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Mothers and Other Strangers
Two estranged childhood best friends reunite as expectant mothers, after a mysterious falling-out between their own mothers keeps them apart for years. Perfect for readers of Claire Lombardo and J. Courtney Sullivan.
When Sydney and Mae meet on the playground as toddlers, it seems like kismet. Even their very different mothers—the Type-A Beth Ann and the free-spirited Joni—agree the girls are made for each other, and it's not long before even the mothers become inseparable.
Then a falling out draws them apart, and decades later, the loneliness still lingers for the newly pregnant Sydney. Adrift in the absence of her closest friend, Sydney has been drawn into a Multi-Level Marketing scheme, exacerbated by the demands of her inflexible mother, Beth Ann, whose constant scrutiny seems reserved only for her daughter.
Across the city, Mae is stunned to find herself single, pregnant, and still haunted by the loss of her mercurial late mother, Joni, whose mysterious death holds as many unanswered questions as Mae does herself. Mae is an artist who has lived under the shadow of the one painting (of two girls) that made her famous years ago, the success of which confines as much as it defines her.
When Sydney and Mae find themselves back in one another’s lives, each with a baby girl on the horizon, it once again seems like destiny. Each begins to pull the other away from the coercive influence of outsiders—mommy groups, marketing schemes, artistic pressures, and ex-boyfriends. But the two women will soon discover that it’s not destiny that has drawn them together this time, but a devastating secret at the center of their orbits—a truth that finally will bind them or shatter them, for good.
An intimate and searing novel about mothers and daughters, and destiny and desire, Mothers and Other Strangers takes a full-hearted look at those relationships in life that are as impossible as they are utterly essential.
When Sydney and Mae meet on the playground as toddlers, it seems like kismet. Even their very different mothers—the Type-A Beth Ann and the free-spirited Joni—agree the girls are made for each other, and it's not long before even the mothers become inseparable.
Then a falling out draws them apart, and decades later, the loneliness still lingers for the newly pregnant Sydney. Adrift in the absence of her closest friend, Sydney has been drawn into a Multi-Level Marketing scheme, exacerbated by the demands of her inflexible mother, Beth Ann, whose constant scrutiny seems reserved only for her daughter.
Across the city, Mae is stunned to find herself single, pregnant, and still haunted by the loss of her mercurial late mother, Joni, whose mysterious death holds as many unanswered questions as Mae does herself. Mae is an artist who has lived under the shadow of the one painting (of two girls) that made her famous years ago, the success of which confines as much as it defines her.
When Sydney and Mae find themselves back in one another’s lives, each with a baby girl on the horizon, it once again seems like destiny. Each begins to pull the other away from the coercive influence of outsiders—mommy groups, marketing schemes, artistic pressures, and ex-boyfriends. But the two women will soon discover that it’s not destiny that has drawn them together this time, but a devastating secret at the center of their orbits—a truth that finally will bind them or shatter them, for good.
An intimate and searing novel about mothers and daughters, and destiny and desire, Mothers and Other Strangers takes a full-hearted look at those relationships in life that are as impossible as they are utterly essential.
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
October 31, 2025
ARC for review. To be published March 31, 2026.
3.5 stars
An interesting story of two intertwined families, Sydney and Mae meet as small children, then their mothers, Joni and Beth Ann become best friends, as you do and then their families of three begin doing everything together.
Cut to many years later. There has been a terrible falling out between the families. Joni has died in mysterious fashion. Sydney and Mae are in their thirties. Sydney and Beth Ann have become involved with a MLM scheme. What has lead the families here and what is to become of them?
I liked this, even if I didn’t quite buy it all. I especially wasn’t sure how Sydney became the woman she became. Good read, though. I kept turning those pages.
3.5 stars
An interesting story of two intertwined families, Sydney and Mae meet as small children, then their mothers, Joni and Beth Ann become best friends, as you do and then their families of three begin doing everything together.
Cut to many years later. There has been a terrible falling out between the families. Joni has died in mysterious fashion. Sydney and Mae are in their thirties. Sydney and Beth Ann have become involved with a MLM scheme. What has lead the families here and what is to become of them?
