The premise of the story was interesting, our main character (with daughter in tow) moves back in with her parents after the death of her partner, who left a mountain of debt to deal with. I do enjoy tales like this, where someone gets their life back together after things go pear shaped, so I was invested in the idea and keen to see where it would go. Overall this was ok, but I did feel it dragged on a little towards the end. Without giving away any spoiler, key plot events that you could tell were developing just seemed to take too long to get there, and the reasoning didn’t feel natural after a while. Conversely, some parts of the story found a rapid conclusion from one chapter to the next so the pace felt a little uneven at times.
I liked the supporting characters very much, the community feeling in the village, and the kind folks that helped get Ruth back on track, I love all of that. Sometimes we just want a feel good, inspirational hug in a book and it delivered in that respect. I just felt that the pace wasn’t quite right at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Lovely novel about family, healing and mother daughter relationships. Beautiful setting and great writing.

I like Beth Moran's books, they are always Romantic but honest romance because it's not always flowers and cuddly, there are difficulties.

This storyline is brilliant and I really liked the characters.

I hated Carl but that is because he is so well written and you are, I believe, meant to hate him. He's a vile human being which makes this story all the more real because not everyone is lovely and kind, there are some people who you would not want to be associated with.

I absolutely loved the dance and everything coming together.

Ruth and her daughter, Maggie, need a fresh start. They end up moving in with Ruth's parents, who haven't seen eye-to-eye with Ruth. Ruth and Maggie are broken, but they learn to heal.

We Are Family has themes of resiliency, healing, connections, friendship, grief, and drama. I felt most of the characters were very relatable. I highly disliked Carl. He just made me feel icky.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read We Are Family.

Really charming story, gorgeous setting, very well written, flowed well, great characters that i could really connect too, and it was a lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of We Are Family by Beth Moran in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I love Beth Moran's writing and was beyond excited to read this one. I cleared my schedule for the night and stayed up WAY too late as I had to finish it one I started. This was such a fantastic read! Everything about it - the ups and downs make you feel it all with the characters in the book. She has such a way of drawing you into the book. Fantastic job!

Ruth and her daughter Maggie are making a fresh start due to Maggie's father's death and their overwhelming debt. They move in with Ruth's parents to sort out their finances and support Maggie. Maggie had left home years ago after a conflict and had vowed not to return. Now, she's grieving and adapting to a new school and town with Ruth's help. Ruth also needs a job to support them and pay off the debt, but she's uneasy about her parents' conditions for assistance. Fortunately, Ruth's old friends, including her past love, welcome her back warmly.

The book delves into complex family dynamics and intergenerational relationships, adding depth to the narrative. The characters’ backstories add richness and emotional depth, while the story tackles challenging topics with compassion and empathy. “We Are Family” is a compelling read that lingers in your thoughts long after you finish it.

Great storyline, quite an emotional rollercoaster, but that to me, makes for a great read!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Yet another story from this author, that draws you into the community, family and their world straight away. I don't know how she does it!

Having said that, it took me a couple of chapters to be in the thick of the drama with Ruth and her deceased husband. What had happened wasn't as clear as it could have been, but once I'd realised what had gone on, I was hooked and settled in wondering how she was going to recover.

I also wasn't entirely on board with Maggie having so much power over her mum's relationship timeline. I wondered if that was because of the way Maggie had been written or because that particular part of the story line wasn't believable. I'm not sure.

Regardless, this author writes about worlds ~I have lived in and can relate to and I'll always want to read more of her books.

Heart-wrenching, emotional and uplifting, Beth Moran’s stunning new novel We Are Family is a superb page-turner you will want to buy copies of for all your friends and family.

The bottom has fallen out of 33 year old Ruth Henderson’s world. Her husband has just died and she has been left with a mountain of debt, a broken heart and all-consuming grief. With her daughter Maggie to think about, Ruth realises that she needs to be strong for her and when she finds herself with her back against the wall and nowhere to go, she is forced to return to the one place she swore never to set foot in: home to her parents who have never forgiven her for falling pregnant as a teenager.

Going back home means living in the same house as her estranged father, her mother who is desperate to make everything right despite the fact that her own marriage is in tatters and grief-stricken Maggie who on top of everything else she has lost has to settle into a new school and make new friends. Ruth feels adrift and alone, but could her old friends prove to be a port in a storm during this most difficult time in her life?

She might not have spoken to her old schoolfriends in decades, but they haven’t forgotten her. As they rally round her, Ruth realizes she has people in her corner who can help her with a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear. As she begins to rebuild her life and find strength from her friends, Ruth begins to make plans for the next chapter in her life. Is she ready to let love back into her life? Can she build bridges with the people she had turned her back on? And can found family prove to her that they will always be there for her ready to help without judgement or censure?

Beth Moran’s We Are Family is such a great book. Hopeful, heartfelt and candid, We Are Family is a sensitive and beautiful exploration of grief, loss and love that is a beautiful celebration of friendship and family that will raise a smile and bring many a tear to your eye.

Perfect for Jojo Moyes fans, We Are Family is a wonderful book by Beth Moran you are simply going to love.

Ruth Henderson and her daughter Maggie found themselves at a crossroads, their world turned upside down after the loss of their husband and father. With the weight of a staggering debt left behind by Ruth's late husband, they had no choice but to return to the refuge of Ruth's childhood home, a place she had vowed never to revisit. Her decision to return home, despite the deep-seated grudge her father held against her, was born out of necessity. Ruth and Maggie, shattered by their grief, managed to make the best of this challenging situation.

For Ruth, going home meant facing not only the loss of her husband but also reconciling with her estranged father. But how could she bridge the chasm between them when the shadow of their past disagreements loomed large? In the midst of it all, Maggie emerged as a shining star. Her sweetness and shyness were endearing, and her unique expression of emotions through ever-changing hair colors was a touching detail.

What truly warmed my heart was the incredible support Ruth found in her group of friends, the very same friends she believed she had lost years ago when she ran away. Their open arms and unwavering love for Ruth and her daughter were a testament to the enduring power of friendship. In the darkest of times, there are friends who stand by you, no matter the past, and this book beautifully exemplifies that.

Beth Moran's portrayal of grief was heart-wrenching, but as she introduced us to Ruth's friends, my heart overflowed with happiness. I can't recommend this book enough; it's a must-read. I can't fathom the pain of losing a husband and father to your child and then facing the judgment of your own parents for something that transpired years ago. This book is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of friendship. Please, do yourself a favor and dive into this captivating story as soon as possible. It's a journey you won't want to miss.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I had such high hopes about this book but since I promise to give an honest review I must saw I did not finish this book.
I felt like it was a boring story that went on and on and felt bored.

A mom loses her partner, her family is very dysfunctional. She has been left with alot of debt and makes the diffifcult decistion to return to her family that she swore she would never do with her child.

Blah, Blah, Blah.

I enjoyed this book right from the start. Characters were easy to connect to . Beth has found a new fan in me !

I ended up enjoying this book much more than I thought I would when I first started listening to the audiobook edition. It is rather long and I dreaded the time it would take me to get through to the end. But it was a journey I am so glad I took. The characters are well developed … they are real people with real issues. They are not perfect and their flaws make them very relatable. My heart just ached for Ruth as she struggles to return home as an adult to live with her parents even though they have been estranged for years. And dealing with the typical emotional teenage daughter doesn’t help matters. Though there were moments when Maggie was entertaining and had me chuckling. There were so many emotions and life situations spread throughout the pages … insecurity, poverty, the need to prove oneself, dealing with a stalker, healing broken relationships, etc. The support of the church community was a positive aspect to this delightful story and it really resonated with me. Essentially, new beginnings provided the opportunity to heal and I loved seeing how Ruth grew through the story line.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I always enjoy Beth Moran books, and this was no exception! Ruth is dealing with the death of her partner, and trying to raise her teen daughter. Having to move home to her parent's house doesn't help matters. Interesting, flawed characters and a well written story make this book a winner!

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley - thank you!

At age 33, Ruth Henderson is at a difficult crossroads. She and her young teenage daughter (Maggie) are left with a ton of debt, no home, and emotionally lost with the death of Ruth's partner and her daughter's father. They never married and he handled all of the finances, so Ruth was in for a rude awakening when he died in a car accident. Even though she said she would never return, Ruth is forced to move back into her parents home. Ruth and her parents had a falling out when at 19, Ruth found herself pregnant by a guy she had recently met.

While trying to navigate finding a new job, reconnecting to her parents, being a good mother to Maggie, Ruth has a lot of baggage to move on from. In addition, Maggie is lashing out, in true teenage form, at the upheaval her father's death has caused.

Beth Moran writes a fantastic novel with such truth about starting over, relationships - adult and parent/child, aging, and how to survive when times get tough. I need to go the library ASAP to find the rest of her books.

I always enjoy Beth Moran's books and We Are Family was no exception. Ruth has a lot on her plate with the death of her partner and having to deal with her teenage daughter. Having to relocate and go back and live with her mum and dad is a painful experience for them both and it's very easy to empathise with them. Facing issues from the past are almost too much for Ruth and she has some traumatic experiences to deal with in her new life.
Overall this was a fab read and I will be reading more from Beth Moran in the future too.

A touching tale of family, friendship, and resilience. Ruth and her daughter, Maggie, navigate life's hardships after a tragic loss. Returning home to her parents, Ruth rediscovers childhood friends who offer unwavering support. The story beautifully portrays the power of connections and the possibility of love and healing, making it a heartwarming and relatable read.

After I read this book, I went back and read the description/blurb again. Without giving away spoilers, it definitely lines up what you are going to read about ... but it's so much more. I was touched to tears in parts and laughing out loud in the next. Second chance would be the broad trope for this book, but through side characters it touches on young love, married love, unrequited love and friendships. I was invested in all of those side stories, too! Another great read by Beth Moran.

Ruth Henderson and her daughter Maggie are starting over. Maggie's father has died and Ruth finds out that they are buried in debt. She has no choice but to return home to her parents until she can get their affairs sorted and pay off all the debts she is responsible for. When teenage Maggie left home years earlier, there was a fallout, and Maggie had vowed never to return. Maggie is also grieving and struggling to find her way in a new school and town, and Ruth is supporting her. Ruth also needs to get a job that will support them as well as allow her to pay off the debts. Her parents are there for her, but Ruth always feels that the strings attached are too much for her. Luckily for Ruth, her friends from her past, welcome her back with open arms, even the boy she was in love with when she left.

I really enjoyed We Are Family. Beth Moran created some wonderful and flawed characters, that are totally relatable. Maggie was a typical teenager. She was grieving, she was angry, and she was self-centered. She didn't think about what Ruth needed at first, typical teen behavior. Despite that somewhat spoiled streak, I really liked her and my heart broke for her. Ruth was a great mom, and was willing to give up her own happiness for Maggie. Her friends were the best. The way they welcomed Ruth back into their group was wonderful. It is always great to have those friends that will welcome you and care for you no matter what. This book could have been heartbreaking, but Beth Moran wrote it in such a way that it was uplifting and hopeful. Ruth's parents also come through for her, which made my heart soar. With grief, friendship, family issues, lost love and new beginnings, I recommend We Are Family.