The style of the story is narrative with flashbacks, foreshadowing. It includes lots of outer dialogue mostly done through conversations. The mood comes off as dark with a suspenseful undertone. The story is written in the third person with an omniscient narration with indirect characterization and some direct characterization by fellow characters. There is a mixture of internal and external conflict, the main internal conflict comes off as guilt as the theme is looking past what you believe you are seeing.

Jade is the most close of main characters. She hides a lot of herself, including her knowledge of the past and many secrets involving those around her. Laure in the most timid of the characters. She wants to do the right thing but often finds it difficult for what she believes are moral reasons. Sarah is the most obsessed character. She lives in past whether it be obsessing over her divorce and death of her daughter, this often makes her forget her living daughter. Cora is the most confused character. She isn't sure what she wants and tends to care about everyone else's opinions. Dash and Laurel have an unfair power based relationship. Dash is aggressive and Laurel appears weaker and willing follows him for the safety of her children. Jeremy and Sam also have a power struggle of a friendship. They both share a major secret in common but have very different reasons for either wanting it to come out or keeping it under wraps.

The expositions starts off perfectly normal while creating some suspense but also adds lots of mysteries and introduces all of the relationships. The rising action leads to secrets and a mystery, it explores the flaws of characters. The climax reaches a peak when both mysteries reach the height of suspense and blend together. The resolution closes off both mysteries but also shows how the characters have moved on and evolved.

I enjoyed the author's use of power and secrets and adding the effects it has on relationships, friendships, family and all aspects of live. This book was chosen because of the synopsis accessed on NetGalley. Readers who enjoy a mystery, multiple character growth, multiple problems going on at once, mind tricks and changing storylines. Readers who do not enjoy failed justice, use of BDSM, secrets amongst friends and spouses and impaired driving accidents.

“Wasn’t that what mothers were there for? You could rail against them, you could blame them, and you could hate them, but you still needed their love the way you needed water.” Today I have a review for the book We Were Mothers. I have to say that being a mother of four plus this gorgeous cover are what attracted me to this book by Katie Sise. It was a different type of book for me as I am not often attracted to the soap opera type of read.

There was much going in this upscale neighborhood of Ravenwood that housed more secrets than the CIA. Behind those beautiful closed doors and homes were secrets, buried intentions, and concealed feelings.

This story is told from four multiple points of view. One of the ladies of the community was Cora, mother to twins. You probably have meet her type, the type who hovers over her children and who would not let a non organic product pass her children's lips. Sarah, was Cora's mother. Her husband left her for a much younger woman, and to add to the tragedy of her life, her daughter, Maggie, died in a tragic car accident at age twenty-two. There was also Jade, who was Maggie's best friend, and later married Jeremy, a man who survived the horrific car accident that killed Maggie. Jeremy was handsome, a Matt Damon look alike, but full of himself possessing the personality of a rat. Then there was Laurel, married to a surgeon but who has a very disturbing relationship with him. Also presented are the Laurel's daughters who add their fair share of drama to the story.

All in all the men in this story were rubbish, and the women bore the lives that had been given them each bearing secrets that they knew plus those that they thought they knew. Lots of twists happening within this story which kept the telling pretty quick and moving forward.

What didn't work in this book was that there was just too much going on. It was like a witch's brew where stuff was thrown together in the hopes that something magical would arise. It was a soap opera in words. The angst and the drama were on overload and the implausibility levels were high. Many times I had to say the word "really", that is how implausible some circumstances were. It was just too much!

All in all this was not a bad read, just a mediocre one. Recommended to those who like the soap opera in their stories, or to those who like a quick bit of fluffy reading., and let's face it at times we all need a bit of fluff in our reading at times.