I liked this, even if I didn’t quite buy it all. I especially wasn’t sure how Sydney became the woman she became. Good read, though. I kept turning those pages.
November 9, 2025
“Blessings don’t look like blessings until you look through the right lens.”
We love a messy family drama, especially one that crosses generations and inherited trauma! Everyone is gonna read this. Trust. This one is special for 3 reasons.
1. It’s solely focused on the women. BethAnn and Joni. Their daughters Sydney and Mae. Finally Sydney and Mae’s daughters in the 3rd act.
2. It is incredibly well written. The paragraphs that you’ll re-read. An adult debut, this is a skilled writer tackling deeper issues. Secrets will be uncovered, and our characters are flawed while likable and relatable. These women will sometimes make the reader angry, sometimes heartwarming, always becoming more real by the minute.
3. The nuances of characterization through scenes that are about connection and disconnection. Traditions and family values that don’t always serve us.
Here is an example;
“Whoever ordered first ordered the least caloric thing she could find, and the one who ordered next would find a way to make her dish even more spare, even less filling. Sydney found herself doing it with other people too, but they didn’t play the game like Beth Ann did. So the other woman would order a burger and Sydney would order leek soup and feel incensed.”
Relatable.
Lastly, I do love to hate on MLM culture, so we get some of that too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and company for the ARC. Book to be published March 30, 2026.
We love a messy family drama, especially one that crosses generations and inherited trauma! Everyone is gonna read this. Trust. This one is special for 3 reasons.
1. It’s solely focused on the women. BethAnn and Joni. Their daughters Sydney and Mae. Finally Sydney and Mae’s daughters in the 3rd act.
2. It is incredibly well written. The paragraphs that you’ll re-read. An adult debut, this is a skilled writer tackling deeper issues. Secrets will be uncovered, and our characters are flawed while likable and relatable. These women will sometimes make the reader angry, sometimes heartwarming, always becoming more real by the minute.
3. The nuances of characterization through scenes that are about connection and disconnection. Traditions and family values that don’t always serve us.
Here is an example;
“Whoever ordered first ordered the least caloric thing she could find, and the one who ordered next would find a way to make her dish even more spare, even less filling. Sydney found herself doing it with other people too, but they didn’t play the game like Beth Ann did. So the other woman would order a burger and Sydney would order leek soup and feel incensed.”
Relatable.
Lastly, I do love to hate on MLM culture, so we get some of that too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and company for the ARC. Book to be published March 30, 2026.
May 16, 2026
Though this isn't a short book, it's so immensely readable and compelling that readers might find themselves devouring it in a few sittings. It's a complex, captivating story about the ways people are shaped, for better or worse, by those they love.
Full review on BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
Full review on BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
May 6, 2026
Are they okay?
I understand that this book probably isn’t for me, but I’m tired of reading the same story in different fonts. It didn’t say anything new, just changed the names and locations. Life can be more. It’s bigger than loveless marriages, infidelity, and complicated relationships. If you liked this book, congratulations, there’s millions of books exactly like this one in stock at your local bookstore.
I understand that this book probably isn’t for me, but I’m tired of reading the same story in different fonts. It didn’t say anything new, just changed the names and locations. Life can be more. It’s bigger than loveless marriages, infidelity, and complicated relationships. If you liked this book, congratulations, there’s millions of books exactly like this one in stock at your local bookstore.
September 20, 2025
This was a beautifully written story about the complexities of life - friendships, motherhood, relationships, grief. The timeline jumps from past to present to develop the history of the women. How they met as children was fun but the way the reader sees the complex dynamics between the mothers and the daughters makes everything come into focus for the rest of the book. This book is a real and raw literary treasure. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 10, 2026
My eyes passed over all the words, but they were glazed over for most of it. Good LORD, I couldn’t wait for this to END!
April 28, 2026
This is fantastic! A book focusing on female friendships and mother-daughter relationships. Themes of love, acceptance, betrayal and forgiveness are examined. This is a must-read for lovers of family sagas. Highly recommend.
