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The Mother-in-Law Book Club
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Sometimes the family you need is the one you never expected to find.
On the plane to Durham for her next big gig, traveling consultant and soon-to-be divorcée Andi gets into an argument about the impossible expectations of mothers-in-law that will change her life forever. When her seventy-something adversary unexpectedly extends an olive branch invitation to her book club, Andi does something completely out of character: she says yes.
This social circle is delightfully feisty, gossipy, and also hopelessly clueless about how to navigate frayed relationships with their adult children. Andi spends evenings doling out advice to her new coterie of retired friends, helping to repair generational divides.
As the weeks and months go by, Andi has a quiet revelation: life in Durham just fits. The book club members love her, the company loves her, and after a whirlwind romance with a handsome professor, she’s fairly certain her new beau loves her, too. It’s all going great . . . until her past comes walking through the door. Andi must decide what happiness really looks like--and she just might need the wisdom of her new friends to figure it out.
On the plane to Durham for her next big gig, traveling consultant and soon-to-be divorcée Andi gets into an argument about the impossible expectations of mothers-in-law that will change her life forever. When her seventy-something adversary unexpectedly extends an olive branch invitation to her book club, Andi does something completely out of character: she says yes.
This social circle is delightfully feisty, gossipy, and also hopelessly clueless about how to navigate frayed relationships with their adult children. Andi spends evenings doling out advice to her new coterie of retired friends, helping to repair generational divides.
As the weeks and months go by, Andi has a quiet revelation: life in Durham just fits. The book club members love her, the company loves her, and after a whirlwind romance with a handsome professor, she’s fairly certain her new beau loves her, too. It’s all going great . . . until her past comes walking through the door. Andi must decide what happiness really looks like--and she just might need the wisdom of her new friends to figure it out.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Kate Hash
2 books115 followersKate Hash is the author of Gracie Harris Is Under Construction and the writer behind the Substack newsletter It’s Been a Week. Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, she spent most of her twenties bouncing around the world, including a stint in Florence, Italy. She currently lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband and two children. The Mother-in-Law Book Club is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 6, 2026
Such a sweet and original story!!! I loved this book and loved following Andi’s life. The way that I now need to move to Durham and find a group of women to befriend that are 70+?!?! A story of found family, finding and reinventing yourself mid-life, learning to lean into softness, and so much more. + hearing in the authors acknowledgements that this story was partly inspired by a real conversation she overheard on a plane was the cherry on toppp.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! Can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it ✨
“The key is to stay, just soft enough, because, always, you will stumble into your true people. It will be messy and surprising and the best thing that’s ever happened to you. And to them. Because you are what they’ve been searching for all along, too. You’re the catch.”
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! Can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it ✨
“The key is to stay, just soft enough, because, always, you will stumble into your true people. It will be messy and surprising and the best thing that’s ever happened to you. And to them. Because you are what they’ve been searching for all along, too. You’re the catch.”
reading-next-arc-approvals
June 25, 2026PUBLISH DATE: Oct 13, 2026
PUBLISH DATE: Oct 13, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Mohter-in-Law Book Club
AUTHOR: Kate Hash
PUBLISHER: Dutton
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 384
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
PUBLISH DATE: Oct 13, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Mohter-in-Law Book Club
AUTHOR: Kate Hash
PUBLISHER: Dutton
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 384
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 23, 2026
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was initially drawn in by the intriguing synopsis and had high hopes going in. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to fully connect with the story due to the main character’s strong codependent tendencies, which made it hard for me to stay engaged from the start.
That said, the author’s writing style was a definite highlight—compelling, fluid, and easy to read. While this particular story wasn’t the right fit for me, I would absolutely be open to picking up another book by this author in the future.
I was initially drawn in by the intriguing synopsis and had high hopes going in. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to fully connect with the story due to the main character’s strong codependent tendencies, which made it hard for me to stay engaged from the start.
That said, the author’s writing style was a definite highlight—compelling, fluid, and easy to read. While this particular story wasn’t the right fit for me, I would absolutely be open to picking up another book by this author in the future.
June 22, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book! I read it in two days. It hit on so many great points about friendships and relationships. I love a good found family story, and this one added a multigenerational lens that I really liked. I also like a good starting over story because most of us don't have just one narrative and path. We rewrite ourselves and lives over time. This story has an emotional intelligence to it.
I really enjoyed this book! I read it in two days. It hit on so many great points about friendships and relationships. I love a good found family story, and this one added a multigenerational lens that I really liked. I also like a good starting over story because most of us don't have just one narrative and path. We rewrite ourselves and lives over time. This story has an emotional intelligence to it.
April 22, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ thank you so much to netgalley, kate hash, & her publisher for the ARC of this book!
from the moment i read the synopsis of this book i knew i had to read it as soon as i could get my hands on it! this was the most unique premise & i was truly cackling for the first few chapters in. the mother-in-law struggles were therapeutic!!
i absolutely ADORED the book club & it made me viscerally want to move to durham tomorrow & go find a retired book club to get invited to & go to the local farmers market! this book made me feel so cozy & the found family was utterly unmatched. this book even prompted me to have a wonderful conversation with my husband about how i plan to pick this one up again in the future as i want to be a mother-in-law who strengthens & uplifts my family, not fracture it. a mother-in-law truly does hold a lot of power where her words & actions are concerned & the effects they have on the family.
there were parts of this book about midway through that dragged a bit & some of the characters i wish would have been flushed out more, but the last fourth had me fully on the edge of my seat so my attention was drawn back fully! one more thing that i didn’t love is that her divorce is not finalized until the very end of the book. since she gets very seriously involved with dustin & then it’s thrown around that she has a husband…that just didn’t sit well with me! a personal conviction of mine is that i don’t think dating should have been happening until that was finalized as this was her issue with her husband.
all in all, i loved this and am quite devastated it’s over! i cannot wait to read this again & fully believe it should be made into a movie. i am quite the kate hash fan at this point & can’t wait to read what she creates next.
had to give a moment for this quote: “This I know for sure: Found family is worth the wait. It’s worth all of the pain you’ll go through to find them because when you do, you will finally be home.”