Thank you to Katie Sise, Litte A, and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I was looking forward to this book as it sounded different from other things I have read. It took me quite a while to get involved in it as it was a bit confusing with the viewpoint switching between each of the characters for every chapter. Eventually there was some development of character which made them stand out from the others and I began to grow to enjoy the premise of a group of friends whose lives are changed as young adults when one of the group is tragically killed in a car accident. The story is told from the point of view of the women who are mothers, or who want to be mothers, and we see the various incarnations of family in a small town outside of New York City. I ultimately enjoyed this—stick with it and you will also. Thank you to #netgalley for an ARC of #weweremothers in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun read that comes apart a bit in the end. In general, this is similar to Big Little Lies (seemingly perfect families with dark secrets), but it is a bit overkill. The ending comes on fast and strong, and pretty much no one in the entire novel is what they seem to be. Not buying it. BUT an entertaining read nonetheless that kept me turning pages to try to figure it out. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital copy of this novel.

So-so! I was hoping this book would read like a Liane Moriarty book, a “big little lies” type of genre but it just didn’t get there for me? The author has a great story, great plot and a couple redeeming characters but yet it doesn’t come off as completely believable? It also was a bit darker than I expected, verging into being a “stretch” as far as plot details?! Shame on me for comparing authors/books but reality didn’t meet my expectations.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. The story revolves around several neighbors who are all in different stages of motherhood and the secrets their families are holding. There are a lot of characters and details to keep track of so this is one you want to pay attention throughout. I thought the characters were all uniquely developed and the writing was fast-paced. It had a lot of twists and suspense throughout so I really wasn't sure where this story was heading. It reminded me a little bit of the TV show Desperate Housewives where its a little unrealistic but so gripping you have to keep watching/reading. It was great entertainment and I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC of this book.

3.5 stars
This books starts off like a slow burn but picks up pace later. It is a good domestic thriller for sure. Reminds me of Big little lies but isn’t really comparable. I liked the domestics aspects that this book dealt with more than the actual missing person plot. The books take on motherhood is brilliant and relatable. If the ending was slightly different I would rate it a 4.

I really was looking forward to this book, but it just fell flat. It jumped around so much, I couldn't keep track who was who. Also the story had no point to it. I kept trying to figure out what it was.

In a small suburban village outside of New York City, everyone knows everyone, but not everyone knows everyone else’s secrets. At least, not until the local mothers’ group attends a birthday party for twins George and Lucy at Cora’s house. Here, things begin to slowly unravel, with each character trying their hardest to keep their secrets to themselves.

But it’s more than just being a mother that connects these women: Cora is forever tied to Jade, who had been best friends with Cora’s sister, Maggie, when she died. Sarah is Cora and Maggie’s mother, who can’t let go of the feeling she’s missing something about her daughter’s death. Both Cora and Jade’s husbands were with Maggie when she died. What doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a big mystery at first ramps up as each woman starts listening to their gut and investigates further. Meanwhile, picture-perfect Laurel feels like she’s on the outside of the mom group looking in. Her daughters are teenagers and she’s dealing with her own dark secrets and dilemmas, trying to figure out the right way to handle the situation she’s in. When Laurel’s oldest daughter goes missing, suddenly every woman is not only forced to confront their fears and their truths, but they’re also put in a situation that will either bond them or break them forever.

What’s really examined in Katie Sise’s We Were Mothers is both the expectations in marriages and outside pressures of seeming to be perfect, especially in affluent neighborhoods. Since we see each (female) main character’s point of view, we also get a glimpse into their heads: what’s driving them, what they fear, and an understanding of why they put on the mask they do — even for their closest friends. This glimpse into each woman’s head adds a depth to the novel that while at times could be a little too melodramatic, made for an amazing character study.

Sise asks: How much should someone give up to make their spouse happy? Is there a way to compromise without losing pieces of yourself, of what you really want out of your life? and more in We Were Mothers — a book that’s definitely for fans of Big Little Lies.

“We Were Mothers” by Katie Sise is a complicated story about a cluster of families and depends on the idea that you never really know what goes on behind closed doors. The story begins at the birthday party of three-year-old twins George and Lucy. Their mother Cora O’Connell seems determined to pull off the kid party of the year, but in the middle of the party, she discovers a journal that was left in her bedroom. The journal belongs to Mira Madsen, the college-age daughter of Cora’s neighbor and friend Laurel, and includes one entry detailing an illicit encounter that knocks Cora’s perfect life out of balance. This also happens to be the day (according to the Part 1 title) that Mira disappears.

