We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Lila’s life is built on shifting sands at the moment. Lila is a single mum to Celie and Violet since her husband died revealed his affair with Mayja, a yummy mummy from the school gates. His betrayal was made worse by the fact Lila was promoting her book, on how to have a successful marriage. Her mum died recently and stepdad Bill and has slowly moved himself from their bungalow a few doors away, into Lila’s house along with his piano and healthy eating regime. To add a further unexpected surprise her biological father Gene turns up looking for a bed. Gene is a hellraiser, a drinking and partying actor whose claim to fame is playing the captain of a starship in a 1960’s sci- fi series. He’s still living off that fame and Lila is unsure whether she can trust him. Bill and Gene can’t stand each other. However, she gives him the sofa bed in her office, where she’s trying to produce three chapters of a new book that her agent is chasing. Lila wanted to write something honest, but the publisher is looking for the humorous and sexy exploits of a newly divorced woman. How can she write in one dad’s bedroom, while her other dad is practising his piano and planning garden renovations. Not to mention dreading school pick-up and having to see her husband’s girlfriend wafting around like a butterfly, waiting for her son Hugo. The final nail in the coffin comes when Mayja announces she’s pregnant. The last thing Lila feels like doing is pursuing romance, but to keep her agent and publisher happy and the roof over their heads she is going to have to come up with some sexy exploits. Enter Jensen the gardener and Gabriel the architect, but can Lila carve out any time for them or herself?

Lila’s house is something quite rare in fiction, which sometimes feels full of American fridge freezers and Quooker taps. It has quirks like ancient coloured bathroom suites and a toilet that blocks regularly. Celie is 16 and clearly dealing with something at school that she won’t talk about. Violet has had to cope with a boy in her class now being her step-brother, not to mention no longer being the baby. Pressure builds for them all as Mayja becomes unwell and has to be at hospital until the birth of their baby. They are living of the last of Lila’s money from her first book, but it won’t last forever and submitting one of the most raw and honest pieces of writing she’s ever done only to see it rejected, is very hard to take. I had my hear set on Jensen from the minute he came to do the garden because there’s no barrier or mask with him, what you see is what you get. As he and Lila start to talk about Bill’s plans for the garden, often sharing a brew outdoors and chatting, there’s a clear friendship growing. He’s so easy to talk to and remarkably open. Gabriel is his polar opposite in a lot of ways, there’s an instant attraction for Lila and a lot of messaging back and forth but I could sense that he wanted to be in control of their interactions. I am very wary of men who pick you up and then put you away when they’re done, like a worn and boring plaything. There’s a lot of humour in Lila’s attempts to gather sexploits for her book, but there’s clearly potential for people to get hurt too. I also learned a few terms, most notably ‘bread crumbing’ which I’ve been subjected to a couple of times. Similarly, a previous partner described me as ‘too much’ so I had a t-shirt made with ‘too much’ on it and wore it proudly, sad for myself that I spent time on someone who wasn’t enough. This is something Lila comes to realise, maybe Dan’s affair was a symptom of their relationship going wrong:

‘She thinks sometimes that she always felt she was a little too much for him, too needy, too angry, too sad, too hysterical.’

I really fell in love with this family, as unwieldy as it is somehow it does work. I admired Lila, who tries her best to be on board with the changes in her life especially around her marriage. She knows that the girls will have a sibling but can she accept Dan and Mayja as part of that family? Their relationship does hurt her, but her feelings aren’t going to stop them becoming parents and she wants her girls to have a good relationship with the baby. I thought she was incredibly brave to try and put herself back in the dating pool, something I’ve always avoided. I used to say that if someone comes into my life that’s fine, but I’m not wasting my free time on people I potentially don’t like, especially when there are good books waiting on my TBR! Luckily my husband did just that. He walked (fell) into my front door and I feel like we’ve never stopped talking since. You can see the work Lila has done on herself as she dispenses little bits of wisdom on the way:

‘The key, I’ve found, to moving forward, is asking myself, during these moments: do I want to be right? Or do I want to be happy?’