April 25, 2026
No one in this story had a single redeeming quality, and if anything, it just reinforced how awful MLMs really are.
April 21, 2026
everyone in this book is in active psychosis
February 17, 2026
“The truth was the truth, as painful as it was. But sharing it, making it your own, letting the world hear it on your own terms that was the only way to make it tolerable.”
Corey Ann Haydu’s adult debut novel is ambitious and stylistically confident. The prose is accessible, polished, and quotable. Yet, despite technical skill, the novel struggled to sustain momentum or ground itself in emotional investment.
The writing itself is this novel’s greatest strength. Controlled, thoughtful, and occasionally lyrical, the prose is pleasurable to read and often thought-provoking. Many individual lines and observations stand out, particularly in passages that reflect on motherhood, maturity, and taking up space in the world as a modern woman. Unfortunately, strong prose alone does not fully compensate for broader structural and character issues.
As a work of character-driven literary fiction, the expectation is a cast of vibrant characters with compelling emotional arcs. Yet, these characters felt underdeveloped and largely static. The absence of meaningful internal or relational change over the course of the narrative is a missed opportunity that robs the book of much-needed depth.
The story reads smoothly yet lacks propulsion. Major plot points are heavily foreshadowed, resulting in twists that feel more muted than revelatory. The core issue here isn’t complexity. The twists exist and could have great narrative impact. Yet, the story fails to build the subtle tension required for unpredictability.
One of the primary challenges this novel faces is interpersonal relationships. By framing the main character’s reunion as MLM recruitment, the friendship feels forced, undermining the emotional stakes. None of the women seem to feel much emotional attachment to each other. Instead, they treat each other as inevitable results of proximity. It’s hard for the reader to root for a friendship that neither character seems to actually want.
Thematically, “Mothers and Other Strangers” has several strong points. Its reflections on motherhood offer genuine insight and emotional clarity. These passages feel grounded and purposeful, creating space for meaningful questions around the experience and empowerment of modern mothers. Yet, the story also takes a very negative overarching attitude towards men and marriage. This stance may resonate with some readers, but it will certainly alienate others.
Overall, this is not a poorly written novel, but one whose execution does not align with its ambitions. Readers who prioritize prose over plot and enjoy contemplative fiction will enjoy this story. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. However, the author’s voice has great promise and I am curious to see how it may evolve in future works. 2.5⭐️
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Corey Ann Haydu’s adult debut novel is ambitious and stylistically confident. The prose is accessible, polished, and quotable. Yet, despite technical skill, the novel struggled to sustain momentum or ground itself in emotional investment.
The writing itself is this novel’s greatest strength. Controlled, thoughtful, and occasionally lyrical, the prose is pleasurable to read and often thought-provoking. Many individual lines and observations stand out, particularly in passages that reflect on motherhood, maturity, and taking up space in the world as a modern woman. Unfortunately, strong prose alone does not fully compensate for broader structural and character issues.
As a work of character-driven literary fiction, the expectation is a cast of vibrant characters with compelling emotional arcs. Yet, these characters felt underdeveloped and largely static. The absence of meaningful internal or relational change over the course of the narrative is a missed opportunity that robs the book of much-needed depth.
The story reads smoothly yet lacks propulsion. Major plot points are heavily foreshadowed, resulting in twists that feel more muted than revelatory. The core issue here isn’t complexity. The twists exist and could have great narrative impact. Yet, the story fails to build the subtle tension required for unpredictability.
One of the primary challenges this novel faces is interpersonal relationships. By framing the main character’s reunion as MLM recruitment, the friendship feels forced, undermining the emotional stakes. None of the women seem to feel much emotional attachment to each other. Instead, they treat each other as inevitable results of proximity. It’s hard for the reader to root for a friendship that neither character seems to actually want.
Thematically, “Mothers and Other Strangers” has several strong points. Its reflections on motherhood offer genuine insight and emotional clarity. These passages feel grounded and purposeful, creating space for meaningful questions around the experience and empowerment of modern mothers. Yet, the story also takes a very negative overarching attitude towards men and marriage. This stance may resonate with some readers, but it will certainly alienate others.
