I thought the story had a good  premise but the book felt a little long. A good look at trying to understand another person’s country and customs and trying to build relationships. After  a while I did feel like Rachel’s whining got old . I did feel like the ending was nicely wrapped up.

I really enjoyed this book. The descriptions of India were so vivid and I loved the character development. This was a great story about finding what you need when you least expect it. I would definitely recommend it. I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Mother Land by Leah Franqui was not a book that I was initially excited to read. But I decided to pick it up and I was blow away! What an amazing story! Rachel marries Dhruv and together they move back to India with Dhruv's family close by. Rachel thought she was doing something new and getting a much needed change from her New York life. Turns out, culture shock is harder than you think. An American in a different country isn't always as easy as you think. Swati, Dhruv's mother soon comes to live with them and more uncomfortable changes come. As Dhruv leaves for business, Swati and Rachel are forced together and life takes an unexpected turn for both. 
I loved learning more about the Indian culture and how the women deal with it. This book was eye opening for me and I can appreciate my American roots where women can have an opinion and make a life for themselves. 
Special thanks to NetGalley, Leah Franqui, and William Morrow- HarperCollins Publishing for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 
#MotherLand #NetGalley

Rachel is a Jewish American who marries Dhruv and moves with him to his homeland India. She is struggling with adapting to life in Mumbai and then her mother-in-law Swati arrives on their doorstep. Swati, raised and living the traditional lifestyle of an Indian housewife, has decided she is not happy with her situation and does not love, nor ever has loved her husband. Tradition in India would dictate that she moves in permanently with her son and daughter-in-law.

The story revolves around Rachel and Swati and their individual searches for “self”, as well as their relationship with each other, often adversarial but ultimately resulting in a lasting respect and friendship. Their relationships with their respective husbands are also addressed in the story. 

I enjoyed the book and character development, especially Swati’s emergence into her independence. I did not find Rachel as likable of a character although her interactions with Swati and the progression of their friendship was developed very nicely. The background setting featuring life in India and Mumbai specifically was very interesting and enlightening as to the Indian culture.

I did not like Rachel’s husband and could not understand her attraction to him, at least, after their move to India. She was quite passive for a woman who seemed to value her independence.

Swati’s encounter with her friend’s son seemed a bit far fetched for someone from her background. It may have been more believable with her friend’s husband or another man more her age. Not that I personally disapprove but it just came across as too much at variance with her deeply embedded moral standards. I applauded her, however, for her courage in finally addressing her own needs.

Overall I truly liked the book and would recommend to others.

I really enjoyed this book and I appreciate learning more of Mumbai and the Indian culture!!! Rachel and Swati are interesting characters and you will fall in love with them.  It has surprising twists and entanglements and you are so happy to see both ladies grow closer!! This story will give you opportunities to re-examine some of your preconceived notions!  #NetGalley#MotherLand

Rachel had married Dhruv and moved to India where he was from/wanted to be. However, everything about Mumbai felt wrong and how they lived felt wrong and she was lonely. Her mother-in-law left her husband and came to live with them. Rachel hated this at first because Swati took over the house and bull-dozed her way into Rachel's life. When Dhruv had to go away for business for 6 weeks, Swati and Rachel were left to their own devices.

Watching the relationship between Swati and Rachel unfold was very satisfying. They learned how to talk to each other and how to be around each other. They each needed someone to understand them and were able to be that person for each other. 

I enjoyed this one. The author did a good job of showing how the main characters, especially Rachel, felt trapped in their current lives. I found myself rooting for their situations to be fixed in whatever way would make them more comfortable in their own skins.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

This book drew me in and kept me interested throughout. A story of conflicting cultures, views, and family. A woman marries and moves to a Mumbai. She thinks this is what she wants, but is it? This novel follows her new life and reflections/comparisons with her old life as well as an unexpected complication - her mother-in-law moves in with the newlyweds.

