I was captivated from the first chapter. This truly is a “utterly gripping psychological thriller” and Shalini Boland has really outdone herself!

The book opens with a child abduction in a busy shopping mall play area. A parent’s worst fear. As the child’s mother sits close by, chatting with her friend, grateful to have some time out of the house to have some adult interaction, the abductor makes her move. The mother, grateful her daughter is happily content and occupied in the play yard, oblivious to the dangers. Never for a minute suspecting that something was amiss. Only, the events are told from the abductors point of view, not the mothers. Not only is the synopsis relatable, but it tugged at my feelings, as a mother, and I was sucked in.

The story told in a then and now format. The “then” follows the story of the abductor, while the “now” follows the story of Rachel, the mother whose child was taken from that mall playground years before. When a new family, the Morris’, moves to town, Rachels world is turned upside down. Bella Morris, the eldest daughter of the Morris family, is the spitting image of Rachels missing daughter, Holly. This causes an internal struggle in Rachel to prove that Bella Morris is the daughter that was taken from her all those years ago. While making questionable decisions, Rachel sets out to prove that Bella Morris is her missing daughter. While some of her actions seem crazy, it is hard to say what a person would do in a situation like this. Her actions may seem poorly thought out and almost spur of the moment. As the Morris’s retreat farther from her grasp, her intent obsession with them grows. Her pain, however, is visceral and real and portrays itself well to the reader. As she focuses all her attention on this family, her personal life suffers. Her children seem oblivious. Her partner, Matt, is supportive and understanding. He is a wonderfully written and necessary part of the story. He is a wonderful reprieve to the chaos surrounding Rachel.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, BAM. Your hit with a twist that is out of left field and totally unexpected. It ties the whole story together. There is nothing is left undesired and is one of the best endings I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. The Other Daughter is well written, and well planned to line up the chain of events perfectly. Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my advance copy of “The Other Daughter” by Shalini Boland– for my honest review

This is the first book I have read by Shalini Boland, and did enjoy her style of writing. The book kept my interest, and I thought it was a well written storyline, full of twists, turns and lots of guessing.

I did find it quite unrealistic and over the top at about the half way point, but still did enjoy it.

I will read more books by this author.

#TheOtherDaughter #NetGalley

OMG is all I can say!! I cannot believe the ending of this unputdownable book!! What a fabulous story line with a very shocking conclusion!! This is definitely a must read for 2019!

Nine years after her two-year-old daughter Holly is abducted at a busy shopping mall, Rachel Farnborough meets a girl who she believes is her missing daughter and will stop at nothing to get her back. I absolutely loved this book. The plot was engaging, perfectly paced, and thoroughly entertaining. The author cleverly tricks the reader into thinking they know exactly what's going on in the story. But then reveals a shocking twist that will mess with your mind and make you question everything you thought you knew about Holly's kidnapping. I don't want to say too much more about the story or the characters as I think it's best to go into it knowing as little as possible. Overall, this was an addictive, enjoyable psychological thriller and I highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another great psychological thriller from Shalini Boland,The Other Daughter centres around Rachel who nine years ago had her daughter Holly snatched from her at a coffee house, nine years later she is living with Matt in Dorset trying to just get on with her life as best she can.when Kate, a new comer at the school gates throws Rachel's life into turmoil because her daughter is the spitting image of Holly and Rachel is so convinced of it she sets out on a dangerous path to try and prove it.As with all Shalini Boland's books this one does not disappoint and it had me gripped up until the end,i must admit though i had to reread a few passages towards the end as it was a bit confusing at first ! or maybe i was just tired ! but all in all another great book from Shalini Boland well done ! An excellent 4 star read.

With The Other Daughter the reader immediately forms a bond with the mother, who is still grieving the loss of her daughter who was  abducted years ago. This book is a page turner and difficult to put down. I was given an early copy to review.

The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland is a gripping thriller about every parents’ worst nightmare. Child abduction.

