Some recently published novels feature mothers as the
main characters. Of course, these mothers aren’t picture-perfect and
problem-free. See what makes them tick!
Dear Thing, written by Julie Cohen, is
about single mother Romily who decides to become a surrogate mother for her
friends Ben and Claire. But as her pregnancy advances, Romily is overwhelmed by
her emotions, endangering the couple’s marriage and her friendship with them.
The Trophy Child is written by Paula
Daly. Here, “tiger mother” Karen pushes her daughter to the academic limit yet is
highly critical of her son and stepdaughter and henpecks her husband. Rebellion
and damage to the family’s foundation ensue.
Grace: a Novel, written by Natasha Deon,
tells the dual stories of a mother, who is a runaway plantation slave, and the
child she never knew, against the backdrop of mid-19th century
historic events, including the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and
beyond.
I Liked My Life is written by Abby
Fabiaschi. Maddy, a devoted wife and mother commits suicide, leaving her
husband and teenage daughter behind and helpless with grief. From the beyond, Maddy
begins to coordinate events in an attempt to ameliorate her family’s lives,
even by selecting a new wife and mother for them.
Rabbit Cake, written by Annie Hartnett,
tells the story of 12-year-old Elvis Babbitt whose mother accidentally drowns
during a sleepwalking incident. Elvis, her father, and sister are forced to
cope with their loss and adapt to their new lives.
The Mother’s Promise is
written by Sally Hepworth. Here, a dying single mother reaches out to her
oncology nurse and social worker for help protecting her troubled teenage
daughter, forging a unit that bonds the four women together and challenges them
to confront their sharpest fears and secrets.
Before this Is Over is written by Amanda
Hickie. When a deadly virus arrives on Hannah’s doorstep, she goes to great
lengths to keep her family safe, but she quickly learns that she cannot keep
the entire world at bay, with one threat after another looming outside her
suburban doorstep.
The Book that Matters Most, written by
Ann Hood, is about Ava who has joined a reading group while attempting to cope
with her failed marriage. She rediscovers a book from her past that had helped
her with problems before. We also witness the problems of Ava’s daughter
Maggie, who is descending into a destructive relationship with a man in Paris.
Edgar and Lucy, written by Victor
Lodato, tells the story of eight-year-old Edgar Fini, who had been cared for by
his late grandmother during his mother Lucy’s dysfunctional episodes. As he
grows older, and Lucy is inattentive to him, Edgar falls under the influence of
an inappropriate adult.
113 Minutes is written by James
Patterson and Max DiLallo. It is about Molly Rourke, who takes the law into her
own hands following the murder of her son.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is
written by Lisa See. It explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her
daughter, who has been adopted by an American couple, tracing the very
different cultural factors that compel them to consume a rare native tea that
has shaped their family’s destiny for generations.
The Girl in the Garden, written by
Melanie Wallace, is the story of a young woman with an infant son who is
abandoned in a New England seaside motel. Offered shelter in the home of the
manager’s friend, the woman is integrated into the lives of the locals and
starts over amid revelations of loves and crimes from the past.