I struggled with this book a lot, especially by the time I got to the end. As mentioned by other reviewers, this is reminiscent of “Big Little Lies” and is not done nearly as well. There are so many characters introduced that I kept flipping back and forth in the book to remind myself who this person was and who that person was married to and how does this character know that character. It was all really confusing, and the fact that it was told from four different viewpoints did not help at all. Additionally, the whole book takes place over the course of about a day and a half, which is really hard to believe when you take into consideration everything that happens and everything that’s revealed. About 3/4 of the way through, I thought this was going to be a 3-star rating, but the ending just took too many turns that were so hard to believe, so I settled on a 2.

***SPOILERS***

Cast of key characters and their convoluted story lines:

Maggie – Cora’s younger sister who was killed six years ago in a tragic accident on the night of Cora’s engagement party. It feels like EVERYTHING in the lives of her family revolves around Maggie, even six years later.

Cora and Sam – married with three-year-old twins. Sam was in the accident with Maggie and was thrown from the car. Mira’s journal revealed details of a night that Sam kissed her. While he denies anything else happened, we find out later from Mira that they slept together once. We also find out that Sam was actually driving the car the night Maggie died, and he and Jeremy moved her into the driver’s seat since she was already dead. Since he was found lying several feet from the car, we have to assume that he and Jeremy staged the accident scene after the fact.

Jade and Jeremy – married, having fallen in love in the aftermath of Maggie’s death. Jeremy won’t talk with Jade about that night, and we find out later that it’s because it was his idea to move Maggie into the driver’s seat. We also find out that Jade and Maggie had been lovers and were planning to tell everyone the night of Cora and Sam’s engagement. When Jeremy finds out that Sam admitted what happened the night Maggie died, he tries to kill Jeremy in the hospital (see below).

Laurel and Dash – married, met and fell in love in med school. Laurel dropped out after she got pregnant with Mira, and they also have a second daughter, Anna, who is preparing to start college. Dash is a successful orthopedic surgeon and a closet wife abuser. They have monthly visits from an S&M expert to help keep Laurel “safe” while Dash abuses her during sex. Laurel finds a pregnancy test, which she assumes is Mira’s because she has a boyfriend Asher who lives across the street. When Dash finds out about Mira and Sam’s kiss, he (and everyone) assumes Mira is pregnant by Sam. Dash storms over to Cora and Sam’s home and ends up pushing Sam, who falls and hits his head on a kitchen counter and winds up in the hospital. Then we find out that Anna is the one who’s pregnant by Asher, that she and Mira fought about it, and that’s one of the reasons Mira disappeared. We also find out that Mira witnessed Dash and Laurel’s latest session with the expert. After Mira returns and Laurel tells the girls to go to Asher’s because she’s planning to tell Dash she’s leaving him, Dash shoots Laurel trying to get a gun away from her and then tries to convince the police that she tried to commit suicide.

Sarah – Cora and Maggie’s mother who is still mourning the loss of her daughter as well as the demise of her marriage because her husband had an affair and fell in love with another woman. At one point, she is at the hospital and sees Dash try to kill Sam, and instead of stopping it, she videotapes it on her phone, hoping that Cora will forgive her for not stepping in.

Like I said, too many turns in too short a time frame. I just found it all very soap opera-ish by the end and was glad it was over.

Thanks to NetGalley, Little A, and Amazon Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book centers around a group of mothers in different stages of their lives and secrets that they or their husbands are keeping from each other. The book starts at a birthday party for Cora's young twins where she find as journal from her young across the street babysitter (the daughter of Cora's "friend" Laurel) who alludes to an illicit encounter with Cora's husband. The next day the young girl is missing an all hell breaks loose. The book also centers around Cora's sister Maggie, who died several years earlier in a car accident, and how her death affected Cora, Cora's mother Sarah and Maggie's friend Jade.

This book had plot twist upon plot twist upon plot twist. It almost felt like a telanovela. I couldn't actually believe things that were happening were happening. But, even though far-fetched, I kept turning the pages to see what the author could possible throw in next. Definitely far-fetched, but I was entertained.