The dynamic between Gene and Bill is funny too, it’s immediately antagonistic but their bickering made me smile. Bill is angry thanks to all the things Lila’s mother, Francesca, has told him and for his desertion of his wife and daughter. Bill sees Lila as his daughter and has never had any competition for her affections. There’s obviously a fear that Gene will pick Lila up and then drop her again, even worse there’s now Celie and Violet to consider. Bill has always shown love in the way he cooks healthy meals for the girls, picks them up from school and spends time with them. Gene wants to have fun with them, Violet is especially fond of snuggling up on the couch after school and watching her new Grandad’s old sci-fi series. Celie is more difficult to befriend, but Gene is surprisingly perceptive and works out what’s wrong, giving her good solid advice that works. Far from this being a bed for a couple of nights, Lila can actually see him fitting in with their family and that scares her. Especially when she finds out there are secrets about his relationship with her mother that surprise her and potentially hurt Bill.

I read this books so quickly because I felt I was observing a real family, with all the chaos and the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with it. I loved that in a family with so many people, there was always someone who could be there for somebody else, like Gene is there for Celie. There’s so much acceptance in this novel and it’s a great message for a New Year where we are pushed into thinking we need to detox, eat less, go the gym, run 5k and all that other rubbish. Lila learns to accept the change in her life, but will she move on when she’s ready, rather than for a book deal? She also has to accept that a person can have huge flaws, but still have a place and the ability to be a support for others. Bill has to accept Francesca is not coming back and the Gene who hurt Francesca all those years ago isn’t the Gene in front of him now. Both the girls have to accept that they now share their father, but could build a new relationship with Mayja and their new sibling that enhances their life. There are so many breakthroughs here that I can’t list them all, but I did identify hugely with a scene where Lila finally takes some time for herself and has a massage, encouraged by her friend. In the final throes of my last relationship I visited a Bowen Therapist and had a similar experience.

‘it’s blissful, having capable hands on her, feeling her body ease after months and months of tension, feeling long-tightened muscles start to let go. But somewhere in this relaxed state, something wells in her, an emotion unlocked by the reality of another human being touching her, listening to Lila’s body, feeling its pain and its tensions and carefully remedying them. Suddenly, she feels a great swell of something overwhelming her. Grief ? Gratitude? She isn’t sure. She becomes aware that she is weeping, the tears running unchecked through the hole where her face is nestled, dropping onto the floor, her shoulders vibrating with an emotion she can no longer hold back.’

This was a beautifully written moment where someone is just there for Lila and the weight of holding everybody up can fall from her shoulders. It’s the first time she has taken for herself and all the emotions she’s kept in check can come out. I love how Jojo Moyes writes women and the mental load we carry for everyone around us. A load more exhausting than childcare, housework, career all rolled into one. Here she lets go and it’s the point at which she starts to rebuild her life. Does she pick the gardener or the sexy architect? I’ll leave that for you to find out.

Jo jo moyes has done it again, this was a fantastic and addictive story from the first page all the way to the end. Had you feeling all the feels. It was a realistic plot that felt like you were watching a tv series, (but using your imagination). The characters were all well written that you felt connected to them and wanted them to get on track with there lives etc. Jojo just knows how to write a great book. I couldn't stop reading it. Thanks for the arc

As with all of Jojo Moyes books, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave a really real insight into complicated family dynamics, the real and mixed emotions we feel. I thought the range of characters was brilliant and liked that it was multi-generational. I think it was very clever to have some chapters from a teenagers perspective as it gives us an insight that we wouldn’t have got otherwise with her being so closed off from her parents.

The best book from jojo moyes in my opinion ,has a bit of everything thrown into it ,family drama ,long lost dad ,a love story or two .Brilliant on so many levels !!

Absolutely adored this book as I knew I would!
Jojo Moyes never disappoints and I was super excited to read this.
A must-read for 2025.

