I hadn’t really spent much time reading for months, but recently, I swapped my workout routine and hours spent on YouTube for some quality reading time. One of the two fiction books I devoured over the weekend was “We All Live Here” by Jojo Moyes.
Honestly, I can be pretty impatient, so diving into Jojo Moyes’ books is sometimes a bit of a challenge for me. She takes her time to build her characters, often starting off with some heavy themes that can feel pretty sad. There were moments when I struggled to process all the emotional turmoil the characters were going through, and I almost gave up. The “Me Before You” series, however, stands out as an exception to this.
If I can get through about a quarter of her books, I usually start to connect with the story and my interest kicks in. That’s when I really pick up the pace with my reading.
With “We All Live Here,” I found myself getting frustrated—just like the main character, Lila. Life can be so complicated and uncertain, and when I read, I want to find joy, humour, and some wisdom. I prefer not to immerse myself in the deep troubles faced by the characters.
Did some parts of the story feel familiar? For sure! Certain scenes reminded me of shows like Desperate Housewives, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, or even Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. But this story of “We all Live Here” is more grounded and focuses on everyday life rather than big drama.
In the end, while the story concludes on a positive note, I felt that Jojo Moyes could have invested more chapters in exploring the characters’ development of their affections for one another. The transition from a troubled beginning to a happy ending felt somewhat rushed and lacked the depth needed to truly resonate with readers. This shift didn’t quite capture the emotional journey that could have made the resolution more impactful and heartfelt.
experience today 