We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

We All Live Here is the new novel by Jojo Moyes, published in February 2025. Even though I mainly like crime novels, I do always enjoy a Jojo Moyes (she wrote the brilliant Me Before You trilogy, the equally brilliant The Giver of Stars and the fun Someone Else’s Shoes, which I enjoyed last year). So when I saw We All Live Here in hardback for half price in Sainsbury’s, I decided to pick it up.

Lila is in her early 40s and the newly single mum of two girls. She wrote a bestselling book about keeping your marriage alive, but it turns out her husband was cheating on her. Now she has to suffer the humiliation of seeing his pregnant girlfriend in the school playground every day, with the other mums fussing over her.

Lila’s eldest daughter, Celie, is having problems at school, but Lila is too stressed and busy to even notice.

Her stepdad, Bill, has been gradually moving in and seems to have taken up permanent residence at Lila’s house. Her mum died tragically a few months ago and they are both still struggling to come to terms with it. Bill brings some calm to their chaotic household – along with healthy meals that the girls hate!

Then their peace is disrupted when Lila’s estranged father turns up on the doorstep. He says he’s staying for one night, but before she knows it, he has moved in too. In Gene, Lila’s daughters find an unexpected kindred spirit.

It’s a lot for one woman to deal with, especially with the pressure of trying to write her next bestseller…

We All Live Here is a lovely, easy read, which is quite moving in parts. It’s a story about love, family and friendship and finding out what really matters in life, with a few twists and turns along the way. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you won’t be disappointed.