certainly did not feel as if I were missing anything. Looking at the two other novels, they do feature characters who were mentioned in this one, and I'm sure that the main characters in this one might figure in the others, which would be interesting. I certainly enjoyed the setting and would like to read more about those from this mostly working class British town by the sea. I loved the British setting and the slightly different language, weather and custom that makes it feel a bit like an armchair travel adventure.

Abby Rhodes runs the local cafe with her grandmother, who actually raised her for most of her life. She left the small town to attend college, but returned a couple of years ago after some personal setbacks and after her grandmother got ill with heart disease. When she came back, she didn't feel like she had many other options, but she's actually happy. Her son is settled well in the local school, they both have friends, and though business isn't really booming, Abby has made a few changes at the cafe of which she's proud.

She's worried about her grandmother's health. She's not sure she should be working as much as she does, and she does a lot so that Abby can also look after Noah. When Abby's mother shows up out of the blue, Abby feels completely out of control of her life. Why is she here? What is her plan? When is she leaving? And if she's here, why can't she at least help out?

Laura left when Abby was two years old. Their relationship has consisted of a few visits but has been virtually non-existent, especially since her mother moved to New York City. Her stylish clothes, makeup and hair make her appear an outsider, even though she was raised in Hartley-by-the-Sea just like Abby was. Laura wants a relationship with her mother and daughter and grandson, but she's not sure she's earned it. There is so much bitterness there, mostly because Abby never knew exactly what happened, and Laura certainly didn't come with an explanation or apology.

The relationships between the women -- and between the other characters in the novel -- are sincere and likely mirror something in your own life. Many of us have obstacles that impede closeness in relationships, whether they are created by choice or circumstance or mistakes, and so it was interesting watching the characters navigate through them.

I enjoyed this novel. It was a simple easy "beach read," yet had enough character development to keep me interested. I've found lately that books are nothing but fluff -- with no humor or conflict -- just don't keep me turning the pages.

The cover is odd. I don't think there's a dog in the family, and there was certainly never a scene like that in the novel.

This book took me through so many emotions from empathy to frustration but ultimately I felt joy.  The bond between Laura and Abby was tragically broken at the start and though I mostly bonded with Abby I was also surprised that I liked Laura's voice and wanted to know how they had ended up in this situation.  

I wasn't too sure about the grandmother's voice (the only mother Abby had known). While I applauded her raising of her grandchild there was also something tough about her that I felt needed some softening. Throughout the story we find out why she's a bit guarded but I still didn't get the typical "grandma" persona others have felt.

Their story is complicated and it takes a long while to unravel their shared past but I admired Laura's persistence in trying to forge a new relationship with her daughter.  Her attempts, though sometimes clumsy, appeared to be sincere.  It certainly made me ponder how else she could have tried to reach Abby and also made me wonder how she stayed away so long.  Abby's son is actually the force that really seals mother and daughter.  I enjoyed the village life throughout the book too, the villagers, friends and acquaintances rounded out the novel well and I was entirely absorbed throughout- a great tale of family and tragedy.



Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

4 Women’s Fiction Best Bets for August 2017
Scarlettleigh 
There are no makeovers in my books. The ugly duckling does not become a beautiful swan. She becomes a confident duck able to take charge of her own life and problems. 
—Maeve Binchy
Authors imaginatively write about any difficult situations in their books. Hopefully, we will experience very few of them. But it's not the tribulations that draw us to a book, but it is the heroine's ability to overcome these obstacles that gives us immense satisfaction. Readers read women's fiction because we love being along on the journey as the ugly duckling becomes a confident duck.
And at the end of this month's selection, you'll find plenty of confident ducks. Here are some great books to put on your reading list:

How to Change a Life by Stacey Ballis
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
A dare between friends leads to startling revelations and simmering tensions in the latest novel from the author of Wedding Girl.

Eloise is happy with her life as a successful private chef. She has her clients, her corgi, and a recipe for the world’s most perfect chocolate cream pie. What more could she need? But when her long-lost trio of high school friends reunites, Eloise realizes how lonely she really is. 

