Release date: June 9, 2026
Publisher: Gallery
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis:
In the vein of Pineapple Street and Such a Fun Age, a smart, heartfelt debut novel about two expecting mothers navigating motherhood, family life, and female friendship, whose bond is threatened by a shocking revelation.
Victoria and Liz barely breathe the same air, but they collide headfirst when they meet in a group for expectant mothers and find common ground against all odds.
Victoria, forty-three, is confident, poised, and powerful, on the fast track to major career success in finance. Having kids is not in the plan. She had avoided love for decades—and hadn’t been too keen on female friendship either—when she fell for Ace, a dashing man twenty years her senior.
Liz, thirty-two, lives a fairly unstable life, trying to make her situationship work and navigate a job on a vile reality dating show. She’s desperately wanted to experience motherhood for her entire life, but anxiety and insecurity have landed her with a laundry list of failed romances. It’s an accident—ish—when she gets pregnant with her emotionally elusive boyfriend Chase’s baby just shy of a year into dating.
When Liz and Victoria meet in a parenting class, they both feel out of place amongst these pregnant women who seem to have it all figured out. They roll their eyes at the classic sign-off peppering the new mommy group TIA (thanks in advance!). Alienated from these other women and due within a week of each other, Victoria and Liz’s bond becomes a lifeline as they navigate their pregnancies and relationships. They grapple with impending motherhood together and lean on each other to navigate important decisions about family, career, and love. It’s the first successful female friendship in Victoria’s life and the first time Liz has felt so connected to an older, wiser confidante. Maybe, just maybe, it will all be okay.
But as they grow more secure in their futures with each other’s support, the friends confront a shocking turn of events that will change the course of both their lives. Victoria and Liz then must reckon with their relationships, their impending journeys of motherhood, and the strength of their own bond in this unforgettable work of women’s fiction.
Review:
Laura Lekkos’s All the Little Ways is an emotionally rich debut that explores motherhood, friendship, identity, and the unexpected connections that can change the course of a life. Through the perspectives of Victoria and Liz—two women whose paths seemingly should never cross—Lekkos crafts a compelling, character driven story filled with humor, heart, and remarkably astute observations about modern motherhood. What begins as an engaging exploration of pregnancy, relationships, and finding your place quickly develops into something much deeper, examining the many forms family can take and the ways women support one another through life’s biggest transitions.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its authenticity. Victoria and Liz are wonderfully imperfect women whose fears, hopes, and insecurities feel genuine and relatable. Their friendship becomes the emotional anchor of the story, and watching it evolve was one of the most rewarding aspects of the book. Leckos balances heavier themes with warmth and humor, creating a nuanced portrayal of motherhood that feels honest rather than idealized. The novel also takes a surprising turn that adds another layer of complexity to the narrative, sparking thoughtful conversations about family, loyalty, and personal choice.
Heartfelt, emotionally mature, and deeply engaging, All the Little Ways is an impressive debut that will resonate with readers who enjoy character focused women’s fiction. With its thoughtful exploration of friendship, found family, and motherhood, it’s the kind of book that lingers long after the final page and would make an excellent pick for book clubs looking for a discussion worthy read.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 