from the moment i read the synopsis of this book i knew i had to read it as soon as i could get my hands on it! this was the most unique premise & i was truly cackling for the first few chapters in. the mother-in-law struggles were therapeutic!!
i absolutely ADORED the book club & it made me viscerally want to move to durham tomorrow & go find a retired book club to get invited to & go to the local farmers market! this book made me feel so cozy & the found family was utterly unmatched. this book even prompted me to have a wonderful conversation with my husband about how i plan to pick this one up again in the future as i want to be a mother-in-law who strengthens & uplifts my family, not fracture it. a mother-in-law truly does hold a lot of power where her words & actions are concerned & the effects they have on the family.
there were parts of this book about midway through that dragged a bit & some of the characters i wish would have been flushed out more, but the last fourth had me fully on the edge of my seat so my attention was drawn back fully! one more thing that i didn’t love is that her divorce is not finalized until the very end of the book. since she gets very seriously involved with dustin & then it’s thrown around that she has a husband…that just didn’t sit well with me! a personal conviction of mine is that i don’t think dating should have been happening until that was finalized as this was her issue with her husband.
all in all, i loved this and am quite devastated it’s over! i cannot wait to read this again & fully believe it should be made into a movie. i am quite the kate hash fan at this point & can’t wait to read what she creates next.
had to give a moment for this quote: “This I know for sure: Found family is worth the wait. It’s worth all of the pain you’ll go through to find them because when you do, you will finally be home.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Mother-in-Law Club is the kind of book that feels like you've curled up with a cup of tea and ready conversation with friends.
The premise is charming from the start. On a flight to Durham for a consulting job, Andi—recently separated, heading toward divorce, and very grumpy—finds herself in an argument with a pair of seventy-something women about the impossible expectations placed on daughters-in-law by their husbands' mothers. One of the women is incensed and insulted. She walks away in a huff. The other woman unexpectedly extends an invitation to her book club, and Andi does something completely out of character: she says yes.
That small, impulsive decision becomes the hinge on which the whole story turns.
The book club Andi enters is made up of older women who are feisty, opinionated, a little gossipy, and deeply invested in their relationships with their adult children. They are also, as Andi quickly realizes, somewhat bewildered by the emotional language and social expectations shaping the younger generation.
Over evenings together, Andi offers perspective on emotional literacy and changing family dynamics, while the women offer something equally valuable: the wisdom of the long view. They have lived through disappointment, illness, loss, and reconciliation. They understand that family stories rarely unfold in straight lines.
What makes the novel work so well is that the exchange between generations never feels patronizing in either direction. Andi is spirited and insightful, but never condescending. The older women, in turn, are not written as caricatures of outdated thinking. Instead, they carry the kind of perspective that only comes from having lived through decades of love and loss.
I especially appreciated the way the book portrays a family of grown children who still share a real family identity. That dynamic can be surprisingly difficult to depict convincingly in fiction. Here, it feels authentic and lived-in.
Another thing the author handles beautifully is the way the women respond to Andi’s divorce. They don’t brand her as a woman with a failed marriage. They don’t rename her according to her pain. Instead, they see her as a woman in transition—a woman whose life is being rewritten in real time.
That is a subtle but powerful distinction.
Andi arrives in Durham at a moment when the scaffolding of her former life is collapsing. Her marriage and the expectations that once defined her future are all crumbling. Durham offers something unexpected: space to build again. Knowing she could return to Boston if she needed to (and even planning to) becomes its own kind of safety net, giving her the courage to explore a new life in North Carolina.
The novel touches on many themes that will feel familiar to readers navigating midlife transitions. Divorce is part of the story, but it is far from the only thread. There is career pivoting. There is relocation. There is the slow creation of found family. There is cancer survival. And woven throughout it all is the quiet hope that we might one day become the kind of mother-in-law who strengthens rather than fractures the next generation of family life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
The premise is charming from the start. On a flight to Durham for a consulting job, Andi—recently separated, heading toward divorce, and very grumpy—finds herself in an argument with a pair of seventy-something women about the impossible expectations placed on daughters-in-law by their husbands' mothers. One of the women is incensed and insulted. She walks away in a huff. The other woman unexpectedly extends an invitation to her book club, and Andi does something completely out of character: she says yes.
That small, impulsive decision becomes the hinge on which the whole story turns.
The book club Andi enters is made up of older women who are feisty, opinionated, a little gossipy, and deeply invested in their relationships with their adult children. They are also, as Andi quickly realizes, somewhat bewildered by the emotional language and social expectations shaping the younger generation.
Over evenings together, Andi offers perspective on emotional literacy and changing family dynamics, while the women offer something equally valuable: the wisdom of the long view. They have lived through disappointment, illness, loss, and reconciliation. They understand that family stories rarely unfold in straight lines.
What makes the novel work so well is that the exchange between generations never feels patronizing in either direction. Andi is spirited and insightful, but never condescending. The older women, in turn, are not written as caricatures of outdated thinking. Instead, they carry the kind of perspective that only comes from having lived through decades of love and loss.
I especially appreciated the way the book portrays a family of grown children who still share a real family identity. That dynamic can be surprisingly difficult to depict convincingly in fiction. Here, it feels authentic and lived-in.
Another thing the author handles beautifully is the way the women respond to Andi’s divorce. They don’t brand her as a woman with a failed marriage. They don’t rename her according to her pain. Instead, they see her as a woman in transition—a woman whose life is being rewritten in real time.
That is a subtle but powerful distinction.
Andi arrives in Durham at a moment when the scaffolding of her former life is collapsing. Her marriage and the expectations that once defined her future are all crumbling. Durham offers something unexpected: space to build again. Knowing she could return to Boston if she needed to (and even planning to) becomes its own kind of safety net, giving her the courage to explore a new life in North Carolina.
The novel touches on many themes that will feel familiar to readers navigating midlife transitions. Divorce is part of the story, but it is far from the only thread. There is career pivoting. There is relocation. There is the slow creation of found family. There is cancer survival. And woven throughout it all is the quiet hope that we might one day become the kind of mother-in-law who strengthens rather than fractures the next generation of family life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
WOW! I lost count of the number of times that I LAUGHED and CRIED-in the best way!
The book opens with the GREATEST “meet cute” ever! (said with a wink!)