Overall, this is not a poorly written novel, but one whose execution does not align with its ambitions. Readers who prioritize prose over plot and enjoy contemplative fiction will enjoy this story. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. However, the author’s voice has great promise and I am curious to see how it may evolve in future works. 2.5⭐️
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 20, 2026
This is a wise and reflective novel about friendships, betrayals, regrets and healing. Joni and Beth Ann, two young mothers, become friends when their young daughters, Mae and Sydney, become very close. As the decades pass both families are intertwined and the narrative reflects the mothers and daughters pov's. Mae and Sydney remain friends into their 20's when Mae discovers that her mother Joni and Sydney's father Barrett had a long running affair that Sydney knew about and kept secret. This betrayal and an ensuing tragedy shatters their friendship. Sydney and Mae reconnect in their 30's when they are both pregnant with baby girls. As Mae and Sydney sift through their complicated friendship and the consequences of the affair between Joni and Barrett a long buried secret is unveiled. This was a very moving debut novel and I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.
March 31, 2026
A women's fiction story by a new to me Canadian author that follows two childhood friends as they become mothers, struggle with relationships and career success and loss. The focus is heavy on female friendship and forgiveness, family secrets and art which were all topics I tend to really enjoy in stories. Honestly though it was just an okay read for me, I thought it was a bit too long and it left me underwhelmed. The audio narration was well done but this isn't a story that's going to stick with me.
April 20, 2026
3.75 stars
Published March 31.
Haydu's adult debut is a carefully crafted family drama. Beth Ann and her daughter Sydney meet new-to-the-neighborhood Joni and her daughter Mae. The families become the closest of friends in spite of the mothers having very little in common.
Told in then and now, we see how Beth Ann's rigid parenting has resulted in her daughter's obsession with appearances. We also see how Mae, who lost her mother as she finished high school, has struggled with finding purpose.
The writing is so good, but I felt distant from several of the characters. I definitely felt impatient with Sydney's lack of insight and the way that these close friendships remained so transactional and superficial.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Published March 31.
Haydu's adult debut is a carefully crafted family drama. Beth Ann and her daughter Sydney meet new-to-the-neighborhood Joni and her daughter Mae. The families become the closest of friends in spite of the mothers having very little in common.
Told in then and now, we see how Beth Ann's rigid parenting has resulted in her daughter's obsession with appearances. We also see how Mae, who lost her mother as she finished high school, has struggled with finding purpose.
The writing is so good, but I felt distant from several of the characters. I definitely felt impatient with Sydney's lack of insight and the way that these close friendships remained so transactional and superficial.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
April 12, 2026
4.5, I love a dysfunctional family story. This one just kept getting better and better.
May 7, 2026
Going to the book tour event last month with Allie made reading this book even more special. I love hearing about the themes and Corey’s writing process. While I don’t think I’m the target audience, I enjoyed the writing and unexpected plot twists. I kept thinking about how perfectionism shows up in all of these characters lives as Corey said that’s a theme that shows up in all her work. I found the storyline of the MLM LillyLou very interesting and the scenes with the dollhouse reminded me of sandbox therapy (never not thinking about social work).
January 4, 2026
This is a story about friendships that women have with other women once they become mothers, where the friendships are usually developed by the children. Sydney & Mae become friends at preschool and through this budding friendship, their mothers become best friends as well. The two families even start taking vacations together. Then all of a sudden a “secret” surfaces that fractures the whole friendship. This was very much a character-driven story. The characters were complicated but very well-developed. I was very invested in seeing how the story fleshed out.
Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
May 15, 2026
This book had all my favorite themes: motherhood, female friendship, identity, losing a mother, growing up.. such a good list, and most of them handled so well. It's the story of two lifelong best friends, Mae and Sydney - and it's also the story of their mothers, Joni and Beth Ann (and the tangled web uniting them all!). I loved the first half of the book more - the way she describes new motherhood, and the intensity and joy of childhood (and adult) friendships felt spot on. She lost me a little with the whole LillyLou (pyramid scheme) story line and the second half of the book dimmed a little (it felt like Mae became a secondary character which was a shame). But overall, it was a captivating read and I'm definitely interested in reading her YA books. Added bonus that she's a friend of Allie's!