I read about 3/4 of the book and put it down.  Loved the first half that was entertaining, original and informative but it bogged down and became a bit of a soap opera.  I intend to finish it at some point but I saw it wasn’t going to be a good choice for a contemporary literature book group. 
The mother-in-law/daughter-in-law husband triangle was original and engaging as it was set in India and the newly married wife was an outsider unaware of the family customs.

I enjoyed this cultural and generational novel.  It was an interesting look into feminism between an older Indian mother-in-law and a Jewish American daughter-in-law.  The story takes place in India.  The two women are confronted with figuring out who they are meant to be and who they are to each other.  A good read on understanding different cultural lifestyles and finding oneself.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc and Leah Franqui for the ARC.

Mother Land is fiction, but it reads like a real-life scenario of two strong-willed women wanting the best for their families. The story is told from the view point of both Swati, a native of India, and Rachel, an ex-pat. The author helps us understand each woman's view point with inner dialogue and outer confrontations. Mother Land is the kind of book that makes you think "What if?" and "Would I do that?" I enjoyed this. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Motherland for a review copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

I finished Mother Land last week, but wanted to think about it for awhile before writing a review. I really liked Leah Franqui’s new book. The main character, Rachel Meyer is a newlywed who lives in New York. She and her husband, Dhruv, move to Mumbai. It is difficult adjusting to marriage, let alone to a new culture. Add to this, Rachel’s mother-in-law, Swati, shows up after leaving her husband and moves into the house. I think Franqui does an excellent job in the character development of both of these women as they figure out how to live with each other. I can see bookclubs really enjoying this book. 

Thank you Book Club Girls, William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This beautiful novel captures the complexity of the relationships between a wife and mother-in-law.  Rachel moves to India with her husband.  When her husband's mother decides to leave her husband of decades and move in with the newlyweds, it definitely creates friction.  However, things get worse when the two women are left alone when the husband is away on business.  The women each want to run the household their own way.  I really enjoyed this one, as it was culturally, character, and relationship driven.

Rachel moves to Mumbai with her husband who is Indian.  Soon after arriving her mother in law moves in and takes over.   Her husband goes on an extended business trip leaving her with his min.   The story is about Rachel and her mother in law trying to find themselves.   The middle of the book gets a little long, but the ending is great. 
This was an ARC from Netgalley

Let me start by writing that is this might be the most perfect book I have read so far in 2020. This is a wonderful rich story about two women who cannot be more different.

Rachel who is born in NY and is white has moved to Mumbai with her Indian born husband. They are trying to make their way as newlyweds when an unexpected surprise happens. Swati, Rachel’s mother-in-law, has come to move in with them after she has decided to leave her husband. Rachel’s husband has to go on an extended business trip which leaves these two very different women together.

What happens in this story next is an extremely beautiful story about how two people from very different cultures can learn to love each other. Rachel and Swati are both unhappy but for two different reasons. Rachel, who has not adjusted well to life in India and Swati who wants a love like Rachel and her Son.

As the story progresses you will come to love their relationship, in all it’s simplicity and the respect they grow to have for each other. It has quite an expected ending, but it could not have been more right.

The story is simple, but the characters are unforgettable. This is a gorgeous story of two women that despite all the differences between the, build a grand relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Mother Land, we meet Rachel who has agreed to move to India with her new husband, Dhruv. What she wasn't expecting was for her mother-in-law to move in. I really enjoy reading about cultures other than my own, so I very much liked Mother Land. The conflict and eventual growth from the main characters were very well written. Thank you to #NetGalley and #TheBookClubGirls for the advance copy of Mother Land by Leah

Cross cultural and cross generational growing in unexpected ways.