Eloise, Lynne, and Teresa revamp their senior-class assignment and dare one another to create a list of things to accomplish by the time they each turn forty in a few months. Control freak Lynne has to get a dog, Teresa has to spice up her marriage, and Eloise has to start dating again. 

Enter Shawn, a hunky ex-athlete and the first man Eloise could see herself falling for. Suddenly forty doesn’t seem so lonely—until a chance encounter threatens the budding romance and reveals the true colors of her friends. Will the bucket listers make it to forty still speaking to one another? Or do some friendships come with an expiration date?
Strengths: Interracial dating; luscious food descriptions, friendship conflicts; HEA
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: This book is definitely about the characters becoming more confident and moving pass roadblocks. While the interracial dating seems idealistic –more like it should be then is—there is intriguing exploration of the difficulties and rewards of renewing old friendships. Read on a full stomach or you’ll go crazy reading about the wonderful food.

A Mother Like Mine by Kate Hewitt
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Welcome to England’s beautiful Lake District, where a reluctant reunion forges a new bond between a daughter and her wayward mother....
Abby Rhodes is just starting to get her life on track. After her fiancé’s unexpected death, she returned with her young son to the small village where she grew up and threw herself into helping her ailing grandmother run the town's beach café. Then one evening, her mother, Laura, shows up in Hartley-by-the-Sea and announces her plan to stay. After twenty years away, she now wants to focus on the future—and has no intention, it seems, of revisiting the painful past.
Laura Rhodes has made a lot of mistakes, and many of them concern her daughter. But as Abby gets little glimpses into her mother's life, she begins to realize there are depths to Laura she never knew. Slowly, Abby and Laura start making tentative steps toward each other, only to have life become even more complicated when an unexpected tragedy arises. Together, the two women will discover truths both sad and surprising that draw them closer to a new understanding of what it means to truly forgive someone you love.
Strengths: Multi-faceted characters; Complex mother-daughter relationship; Staycation appeal; HEA
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Marvelous exploration of the fragility and strength of the mother-daughter bond. Rewarding theme of forgiveness and insightful understanding. Hewitt has fast become one of my auto buy authors.

The Chesapeake Bride by Mariah Stewart
(Amazon | B&N | Kobo)
Architect Cassidy Logan has sworn off good-looking adventurers. Newly divorced, she’s focused on building ecologically friendly, historically accurate homes on the Chesapeake Bay for her father’s construction company. Traveling to Cannonball Island—where there has been no new construction in nearly one hundred years—Cass is sensitive to the heritage of the island, and has come up with plans so perfect she’s determined to buy a home for herself. Even the fact that Owen Parker—a local who she dismisses as a lightweight and a player—seems to be everywhere isn’t enough to deter her from building her dream house.

Owen Parker is and always has been sinfully handsome and wickedly clever, a magnet for mischief as well as girls. He’s a rolling stone, going and doing whatever appeals to him, from flying a mail plane in Alaska, to working on a cattle ranch in Australia, a shrimp boat in Louisiana, and surfing and diving in Costa Rica. When an old friend offers him a job salvaging a sunken ship on the Chesapeake Bay, Owen gladly accepts. Something’s been telling him it was time to head home to Cannonball Island, and a job is as good an excuse as any. And he’s totally smitten by the pretty architect on the scene, but it seems he’s finally met a woman who’s immune to his charms. Sooner or later, Owen will have to face the reason why he always runs, because this time, leaving just might be harder than staying.
Strengths: Noteworthy historical content; Engaging characters; Strong Romance; HEA
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Definitely will appeal to readers wanting a strong romance. And the genealogy and historical aspects are a perfect addition to a pleasing story!
 
A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde
(Amazon)
A chance meeting one evening results in an instant friendship between the three women. And they decide to pool their talents and set up their dream business together.
Soon they are having the time of their lives organising stylish and affordable vintage weddings. The summer becomes busier than they could ever have imagined as they sew bunting, bake cakes and add extra sparkle to the special days they create.
But what none of them realise is that their own romances lie waiting, just around the corner...
A Vintage Wedding is a gorgeous, uplifting romance novel about the magic of love, friendship and second chances. The perfect read for fans of Susan Mallery, Mary Kay Andrews and Debbie Macomber.
Strengths: Staycation appeal; Wedding theme; Multi-romances; HEA
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Definitely a warm-hearted, feel-good story.