On the plane to Raleigh/Durham NC for her next temporary assignment, Andi, a traveling consultant and soon-to-be divorcée loses her cool! Two “mothers-in-law” sitting close by are loudly complaining about how their “daughters in law” keep completely failing their blameless (eye roll) sons. A flight attendant is summoned when Andi gives them a piece of her mind! ( As a retired flight attendant-you KNOW I loved this part!)
One of the women, seventy-something Marilyn, unexpectedly tracks down Andi at baggage claim, and apologizes. Since it will be awhile before their rides can pick them up-Marilyn suggests coffee. Andi accepts which is completely out of character for her.
Surprisingly, the two hit it off and Marilyn extends one more olive branch-an invitation to her book club! And, Andi surprises herself again by saying YES.
This group of ladies are warm, feisty, gossipy, and also hopelessly CLUELESS about how to relate to their adult children, and Andi spends the first evening doling out advice to bridge the generational gap.
Getting together with the Book Club becomes the highlight of her week, Work is fulfilling, and there is even the possibility of ROMANCE.
But, then her EX shows up to complicate things.
Andi is great at her job-helping businesses decide whether to sell, merge or reorganize to be successful. But love is MESSY, and her decision making isn’t as good when it comes to matters of the heart.
Fortunately, her wise new friends will help her to find not only HERSELF, but also her PEOPLE-the found family she didn’t know she needed, until one of them sat across from her on that flight from Boston to Raleigh/Durham.
This book is for all “daughters in law” who may be frustrated and to all “mothers in law” who think that they aren’t meddlesome and that their own “daughters in law” are lucky to have them! 😉
If you enjoy ROMANCE, If you enjoy STRONG FEMALE FRIENDSHIP, if you enjoy FOUND FAMILY- this HOPEFUL, FUNNY, gem of a book is NOT TO BE MISSED! It makes my FAVORITES list for 2026!
All the stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Available October 13, 2026
Add it to your TBR TODAY!
Thank you to Dutton for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always these are my candid thoughts!
The book opens with the GREATEST “meet cute” ever! (said with a wink!)
On the plane to Raleigh/Durham NC for her next temporary assignment, Andi, a traveling consultant and soon-to-be divorcée loses her cool! Two “mothers-in-law” sitting close by are loudly complaining about how their “daughters in law” keep completely failing their blameless (eye roll) sons. A flight attendant is summoned when Andi gives them a piece of her mind! ( As a retired flight attendant-you KNOW I loved this part!)
One of the women, seventy-something Marilyn, unexpectedly tracks down Andi at baggage claim, and apologizes. Since it will be awhile before their rides can pick them up-Marilyn suggests coffee. Andi accepts which is completely out of character for her.
Surprisingly, the two hit it off and Marilyn extends one more olive branch-an invitation to her book club! And, Andi surprises herself again by saying YES.
This group of ladies are warm, feisty, gossipy, and also hopelessly CLUELESS about how to relate to their adult children, and Andi spends the first evening doling out advice to bridge the generational gap.
Getting together with the Book Club becomes the highlight of her week, Work is fulfilling, and there is even the possibility of ROMANCE.
But, then her EX shows up to complicate things.
Andi is great at her job-helping businesses decide whether to sell, merge or reorganize to be successful. But love is MESSY, and her decision making isn’t as good when it comes to matters of the heart.
Fortunately, her wise new friends will help her to find not only HERSELF, but also her PEOPLE-the found family she didn’t know she needed, until one of them sat across from her on that flight from Boston to Raleigh/Durham.
This book is for all “daughters in law” who may be frustrated and to all “mothers in law” who think that they aren’t meddlesome and that their own “daughters in law” are lucky to have them! 😉
If you enjoy ROMANCE, If you enjoy STRONG FEMALE FRIENDSHIP, if you enjoy FOUND FAMILY- this HOPEFUL, FUNNY, gem of a book is NOT TO BE MISSED! It makes my FAVORITES list for 2026!
All the stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Available October 13, 2026
Add it to your TBR TODAY!
Thank you to Dutton for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always these are my candid thoughts!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, @duttonbooks, for the #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. #duttonpartner
While traveling to her new long-term work assignment newly separated Andi gets into an argument with two mothers-in-law that will change her experience in Durham and maybe her life forever.
Ok, first off - despite the cover having a MIL and younger woman on it…it IS a romance. Now that we have that out of the way, it’s *also* a beautiful celebration of found family and friendship. As a mom of three in my mid-thirties, I have been reflecting a lot on friendships and different stages of life and have recently felt very excited to age. To make new friends as I age. And am looking forward to who I have yet to meet and will ultimately be very important to me. Kate Hash celebrates new, deep late-in-life friendships in this book in a really beautiful way through the book club. And honestly, there’s something about Kate Hash’s writing that just really works for me. There was so much that made me giggle, aw, and tear up!
Our FMC and MMC are 38 and 42 respectively so this is a very mature romance. They are communicative and adults, which I find just so refreshing. HOWEVER, I will say…I found myself wanting just a little more mess? They sometimes felt, OVERLY communicative. Andi, as a character, is extremely buttoned up and sort of perfect? Almost too perfect. It got messy at the end (which I loved), but it almost felt out of character for her. Because she is a wise and calculated professional woman. She sometimes felt…hmmmmmm arrogant? However, I really loved her relationship with the MMC and Marilyn’s family. She sort of broke out of her shell there. But in other settings, her mature nature did feel just sort of uppity to me, especially with regard to the advice she gave the mothers-in-law.
I am torn on the rating, because it made me FEEL, so I was leaning towards five stars, but I had some hang-ups with Andi and additionally, I think there could have been some editing of the ending - it wrapped up perfectly, but the author goes on this pages long exhortation about friendships, and embracing change, and adventures, and taking risks, etc….that honestly just dragged on.
🔥🔥 1-2 brief open door scenes with low-detail
While traveling to her new long-term work assignment newly separated Andi gets into an argument with two mothers-in-law that will change her experience in Durham and maybe her life forever.