So you uproot yourself from family and friends and follow your love to his home country. We're not talking about an American in Paris here, rather an American in Mumbai. Culture shock? Yes, especially when your mother-in-law lands on your doorstep, and not just for a two week visit.  You see, having left her husband, it appears Swati is determined to educate Rachel on how to be a proper Indian wife. Irony anyone?
When Rachel ends up with a cleaner coming more frequently and a cook she definitely doesn't want things start to fall apart, and yet mysteriously they also come together, just not in the way either Rachel or Swati expected. For Rachel cooking is important, for Swati one has servants for that.
Rachel Meyer saw coming to Mumbai as an opportunity  to have a more ordered life, to experience a new beginning. She finds something different. Her new understandings in many ways are due to her mother-in-law. 
Swati has done something so unusual that it leaves everyone in shock. She has left her husband. Rachael is mostly out of sorts at Swati's sudden intrusion into the life she thinks she's building. 
Rachel had been convinced that, 'Dhruv would make her happy, he would make her life something stable, something solid.' In India that strength became tradition and expectation and Rachael's life was not going forward. Dhurv becomes a different person once back on home soil. This realization is subtly creeps up on Rachel.
Swati has been exceedingly brave to go against her generation's customs. It takes some time for Rachael to realize this. As things develop the antipathy between them lessens, although not without major road blocks. Cooking plays a part. 
As Swati's later reflects, "They had seen each other." I love that line. 'I see you' is a powerful statement.
In the end the multi faceted aspects of relationships, knowing oneself, personal development, courage and regret all mingle to make a fascinating read.
I cheered, I was saddened, occasionally embarrassed if not shocked especially around Rachel's thoughts and observations about the expat society and their overt racism generally. Talk about tiffin and tea, or maybe it's the gin and tonic hangovers of the previous century! I loved it when Rachel begins to view India through the prism of her acquaintance Richard whose embraced India. This too is a growing moment for her.
A wonderful read!

A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and interesting novel.  It is the story of an American woman, Rachel, who marries an Indian man, Dhruv and moves to Mumbai with him.  They have only been married a short time when his mother, Swati, leaves her husband and moves in with them.  Dhruv is called away on business and Rachel and Swati must learn to live together.  It was a great perspective of the Indian culture - I learned a lot.  Rachel and Swati were real, believable and empathetic women.  I loved how their relationship evolved and progressed the same way they did personally.  I highly recommend this book.  Thanks to NetGalley and The Book Club Girls for the ARC.

I received this ARC through Book Club Girls Early Reads on Facebook. Thank you! #MotherLand #NetGalley

After a personally difficult start to the book, I thoroughly enjoyed the character development and their arc of growth, begrudging empathy and, finally, friendship.

The “personally difficult” start for me was because I am in a mother-in-law situation as well. I have a live-in mother-in-law with dementia who was basically dropped on me without much choice on my part. I could empathize with Rachel but it felt too close to home. I got stalled right at the beginning and needed the expiration date to push past my own issues. 

For me the saving grace was the alternating points of view. It gave me a chance to feel and understand both sides of the equation, to get their equally valid perspectives. At first it didn’t feel equally valid, but the author showed great respect of the cultural differences and qualities and I felt I was being enlightened right along with the two protagonists. 

The only downside, in my opinion, was the repetition. Several points were made more than once, almost like the author felt readers wouldn’t get the lesson the first time. I do believe a little more detail was added each time the observation was made, but it didn’t seem necessary to repeat the same thing multiple times. 

I enjoyed the book and will recommend it. I especially am tickled to see that much of the cultural experience of Rachel reflects the author’s life and setting, albeit a bit more of a positive experience for the author.
This review is also on Goodreads and The Book Club Girls group page on Facebook.

In the beginning I really liked this book. And I never changed my feelings for the characters, I liked Rachel a lot and felt for her her the entire time. I felt the author did a great job developing this character. I also never really like Swati,.. I felt her inner conflict, but I didn’t like her choice with Arjun and I felt that was so unrealistic, no matter what kind of midlife, soul searching, crisis you are going through, in that culture I don’t think that seemed realistic. I could have gotten behind a lot but that was too weird for me. I loved the ending. I loved how everyone was about to be mature with going their separate ways, but I, again, don’t know how realistic this was. I think people would like this book, so I’ll recommend it, but it wasn’t one of my favorite.

Leah Franqui’s descriptive writing makes you feel as if you are in Mumbai with her characters Rachel and Swati.  These are two very different women who end up living together and are from seemingly different worlds, but find they have some common connections.  Interesting idea to explore.