Jojo Moyes is a best-selling author, a screenwriter and has an online course on the BBC’s Maestro platform "Writing Love Stories".
In We All Live Here the central character is Lila, who has recently finished the publicity for her latest book How I Made My Marriage Watertight. The book is a success, but her marriage was not, as husband Dan has left.
Lila’s life has been in disarray since.
Her two daughters Celie and Violet, seem to have more awareness of her and her mental state than she does of theirs.
She is months behind on writing her next book, is under pressure from her publisher and has financial worries.
Dan is having another child with his new lover, and Violet and Celie are struggling with their parents’ split. Lila’s stepfather, Bill, grief stricken over the recent death of his wife has moved in with Lila and the girls.
Lila resigns herself to his methodical manner and obsession with healthy cooking, involving endless amounts of lentils.
We All Live Here is an easy read with some very funny moments, but is formulaic. Lila is unfortunately a sufferer of the Bridget Jones syndrome in which female characters are clumsy, breathless and disorganised in every aspect of their lives until a man comes along to provide purpose and direction.
Other characters in the book are well developed and quite delightful, particularly Bill as well as Gene, Lila’s father. These two octogenarians play off each other well and distract their fellow family members from their troubles, quickening the pace of the book and providing a healthy counterpoint to Lila’s struggles.
Reviewed by Anne Stevens