Ok, first off - despite the cover having a MIL and younger woman on it…it IS a romance. Now that we have that out of the way, it’s *also* a beautiful celebration of found family and friendship. As a mom of three in my mid-thirties, I have been reflecting a lot on friendships and different stages of life and have recently felt very excited to age. To make new friends as I age. And am looking forward to who I have yet to meet and will ultimately be very important to me. Kate Hash celebrates new, deep late-in-life friendships in this book in a really beautiful way through the book club. And honestly, there’s something about Kate Hash’s writing that just really works for me. There was so much that made me giggle, aw, and tear up!
Our FMC and MMC are 38 and 42 respectively so this is a very mature romance. They are communicative and adults, which I find just so refreshing. HOWEVER, I will say…I found myself wanting just a little more mess? They sometimes felt, OVERLY communicative. Andi, as a character, is extremely buttoned up and sort of perfect? Almost too perfect. It got messy at the end (which I loved), but it almost felt out of character for her. Because she is a wise and calculated professional woman. She sometimes felt…hmmmmmm arrogant? However, I really loved her relationship with the MMC and Marilyn’s family. She sort of broke out of her shell there. But in other settings, her mature nature did feel just sort of uppity to me, especially with regard to the advice she gave the mothers-in-law.
I am torn on the rating, because it made me FEEL, so I was leaning towards five stars, but I had some hang-ups with Andi and additionally, I think there could have been some editing of the ending - it wrapped up perfectly, but the author goes on this pages long exhortation about friendships, and embracing change, and adventures, and taking risks, etc….that honestly just dragged on.
🔥🔥 1-2 brief open door scenes with low-detail
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Dutton Publishing, and the author for an advance digital copy of this book, and for the opportunity to be one of the first to review it.
If you are looking for a book that will make you smile and also make you rethink your relationship with your mother in law, then this one is for you. This was such a sweet story, and in a genre laden with books that seem to have the same plot over and over again, the premise for this one was refreshing and unique. This is the first time I’ve read a romance novel where the improbable meet cute happens not with the its love interests, but with a collection of septuagenarians whose book club becomes a place where the FMC’s life will be forever changed.
I loved the intergenerational dynamic in this book. Not only does the FMC get advice from the women of the book club, but she also gives advice, and watching both generations gain a new perspective and grow in their understanding of one another was intriguing to watch. Each one of this eclectic group of women was entertaining in their own right, but when you put them together, it kept me thoroughly amused wondering what lessons they would learn from each other next.
Although it was the friendship dynamic between the FMC and the book club women that drew me in first, there also was a sweet and heartwarming romance mixed in there as well. The chemistry between the FMC and MMC felt genuine, and watching them navigate complicated situations together had me devouring this novel. I became so engrossed in their journey, that I ended up finishing this book in one sitting! My only negative critique was that the third act conflict seemed a bit out of character for the FMC, but it resolved quickly enough that it didn’t dampen the whole reading experience for me.
Overall, this was an engaging story about self-discovery, navigating the challenges of life, and finding support in the most unlikely of places. Add this to your TBR if you enjoy a low spice romance that explores life after divorce, complex family dynamics, and the beauty of enduring friendship.
If you are looking for a book that will make you smile and also make you rethink your relationship with your mother in law, then this one is for you. This was such a sweet story, and in a genre laden with books that seem to have the same plot over and over again, the premise for this one was refreshing and unique. This is the first time I’ve read a romance novel where the improbable meet cute happens not with the its love interests, but with a collection of septuagenarians whose book club becomes a place where the FMC’s life will be forever changed.
I loved the intergenerational dynamic in this book. Not only does the FMC get advice from the women of the book club, but she also gives advice, and watching both generations gain a new perspective and grow in their understanding of one another was intriguing to watch. Each one of this eclectic group of women was entertaining in their own right, but when you put them together, it kept me thoroughly amused wondering what lessons they would learn from each other next.
Although it was the friendship dynamic between the FMC and the book club women that drew me in first, there also was a sweet and heartwarming romance mixed in there as well. The chemistry between the FMC and MMC felt genuine, and watching them navigate complicated situations together had me devouring this novel. I became so engrossed in their journey, that I ended up finishing this book in one sitting! My only negative critique was that the third act conflict seemed a bit out of character for the FMC, but it resolved quickly enough that it didn’t dampen the whole reading experience for me.
Overall, this was an engaging story about self-discovery, navigating the challenges of life, and finding support in the most unlikely of places. Add this to your TBR if you enjoy a low spice romance that explores life after divorce, complex family dynamics, and the beauty of enduring friendship.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Mother-in-Law Book Club by Kate Hash (Oct. 2026) [reading in June]
384-page Kindle Ebook
295-page ADC courtesy of Dutton and NetGalley
Genre: Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Comedy
Rating as a movie: R
Featuring: Almost Divorcée, Bostonian, Durham, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; Raleigh,North Carolina; Flight, Family Dynamics, Mobile Career, August, Business Consultant, Book Club, Generation Gap, Work Assignment, Infidelity, Tricenarian, Sex, Friendships, Interpersonal Relationships, Family Dynamics, Secrets, Autumn, Halloween, Christmas, Self-Actualization
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💔💺🛬📚🥃🍷
My thoughts: Andrea/Andi is a Bostonian tricenarian on a four-month work assignment who finds herself joining a book club where she consults senior mothers-in-law on how to navigate relationships with their adult children. The Mother-in-Law Book Club is half women's fiction, half romance, and all comedy. I didn't want to put this one down.
After this story was over, I immediately looked up other books by Katie Hash and I only found one, as this is her sophomore novel. I didn't add Gracie Harris Is Under Construction to my TBR; I completely skipped that step and downloaded it. It is now chilling in my Kindle library waiting for me to read. Even though I already have a nice stack of books to read this week, that's how awesome this story was.
Recommend to others: Yes! I think I'm out of spots for hosting book club this year, so this will be going on the calendar for next year.
