Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and let’s be honest: books make the best gifts! While this is true for every holiday, it seems especially accurate for Mother’s Day. What mom wouldn’t love a handpicked page-turner that will sweep her away from her endless to-do list?
Let’s be honest about something else: Mother’s Day can be a bit of a mixed bag. Is there any other holiday that stirs up such a variety of emotions? Many of us unconditionally love our mothers, but sometimes our relationships might not be as rosy as the greeting cards suggest. Others are missing moms who have passed away or who we are estranged from. And while some of us are mothers ourselves, we carry our own fears, insecurities, and hurts that impact the way that we feel about this holiday. Never mind those of us who have experienced infertility, pregnancy loss and/or child loss … Mother’s Day is a beautiful, broken mosaic to say the least. However this day makes you feel, you are seen, you are loved, and you (and all the special women in your life!) deserve the pleasure of a good book.
When choosing the perfect gift, it makes sense to consider a wide variety of books that touch on the topic of motherhood in all its forms. Whether you celebrate Mother’s Day with great joy or wish you could skip it altogether, you’ll find something here for every mother-figure in your life — even if that person is you! (And yes, you should definitely treat yourself to a little Mother’s Day present.)
In the market for a sweet RomCom with some serious heart? Try Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. I absolutely adored this story, an often funny but far from frivolous story that made me laugh and cry. When Justin and Emma team up to conquer a curse, their “four dates, a kiss and a break-up” plan begins to crumble after they develop real feelings for each other. But Emma’s fraught relationship with her mother threatens not only to break her heart, but to derail her budding romance with the guy of her dreams. (Features a dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship with “found” mothers who fill in the gaps.)
If you’re looking for an emotionally resonant tear-jerker, These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant doesn’t disappoint. This locked door mystery takes place in a secluded cabin in the Appalachian woods. Cooper and his daughter, Finch, have lived off the grid for eight years when their isolation is broken by the appearance of an unexpected stranger — and the secret that forced them into the wilderness threatens to change everything. Cooper is an excellent parental figure, but Finch still longs for a mother in this story that will tug at your heart strings. (Features a non-traditional mother figure and a young girl’s longing for a mom.)
Love a little magical realism? The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young is a showstopper. After June Farrow’s grandmother dies, she discovers several clues about her mother’s decades-old disappearance. But when she starts seeing and hearing things that aren’t there, she must decide if she dares to risk everything to uncover the truth. This story about family, star-crossed love, and an impossible journey is one that you’ll want to devour in one sitting. And it’ll leave you grateful for the strong women in your life, whoever they are. (Features mother-love in many different forms!)
For the special lady in your life who loves historical fiction, look no further than The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Inspired by the life and diary of midwife Martha Ballard, this historical mystery has something for everyone. Summoned to examine the body of a man found entombed in the ice of the Kennebec River, Martha quickly finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. As she tries to protect her family and solve the mystery, she fights for justice in the lives of women who are often overlooked and ignored. (Features an older mother with many children — of her own and of her heart.)
Want a book club read you can enjoy with your mother and/or your daughter? The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart will give you tons to talk about. When Eva goes missing from a boat in the middle of Lake Superior, her influencer mom, Charlie, will stop at nothing to bring her daughter home. But as suspicion mounts and Charlie becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, their nomadic life on the road in a vintage Airstream trailer raises lots of questions. Just how well did Charlie really know her teenage daughter? (Features a single mother and her daughter in a close relationship filled with misunderstandings and steeped in love.)
