London, 1980s. Though she has a comfortable, privileged life, Eva Martínez-Green is deeply unhappy. The only child of an emotionally absent mother and a physically absent father, Eva has grown up in a cold, unloving house. But Eva is convinced that all is not as it seems. Why are there no baby pictures of her? Why do her parents avoid all questions about her early years? When her parents' relationship crumbles, Eva begins a journey to find these answers for herself. Her desire to discover where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning decades and continents - and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, and who will change her life forever... Its been at least a year since a book left me in tears but here we are. All My Mothers is a life story. It’s a brilliant and heartfelt exploration of motherhood, grief, friendship and the importance of platonic love. Once again, most of the reading group very much enjoyed this book, and there were hardly any negative criticisms. We liked the writing style, and the clever way in which the accounts of the different mothers were teased out. It was interesting for the reader to match up the real-life mothers with the rainbow-book mothers of different colours and characteristics. On the day that Eva Martínez-Green started school at St Hilda’s in London, two important things happened: first she met Bridget Blume; and secondly she was introduced to a book called ‘The Rainbow Rained Us’. Bridget becomes Eva’s friend, and the book has such a profound impact on Eva, that she asks her father to buy her a copy. Ms Feast, the class teacher, reads the book to the school. And from the story Eva realises that there are many different types of mothers. But somehow, Eva and her mother do not match. There are gaps in Eva’s life and questioning her parents does not help fill in these gaps. Eva wonders where she belongs.

Eva is aware from a young age that her family life is not as it should be. There is just her, her emotionally distant mother and her partially absent father. No siblings, no pets, just the three of them. But why are there no baby photos of Eva? And why is her mother so reluctant to remember Eva as a baby? This is a quest Eva is determined to get to the bottom of. Eva’s search to find her “real mother” based on one photograph takes her to Córdoba in Spain. What a beautiful place!! The authors descriptions of Eva’s surroundings were perfect and have me longing to visit.

Joanna Glen Press Reviews

This book, this book is immense. We are following the story of Eva, from her first memories as a four year starting school and making a best friend, all the way through to adulthood. We see her at her best and her worst, at her highs and lows. This book doesn't pull it's punches.

All My Mothers offers an insightful look into how one's sense of home can be shaped by multiple experiences. Had me absolutely sobbing - a beautiful, beautiful book' JO BROWNING WROE, bestselling author of A TERRIBLE KINDNESS Overall, it is a story about a girl whose “mother” felt like a phantom and an intruder. All her life, Eva has never truly felt connected to her mother, neither emotionally nor physically. This is why she clings to a color schemes which sorts all kinds of mothers into distinct colors to describe their personality and qualities of how a true mother should act and behave. For her, it is a way to cope with the neglect and detachment of her parents. Throughout the story, she encounters various types of mothers who act as a role model and dramatically shape her one way or the other. The creation of Eva’s life experiences is staggeringly skilful drawing you in to every heartbeat and every facet of an increasing set of real-people-characters – and, too, the different locations as England moves to Cordoba which Eva learns is her place of birth. In The Other Half of Augusta Hope the author didn’t quite avoid a slightly less than satisfying fairy tale element towards the end. All My Mothers moves in that direction but she manages to create a fabulous ending planted firmly enough in real life to work. There’s plenty of painful tragedy to cry over which will resonate with many listeners, but it never dominates. What you’re left with is an exhilarating, uplifting story where love isn’t found where it is sought, or the kind which was long yearned for, but which is found in abundance in all kinds of unexpected places and forms.It’s a wonderful, wonderful story which follows Eva from birth to middle age so that at the end you feel as though she had been your best friend since childhood. Little Eva (pronounced ‘ever’) always knew her cool, tense mother wasn’t her real mother . Why is there no baby photo for her to take into school like all the other children? Her Spanish father is no help (apart from reading her Peter Pan), disappearing and suddenly re-appearing one Christmas as Father Christmas to stay just a few hours and then disappear again for good. At school she bonds with a best friend, Bridget ,and Bridget’s perfect loving mummy - and Bridget’s brother whose love she is destined to crave. Eva and Bridget swear to love each other for ‘eva’ and ‘eva’, and so they do over the decades weathering so much I can’t say without spoiling the story but including separation, tragedies and Eva’s ‘perfect’ boyfriend and his apparently perfect (but oh so not) family. For as long as she can remember, Eva has been sure that her mother is not really her mother. As she starts a life long quest to find the truth, she encounters women throughout her life who make her question the role of a mother, and the relationship she has with her own. After reading ‘The Other Half of Augusta Hope’, I was so excited to read ‘All My Mothers’. And I was not disappointed. Joanna Glen is rapidly becoming an auto-buy author for me - and this book is full of the same heart as Augusta Hope.

This is the story of Eva Martínez-Green, from the day she began school, and for the next 30 years of her life. It's a story about mothers - for anyone who has been a mother, has had a mother, wants to be a mother, or even just knows a mother. It's a totally immersive story, at times painful and at others joyful, that had me ugly-crying for the last two chapters. I loved it.

This book was recommended to me by a very good friend of mine and I have to admit I had my prejudices. A novel about various types of mothers? A coming-of-age story about an ordinary Spanish woman? Normally, not my cup of tea. However, this book is painfully beautiful and incomprehensibly undervalued. Let me tell you why⬇️ Between her emotionally absent mother and her physically absent father, there is nobody to answer them. Eva is convinced that all is not as it seems. Why are there no baby pictures of her? Why do her parents avoid all questions about her early years?

The plotline of this story is like any dual timeline historical fiction, which focuses on the secrets of the past and how it moulds the future. Two things differentiate this book from fitting that mould more appropriately. The first is that it is not a dual timeline story (I used that description because it gives off that ambience for some reason). The second is how the characters are described and how they fill out their roles and advance the story. We follow Eva as she makes a life long friend in Bridget Blume and her lovely family – particularly Bridget’s mother who feels like a really lifeline to Eva. Their relationship grows and changes and there are some really heartbreaking moments throughout this novel. Eva continues to search for her ‘real’ mother, and this leads her to time abroad in Córdoba during university where the setting of the book becomes even more atmospheric!

Featured Reviews

The vivid imagery in All My Mothers adds another layer of depth to the storyline, making it a truly captivating read. One of those rarest of books: so beautiful I almost couldn’t bear it, and so moving I was reading through tears’ STACEY HALLS All My Mothers is a touching story about family, self discovery and friendship which manages to strike just the right balance between sweet and sad. Wow 👏🏻 what an incredible book this is!! I just wish I hadn’t left it so long to read. It was a brilliant book. From there, we follow her story of Eva's family. Of families that are created, those that you find, and those that walk into your world unexpectedly. How some people shape you irrevocably, leaving their mark long after they're no longer in your life.