Songs for the soundtrack: "Me, Myself And I" by Beyoncé, "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" by Beyoncé
Books and Authors mentioned: Father of the Bride by Edward Streeter, Nora Ephron, Fight Club by Jim Uhls [based on] Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk; Fifty Shades Of Grey by E. L. James, Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling; The Indiana Jones Series by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Agatha Christie
384-page Kindle Ebook
295-page ADC courtesy of Dutton and NetGalley
Genre: Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Comedy
Rating as a movie: R
Featuring: Almost Divorcée, Bostonian, Durham, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; Raleigh,North Carolina; Flight, Family Dynamics, Mobile Career, August, Business Consultant, Book Club, Generation Gap, Work Assignment, Infidelity, Tricenarian, Sex, Friendships, Interpersonal Relationships, Family Dynamics, Secrets, Autumn, Halloween, Christmas, Self-Actualization
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💔💺🛬📚🥃🍷
My thoughts: Andrea/Andi is a Bostonian tricenarian on a four-month work assignment who finds herself joining a book club where she consults senior mothers-in-law on how to navigate relationships with their adult children. The Mother-in-Law Book Club is half women's fiction, half romance, and all comedy. I didn't want to put this one down.
After this story was over, I immediately looked up other books by Katie Hash and I only found one, as this is her sophomore novel. I didn't add Gracie Harris Is Under Construction to my TBR; I completely skipped that step and downloaded it. It is now chilling in my Kindle library waiting for me to read. Even though I already have a nice stack of books to read this week, that's how awesome this story was.
Recommend to others: Yes! I think I'm out of spots for hosting book club this year, so this will be going on the calendar for next year.
Songs for the soundtrack: "Me, Myself And I" by Beyoncé, "Irreplaceable" by Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" by Beyoncé
Books and Authors mentioned: Father of the Bride by Edward Streeter, Nora Ephron, Fight Club by Jim Uhls [based on] Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk; Fifty Shades Of Grey by E. L. James, Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling; The Indiana Jones Series by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Agatha Christie
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW BOOK CLUB was a delight from start to finish. It looked like it was going to be a Backman-ian intergenerational story of friendship and community, and it certainly is. But there is also a layer of sweet, sweet mostly closed-door romance that added the cherry to the old fashioned. (Hey, give me a choice between ice cream and bourbon, I'm going to go brown every time!) Andi is going through a divorce from her Dr. McCheatingjerk, soon-to-be ex and one bright spot in her miasma of failure is that she will never have to deal with her cold and judgey in-laws again. Unfortunately, she ends up sitting across the aisle from two ladies-of-a-certain-age who are bonding over talking trash about their own adult children's spouses. Andi can't hold back and lets them have it from the perspective of someone used to forced proximity to people who just don't approve of her. She feels badly about it afterwards, but also, they're strangers who she will never see again.
Until Marilyn comes up to her at the baggage claim and apologizes and asks for advice. And that's how she gets invited to book club. Marilyn's friends are all excited to get the skinny on the younger generation from someone who doesn't have a dog in the hunt of their family dynamics and a community is born! Andi is staying in Durham for work (she's REALLY good at her job) and is chuffed to make some friends, even if they are all 30 years older than her. Factor in a cute tour guide and a bit of work drama and it is pure delight. And you know Chekov's dirty ex is going to show up in the final bit do very rewarding results. This book was a little slice of heaven and I can't wait to see the Netflix series eventually.
Until Marilyn comes up to her at the baggage claim and apologizes and asks for advice. And that's how she gets invited to book club. Marilyn's friends are all excited to get the skinny on the younger generation from someone who doesn't have a dog in the hunt of their family dynamics and a community is born! Andi is staying in Durham for work (she's REALLY good at her job) and is chuffed to make some friends, even if they are all 30 years older than her. Factor in a cute tour guide and a bit of work drama and it is pure delight. And you know Chekov's dirty ex is going to show up in the final bit do very rewarding results. This book was a little slice of heaven and I can't wait to see the Netflix series eventually.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In my own reading journey, I've been desperately seeking a book like this. I've been reading, but just haven't found something that had the emotion and depth I've so been craving. And then I read The Mother-in-Law Book Club. This is my second by the author (the first was Gracie Harris is Under Construction - I adored that!), and I had high hopes for what awaited me in the pages. The story begins with Andi on a plane for a consulting gig, Navigating a divorce, she decides to confront a woman who's complaining about her daughter-in-law. That conversation goes in unexpected directions, and Andi is invited to her book club. My love for the story blossomed from there. I loved that it was a cross-generational book club. I have found such joy in friendships like this, and it was so wonderful they were central to the story. There is also some romance, and there is such a good evolution of that component, as Andi and Dustin are both working through things. But then, the story takes some unexpected turns, particularly in the last third. It was a book I didn't want to end because I loved how human they were, but also couldn't stop reading because I needed to know how it was going to play out. I could rave on about this one, and I just may for the next five months as it's not out until October! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early look at this wonderful October 2026 release!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Andi takes long-term consultant jobs all over the country. On the brink of a divorce, she's flying from Boston to Durham, North Carolina. Getting into a heated discussion with an older woman about how to talk to adult children and then meeting again at the luggage carousel, Andi is invited to join the woman's book club. She says yes, surprising herself, and then she actually shows up at the woman's house for the book club. This is not a book club as many of us have belonged to, or envisioned. These ladies are feisty, spirited, independent thinkers, all of them puzzled by how to deal with their adult children. Andi gives advice.
Along the way, Andi meets a professor and they fall in lust. Turns out the professor is actually the son of the woman who hosts the book club group. Oops! Andi and her professor keep their relationship secret.
The story almost felt like it was written to be two different books. The first part, with the adult women's book club, then the second half which involved some hot sex. Andi makes an almost 180 degree turnabout, from being a loner, prim and proper, to hanging loose with her fella. Of course, her ex has to show up at some point, and Andi has to return to Boston, waiting for her next assignment. So where does her new relationship go? And what are the implications for Andi's future life?
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dutton, in exchange for a review.
Along the way, Andi meets a professor and they fall in lust. Turns out the professor is actually the son of the woman who hosts the book club group. Oops! Andi and her professor keep their relationship secret.
The story almost felt like it was written to be two different books. The first part, with the adult women's book club, then the second half which involved some hot sex. Andi makes an almost 180 degree turnabout, from being a loner, prim and proper, to hanging loose with her fella. Of course, her ex has to show up at some point, and Andi has to return to Boston, waiting for her next assignment. So where does her new relationship go? And what are the implications for Andi's future life?