A Mother Like Mine is an outstanding read. It's book 3 in the Hartley-by-the-Sea series, and focuses on the dysfunctional relationship between a daughter and her estranged mother. After a long absence, Laura Rhodes, mother to Abby Rhodes, returns to her childhood home of Hartley-by-the-Sea, where her daughter and mother live together and operate the family business, a little beach café. Laura receives a chilly reception from her daughter who is less than thrilled about her sudden appearance and announcement that she will be staying indefinitely. Laura doesn't even know her young grandson, Noah. But when life altering circumstances plunge the two women together, forcing them to acknowledge and accommodate one another, over time Abby begins to form a different opinion of her mother.  The choice that Laura Rhodes made to abandon Abby when she was just two caused her daughter to become embittered towards her. But what if things weren't all that they seemed? 

Kate Hewitt's books always deliver and this one was no exception. How she manages to hold my attention from the first page to the last never ceases to amaze me, but she does it.  I loved this book with its deep emotion and surprises. And it was a real treat to be reacquainted with characters from books 1 and 2. I can't recommend this book highly enough. 

Thank you, Netgalley, for a free e-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which I have given.

If you are a fan of emotional reads, A Mother Like Mine should be at the top of your list. I read this book in one day! Yes, you read that right, one day. That seldom happens for me. I was so taken in by the characters that I could not put this book down for very long.

Its the story of a Mother and her daughter, who have been separated for years. Laura, the mum, has not been a mother to Abby, who is now a mom of 5 year old Noah.

So there's family drama.

Then there's Gran, Mary. She's not your typical Gran figure either. She's not well and Laura's return gives her hope that everyone can reconcile.

This was such a wonderful story of two women who were really nothing to each other except that they are mother and daughter.

I liked how they slowly built a new relationship, though not one that is too sweet and gooey that it is unbelievable, but one that is comfortable and loving, and most of that grew from Laura coming to love and care for her grandson. (And Laura the type of woman that would make a good gran)

These women go through so much in this story, loss and rehashing of the past, all while trying to build a life of her own.

Abby and Laura are two very different women and at times you loved them and other times you hated them, but no matter how you felt, you were cheering for them.

I didn't realize when I started this book that it was part of a series. There is no need to start from the beginning these are stand alone novels. You don't want to miss this book. It is truly a wonderful novel of family and second chances. I hope to revisit Abby and Laura's lives in a future book.

My first introduction to Kate Hewitt’s work was when a copy of Rainy Day Sisters showed up in my mailbox, unsolicited. I emailed the publisher’s rep and she said, “Well, do you mind reviewing it if you have time?” In a nutshell, I loved that book, and I feel in love with Hewitt’s writing.

In this novel, A Mother Like Mine, Hewitt has again set a story in Hartley-by-the-Sea, and is again examining the various permutations of family, and especially the ever-changing dynamics between mother and daughter, which, I know from lifelong experience as the latter, is never an uncomplicated relationship.

In both Abby and Laura, Hewitt has given us characters who are flawed and deep and supremely real. Abby is a single mother with a young son, and we see her in that role first, establishing her as an independent adult. It’s only after we see her competence and self-reliance that Laura arrives, and suddenly we meet Abby, the daughter, while Laura has the mother-role, to a point.

Their ongoing interactions, both with each other, and with the cast of characters that populates this lovely coastal village (am I the only one who’d love to live there?) are sometimes stressful, sometimes funny, often poignant, and always incredibly realistic. At times I was reminded by conversations with my own mother, who has been a constant part of my life, though often chose to put her happiness before mine, and, I believe, wisely so.

I was just having a chat with a friend who said she didn’t think her writing was ever interesting enough. I get that that. I sometimes worry about the same thing. Then I look at novelists like Kate Hewitt who make universal themes into compelling, satisfying stories, and I think we’re all worrying too much.

In any case, I recommend this novel, A Mother Like Mine to all mothers and all daughters, and all women who are both.

Goes well with tea and scones… mainly because it’s raining as I write this review, and I’m craving both.

