4.5 stars. Many thanks to Penguin Random House / Dial Press / Net Galley for an ARC of this book. This is far from my normal type of fiction but I really enjoyed this. The characters felt very real and spoke so directly and openly with each other; this made them feel very real. It’s one of those novels that has such a wide range of what it speaks to - families, parents, friends. It’s very well balanced and I really enjoyed it. I’ll be recommending it to friends.

Thank you Netgalley..this was a good multigenerational story that will keep your attention from beginning to end.

This novel spans three generations of women, each shaped by the past, yet it seems to revolve around Lila.
Lila’s father brought her up in 1960s Detroit, as her mother was committed to an asylum when she was a child. Mirroring her own upbringing, she chooses her career over motherhood, leaving her husband to care for their daughters on his own. This seemed to have worked well until their youngest, Grace, felt abandoned.

Publishing a bestselling book about her mother, Grace discovers she knows very little about her family's past and decides to delve deeper into the history and trauma of the generations before her.

Overall, this was a very well-written novel. I loved the dysfunctional family aspects and the discoveries made along the way. Even though the cast of characters was confusing to keep straight at times, I appreciated the complexity it brought to the narrative.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best book I've read so far this year. It has notes of The News Room, Gilmore Girls, and just such a fresh originality on how monther-daughter relationships are complex and how our generational history impacts them. Can't wait to own a hardcopy of this!

I received an email from NetGalley inviting me to read and review this book, and I was intrigued by the description: When Lila was a young girl, her mother, Zelda, was committed to a mental hospital by her abusive father and died there -- or so she was told. She escaped her childhood home and went on to become a high-powered newspaper editor, a wife, and a mother to three girls, though she never really felt that she was a true mother to her children or that she even knew how to be one. She leaves the parenting to her husband, instead spending more and more of her time and attention on her job. Her older daughters, born a year apart, have each other and do just fine, but her younger daughter, Grace feels keenly the mother-shaped hole in her life. Following in her mother's footsteps and becomes a writer and newspaper reporter, and the mystery surrounding Zelda (and the repercussions of her absence on Lila's approach to parenting) lead her to write a novel very much inspired by her family and in which she speculates that her grandmother didn't die but rather escaped and pursued another life.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, though they never seemed fully three-dimensional to me or all that realistic. I'm not sure the ending (no spoilers here) really fit the rest of the book; so much of the plot is about living with ambiguity about whether Zelda really did die in the hospital and what the characters choose to believe about her fate. Everything seemed a little too well wrapped up given how much uncertainty played a part in the narrative. There were also some other quirks about the writing that I found to be bothersome, like how many questions in the dialogue were followed not by a question mark but by a period, or how the characters regularly quoted some other source that was presumably known to the other characters but not necessarily to the reader -- inside jokes within the family that the reader isn't privy to. The writing was smart but also felt forced at some points, like the author was trying to move the story along too quickly or trying to write a screenplay rather than a novel. Problems aside, this book did make think, a quality I always look for in a book.

This was a very interesting story about a mother and three daughters and how different and/or alike they were. The mother really had no maternal instinct so the father functioned as the mother and the mother devoted herself to her career. The book explores the events in the mother's childhood that shaped her interactions with her children and then explored how her behavior affected her daughters' handling of their children. It was a little confusing at the start because of the number of characters but the author included a "Cast of Characters" in the front of the book that solved that problem.

I enjoyed the excellent character developments. The story is gripping. The layers are deep. Multigenerational family with bright, complicated members. The friendship between Grace and Ruth touched me. The writing is succinct. Which is such a pleasure! The repartee between Lila and her daughter Grace, is intelligent and quick thinking and just so good! I’ve read a review noting the political bent in the book was disconcerting and although I do not agree with the politics written in this book, I didn’t care! It’s a story. Let’s move on. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for granting this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #LikeMotherLikeMother..

Like Mother, Like Mother was a propulsive read. I loved the characters, especially Lila, the main mother. Lila is a parent of three, but a “mother” of none. She married Joe, knowing he’d be a doting, caring father, so Lila could focus on her career and herself. Lila is fierce and unapologetic. And while she lacks the nurturing aspects we’re taught to admire in a mother, she is so passionately herself that I fell in love with her. The defining moment for me is when, in a workplace meeting, Lila publicly calls out a male colleague for groping her in a way that is funny, strong, and utterly shames the man.