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dutton, in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Blazed through this in a day! Such an uplifting novel with beautiful intergenerational friendships and a woman’s chance to start over in life. I loved the meet-cute between Andi (a career woman on the cusp of divorce) and Marilyn (a retiree loudly complaining on an airplane about her daughter-in-law). They quickly strike up a surprising friendship that leads Andi to bond with a whole group of seventysomething ladies and join their book club.
This novel offers fairly equal page time to the women’s friendships and to Andi’s burgeoning love life. The professor she takes up with is content to allow their romance to be restricted to her brief four-month stay in Durham. However, the closer they become, the harder it becomes to imagine the expiration date of their relationship. Not only that, but all of Andi’s relationships are entangled in ways that will ensure her departure will be more painful than any she’s ever faced.
Featuring a somewhat-closed-door romance and heartwarming relationships with found family and love interests, I really enjoyed this book about reinvention in the second act (and even in the third act) of life! Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!
This novel offers fairly equal page time to the women’s friendships and to Andi’s burgeoning love life. The professor she takes up with is content to allow their romance to be restricted to her brief four-month stay in Durham. However, the closer they become, the harder it becomes to imagine the expiration date of their relationship. Not only that, but all of Andi’s relationships are entangled in ways that will ensure her departure will be more painful than any she’s ever faced.
Featuring a somewhat-closed-door romance and heartwarming relationships with found family and love interests, I really enjoyed this book about reinvention in the second act (and even in the third act) of life! Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
what i thought i was getting: a contemporary tale about finding yourself & making friends in unexpected ways
what i actually got: a contemporary romance
look, if i wanted to read a romance, i would have read a romance. this felt like a bait & switch, and that is why i am unhappy. if this had been advertised correctly, i would have liked it a lot more, but since i kept expecting the central plot to be about Andi & her Boomer Book Club, i got really annoyed with the romance that kept popping up. Kate Hash also did not do a good job showing Andi's daily work life. yes, you see her make friends, & everyone says how good she is at her job, but that's a whole lot of telling & not a lot of showing.
basically, the first third of the book was what i expected, then it dragged in the middle, & at the end, it took forever to wrap up. it got way too cheesy, & i found myself counting down the pages til the end.
again, IF THIS HAD BEEN CORRECTLY ADVERTISED, i would have liked it better. the title, the blurb, and the cover make it seem like a completely different book.
2.5⭐️, rounded down
Thank you to NetGalley & Dutton for the ARC.
what i actually got: a contemporary romance
look, if i wanted to read a romance, i would have read a romance. this felt like a bait & switch, and that is why i am unhappy. if this had been advertised correctly, i would have liked it a lot more, but since i kept expecting the central plot to be about Andi & her Boomer Book Club, i got really annoyed with the romance that kept popping up. Kate Hash also did not do a good job showing Andi's daily work life. yes, you see her make friends, & everyone says how good she is at her job, but that's a whole lot of telling & not a lot of showing.
basically, the first third of the book was what i expected, then it dragged in the middle, & at the end, it took forever to wrap up. it got way too cheesy, & i found myself counting down the pages til the end.
again, IF THIS HAD BEEN CORRECTLY ADVERTISED, i would have liked it better. the title, the blurb, and the cover make it seem like a completely different book.
2.5⭐️, rounded down
Thank you to NetGalley & Dutton for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What makes the book so good is that older ladies are not portrayed as ancient relics, and the generational discourse never comes off as patronizing. I liked how book club members were friendly and supportive and willing to learn from each other.
A few of the numerous themes include finding your people, adjusting to midlife changes, divorce, surviving illness, and discovering who your true self is. I was drawn to the hope that readers might eventually become the kind of mother-in-law who uplifts, supports family, and is willing to love one another unconditionally.
Note to Reader: About my reviews. I don't typically read books with a lot of profanity, drunkenness, and spice, as you can see from my previous reviews. But I was instantly hooked to this story, the characters, and their situation. There was some language, but I didn't notice because I couldn’t put this novel down. I’ll use a movie rating scale and give this a PG rating. PG for language, alcohol use, and a little spice.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com
A few of the numerous themes include finding your people, adjusting to midlife changes, divorce, surviving illness, and discovering who your true self is. I was drawn to the hope that readers might eventually become the kind of mother-in-law who uplifts, supports family, and is willing to love one another unconditionally.
Note to Reader: About my reviews. I don't typically read books with a lot of profanity, drunkenness, and spice, as you can see from my previous reviews. But I was instantly hooked to this story, the characters, and their situation. There was some language, but I didn't notice because I couldn’t put this novel down. I’ll use a movie rating scale and give this a PG rating. PG for language, alcohol use, and a little spice.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Mother In Law Book Club was one I looked forward to diving into for sometime. The first third of the book was just as I hoped: An entertaining meet cute between the FMC and the 70something stranger that becomes her friend.
I loved how Andi immersed herself into the book club friend group.
The middle was a corny romance start up that drug out and was quite boring.
Overall, the book was a tiny bit disappointing. Even with a nicely wrapped up ending.
Andi was a bit too on the nose of a character in the first 3/4 of the book. Annoyingly so. She is a smart, successful woman that magically has time for this book club, time to hang with each member individually, secretly date a man, work full time in a new city and is always prepared and has the exact right thing to say always. Ugh
Then the last chapters, the book switched on a dime and Andi didn’t know her own ass from right & wrong? It was such a drastic character switch that made me not buy into the plot at this point.
Glad I finished it, but low on my list for sure.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved how Andi immersed herself into the book club friend group.
The middle was a corny romance start up that drug out and was quite boring.
Overall, the book was a tiny bit disappointing. Even with a nicely wrapped up ending.
Andi was a bit too on the nose of a character in the first 3/4 of the book. Annoyingly so. She is a smart, successful woman that magically has time for this book club, time to hang with each member individually, secretly date a man, work full time in a new city and is always prepared and has the exact right thing to say always. Ugh
Then the last chapters, the book switched on a dime and Andi didn’t know her own ass from right & wrong? It was such a drastic character switch that made me not buy into the plot at this point.