This is an emotional, thought-provoking book with strong, well-written characters. Abby's mother left her with her Grandmother when she was a toddler, visiting rarely, and those visits made no attempt at any relationship.  Abby was raised by her grandmother, and when she needed someplace to go with her son, she headed home. She has finally found peace and her place, helping her Grandmother with the small cliff-side cafe. What she doesn't expect is the re-appearance of her mother.
Laura knows that Abby won't welcome her with open arms, but it's time for her to go home. She is tired of reinventing herself to further her career. She is ready to face her hometown, her mother, and her daughter.  Abby is understandably not happy and pretty skeptical of Laura's intentions, and Laura questions herself. When circumstances change, and the two are forced to rely on each other, it is time for explanations, understanding, and growth for each: both personal and in their relationship.
I know when I pick up one of Kate Hewitt's books, I will get a well-written story that will tug at my emotions and keep me glued to the pages, and this did not disappoint. It is part of a series, but can easily be read as a standalone.

Abby Rhodes, now a widow, and her 5-year-old son, Noah, have returned to Hartley-by-the-Sea and remained for two years now.  She’s just about taken over running the café on the beach as her grandmother Mary has recently had a heart attack and is not well at all.  Imagine their surprise when a knock on the door reveals that Abby’s mother, Laura, has now returned and plans on staying indefinitely.  Laura was, as far as Abby is concerned, an absentee mother for as long as Abby can remember!
This is the story of their reunion and attempt to resolve pain from the past, an opportunity to reshape the future as a family.  Sounds lovely as an idea, but it’s a difficult labyrinth to travel.  No one knows how it will all end!
Abby lives in a constant tension of feeling anger and hurt at her mother’s failure as a mother and a mature attitude and effort to put it behind her.  Giving her mother a second chance is a tall order, but Mary begs her repeatedly to try.  Noah, as a child and grandchild, is innocent about it all and he is the glue that keeps the whole quagmire from exploding and decimating the family again.
As the story progresses, Abby and Laura discover that each carries an unknown story with elements that were unpredictable, causing choices that may or may not have been best for all involved.  
Eventually a great loss and a surprising revelation will change their lives forever.  This is a story of love with all its messy and wonderful moments, a healing journey that forges a new relationship to last forever!
Fine, fine story that is a tense, poignant but lovely read!!!! Highly recommended!

Favorite Quotes:

It’s just you know how gossip spreads in this village… Worse than measles.

Did Laura have emotional baggage? Didn’t everyone? They were all dragging something behind them, whether it was a steamer trunk or a handbag. Abby certainly had a truckload…

Just don’t stew too long in your own juices, Abby. It doesn’t make for a pleasant marinade.

The chip on her shoulder practically went down to her belly button.

My Review:

Kate Hewitt is a prolific writing with a seven page listing on Amazon, so why did it take me so long to take notice, as A Mother Like Mine is my first time reading her work?  Silly me!  I plan to rectify my grievous error and short sightedness as the gal has skills, and I want to absorb all her words.  Her skillful crafting of this intriguing tale with a complicated family dynamic featured realistically flawed people struggling with real-life concerns, yet it was captivating, easy to follow, and engaging.  And thankfully, she sprinkled in clever story threads with bites of humor and amusing observations throughout, to help alleviate the angsty tension.  


Several generations of Rhodes women were tragically lacking in dating and parental skills, with at least three generations managing to find themselves “up the duff” before someone put a ring on it, which just isn’t the accepted practice in any small and gossipy village.  Yet after a lifetime of avoidance, Laura Rhodes hopes to attempt a parenting do-over with her now nearly thirty-year old daughter Abby, whom she had left behind at age two while Laura had been a distressed teenage dropout.  Establishing any type of connection was not an easy task due to Abby’s life-long resentments, abandonment issues, and simmering anger.  Limited options and family issues threw them together to forge a surprising alliance that slowly grew from a tense and prickly dynamic into a supportive and healing connection.  Long held secrets, deep emotional wounds, and misconceptions abound.