Rachel and her friend go to the local mall to sip coffee and gossip, just like any other day. But, disaster strikes when Rachel looks up and realizes her two-and-a-half year old daughter is no longer playing in the playhouse in front of her. Her daughter is gone, taken by a stranger. Nine years later, Rachel is finally getting comfortable with her new normal. She moved to the sleepy little town of Dorset to start over again. She now has a new family and a new husband, and it’s almost enough to make her forget the painful secrets of her past. Until one day at school drop-off, Rachel meets a new Mother, Kate, and her teenage daughter Bella. As soon as Rachel lays eyes on Bella, she feels all the air leave her lungs because Rachel immediately recognizes Bella, it’s her long-lost daughter who was kidnapped. Rachel will stop at nothing to get her back.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one by Shalini Boland. The plot was enthralling, fast paced, and comes complete with a shocking twist that will leave you speechless. The story is told in past and present chapters which kept the story line fresh and compelling. This was such an addictive read that I had a hard time putting it down. If you’re looking for a clever, twisted suspense, I would highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*sharing review on Instagram (@stacked_shelf) closer to release date.

Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for an early copy of this book. Wow, so disappointed!! I absolutely love Shalini Boland books but this was the worst. Ridiculous plot and the ending was even more ridiculous, I’m not sure what happened with this one.

The Other Daughter By Shalini Boland
I read this book in a day! I enjoyed it so much I wanted to cancel plans just to read it! If you can, set aside about 5 hours and go for it, because you may not want to put this book down!
Loved it loved it loved it!! In the blink of an eye, Rachel's 2.5 year old daughter was taken while playing. Rachel manages to carry on with life, and the 9 years later she meets a new mum at school. Her eldest daughter Bella looks exactly like her missing child. Rachel will stop at nothing to get her child back.
Thank you @netgalley @Shaliniboland and @Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book.
A fantastic 5 star read for me.

This is incredible storytelling! It certainly packs a punch to your own emotions! I love Shalini Boland writing style so I knew I was in for a treat.

This book follows the story of Rachel and her family after her daughter Holly was abducted nine year ago by a woman called Cationa. The story follows both Rachel’s and Cationa’s point of view. It shows how it affected Rachel as a mother who lost her child and the struggles she faces in seeing her long lost daughter reappear with another family. And, Cationa’s struggles as an abductor.

Very clever writing! I won’t say more as you have to experience this book for yourselves!

Rachel is happy with her life. She has two young kids—Charlie and Jess—and a loving boyfriend, Matt. But Rachel has never been able to fully cope with a traumatic event that happened years earlier. And the only person who knows about her pain is herself, as she’s never told Matt about her troubled past.

When Rachel meets a new mom who has just recently moved to Dorset, Kate, she’s ecstatic, as her two kids are in the same classes as Charlie and Jess. But when Rachel sees Kate’s older daughter, Bella, she is quickly taken aback. 11-year old Bella looks just like Rachel’s daughter, Holly, would look like now. 9-years ago, Holly went missing and Rachel hasn’t seen her since—until now. And Rachel is convinced that Bella is Rachel’s stolen Holly.

Sparked by an instant obsession, Rachel ends up in a wild goose chase to uncover what happened to Holly. But in her desperate search, she not only scares Kate and her family, but her own boyfriend, Matt. Rachel is quickly losing her sanity, but it’s all worth it in the name of finding her daughter—or is it?

The Other Daughter is another twisty thriller by beloved author, Shalini Boland. The premise of this story intrigued me and the book read extremely quickly. I didn’t see the major “twist” coming, but with that said, I didn’t find this story as gripping as some of Shalini Boland’s others. I was dissatisfied with the ending, as I wish there was more poetic justice at the end of this story. I still enjoyed the wild ride Shalini Boland takes us on, but I overall just wanted more out of this quick read. 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love knowing I have a new Shalini Boland book to read. They always have me hooked by the first chapter and The other daughter was no exception.

Rachel has moved away from London to restart her life after her youngest daughter was abducted from a London shopping centre. She and her other child, Jess start over and she gets into a relationship with Matt, having another child with him. She has managed to rebuild her life, the only problem is , she never told Matt about her missing child, Holly.

Kate and her family are new to the area and Rachel does her best to make her feel welcome...that is until she meets Kate's oldest daughter, Bella who is the same age as Rachel's missing daughter and when Rachel looks into her eyes, shes convinced its Holly staring back at her.

Rachel goes to desperate measures to rove Bella is her missing child, risking everything.

The twist in the tale is epic, it leaves you thinking about it long after the book is finished.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

A desperate mother becomes obsessed with the idea that Bella could be her missing child from nine years ago. Rachel becomes unhinged as she tries to prove Bella is her daughter. After nine years of suppressing her feelings about Holly, Rachel is filleted open with emotions of hope at the prospect of Bella being Holly.

