“How was your flight?” Lulu, our protagonist, asks her mother upon arrival at LAX. Viviana, the mother of a good many of us, reports it was, “Bumpy the whole way.” It’s an apt description of the mother/daughter dynamic in Lisa De Niscia’s delightful novel, MOMENTARY MOTHER, in which a daughter’s search for maternal respect and approval is met with lasagna and pie a la mode. And Lulu’s familial problems hardly end there. There’s her father, Sal, the unsuccessful peacemaker, (“Everyone appreciates your ravioli,” he assures his wife,) and her sister, Cat, a coddled stay-at-home who attempted suicide via a vitamin overdose. Of course there are more serious arrows in Ms. De Niscia’s quiver–including Lulu’s constant soul searching regarding the termination of a pregnancy–but the novel never falls into melodrama. Credit that on the author’s expert use of dialogue which throughout MOMENTARY MOTHER is as sharp as a freshly-creased shirt.”
— Amazon review
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“There’s a lot I enjoyed about this book such as the quirky appearance of the high priestess, Lulu’s ability to read tarot cards, and the author’s success at conveying the different personalities of each character. Lulu is a likable heroine who puts up with a lot of toxic BS from her dysfunctional family. The dialog is intense and reminded me of a staged play.”
–Olivia, author of The Flower Bowl Spell
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“I loved it! I love [the] quirky characters, flawed enough to be real and keep it interesting, and the High Priestess is a wonderfully crafted tool! And such an appropriate title and descriptor… for a role and experience that is so common yet has no name.”
–Jacki, Professor in California
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“De Niscia gives voice to many of the spirits that trouble mothers who terminate pregnancies by choice or circumstance. Myself a transplant from the East Coast, I found her voices compelling and authentic, her characters colorful and commanding. I can see Momentary Mother spinning off into a series of adventures engaging readers for years to come.”
–A.W., Professor in Nevada
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“What initially drew me to [Momentary Mother] was the promise of a book about family issues. Who doesn’t have family issues? I always enjoy reading books that focus on family, especially dysfunctional families. This book was no exception– it did touch on a lot of big issues in families.”
–Alexa, Blogger in New Jersey
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