This book is sweeping in that it pulls in characters all over the place. There are Lila’s three children, with a focus on Grace, the youngest and most impacted by her mother’s lack of closeness. There is Grace’s best friend, Ruth, a bright spitfire from Tallahassee. There is Lila’s mother, Zelda, committed to a mental hospital when Lila was two, who died there years later. And more. In fact, my one criticism of this book is that sometimes the tangents don’t flow well or congeal with the story in a logical way. It would be a five-star read for me if this were done more cohesively (maybe some of that will be cleaned up in the final copy?).

The writing is smart. I highlighted a dozen passages. It frequently made me chuckle.

Highly recommended. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up.

"Like Mother, Like Mother" was an extreme disappointment. If I had wanted the Democratic politics shoved down my throat, I would have turned on CNN. The first two parts of the book were garbage. to quote "Fox is very popular with a narrow demographic, white, middle-class, red state Christians" was a very biased statement to make, among many.

I had trouble following the interview-like tense, with no rhyme or reason when switching between characters. Grace and Ruth especially were painful to read. The last part of the book, "Zelda" was the most interesting due to the genealogy, and I wish that was what the entire story was based on. All in all, I would not recommend this book to my worst enemy.

Excellent book! I was engaged from the start, enjoyed the building of characters. This book that I will recommend to others!

Absolutely loved everything about this book and have a new favorite author! Characters that you will remember forever mixed with a surprising plot about families torn apart and later learn of each other through DNA testing. I loved Lila’s character, who was way larger than life, and who remains a central character throughout, even in her death. Grace was another favorite- full of human flaws that make her who she is. I would love it if these characters could continue their journeys in new books- we would never get sick of them.
Thank you NetGalley for a ARC!

Where do I begin?? My first clue should have been the 2 page lust of all of the characters. Daunting but came in handy when I got confused. I LOVED this book. It had many characters but the personalities are all relatable. I had a “picture in my mind”of each character. It all tied together in the end…but it was a bumpy ride to get there. Well written and held my interest every time I picked it up. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced read!! I don’t give a lot of books 5 stars but I think this story deserves it!!

Wow. Just finished Like Mother, Like Mother…, not finished, devoured. Crisp, truncated writing, almost Hemingwayesque conveyed all the facts, emotions and details of this multigenerational, strong-women forward novel. Zelda is in an abusive relationship with several small children that keep coming - she has a breakdown and is committed to an insane asylum never to be seen again. The children fend for themselves and grow up and out. They have lives, relationships, children, stories. Their children have lives, relationships, children, stories, and questions.
This novel was well paced and gripping, no cold spots. The characters were fleshed out enough to be interesting and keep the story moving. The plot was fairly twisty. The story and writing were smart, sometimes dark, sometimes laugh out loud funny, and touching enough that a tear or two were shed. A recurrent theme of empowered women and enlightened men kept the story modern without falling into a trendy trope. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

Susan Rieger pulls off an almost impossible feat: She combines a Page 6 inside story with a realistic current political climate. And she does it without mentioning Trump! (Or is he Webb? Hmm.)

Rieger begins by giving you a family tree of all the characters. But it's really unnecessary as the characters jump to life and are very distinguishable from one another. That goes for even the "Skylarks", almost-twin sisters. There is a mystery. What became of Zelda, Polo, Lila and Clara's mother? Did she die in an asylum, or did she escape? And if she escaped, how could she leave behind three children with a violent abusive father? (It is this denouement at the end that left this a 4 Star rather than 5 Star review.) It's a surprise but doesn't quite read as rreal as the rest of the novel.

Lila grows up to be a Katherine Graham Washington Post type editor. Her husband, Joe, is the one who raises their three children. The two almost-twin Skylarks look like her, while Grace resembles Joe. Rieger does a superb job of illustrating the effects of an absent mother and why some mothers don't have a choice in how they parent. The contrasts between involved mothers (even when no fathers are present and those whose personalities are molded by the mothering they did not receive is evident. (See Ruth, Grace's roommate and best friend.)