Overall:
An impactful story that had me gripping my e-reader with a death grip. I got chills just thinking about how easy it was to walk away with someone’s else’s daughter.
I loved the approach Shalini took with this book and these characters. She played it smart. Shalini is in her element when writing psychological thrillers. She’s adds just enough clues to keep the reader engaged not giving away too much in the beginning and not waiting until the end to give it all away.

Shalini has been my go to author for a good psychological thriller. The twists and turns are always a welcome shocking surprise.
This book started off with a great opening scene with the promise to deliver a thrilling outcome. Shalini delivered. She dished out a plate of mouth dropping awesomeness.

As the chapters enter into the Then pages I can’t help but feel on edge for the unexpected truth to reveal itself of its deep dark secrets. Mostly told from Rachel’s point of view the reader gets a one-sided perspective on the emotions encountering Rachel’s situation.

I don’t know which truth I’m more interested in: Rachel’s, Kate’s, or the uncanny resemblance of the girls? All in all it was exciting to say the least trying to figure out clues on my own.

That revelation knocked me on my butt. WTF. I didn’t see those twists or turns coming. I loved the shocked factor. Bravo! Just the right amount of suspense. I was completely entertained from beginning to end. In fact, I read it in one sitting and I can’t remember the last time I’ve did that. No way was I going to sleep peacefully without getting those answers so I kept on going and I’m glad I did.

Shalini Boland is a go to author for me, having enjoyed most of her books. The Other Daughter was once again a fast read with a quick paced story. Although there were a few things that I struggled with believing, this was a great book.

9 years ago Rachel's 2 year old daughter Holly was taken whilst playing at a coffee shop. She has never given up hope of finding her daughter again. She meets a new family to the area and becomes friendly with the mother Kate. When she meets Kates eldest daughter Bella she is convinced that it is Holly all grown up. But how can she prove it? In her attempts to do so she learns that the family is keeping secrets and is more convinced that Kate took her daughter. The ending was one that I had considered whilst reading, but all the same it was a twisty and eventful story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

Another hit by Shilani Boland- I have liked everything I have read by her. This book centers around Rachel, whose 2 year old daughter went missing years ago- she has always felt that her daughter Holly was out there somewhere and alive. Rachel meets fellow mom Kate, who is new to the area, and becomes convinced that Kate's oldest daughter, Bella, is in fact her own missing daughter.

There were some decisions that Rachel made in this book that didn't make sense at all to me, but lo and behold, it all came together at the end. There was a great twist that I didn't see coming, and I generally can figure out the twist pretty early. This is overall a very interesting and twisty read, and one of those books that you won't want to put down.

Netgalley provided me this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It had a good storyline, but it was a bit slow and repetitive. Still definitely worth
reading.

This is a story about Rachel and how her daughter, Holly, was abducted nine years ago. Since that horrific day, Rachel has moved to a small town to start afresh and has since had two more children with her loving partner. When she meets new local mother Kate, she is convinced that her daughter, Bella, is in fact Holly. I was routing for Rachel throughout the book. The author has captured the emotions of a distraught and desperate mother so realistically that it was impossible not to experience them too, I was so angry for Rachel. Told predominately from Rachel's POV, the story also shows the POV of Catriona and the events of the past. The Other Daughter was packed with unpredictable twists and turns, at one point I was so shocked I had to re-evaluate what I had read! Absolutely gripping read that I could not put down and read within a day. Very highly recommend.

The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland was just as good as I had hoped it would be. I am a big fan of this author and have read several of her other novels, all fantastic. When you pick up a book by Shalini, you know you are in good hands. You can expect to be thoroughly entertained with a suspenseful plot and characters that evoke sympathy. As a parent, it was my worst fear to have my kids stolen from me in a busy place, I was always hyper-vigilant but not perfect. It could happen to anyone and in this book, it happens to Rachel.

Nine years ago her daughter was taken. And now she’s back. Two-and-a-half-year-old Holly is playing happily in a pink plastic playhouse, while her mother Rachel sips coffee and chats with a friend nearby. It should be an ordinary day for all of them. But, in the blink of an eye, it turns into every family’s worst nightmare.

Holly is taken by a stranger and never found. Nine years later, Rachel is living a quiet life in Dorset. She’s tried to keep things together since the traumatic day when she lost her eldest daughter. She has a new family, a loving partner and her secrets are locked away in her painful past.