This book was just what I needed as I fight off a cold in zero temperatures. It's a great story with slightly over the top characters and situations we can all identify with in some way or other. I laughed out loud and groaned as poor Lila got yet another trauma thrown at her from her very blended modern family. Brilliant! JoJo Moyes at her best. Easily a 5* recommendation from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first read of 2025 and oh my goodness I felt bereft when I finished it! I loved Lila and her madcap family and the various different relationships within it, I would struggle to choose a favourite character or relationship, just an overall joyous read. I would go as far to say this is my most favourite novel by Jojo Moyes, it left me with a smile on my face, just adored it.

I did like this book but it is definitely not one of my favourites by this author. I found it was too long and a bit predictable. I really liked the writing style and liked the cast of characters immensely but it’s not a standout book for me. I liked it and I’m glad I’ve read it, but I won’t be shouting from the rooftops about it.

Jojo Moyes never fails to provide amazing material to read. This book was fantastic. I loved all the characters - especially the two ‘dads/ grandads’.
I loved the ending and was pleased it was a happy one as sometimes authors feel the need to add a twist, which ruins things.
The plot was so real and true to life. Families are made up of so many different people these days, navigating it all is complicated. The love that is shared in this book was so powerful, I just loved reading every page, I even laughed out loud on a few occasions - Jojo is so good at weaving in humorous one liners.
I would totally recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who have interesting families. .

4* We All Live Here - Jojo Moyes. An immersive rollicking family tale full of fun and frolics.

Lila's life is chaotic. Her husband has left her and her two daughter in their family home which is falling apart. Following the death of her beloved mother, her step-father has 'temporarily' moved in but seems to be sneakily amassing all of his personal belongings in Lila's house. Lila's agent is on her back to meet the deadlines for a new book she has promised and then her long-lost father shows up decades after she last saw him.

A story of a very blended family and their roller-coaster ups and downs. This is a heart-warming and immersive story which is told in a way that you really get to know and root for (almost) every character and their foibles. Reminiscent of Marian Keyes, this is a book that you dive into and don't want to put down until you finish. The prose sings from the page and is both sharp and funny, told in the way of a brilliant writer who makes it immensely readable. Hugely enjoyable.

Thanks to Michael Joseph (PRH) and Netgalley for an ARC

Jojo Moyes is a must-buy author for me and her new novel ‘We All Live Here’ does not disappoint. It focuses on Lila who feels her life is overwhelming and chaotic as a single mum still reeling from her ex-husband’s departure to live with another woman (who she sees regularly at the school gates) and her mum’s death. She lives in a house in bad need of repair with her two daughters, her stepdad and their dog whilst she tries to write her next book. Nothing seems to be going right when three more men come into her life - one is an estranged relative, one is a hot dad from the school gates and the other is a gardener her stepdad has hired. The story follows their impact on her life with excerpts from her daughter Celie’s POV. I would say that there are very few surprises in the plot - it develops along the lines of what the reader expects - but it is full of genuine emotion and warmth and I was very moved by the conclusion.

I've been a fan of Jojo Moyes for some time so was looking forward to reading her latest novel.
Lila is dealing with grief for her Mum and her failed marriage, with her stepdad Bill and the pressure of delivering chapters from her new book.
We see Lila navigating new and old relationships.
An enjoyable book but for me it felt a bit too long.

Lila feels her world crumbling around her, she dreads going on the school run as she is faced with the beautiful woman her husband left her for. Her world started to fall apart when her mother died, her step father has started spending more time at her house, helping to look after the children. Lila notices that more and more of his stuff is appearing in the house. The arrival of a strange, loud American puzzles the children, they are even more surprised that he turns out to be Lila's father who has never been mentioned before. We follow Lila's chaotic attempts to make her family and life work. Jojo Moyes slowly reeled me into Lila's chaotic world making me hope for a happy resolution.

I really enjoyed this one, Jojo Moyes never disappoints. The story of Lila and the chaos of her dysfunctional family whilst she tries to move on with life after her husband has divorced her for a younger woman. It was funny and heartwarming, really enjoyable, relatable and easy to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

A return to the more traditional rom-com for Ms Moyes, which unfortunately brings far too much of the familiar with it. Lila is a "Motherland" character – an author who dared to spout journalese about her perfect marriage that was published a fortnight before he left her for a "Bendy Young Mistress" up the road. Her scenes at the school gates are far too recognisable. At home she has her grieving father, and two teenaged daughters who show life's slapstick, ironies, sentiments and talk of cat poo in a way that we'd love, if "Outnumbered" was never a thing. The fact I never watch narrative TV and can still sum this elevator pitch up in two programmes is a bit rum.