Glad I finished it, but low on my list for sure.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NegGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Everything about The Mother-in-Law Book Club’s blurb called to me, least not the adorable cover art. I could totally see myself as our narrator, Andi on that airplane trying to keep her opinions to herself, but my own MIL horror stories not stoping me from giving my unwarranted two cents. Andi being lucky with Marilyn gets invited to her book club meetings, which Marilyn thinks Andi will be a hit at. Andi is just on the tail end of her divorce and takes a temporary job in a new city to get away to heal. Andi’s soon to be Ex isn’t in the story much, and at least not until the end, which is helpful because he’s a tool who cheated on her. I really loved the retired ladies who befriend Andi and make her feel seen. Especially because of their age/generation difference and the comic relief this lends to the story. There is a new romance for Andi, and a feeling of found family I loved being a part of with this group. Was low in angst, but still had deep feelings Andi grasps to deal with and heal from.
Everything about The Mother-in-Law Book Club’s blurb called to me, least not the adorable cover art. I could totally see myself as our narrator, Andi on that airplane trying to keep her opinions to herself, but my own MIL horror stories not stoping me from giving my unwarranted two cents. Andi being lucky with Marilyn gets invited to her book club meetings, which Marilyn thinks Andi will be a hit at. Andi is just on the tail end of her divorce and takes a temporary job in a new city to get away to heal. Andi’s soon to be Ex isn’t in the story much, and at least not until the end, which is helpful because he’s a tool who cheated on her. I really loved the retired ladies who befriend Andi and make her feel seen. Especially because of their age/generation difference and the comic relief this lends to the story. There is a new romance for Andi, and a feeling of found family I loved being a part of with this group. Was low in angst, but still had deep feelings Andi grasps to deal with and heal from.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A balm to the soul of anyone who has had a difficult mom-in-law relationship and wished there was some way you could figure out how to see eye-to-eye. The mom-in-laws in this book start out outrageously but then are able to listen to reason and become normal people with great daughter-in-law relationships. The romance is also on point. I found this to be a real page turner. I only have one tiny nitpick: the children are present yet absent in a way that is very strange. Technically, the daughter in law's children are present at every family gathering. But we hear nothing about them. There are no child disruptions. No child hijinks. We're forced to assume that they are so well behaved that the book just forgets about them for the entire narrative until it's time to casually mention putting them to bed, etc. I wanted this to be a single-sitting read, but life got in the way. I'll be very interested to see what this author is writing next.
April 23, 2026
3.5 stars
The Mother-In-Law Book Club
By: Kate Hash
Thank you so much to Dutton publishing and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. I wasn't sure exactly where this book was going based on the title, but I enjoyed it more than anticipated! I loved the first half and felt like the perspectives of the characters were really valuable. I enjoyed the romance aspect as well. By the second half, I felt like the plot and main character started to drag a bit for me. I wish the focus was more on the new romance rather than the ex-husband and I felt like the fmc made some uncharacteristically terrible decisions while the mmc was just a bit disappointing. The ending felt like a lot of prose saying the same thing repeatedly, while I wish it was more plot driven at that point. Overall, I enjoyed this and definitely think it is worth a read, especially for anyone who is a DIL/MIL!
The Mother-In-Law Book Club
By: Kate Hash
Thank you so much to Dutton publishing and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. I wasn't sure exactly where this book was going based on the title, but I enjoyed it more than anticipated! I loved the first half and felt like the perspectives of the characters were really valuable. I enjoyed the romance aspect as well. By the second half, I felt like the plot and main character started to drag a bit for me. I wish the focus was more on the new romance rather than the ex-husband and I felt like the fmc made some uncharacteristically terrible decisions while the mmc was just a bit disappointing. The ending felt like a lot of prose saying the same thing repeatedly, while I wish it was more plot driven at that point. Overall, I enjoyed this and definitely think it is worth a read, especially for anyone who is a DIL/MIL!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Andi loves her fast-paced job as a consultant who works with companies trying to decide whether to sell or pass the reins to a family member. She spends a lot of time on planes and in airports, never settling too long in any one place. This suits her fine, as she’s running from an impending divorce and wants no strings to any place or any person.
This all changes when she overhears a very loud conversation between two older women on a plane carrying her to her latest assignment in Durham. Both women are very loudly comparing notes on their daughters-in-law, and their lack of understanding their perfect husbands (the women’s sons). Getting on her last nerve, Andi tries unsuccessfully to hold her tongue, but she lashes out at the women while still on the plane. After landing, she’s hurrying to luggage retrieval as she’s embarrassed that she couldn’t control her temper. But one of the women catches up with her, and offers Andi a ride, as well as an invitation to her book club, comprised of women in their 60’s and up. For reasons that she really doesn’t understand, Andi accepts.
As Andi listens to the women and their stories of challenges with their children and in-laws, she’s able to bring to the table a different perspective, and how they might approach their issues differently. Andi gains from them acceptance and perspective on her life from women who have lived through something similar in their lives. And as she spends time with these women, she realizes that they have more in common than she would have thought. And maybe there is a reason to quite running, when she meets a certain professor who is related to one of the women.
I really enjoyed this book - the first I’ve read from this author, but I look forward to reading more! Thanks to the author for sharing an ARC with our book club! Pub date 10/13/26 - add this to your TBR!
This all changes when she overhears a very loud conversation between two older women on a plane carrying her to her latest assignment in Durham. Both women are very loudly comparing notes on their daughters-in-law, and their lack of understanding their perfect husbands (the women’s sons). Getting on her last nerve, Andi tries unsuccessfully to hold her tongue, but she lashes out at the women while still on the plane. After landing, she’s hurrying to luggage retrieval as she’s embarrassed that she couldn’t control her temper. But one of the women catches up with her, and offers Andi a ride, as well as an invitation to her book club, comprised of women in their 60’s and up. For reasons that she really doesn’t understand, Andi accepts.
As Andi listens to the women and their stories of challenges with their children and in-laws, she’s able to bring to the table a different perspective, and how they might approach their issues differently. Andi gains from them acceptance and perspective on her life from women who have lived through something similar in their lives. And as she spends time with these women, she realizes that they have more in common than she would have thought. And maybe there is a reason to quite running, when she meets a certain professor who is related to one of the women.
I really enjoyed this book - the first I’ve read from this author, but I look forward to reading more! Thanks to the author for sharing an ARC with our book club! Pub date 10/13/26 - add this to your TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved this book so much !!