I thought I was going to love this book from reading the synopsis, but it honestly ended up being a 3 star read for me. The plot was indeed an interesting one, but there were way too many storylines to follow through with. It became confusing quickly. I would like to see what other books this author has written. Thank you for the opportunity to read and leave an honest review.

I enjoyed this book - thank you for the opportunity to read it.

It was an easy read. The tale was well woven and while the characters were not always likeable, I found myself wanting to see what happened in the book. Some of the threads were not resolved which was frustrating and towards the end of the book, I found myself questioning the reality of the events.

However, I was interested to see the impact of Maggie on each of the characters.

A scandalous revelation is about to devastate a picturesque town where the houses are immaculate and the neighborhoods are tightly knit. Devoted mother Cora O’Connell has found the journal of her friend Laurel’s daughter—a beautiful college student who lives next door—revealing an illicit encounter. Hours later, Laurel makes a shattering discovery of her own: her daughter has vanished without a trace. Over the course of one weekend, the crises of two close families are about to trigger a chain reaction that will expose a far more disturbing web of secrets. Now everything is at stake as they’re forced to confront the lies they have told in order to survive.

I liked the concept of this thriller. It had a really interesting storyline told through multiple points of view. While I think the multiple points of view were effective, maybe simplifying viewpoints to tell a great story in a better way.

It’s hard to keep up with with several storylines and several stories. This felt like a Liane Mortiarty book with so many stories intertwined.

This is a story that’s strong but could be even stronger with a few tweaks. Katie Sise has created an interesting, gripping, plot.

Interesting story with multiple viewpoints from a group of women in a close knit town. I enjoyed getting multiple sides of the story from each character and finally learning the actual truth behind who was good and who was bad. This is a quick and interesting read.

I feel like I really wanted to be a fan of this one, but there are just too many characters and too many storylines to follow. You would need to draw a flowchart to keep the stories straight. I'd rather not have to keep my brain straight when trying to read for enjoyment. The main plot was cool, I just wish they would've gotten rid of keeping up with all the mothers at once. I almost want to re-read it and follow one person at a time, but I know that wouldn't give the whole story or make much sense.
3/5 Stars

I really liked this book. It was well written and the character development is strong. I liked the plot and the characters for the most part. There was some suspense, although it was easy to figure out where it was going. It reminded me of Big Little Lies, which some may say it was trying to be, but I think it was different enough from that book. I would look for more of this author's work and read them.

Multiple points of view and lots of drama in a relatively short book means you will either love this or hate it. Secrets and lies are always at the root of a soap opera which this surely is. There's actually a better book in here if some parts are pared and others expanded. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

It was love at first chapter between this book and I. I didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading it but soon found myself totally immersed in the story. I couldn’t put this one down, it is the kind of book that I found myself either reading or thinking about. At the same time, I didn’t want to get done too quickly.

The story is narrated in alternating chapters by 4 women. Cora is happily married to Sam and they have twins, George and Lucy. Sarah is Cora’s mother, devoted mom and grand mom. She is haunted by the death of Cora’s sister and her failed marriage. Laurel is married to Dash, the handsome surgeon and together, they have two daughters, Anna and Mira. Jade is married to Jeremy; the two are trying to conceive.

One thing that you need to know about all these women is that they are hiding secrets. Some worse than others. Their lives changed with just a single revelation. One mysterious package that set off everything and then the perfect lives in this quiet suburban slowly disintegrated. The cracks started showing on the perfect family portraits and soon, readers got the real picture of the secret lives of the residents of Ravendale.

This is a story about family, secrets, womanhood, motherhood and mostly important, a mother’s love. I enjoyed reading about the 4 women and could relate with them on different levels. Some of their stories broke my heart, while other stories were uplifting. The events in the story happened just over a short period but this didn’t take away the depth of the narrative or character development.

We Were Mothers by Katie Sise is beautifully written with a taut, gripping plot. I absolutely enjoyed reading this literary gem.

I'm pleased to say that I enjoyed this quite a lot! I would definitely recommend this to readers who are looking for a unique, well-written novel from an extremely talented author!