Still, I can defend this book, as well. Maybe I took against this because everyone has a strangely high-falutin' name. Maybe I disliked Lila when she proved that one kvetch was about the brand of her non-rival's coffee table(!), and her disgust at no longer getting way more than the expected child allowance from her ex didn't help either. And don't get me wrong, this is inherently quippy, in a good way ("Don't look at me in that tone of voice", etc), and the particular set of wringers our lead is put through is certainly unique to this situation. It definitely makes for an unusual example of one of those 'found families'.

But come on. The fall-out from the print-out is obviously coming, and takes well over a hundred pages to do so. And, actually, how useful is a "wow, woman finds herself desired as a MILF despite everything" narrative in breaking the stereotype of, well, women of a MILF age?

A final observation about the world as shown on these pages is that more people seem to want to know Lila than bother reading her books. I'd not be surprised in all fairness if some of Ms Moyes' chums go through the motions as regards this title – they and I know she can do so much better. Three stars – we don't get the second star on the right.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy in return for an impartial review. First things first. I really loved this book, loved the characters, even the dislikable ones, loved the storyline too. So much so that I stayed up most of the night to finish it! The only thing that prevents it from being a 5 star book is that I am not sure the timeline in the story works properly. Celie is supposed to be Y11 and the book starts at the beginning of the school year - I am pretty sure we know this because of when the costumes are asked for. The teacher tells Lila they don’t do a nativity but they will be doing an end of year production so they have longer to prepare. The play actually takes place some time the following year, it’s not completely clear when, but I guess it should be July or something. So far so ok, but…

Marja was pregnant at the beginning of the story and her baby was born some time later - but the timings seem to mean she must have been pregnant for over a year! But there is only one Christmas mentioned in the story and no summer break?

Given Celie is in year 11 and talks to Gene about potentially switching schools, there is either an error later in the book (at animation class it talks about a year 13 being a year above) or she’s actually in year 12 by then but either way her GCSEs are not mentioned in the story at all. As someone who has parented two children through GCSEs I just find this completely unbelievable because believe me exams take over the whole house so completely there is just no way they would go by unspoken about by anyone during the course of the book, particularly with the other stuff Celie was going through! Ms Moyes says in her acknowledgements that this is her least thoroughly researched book, a slightly strange admission I thought.

Overall though, suspend disbelief on the timeline, buy into the characters and you have a great story with some fab redemption arcs. I’ve read only one Jojo Moyes book before, this would definitely encourage me to try more.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is a heartfelt exploration of family, love, and second chances, but it left me wanting more. The story follows Lila Kennedy, whose chaotic life—complete with a crumbling marriage, rebellious daughters, and the sudden reappearance of her estranged father—should have been both poignant and uplifting. While Moyes’ signature warmth and humor shine through at times, the relentless pile-up of Lila’s challenges felt overwhelming rather than engaging. Instead of rooting for her, I often found myself stressed by her missteps and bad luck. While some readers may find solace in its portrayal of messy, relatable lives, I was hoping for a bit more balance between the chaos and resolution. For me, it was a book that had its moments but ultimately didn’t fully deliver on its promise.

Just brilliant, heartwarming lovely read. Loved all the different dynamics with step dad, real dad, ex husband, school mums and a few eligible men. I did not want this to end
Pure joy
Thank you

A very good read. Some ace characters . Lila had to juggle an x , her real father , her step father, a very awkward school pick up every day , Being a famous author. Lots of twists. Told mainly through Lila but sometimes her teenage daughter and her younger mum. I really enjoyed it. Brought back memories of the school run. Read it . Another hit from Joyo Moyes .

Absolutely brilliant book!
I am a big fan of this author and love the writing style!
I cant wait to read more!