Andrea (Andi) is in the middle of a divorce and just wants sometime to think.
As she’s on a plane to her next destination for her new job assignment, she over hears some Older Ladies taking badly about their waiter in laws . Andi is sick of the toxic Mother In Law vs Daughter in law dynamic , and she must speak up .
She had no clue that giving these women who were so loudly complaining about their daughter in laws / adult children , a piece of her mind would introduce her to whole new world !
📖 Found Family
📖New Found Friendships
❤️Romance
💔Divorce
❤️Self Discovery
Thank you so much @netgalley for this arc! I truly enjoyed this book ! This is the type of book that makes you feel all warm and cozy !❤️
Andrea (Andi) is in the middle of a divorce and just wants sometime to think.
As she’s on a plane to her next destination for her new job assignment, she over hears some Older Ladies taking badly about their waiter in laws . Andi is sick of the toxic Mother In Law vs Daughter in law dynamic , and she must speak up .
She had no clue that giving these women who were so loudly complaining about their daughter in laws / adult children , a piece of her mind would introduce her to whole new world !
📖 Found Family
📖New Found Friendships
❤️Romance
💔Divorce
❤️Self Discovery
Thank you so much @netgalley for this arc! I truly enjoyed this book ! This is the type of book that makes you feel all warm and cozy !❤️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley for this ARC!
This book was cute and cozy and an overall fun read.
There was plenty of humor and heartfelt moments that anyone with a mother-in-law would find entertaining. The banter between the main character Andi and the retired "mother-in-law" book club members was by far the best part!
Although there were parts that may have dragged, or character personalities (mainly some of the book club members) that could have been developed further, the author was able to bring my attention back with the small twists and turns that came in the second half of the novel.
I imagine this novel being turned into a fun holiday movie with a cast of classic and funny mature actresses, giving a very ROM-COM "Book Club" or "Otherhood" vibes!
This book was cute and cozy and an overall fun read.
There was plenty of humor and heartfelt moments that anyone with a mother-in-law would find entertaining. The banter between the main character Andi and the retired "mother-in-law" book club members was by far the best part!
Although there were parts that may have dragged, or character personalities (mainly some of the book club members) that could have been developed further, the author was able to bring my attention back with the small twists and turns that came in the second half of the novel.
I imagine this novel being turned into a fun holiday movie with a cast of classic and funny mature actresses, giving a very ROM-COM "Book Club" or "Otherhood" vibes!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I truly think this book is mistitled. Yes, mothers-in-law do figure into the story, but they are not the main focus. This story is about a woman who is set in her ways and sees a life of being single. She gets involved in a book club with senior ladies while in town on a temporary assignment. She does a lot of soul searching and realizes that she almost made the biggest mistake of her life. The characters are likable and easily relatable. The book is not one that you may compelled to stay up all night to finish, but it does draw the reader in. You soon discover you can't stop reading it because there is not any over-the-top action. but you want to find out how it all ends.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An easy to read book that is less plot driven and more about relationships. Andi, on a flight to temporarily relocate from Boston to Durham, NC overhears 2 fellow passengers discuss at great lengths their disappointment with their daughters in law. Finally Andi can not listen any longer and confronts the women’s unfair assumptions about their sons and daughter in laws. Andi quickly becomes involved with a weekly book club of mother in laws and seems to give lots of advice on generational relationships. As a mother in law myself the advice got a little old. The plot was fairly predictable and the ending as well. I did enjoy the book and it was a fast read. Possibly a good pick for the pool this summer.
June 22, 2026
This book made me want to pack up my life, move to Durham, and immediately find a group of fabulous retired women to adopt me into their book club. This is such a warm, cozy story about found family, second chances, friendship, and figuring out who you are when life doesn’t go according to plan. The book club ladies completely stole the show for me, and I loved watching Andi build a life that felt truly her own.
There were a few spots in the middle that dragged a little, and I would have loved more time with some of the side characters, but the heart of this story more than made up for it. It’s charming, heartfelt, and left me with all the cozy small town feelings. This was such a fun concept and overall I really enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the ARC!
There were a few spots in the middle that dragged a little, and I would have loved more time with some of the side characters, but the heart of this story more than made up for it. It’s charming, heartfelt, and left me with all the cozy small town feelings. This was such a fun concept and overall I really enjoyed!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was lovely. We have a mature FMC and a group of boomer women that end up befriending her. Despite the hook of Andi being there to set the women straight on their views about their children’s spouses and life choices, the older group of women aren’t cliches and they give Andi just as much as she gives them. There’s a romantic relationship in the story (and it’s cute!), but I got so much more from the friendships - between Andi and the older women, the history of the group, and the work friendship that develops with Andi and a co-worker. Her job was another interesting layer to the book. Overall this was very sweet with friendship at its core.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really delightful read! It was fun(ny), heartfelt, and engaging. I loved the characters - there seems to be a trend toward multi-generational friendship stories lately, and I think it's a lovely one, reminding us that Our People come in all ages, shapes and sizes and that we often find them when we least expect to. The romance was sweet without being saccharine, which I particularly enjoyed because romance as a genre is not typically my thing. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and felt like the ending left some things open-ended enough for a sequel - and I would be very happy to see one, as this was a world I'd happily revisit!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really fun read and I enjoyed the story for the most part. The third act breakup had me wanting to throw my kindle across the room and I was so mad. I really loved the mother in law book club idea and thought the ladies were receptive to hearing alternate viewpoints than they are used to hearing. I really like how Andi found her own little family within the MIL group and loved the friendships. The romance between Andi and Dustin was so cute and I really like them together. On the whole this was a heartwarming and engaging book and the characters felt real and relatable. I'll definitely be recommending this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved the premise of this book--two women from different generations clashing, trading witty barbs, becoming friends, and learning from each other; and The Mother-in-Law Book Club delivered on this part--but then it became a barely believable love triangle. Andi was such a go-getter, giving everyone solid advice, but she turned into a dish rag about the romance. And this is just a me thing, but I struggle to love a book whenever single character is so well off. It's so far from what America is like today. Overall, this was a fairly enjoyable bit of escapism, and I would try another book from the author.
Thanks to NetGalley, Dutton, and Kate Hash for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, Dutton, and Kate Hash for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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