Stevie‘s review of A Mother Like Mine (Hartley-by-the-Sea, Book 3) by Kate Hewitt
Women’s Fiction published by Berkley 08 Aug 17

While I greatly enjoyed the first Hartley-by-the-Sea novel, and loved the characters and setting of the second, my nitpicky brain had issues with some of the background details in that one that didn’t quite feel right for a UK-set story about born-and-bred Brits. We’ve met one of the main protagonists in this third novel as a background character in previous books, but the other is new to regular readers, although a returning former resident of the village.

Abby Rhodes was brought up by her grandmother, after her mother – very young herself – left Abby to make a career for herself, first in Manchester and then in the US. Abby was a student at Liverpool University, but returned to her grandmother’s flat and café following the death of her partner and the birth of their son. Abby has featured as a secondary character in the previous novels, and regular readers have seen her struggle to keep the café going in the wake of her grandmother’s health problems. Although this isn’t the life or career she had planned for herself, Abby has made the best of things and is starting to feel settled in her situation. All that changes, however, when her mother unexpectedly returns to Hartley-by-the-Sea.

Laura Rhodes has made a success of her life after leaving school before taking her GCSEs and having a baby when barely sixteen. A change of owner for the nightclub she manages results in her losing her job, and so she reluctantly returns to her former home in order to consider her next move. Although still in her early forties, Laura feels too old to get another high-powered job in the entertainment industry, but has no real idea what other uses she can make of her skills. When her mother – Abby’s grandmother – has a catastrophic heart attack, Laura and Abby find themselves running the café together and making plans to revive the flagging business.

I loved all the main characters in this book, with the obvious exception of the two antagonists, Laura’s brother and Abby’s father, and enjoyed revisiting this charming village. Sadly for my nitpicky brain, however, there were a few points in Abby’s backstory that didn’t add up. It could have been worse: I’ve read books that got the logistics of obtaining a UK veterinary degree even more wrong than this book managed – and it’s not a difficult topic to research in the age of Google. I’m sticking with this series for the love of the setting and the people, but I really hope the next book avoids the issues of the two most recent instalments.

Grade: B

Abby and her son, Noah, live with Abby's grandmother since her mother left when Abby was two.  Laura's reappearance in the Lake District small village presents a challenge for both women.  As their stories are told, they have a lot more in common that will work towards their reconciliation.  I like this author, and the emotions brought out by her stories.

Review published at the Dew on release date.  http://dewonthekudzu.com

Your mother returning after no contact for 20 years?  Would you be happy or resentful?

Abby was actually shocked that her mother came back to the small village of Hartley-by-the-Sea in England after being in New York.  Her mother, Laura, left when Abby was two, and rarely kept in touch.

Laura went on with her life without her daughter, and her mother  took care of Abby for her.  Her mother now has Abby as an adult and her grandson living with her since Abby's fiancé was killed.

The Rhodes women own a coffee/ice cream shop and live in the attached apartment.

Laura's return caused hard feelings for all and an upset in the living arrangements. 

The characters were believable in the sense that similar relationships do exist.

I loved Mary, the grandmother. 

Abby was likable. 

Laura wasn't too likable, but became somewhat likable as the book continued.

A MOTHER LIKE MINE is a book that made me appreciate my mother and the love and care she selfishly gave to all eight of us.

A MOTHER LIKE MINE  was a bit slow for me and out of my usual genre, but I loved the setting of the book and the premise of the book was good. 

If you enjoy family interaction and drama, A MOTHER LIKE MINE is a book you will want to read.

ENJOY if you read the book.  4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the third in the Hartley-By-The-Sea Series but could stand alone as well.  As the title implies, this novel is about the relationship between mothers and daughters but mysteries, secrets, and suspense capture the reader's interest throughout the story.  Set in the beautiful Lake District of England this book is a satisfying read about love and ultimately, forgiveness.