Until one afternoon when Rachel meets a new school parent Kate and her teenage daughter Bella. Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down – she’s seen Bella before. She’d recognise that face anywhere – it’s her missing child. And she will stop at nothing to get her back…

I think at one point I actually said, “WHAT? Seriously?” I loved this book and can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.

Get this book on November 5, 2019. Pre-order here!

Shalini Boland is a new author for me. This was my first taste of the maniacal web of deceit, heartbreak and the pure brain twisters that she is able write. I felt honoured to be accepted for this ARC and my was I in for a treat. After finishing this book, I immediately jumped onto goodreads and added the rest of the thrillers she has penned straight onto my TBR. I really try to go into each book without any outrageous expectations, but I had a feeling that this was going to deliver and deliver wholeheartedly. Fortunately, I hit the nail on the head. This woman has the ability to invoke the fear, to invoke the cold sweats when you’re waiting for the truth to will out. She knows how to invoke it all!

What would you do if your two-year-old daughter was stolen from a play area in a shopping centre? Now as a mother of three boys this is the scenario that kills me. It isn’t the fear of a crazy psychopath on the loose or monsters under the bed. It’s the fear of losing your child, someone taking them and having thoughts constantly that they could be dead or being used by unsavoury characters. That they are at harm and as a parent you can’t protect them. Just how extreme must the guilt be? How much must that tear you open and leave you bleeding the entire time they are apart from you. The moment you hold that tiny vulnerable baby in your arms – the maternal instinct kicks in and you vow to never let anyone hurt them. How must that feel that those vows you made to your tiny person mattered not a jot. Someone still came into your life and ruined completely by taking the one person you would die for?

Rachel has lived through such trauma. Her daughter was abducted in a shopping centre nine years ago. The guilt and grief could have consumed her, but she still had a baby to care for, so she vowed to try and keep on living for her, baby Jess. Her marriage broke down, her husband Andrew left to be with his new girlfriend in Spain. She was all alone until she met now boyfriend, Matt. Slowly she rebuilds her life in Dorset and has another baby, a boy but she never forgets the pain of never seeing her little girl, Holly again. Rachel is strong, but pain and grief are never far behind. The brain is an amazing organ and is capable of incredible deeds to protect the human body from further suffering. It’s definitely her vulnerability that makes her such a relatable character and she’s immediately likeable. Life has improved remarkably and she’s doing more than just surviving now, she’s living. All until the mysterious Kate and her family move into the village. Nobody unsettles her more than their daughter, Bella.

Rachel is driven to unnecessary and borderline unhinged behaviour towards Kate and her family. The daughter reminds her so much of her missing daughter. The colour of her eyes, the shape of her face, her hair colouring. She vows to find out everything she can about this family. She is OBSESSED. She’s never been surer about anything in her life. She has to own up to her boyfriend about a secret, will this push them closer together or further apart? The author pushes the realms of possibility and how far the human psyche can be pushed when trauma is cracked open once again. When that itch is scratched raw what can be done to stem the bleeding? I found myself in rapt attention, it was heart-breaking, it was cringey, but I was totally here for it. My heart ached for Rachels pain and suffering, can we wish for something to just be true if we just believe hard enough?

Some of Rachels decisions at the very least were misjudged. She was losing her mind. Every little decision that she kept from her family was tearing them apart. The strong relationship she had with her boyfriend was dwindling by the day. She just couldn’t see it. She couldn’t see anything other than her obsession with this family. Will the pain and anguish be worth it for everyone?

Wow what a ride! Shalini excelled at writing a story that would be everyone’s relatable nightmare. The build-up, the character arcs – the fooking twist blew me away! The dual POV of Now and Then (Rachel and Catherine) was so utterly sublime. The way you witnessed the decline of mental health was exceptional. The effect it had on both families, the misunderstandings, the love, the brokenness. This gave me all the feels! We often see the news headlines about children being abducted and we immediately develop judgements. This was a well-constructed, complex tale of both sides. Are those judgements warranted or is there two sides to every story?

I loved this book! It’s a fabulous psychological thriller that I couldn’t put down.
I started it last night and actually got up early this morning to finish it.
The plot is fairly unbelievable and I guessed the ending, however that definitely did not take away from my enjoyment.
This is one that I’d recommend and deserves 5 stars. Well done Shalini for another fabulous read!