Otherwise Engaged by: Susan Mallery

 

"The relationship between parents and children, but especially between mothers and daughters, is tremendously powerful, scarcely to be comprehended in any rational way." — Joyce Carol Oates 

If you are a Susan Mallery fan, you will not want to miss out on her newst novel, Otherwise Engaged available November 4, 2025. With her standard flair for developing complex female characters with past hurts or traumas, Susan brings us two mother-daughter relationships that have a powerful connection from before Shannon and Victoria (two talented young ladies trying to discover their talents and path for a future).were born. When they meet by chance at a wedding venue for Shannon's mom Cindy, the two young ladies discover that Victoria's mom had hopes of adopting young Shannon at birth until Cindy changed her mind.

As the story unfolds, readers are given great insight and depth about how our past as mothers shape how we raise our own daughters. Both Cindy and Victoria's mom Ava had to deal with the loss of their own mothers at a young age. The one decision that Cindy made to keep her precious baby, has profound and deep impact on all four women and the relationships they currently have as mother/daughter. Mallery brings these four women together in a sensitive and emotional way that will have readers crying and wanting the best for Victoria and Shannon as they learn to deal with the weight of the consequences of Cindy's choice. Ava, heartbroken at the loss of her chance for a beautiful baby, goes onto adopt Victoria a mere few months later never having a chance to grieve the loss of baby Shannon or the relationship she had developed with Cindy. Victoria, unknownly, has always lived in the shadow of this unknown baby and has always rebelled and fought against her mother. Cindy, on the other hand, has helicopter parented Shannon in the hopes of making her life easier than the path she had to walk, All four women will learn about love, forgiveness, redemption, and that all of us have a story that affects us as parents and adults. Shannon and Victoria will finally be given the chance to discover their god-given talents and abilities blooming where they are planted.

Curl up with some tissues, a nice cup of coffee (I love green Mountains maple pecan coffee with some sweet cream creamer and a bit of sugar) and enjoy a story of grace and redemption that will touch your heart as it did mine. Simba gives this book three paws!! Happy Reading!!

A special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

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