A great fast paced book with a focus on relationships and redemption

Every daughter needs her mother at any age... 
This book brings home the above adage in a beautiful way. 
3 strong women; grandmother Mary, mother Laura and daughter Abby. There is an ebb and flow of emotions between all of them especially between Laura and Abby. Laura left Abby, she was driven out, when Abby was just two and she still feels the pain of abandonment. But Laura returns after 20 years to try and bridge the gap between them. Is it too late...? 
It's tough going, as both have their own defences. But that's what, makes this a good story. There is laughter and tears, love and anger, friendship and strangeness. The entire story is about forging a bond before it's too late. Laura has her own way of being, she had to toughen up to live a different life in the city, and finds it difficult to open up. Pain of childhood makes Abby hesitant to be bold and ask her mother the tough questions. So the book has lovable moments as well as frustrating ones, when both refuse to share. 
Kate Hewitt has done it again, written a book which pulls your heartstrings and makes you want to get a cuddle from your mother. Laura and Abby are both strong characters at the same time vulnerable. They have a bitter past but they look forward to a brighter future. They lose everything to come back stronger than before. 
Kate Hewitt has written well, the transformation of strangers becoming friends then bonding into mother and daughter is well evolved. There are other characters who play their part, they come and go but it's the mother and daughter who take the centre stage in the entire book. When life becomes tough, it's the tough which gets going, and here the entire town's people also come forward during periods of hardship. 
I would have liked a bit more warmth between Laura and Abby and a lot more warmth between Laura and Mary. The story and background, friction between grandmother Mary and Laura is not well explained. The reason for Laura leaving is flimsy at best and a mother finding work for her daughter as a hostess in a night club sounds too farfetched for this kind of family saga story. 
Scar of a mother leaving her daughter is deep but the chasm is never so deep or so wide that it cannot be abridged. Parents are also humans and they make mistakes but sometimes looking at their reasonings from a grown-up's perspective is rewarding. Thank you, Kate for showing us that...  
Every daughter, go to your mom, give her a hug, get a cuddle back and see the world becoming brighter. 
There is no place on Earth like a mother's arms...

A Mother Like Mine by Kate Hewitt is a captivating novel of healing, forgiveness and new beginnings.  Although this newest release is the third installment in the Hartley-by-the-Sea series it can easily be read as a standalone.

Abby Rhodes is a single mom to five year old Noah and she lives and works with  the grandmother who raised her after her mother, Laura, abandoned her.  So, just imagine her shock when she discovers Laura has returned after a long absence and plans to remain in Hartley-by-the-Sea permanently.  An unexpected turns of events finds mother and daughter trying repair their fractured relationship as they work together to make the family cafe a success.  Laura wants nothing more than forge a relationship with Abby, but can they repair the rift between them when she is not willing to answer her daughter’s questions about her painful past? Can Abby risk trusting Laura’s assertion that she wants to be a permanent part of her and Noah’s lives?

Abby is quite upset over Laura’s sudden reappearance and she has every reason to be skeptical that her mother will be content to stay in their small hometown. Although she tries to put aside her bitterness toward Laura for her beloved Gran’s sake, their discussions are often filled with anger and resentment. Abby really is trying to make an effort to be friendly, but with so many unresolved issues simmering between them, it is virtually impossible for her to remain cordial during their conversations. She is quick to distrust Laura’s motives and with her mother’s track record for leaving, Abby cannot bring herself to believe Laura won’t disappear if the opportunity presents itself.

Laura initially comes across as quite self-absorbed and rather superficial.  She refuses to provide Abby with her reason for abandoning her nor does she appear to realize how her desertion emotionally scarred her daugher.  Laura’s expectation to let bygones be bygones without any explanation is unrealistic and makes her appear somewhat indifferent to Abby’s very real need for answers. Laura’s expectation for Abby’s gratitude after she makes a self-serving decision is rather incredulous and highlights exactly why her daughter finds it difficult to trust her.

The changes in the relationship between Abby and Laura do not happen overnight. Abby remains skittish and doubtful Laura is sincere about staying in  Hartley-by-the-Sea. Laura is impatient with Abby’s hesitation to take chances of any kind. Abby slowly relaxes her guard where her mother is concerned but things between them remain fragile since Laura is so reluctant to discuss the past.  Will Abby and Laura’s relationship truly heal without an open and honest conversation about their unresolved issues?

A Mother Like Mine is a very moving novel of redemption, forgiveness and starting over. Kate Hewitt brings the setting and the eclectic cast of characters vividly to life. The storyline is emotionally compelling with realistic issues to overcome. An absolutely marvelous story that old and new fans of the very charming Hartley-by-the-Sea series are sure to love!