All The Mothers by Domenica Ruta is a contemporary novel revolving around Sandy, Steph and Kayla. Each woman has had a child fathered by Justin, a man-boy who lives with his mother, has dreams of his band becoming famous, and doesn’t want to grow up. The women find each other through social media and bond over Justin’s inadequacies. They realize if they don’t have Justin to rely on, they will rely on each other. What forms between them is a unique family. This novel focuses on non traditional ideas of family, sexuality and identity. Readers will walk away being reminded just what makes (and does not make) a family. The characters are funny and diverse so any reader will find someone to root for. If you enjoyed Margo’s Got Money Troubles, I think you will like this read.
I do feel that it lacked subtlety in its mission, but still appreciate the ideas. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for my ARC.

This book was kind of all over the place and I liked some parts more than others, but overall thought it was a good read. Think John Tucker Must Die but more current and inclusive. Sandy has been on the dating scene in NYC after the death of her mother, and meets Justin, finally a nice guy with a job...even if he is in a band. When she gets pregnant unexpectedly and meets someone from Justin's past, the story takes a turn. While I loved all the themes of feminism, sisterhood, motherhood, and inclusion, sometimes it felt like this book was trying to do too much, trying to shoehorn too many issues into one book. I also found the romance to be unearned and out of no where, and I just didn't buy it.

Two women, whose children share a deadbeat dad, meet and develop a deep friendship. And then meet a third women pregnant by the same deadbeat dad. It's sister wives without the husband. This is a powerful story about the bonds between women, the choices we make and unconventional families. A must read.

Three Mother's with children by Justin meet up with each other and start living together in order to survive having no help from the Father! Find out after telling each one's story that their is a forth child. The Mother of the forth child has made Justin marry her being bossy and causing a lot of trouble for the three living together with their children. A fast read going back and forth with each one's life stories!

Welcome to the Mommune is a heartfelt hilarious, and deeply relatable novel that redefines the meaning of family. Domenica Ruta's storytelling is sharp, witty, and full of warmth, making Sandy's journey of unexpected motherhood and unconventional co-parenting both poignant and laugh-out- loud funny. The dynamic between Sandy and Stephanie is refreshingly honest, proving that the best families are sometimes the ones we
build ourselves. With humor, heart, and a
touch of chaos, this novel is a must-read for moms-and anyone who loves a good story about resilience and reinvention.

10/10 one of my best books of 2025 - contemporary literary fiction.

Sandy hasn’t had the best luck in love. A ten year relationship with a man who wouldn’t commit, another man she really didn’t love but still made her feel insecure. She finds herself pregnant with a guy who she doesn’t like all that much that she met on a dating app. She has a beautiful baby girl then finds out her child’s father has another child to a different woman.

Because we have way too much information available to us all the time, she cyber stalks the other woman, Stephanie. As she is pumping her breast milk, she accidentally hits follow. Steph sees the follow request right away, which changes both of their lives forever.

This is 2025’s heartwarming message fiction of the year. Like Margo’s Got Money Troubles, we find ourselves empathetic and fiercely protective of a single mom, and cheer on her best efforts. The men in this book are disappointing, particularly Justin, her baby’s father. But for all his faults, Justin does bring together a family despite himself and his weird codependent relationship with his mom. Sandy’s pre-mom friends also are caricatures of an unsupportive “friend” who is more self-centered.

But over the course of the book Sandy discovers the real meaning of love, connection, and family.

These CHARACTERS. They are so well fleshed out, so complicated and compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Madison at Random House Marketing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was unfamiliar with the author and hadn’t seen any marketing for this book, special thank you to the team who made this book available to me. Book to be published May 6, 2025. This review is uncompensated.

I started this book and could not put it down. It will definitely be a favorite of 2025! And I need a physical copy ASAP. I love that Steph, Sandy and Kaya support and stick up for Ash so much on their journey. This book and me feeling all the feels plus. Definitely a 10/10!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

What happens when you become pregnant with a semi-absent father, only to find out the father of your child already has a child. Then is going to have another child, with yet another woman. Well, why not let all the women live together.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed Sandy, Stephanie, and Kaya's lives coming together for the better good of their children.

Great read.

This novel is a witty, refreshing take on the unpredictability of parenting, relationships, and redefining family. Sandy’s journey from navigating single motherhood to co-parenting with a flaky ex takes an unexpected turn when she discovers her daughter has a half-sibling she never knew about. What follows is a surprising, deeply funny, and ultimately heartwarming exploration of unconventional family dynamics.

