A lovely way to meet six different woman as they set out on the journey of motherhood. It's a good read, although It might have been better with one or two less characters. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC>.

Have you ever had a book that you put off reading for months, and then—once you finally started reading it—wanted to kick yourself for neglecting such a remarkable book? That's how I've been feeling since I opened this book on my tablet the other day. I only meant to peek and see how it started, but I was drawn into the story so quickly, I had to keep reading.

The Mothers' Group tells the story of six Australian women who meet at a support group for new mothers:


*Ginie, the prominent lawyer married to a writer/photographer who—as the primary provider—must leave her daughter's care to a nanny.

*Made (pronounced ma-day), the Balinese emigrant adjusting to being a wife and new mother in a place much different from her homeland.

*Suzie, the single mother struggling to care for her baby on her own.

*Miranda, the woman who seems to have the perfect life, and the only mother in the group who also has both a baby and a toddler (her stepchild) to care for.

*Pippa, the perpetually exhausted, strangely withdrawn woman who shares little of her life.

*Cara, the friendly woman whose kindness has a knack for putting everyone at ease.

Unlikely to have met under ordinary circumstances, in time the women form a strong bond of friendship as they navigate the joys and frustrations of new motherhood, supporting one another in ways their husbands and other friends can't. But a day comes that puts their friendship to the test and they learn just how strong—or fragile—it truly is.

I really, really enjoyed this book. The story is told through the perspective of each woman, with the story broken up into six parts. In them, we see not only what is happening in the present, but also the past of each of them—learning about the events in their lives that led them to becoming pregnant and participating in the mothers' group. Having the story told in this way gives the reader insight into each of the characters. We discover things that they haven't shared with the other women, which often explains why they say—or do—certain things when they gather together. There are a few shocking discoveries along the way that definitely shook up my perceptions of these women and their families. That made the book infinitely more interesting to me, because it enriched them all in ways that added to the story.

If I had to choose a favorite character, it would be Made. There was an air of innocence and vulnerability about her that especially drew me to her character. She had to deal with being a new mom just like the others, but she had other difficulties, as well. She was living far away from her family, in a strange (to her) new country. She had to improve her English, which meant she often had difficulty expressing her thoughts and feelings because she didn't have the (English) words for it. Despite that air of innocence, Made had a great deal of wisdom, and a way of looking at things that proved helpful to her friends in many ways.

Higgins has created a vivid portrait of what new motherhood looks like, and didn't shy away from making it as realistic as possible. Adjusting your life to include a baby isn't easy, and it's refreshing to read a book that confronts that reality, rather than showing the idealized fantasy many women expect while pregnant.

This book is simply beautiful, and I definitely recommend giving it a try!

I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Allen & Unwin via Netgalley.

The Mother's Group was SO good. It was extremely hard to put down! Every character was so well written, sometimes not so relatable, but all were so great in their own right.

Riveting, real, and engrossing! This book will pull at your heartstrings and you won't forget it!

The idea of this book is great. I'm a mom myself. But the characters were boring and the plot of the book was a snore.

I'm surprised to learn The Mother's Group was the first novel by Fiona Higgins. It flows very well. Even though we're getting six different perspectives, it's relatively easy to follow because we don't often switch back and forth. She gives you sufficient time to really become immersed in each woman's story and form an attachment before she moves on to the next. It's well done. At times very sweet and touching, at times heartbreaking, always brutally honest.

This story is about six new mothers. In the first year of their child's life, we get to know how they change and adapt and a lot about their relationships with their children, their husbands, and each other. They're all very different women, but they've been brought together by the mother's group they all attend. At first, they're a little judgemental of each other, but real friendships begin to form and they begin to become very supportive of each other. The question is, when something goes terribly wrong, are they strong enough to withstand the unimaginable?

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Trafalgar Square Publishing, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Wasn't at all what I was expecting. This one is a definite page turner. Not to be missed.

I've only recently ventured into some Australian author's, and I'm loving the ones I've found. This was an ARC (Thank you Net Galley) in exchange for my honest review. With my youngest now 16, I can still recall our local "mother's group," and how I assumed all of our stories were as they appeared on the surface..but that's never true in life, and this book did a good job of touching on the truth's we keep hidden, the guard that many of us put up, and the different types of mother's that are all on the same path...trying to get through those new days of motherhood. There is a twist and change of circumstances that I didn't see coming, but it added to the book. I enjoyed this very much.