April 24, 2026
I really struggled to rate this book because at times it was too slow, I HATED the MLM narrative and there was a lot of repetition where I would have enjoyed more of the ending flushed out instead of, I felt, rushed.
But.
I keep thinking about it. The complexity of it all, the alternating timelines where as a reader we know more but have to find out in real time how the main characters come to find out the information. The rawness of the friendships, which in some ways were relatable to me. And ultimately the twist which I probably should have seen coming, but didn't and is why I bumped to a 4 even though it's probably more of a 3.5.
But.
I keep thinking about it. The complexity of it all, the alternating timelines where as a reader we know more but have to find out in real time how the main characters come to find out the information. The rawness of the friendships, which in some ways were relatable to me. And ultimately the twist which I probably should have seen coming, but didn't and is why I bumped to a 4 even though it's probably more of a 3.5.
May 3, 2026
"I try not to dwell on the past...the past wants to keep you---trap you. The only way the past can stay alive is if you live there. If you let it go, it stops having any meaning. Any control over you."
Fascinating family drama that centers around two childhood friends and their shared dollhouse. This picture perfect house, family, play styles, and conflicts are wonderfully symbolic of their pasts and future together. This book is well written and was a joy to read!
Fascinating family drama that centers around two childhood friends and their shared dollhouse. This picture perfect house, family, play styles, and conflicts are wonderfully symbolic of their pasts and future together. This book is well written and was a joy to read!
May 3, 2026
This book is relatable and heartbreaking. All the characters are flawed in their own way, which makes the story much more dynamic and true to the real experiences of female friendships and mother-daughter relationships. I couldn’t have loved this book more.
The varying perspectives and shared trauma experienced in vastly different ways throughout a lifetime, along with the generational impact of mothers’ choices and their influence on their daughters’ relationships, are beautifully crafted.
The varying perspectives and shared trauma experienced in vastly different ways throughout a lifetime, along with the generational impact of mothers’ choices and their influence on their daughters’ relationships, are beautifully crafted.
May 21, 2026
Love reading motherhood books during the month of May. This one, though long, didn’t disappoint. An intertwined story to say the least! About two girls and their very opposite moms, friendships, betrayal and forgiveness? Even if you can’t fully relate to the archetype of these characters and their choices, you can still see yourself in the ways you may not fully know or understand your family members, secrets from the past, the unknowing but unrelenting faith of the future.
May 28, 2026
Three and a half stars rounded to four. Sydney and Mae meet as toddlers. They become best friends, as do their mothers. When a revealed secret ends their friendship, their paths do not cross again until they are both expectant mothers themselves.
This book didn't really seem to get going until the second half. I also felt like the whole pyramid scheme was annoying, and Sydney seemed like a doormat, with no backbone whatsoever.
This book didn't really seem to get going until the second half. I also felt like the whole pyramid scheme was annoying, and Sydney seemed like a doormat, with no backbone whatsoever.
April 28, 2026
This was about a family drama and the plot was totally unexpected, I’ve never read a book quite like this! It was well-written and perfectly captured the tangled relationship of the two families. The timeline switched from past to present and everything tied together nicely in the end. I will definitely be thinking about these characters for a while!
April 13, 2026
Wow! What a great book! I loved how the author weaved Then and Now chapters throughout the book. Everything tied together nicely. It really captures the tangled relationships of moms, daughters, best friends and family. A great read!
May 1, 2026
3.5 - so much potential and so little achievement.
June 2, 2026
“for fans of claire lomb-“ 📖🏃♀️💨💨💨
in need of 3-5 days for processing Thanks
in need of 3-5 days for processing Thanks
May 8, 2026
Slow in parts but I love this style of writing with well-developed characters and relationships. Some storylines felt sparse or unfinished but overall it was a good read!
June 1, 2026
2.5. Too many unhappy people, secrets and unbelievable circumstances.
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