Mothers can be the most influential person in a woman's life and each year we get to celebrate the mothers who love, cherish and support their children and those most important to them. Whether your mom loves fiction, poetry or nonfiction, these 10 books make perfect gifts for the mom who does it all.
The Southern Side of Paradise is the perfect beach read for moms who need a day off. Matriarche Ansley Murphy knows she should be ecstatic now that her three daughters have all found happiness in their own lives but she can't help but wonder when the other shoe will drop. Then two women show up in Ansley's hometown and she realizes that these two have the power to disrupt her family's perfect world. As the family's secrets come to light, these four strong women learn that they'll have to stick together if they're going to get through this trying time.
This debut poetry collection is a short read for moms who are looking for a relatable book to escape with this Mother's Day. In Dear Mother, Bunmi Laditan captures the emotions of what it is to be a mother. From the exciting and fulfilling moments to the overwhelming and difficult times, Laditan covers it all in a way that will inspire women to be better mothers and fully embrace the journey of motherhood.
Hardworking mothers will have no problem relating to Limelight's main character and her many mishaps of being both a career woman and mother. Allison Brinkley thought that moving her family from Dallas to Manhattan would be their best move yet but it quickly becomes a nightmare she can't escape. On top of her already complicated situation, she gets herself into a fender-bender that leads her to meet pop star Carter Reid. Realizing that he needs all the help he can get to get his career back on track, she becomes his personal assistant, leading her to find a new love for the city and build a better relationship with her family.
Moms Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley know the struggles of motherhood and in their new tell-all book, they encourage moms to kick back and take some time for themselves. It's hard work being a mom and comedians Hensley and Smedley are the first to admit that it won't always be easy. Their humorous new book cover topics of getting your body back after giving birth, how to keep it all together and the struggle of maintaining a social life once you're a mother, aiming to make moms laugh and realize that they're not alone in their journey through motherhood.
This touching memoir reminds readers that being a mother can be complicated. Being an only child, Deborah Burns grew up admiring her dazzling mother, despite the fact that she didn't play much of a role in raising her. Burns looks back and tells the story of a woman who, despite her biggest victories, had her own inner demons she had to face in Saturday's Child. Uncovering the secrets of her mother's life, Burns learns why her mother did what she did and comes to realize the effect their relationship had on her throughout her life. These discoveries lead Burns to finally claim the future she wants for herself.
If your mom loves a good romance story, she'll fall for Helen Hoang's The Bride Test. Khai Diep isn't one to get emotional about things due to his autism and the way it makes him process emotions. Because of this, his mother is afraid he'll never find true love. Taking matters into her own hands, she travels to Vietnam where she finds her son a woman to marry. Returning to the United States, Khai meets his bride-to-be, Esme, and together, they'll have to work through their non-traditional relationship and whether or not they could ever truly fall in love with one another.
The imperfect side of marriage and parenthood is front and center in this new novel from Camille Pagán. Wife and mother Penelope has always admired her best friend Jenny's seemingly perfect life. But what Penelope doesn't know is that Jenny's life isn't all that it seems and when a tragedy occurs that reveals this truth, she's forced to finally confront the issues within her own marriage. Promising to be completely honest with one another, Penelope and her husband begin a new chapter in their marriage that will bring up dark secrets neither had anticipated.
This women's fiction novel is a short and romantic read perfect for moms who love stories with a touch of magic. It's 1984 and Nora Forrest has traveled to Manhattan to see her idol on Broadway. Having both dreamed of each other before the show, they share a moment during the performance that will bring them back to the dream they both experienced. A story about unexpected romance, life's funniest coincidences and the moments that change our lives, Gillyflower is both hopeful and charming.
Agnes has gotten comfortable in her life as a trophy wife. Then, her husband disappears leaving her with their young daughter, no money and nowhere to go. Picking up the pieces of her life, she moves across the country, taking a job at an all-boys boarding school in the Bronx. It's in this new and foreign place that she truly finds herself and her purpose in life. By the end, she'll have to decide if she'd rather stay in her new life or return to the life of being the perfect trophy wife.
Michele Filgate helps writers tell the stories about their mothers in What My Mother and I Don't Talk About. Featuring essays from Leslie Jamison, Cathi Hanauer and 13 other acclaimed writers, this anthology tells the stories of real women and their unique relationships with their moms. From a story about living with a psychotherapist mother to what it was like growing up with a deaf mother, this new book is full of moments of sadness, joy and an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the women who raised these brilliant authors.
Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.