The chemistry between Sandy and Stephanie, her ex’s ex, is a highlight of the novel. What starts as an awkward, tension-filled introduction soon transforms into an unlikely but powerful bond as they realize they share more than just their children’s DNA. The idea of “mommune” adds a fresh, comedic, yet profoundly moving element to the story, making readers question traditional notions of family and support systems.

With sharp humor, heartfelt moments, and an empowering message about motherhood, this book is perfect for anyone who loves stories about resilience, unexpected friendships, and the beauty of creating a family on your own terms.

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

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC; this review is uncompensated.
I initially thought that this book was going to fall into the "guilty pleasure/kinda trashy/super-easy read" pile (which happens to be a huge pile in my library so zero judgment). I was wrong...way wrong. It's a very lovely meditation on the bonds between women, coming to terms with our choices (and having the freedom to make choices), and learning to be comfortable in your own skin. The writing is good and the character development is strong. Unlike some books, the characters and the plot work together to move the story forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this book: so much so that I went back and reread a few portions.

(Review posted on Goodreads & I assume Amazon)

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Sandy has not had a lot of luck within her love life, and in her mid-30s she experiences an unexpected pregnancy after meeting someone on a dating app – of course, that relationship did not pan out, as well. She maintains contact with the father, who is not the most stable person, and then learns that he has another child – which means her child has a step-sibling. Sandy reaches out to that child’s mother, Stephanie; Sandy has pre-conceived notions about Stephanie, notably that she already does not like this woman. However, when the two women meet, they learn that they share a lot in common outside of their children’s father.

This book offered an interesting take on the storyline of a blended family; the book really is about found family, and how we learn to adapt to our circumstances and change our perceptions. The author also touches upon very important and relevant topics, such as gender, race, feminism, and equality among those groups. Finally, this is a good book to pick up if you wish to read about women being positive with other women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this novel well written and the three main women characters well drawn and I cared about them a lot. I found the story as a whole very charming. I think the ending was very, very rushed (what did Sandy end up doing about the professor?) and I had a hard time seeing why the women kept Justin in their lives (but I'm not a mom, and I'm sure the children had everything to do with it). A lot of contemporary themes were in this book and I liked how they were addressed.

This book takes on tradition families and makes its own. Women connect and help each and raise their children together since their children share the same father. This was very interesting to read and the writing really pulled me in.

Families can be made in so many ways. I loved how this book explored the mothers, fathers, siblings, and extended families throughout the story. It was an intimate look into their lives. I think this would be great for a book club. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Women’s fiction readers will enjoy All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta. It was a great read. I loved it! Don’t miss this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: A very enjoyable book about three women who are connected via a past boyfriend and their children. They end up deeply connected and find strength in each other. Though provoking and well written. A modern take on "sister wives". A nice addition to women's fiction.

This is a great story about women who join together to take care of each other and raise their children together. Oh, and the children all have the same father, so it is a bit of an unlikely tale, but the author makes it work. The three moms face challenges one after another relating to housing in expensive New York City, jobs that don’t pay enough, raising a nonbinary child, and dealing with the ridiculous whims of the baby daddy. The writing sucked you in to every drama and the friendships felt very real. This is a book that is hard to put down so plan for a sleepless night just to finish it.
Thank you MetGalley for a ARC.

All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta is a raw, humorous, and deeply relatable story about the messy, unpredictable nature of life and parenthood. Sandy, with her questionable decisions and penchant for Instagram stalking, is a protagonist who feels strikingly real—flawed, funny, and determined to make the best of her chaotic circumstances.

Ruta’s writing shines in its ability to blend humor with heartfelt moments. Sandy’s journey from skepticism and jealousy to unexpected camaraderie with Stephanie, the other mother, is engaging and touching. The exploration of unconventional family dynamics, co-parenting, and women's resilience is a highlight, making this a standout among contemporary novels about motherhood.

The supporting characters, especially the “wannabe rock star” baby daddy and his frosty mother, add tension and hilarity. At times, however, the narrative feels slightly overloaded with subplots, which can detract from the emotional depth of the central relationships.

Despite this, All the Mothers is a delightful and thought-provoking read that challenges traditional family ideas while celebrating the beauty of imperfect love and community. It reminds us that even during chaos, we can find connection, laughter, and hope. This story is perfect for fans of witty, character-driven dramas.

this was a pretty good book! there were good parts and bad parts, but overall the story was good,. I did like the way the writing style flowed and connected. I enjoyed the character development too!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!