This is an involving page turner, wonderfully written and thought-provoking. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this early copy to read and review.

How come I dislike Lila so much but so much of me absolutely understands where she came from and what kind of mother she was?

this book threw me for a loop - such an interesting tale that is not done often in multi-generational novels. I was so intrigued for grace and what happened to Zelda that it was impossible to put down. I will definitely be recommending to book club!

Note: the dialogue is stilted in some places and hard to follow fully. It detracted from the story for me in a very marginal way, but it’s worth a mention.

I didn’t realize until I just went to write this review that I have read this author before. I read her book, called The Heirs and the review I wrote, for that book is perfect for this one as well. I wrote “Sharp, witty, sophisticated writing. Intriguing, different, complex tale. Definitely recommend it.” This book dragged for me a bit about a third of the way in but I recommend pushing through as it will be worth it. The writing is very strong. The characters are complex and weird and most are not too lovable, but I felt they were worth getting to know.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review

I was asked to review “Like Mother, Like Mother” by Susan Reiger.

Lila’s mother, Zelda, was committed to an asylum at a young age. That childhood affected Lila in many capacities, including how she put her career in front of her own children, including Grace. When Lila dies, Grace goes on a quest to understand what happened to her grandmother and how that affected Lila (and ultimately Grace and her sisters).

I found this to be a compelling read. I found all of the characters, including the more minor characters who pop into the main characters’ lives, well-developed. I love multi-generational stories, especially those that focus on strong, intelligent women, so I knew I was going to like this book before I even started it.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

"Like Mother, Like Mother" by Susan Rieger delves into the complex relationships and dynamics between three generations of strong-willed women. From Lila Pereira's rise to success in the media industry to her daughter Grace's journey of understanding and reconciling with her mother's choices, the novel offers a nuanced exploration of family, ambition, and identity.

The book's premise, centered on the impact of Lila's absence in her daughter's life and Grace's quest for self-discovery, is engaging and thought-provoking. Rieger skillfully examines the nature versus nurture debate, inviting readers to ponder the influences that shape us and the ways we navigate our relationships.

While some readers may find it challenging to connect with Lila's character, particularly her aversion to traditional motherhood roles, others may appreciate the honesty and complexity portrayed. The exploration of themes like family dynamics, ambition, and personal fulfillment adds depth to the narrative, making it a compelling read for those interested in exploring the intricacies of familial relationships and individual identity.

Overall, "Like Mother, Like Mother" is a captivating portrayal of generational bonds, aspirations, and the search for understanding amidst life's complexities.

I really enjoyed each of the women's stories in this book. I found the overall premise and how each character was throughly examined, absolutely fascinating and I did not want to put it down because I really wanted to know who these people are. Although I had an idea of where the plot was going, it didn't play out the way I expected to.

I think it brings up interesting ideas about nature vs nurture and who influences how we become the people we become. The book doesn't just focus on the mother-ing story but also how many characters found themselves. I appreciate books that don't make the plot so tidy that everything is completely resolved to everyone and that's that, since life doesn't work that way.

Does any daughter ever fully understand her mother? Probably not, but “Like Mother, Like Mother” explores a complex relationship between Lila, a mother who isn’t “all in” as a parent, and Grace, a daughter who wishes with all her heart that she was.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it is well-written and dares to examine a woman who freely admits she doesn’t want to play the role of mother even though she has three children. But, on the other hand, it dares to examine a woman who freely admits she doesn’t want to play the role of mother.

I had difficulty connecting with Lila. Although I tried to understand where she was coming from I couldn’t quite make it. Yes, she had a horrible childhood—her father was abusive and her mother was absent. Yes, she had a satisfying, incredible career as an executive editor at a prestigious Washington newspaper. And, yes, she was admirable in being honest about who she was. But. I still couldn’t connect. Though my journalism and editor career was rewarding in many ways, one of my greatest joys in life is the blessing of being a mother. So, I couldn’t relate to Lila’s aversion. I felt great sympathy for Grace, who struggled to understand why her mother was distant.

Themes of family, friendship, ambition, womanhood, and the search for meaning abound making it a book that might just tick all the boxes for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy.