Being a single mother is not easy and when your daughter is a teenager everything will be much more complicated than you ever expected. This is the story of Lorna & Liberty, mother and daughter.
I think I felt a little represented on this story, I lived all my life with my mum, without knowing who my father was and questioning her about it. My teenage years were not easy either, both with a strong character it was always a constant fight, but I never felt the necessity to go and find my father, my mum was always there in the moments of need. Our life could have been more easy with a third person to calm down both of us on the worst moments, totally, but I never thought of going to find him.
Having said that, this is a totally addictive read, twisted and full of lies that will keep the reader turning pages till the end. I loved the story and how easily I felt for it, but at the same time I think this will be a controversial read, a great example of love it or hate it. Now that I am a mother, I can understand more my mother’s actions and feel ashamed of some of our silly roughs, and that’s why I felt that this was a really interesting story, the need to lie to protect our children but at the same time the need to fight for what they think is not fair.
This is a book to read and discover your opinion about it, because I think it’s so easy to decide. Ready?

told my daughter a terrible lie... Lorna never told her sixteen-year-old daughter the chilling truth about her real father. But one morning, she finds Liberty missing - and realizes the teenager has left to find the man she once fled from...

I loved don’t tell teacher and had been looking forward to reading this one as soon as I knew it was being released!

This book was so addictive. From the first chapter, I knew I was going to love it.

The book is told from alternating perspectives of Lorna and Liberty and Suzy Quinn writes short chapters, which always end on a little cliffhanger, so you cannot resist just one more chapter.

The book was full of twists and I loved how it all came together

This book begins with one of our main characters, Lorna, registering the birth of her baby girl, Liberty, under pretty sketchy circumstances. It's here we start to see all is not as it seems...

Fast forward sixteen years later and we see Lorna and her teenage daughter Liberty and their tense relationship. Lorna has withheld who her daughter's father really is... she'll do anything to keep it a secret from Liberty but Liberty will do anything to find out...

I enjoyed this book, it was a solid thriller and a quick read. I particularly liked the way I wasn't sure where the book was going... I like thrillers that have you guessing who the bad person really is. Unfortunately I didn't particularly gel with most of the characters. I found them to be quite one dimensional and Nick, Lorna's partner, was so insipid. Honestly, there was no need for him to be in the story, he was an incredible drip!

Some of the story towards the end became a bit unbelievable... Ok, I know it's fiction but sometimes things can get a bit too stupid! The ending was grand. The whole book was just grand.

I would recommend it however, despite my lukewarm review because it was gripping and it is definitely not the worst thriller I have ever read, not by a long shot (Lynda Stacey's The Fake Date STILL holds that trophy...) and if you're looking for a tense, gripping thriller that's a quick read, definitely pick this up.

I love Suzy when she writes thrillers, i haven't really ventured into her other genres but i know everytime i read a thriller its a hit.

Lorna has told a lie, but this lie has impacted her whole life, her daughters life. Her daughter who is now 16 and wants to know her father. One morning, she wakes to find Liberty has gone to find him. However Lorna is frantic, she can't go find him, because then things wont be the same again. Yet she does and he isn't all he seems. Liberty despite been strong minded starts to change too.

Wow, this was just clever. It was scary, as a reader you are really not sure who to believe, I wondered why Lorna was so frantic, wondered why Michael wasnt as described, why Liberty was behaving the way she did but it all comes to an explosion and wow - it blew me away.

Lorna was once a naive, young girl and fell in love, as an adult i would say she is determined, stronger than she has ever been but also very worried. She raised Liberty to be strong, independent but is determined to keep her close by, which results in the running away.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, as we discover them over time, we learn about Lornas past and the present. The story paces back and forwards which i really enjoy, you get a snippet of the past and then a glimpse of what is going on in the present before whisking us back. It was a fast paced read that had me flying through it, in fact i read all of it in one single sitting! I was hooked. Even as a reader, your mind starts to get twisted and you are not sure if you can actually trust it, i mean i was forming my judgements and then starting to question them. A sure sign of a brilliant thriller.

I was gifted an e-arc for the blog tour, you can get a copy here

Once I started this novel I found it hard to put down.

The subject matters covered are ones that I have come across many times recently, so I was curious to know what twist Suzy Quinn would use to differentiate it from other novels.

It turned out there was one uncomfortable twist after another!

The characters are creepily credible as this fast-paced novel moves between the past and present but in an easy to follow way.

I frequently asked myself, what was going to be the final twist, what had I missed- was I in the hands of an unreliable narrator?

As it turned out, it wasn’t similar to anything else I’ve read recently! Intriguing & unsettling…and maybe a little bit based on truth…

I've not read anything by this author before but was keen to give this book a go. The storyline intrigued me and I felt some connection with Liberty and not knowing her biological father.

I found this a gripping and quick read, with short chapters and a storyline that kept me gripped. The writing flowed well and was engaging, everything in a good book.

However as the story continued the more it seemed a little unbelievable. The twists within the pages were good but I did find the last part of the book perhaps a little rushed.

That said, I'd definitely be happy to look at more books by this author.

I told my daughter a terrible lie…

Lorna never told her sixteen-year-old daughter the chilling truth about her real father. But one morning, she finds Liberty missing — and realizes the teenager has left to find the man she once fled from…

Well this was just the insight i needed to make me want to read this book. I loved it! Very well written with great characters. It flowed well and kept my interest making me want to keep reading right through till dawn to see what happened to Liberty.

The story is told from both Mum and daughters point of view covering past and present timelines.

Lorna was very likeable although there were times I wanted to give her a good shake. Liberty was a teenager with all the bravado you expect from them. As for Michael - he was most unpleasant, self centred and thoroughly unlikable which was perfect for his character and role within the story.

I really don't want to give any details of the book because it needs to be read blind in my opinion. Suffice to say it is an exciting book with an ending you won't see coming - it was great!

I highly recommend reading this book, meanwhile I'm off to see if Suzy has any more books published so I can read them, another favourite author found! A big five stars from me.

Thank you Netgalley, Suzy K Quinn and HE Stories for giving me the opportunity to read this advance copy of the book Not My Daughter.

Synopsis:

Lorna has been trying to protect her daughter Liberty for sixteen years. There are dark secrets from her past about her father that Lorna wishes her daughter never finds out. Liberty’s father is a monster, and the best solution is to hide. Forever.

But Liberty has other plans. One day, Liberty decides to find her father, no matter the cost. And Lorna can’t protect her if she doesn’t know where she went…

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Not My Daughter. It was a novel that kept me on my toes throughout the whole book and I was eager to know what happens in the end and who the true villain is.

We begin the story in one way, where we have an idea of who the bad person is, and how Lorna is the protector. But once we start reading more, this story becomes more twisted, and we don’t know who to trust anymore. This is something I see in books quite often, but it is not usually as well-written. Suzy did an amazing job writing this part, and making us switch sides as she wanted us to.

The ending was not predictable at all, although, it was a bit unrealistic. However, it really fit nicely with the whole story and I cannot be dissapointed.

It is interesting to see how the mother-daughter relationship develops. But more so, how a relationship forms when a daughter wants to get to know her father, no matter what. You meet this person that you share genes with, and you want them to like you. You want them to accept you, like nothing happened. We could see this wish in Liberty as she meets her father – the need to be accepted as a daughter.

I would recommend this book to everyone that loves mystery thrillers. It is a one of a kind, and a very well-written one too.

It’s no secret that I have recently been in a bit of a reading slump and also I have also been taking a little bit more time out from social media than I normally do.

When I first picked this book up, I was in the middle of one of the biggest reading slumps I have ever been in! This book changed that quite quickly. I was gripped and wanted to know what had happened. I wanted to know what secrets Lorna had been keeping from Liberty and I wanted to know what had happened with her father.

I enjoyed the writing and loved how it flowed and kept me engaged and wanting to read more. I found myself going to sleep thinking about it and the. Waking up wanting to read more.

The storyline was okay. I started off really enjoying it having all of these questions however the further into the story we got, the less believable it became (I know, I know it’s fiction. But I like things to happen a bit more organically!!). Everything was all mysterious and then nearer the end something just clicked and switched and I was left thinking “what?!?”. So sadly for me the last 20% of the book was a bit too rushed for my liking.

However, I am very grateful for the wonderful writing style and how it pulled me right out of my slump!

Thank you so much to @hqstories for sending me a widget in exchange for a fair and honest review on the blog tour.

A fascinating psychological thriller, that had me gripped from its opening chapter!

Lorna & Liberty are both compelling, engaging characters. Quinn does a brilliant job of keeping us guessing whether Lorna is lying or telling the truth throughout.

It missed out on 5⭐ because I found the ending was a bit too far fetched for me. But I still enjoyed this well-paced thriller.

Overall a creepy plot, with great characters. If you are a fan of Lisa Hall this book is well worth a read.

A huge thanks to HQ Stories & NetGalley for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is a really quick read, short chapters and fast paced keeps your attention throughout and wondering where it’s going. I really enjoyed this one, Lorna suffocates Liberty by now allowing her to go out at night or see friends. She thinks she is saving her but actually she’s damaging her. Liberty seems to rebel against everything and will not stop until she finds out the truth. The twists towards the end really surprised me and whilst it’s not hugely realistic I loved it. Well written and keeps you guessing, I’ll definitely be on the look out for more by this author.

Tense and unpredictable. I found it hard to relate to the mother, but was mesmerized by the flashbacks. Taut, well plotted and enjoyable

Wow this one got me flipping pages so fast!!

Lorna had a bucket list when she was 16, she'd made this because she had been diagnosed with a terminal cancer which she managed to beat, so she was living her life to the fullest.

As is a lot of young teenage girls dreams, one of the items on her bucket list, was to meet & marry a rock star, not just any rock star though, it had to be Michael Reyji Ray.

So to be able to go to one of his concerts and to actually meet him, and to actually have him *choose* her and fall in love with her, well it was like a dream come true, except, it really wasn't.

Fast forward 16 years and Lorna is a scared mother of Liberty, she doesn't allow her to go out at night, or go out with friends, and she is fiercely protective over her, to the utter disgust of her daughter, who thinks she is just an ridiculously over protective mother.

But Lorna has high fences and is over protective for a reason, a reason Liberty is not aware of, and thank goodness Liberty doesn't know who her father is, otherwise everything she knows could change.

Except Liberty does find out, and she wants to meet her famous father and find out what he is really like, as her crazy mother has only told her bad things about what a monster he is, and she wants to find out for herself!

Told from the POV of Lorna and Liberty and with a sprinkling of the past from Lorna's POV, Suzy K Quinn takes you on a heart stopping journey.

Please be warned that this book deals with Domestic Abuse and has instances of sexual abuse, a LOT of Gaslighting and Manipulation.

It was very interesting to see how differently Michael acted in front of his friends and family, and then with Lorna and some others, the Red Flags were definitely waving, but unfortunately it is not always possible to see them while you think you are in love!

This was an enjoyable read, although I did find it a little flat and basic in places. I think in general it deserves top marks for the storyline and the characters but the writing style just didn't completely grab me at times. However, that said it is definitely worth a read. Loved the storyline as it was original and kept me guessing!

Thank you Netgalley

It's been sixteen years since Lorna fled with nothing but a baby clutched to her chest and she has spent every second since finding ways to protect and keep her daughter safe.

After a life spent living in a remote home behind huge fences, both literal and metaphorical, Liberty has had enough of being wrapped in cotton wool by her Mother. She is old enough to know the truth about her Father and not just the warnings and scare tactics she has been fed by her Mum. With the knowledge of who her father is and where to find him Liberty is determined this time she will discover what really happened all those years ago and no one can stop her.

Lorna knows that nothing good can come of a reunion between her daughter and birth Father Michael the famous rock and roll superstar, but when she wakes to discover Liberty missing she knows exactly where to find her. With control taken from her Lorna finds herself frantically drawn back onto a world she thought she had left behind long ago and she knows she will finally have to face her demons in order to save her daughter. But will it be too late to save Liberty?

Not My Daughter is an atmospheric psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Quinn has an amazing ability to draw the reader into the heart of her story and I found myself so invested in the dual stories of Lorna & Michael, continually changing my mind about who was telling Liberty the truth! This book had some amazing plot twists, but I genuinely didn't see where the ending took us - no spoilers, but oh my goodness what a finale!

The main characters are richly written with layer upon layer being revealed as the story progressed. I really felt I got to know both Lorna & Michael's past and their relationship really well, although it becomes clear that their recollections of the same events are often skewed with reality adding to the suspense and intrigue.

I absolutely loved Not My Daughter, it's one of the best and most surprising thrillers I've read in a long time. It has a strong, unique story line that offers something different to those same old predictable thrillers that are regularly churned out. It is a fast paced, entertaining page turner that kept me guessing throughout, the perfect thrilling read! Highly recommended !

This book deals with some really hard hitting and sensitive topics including Domestic Violence, Abuse, Rape and Sexual Assault so please be aware of this if you are interested in this title.

I read this book for a blog tour.

This was a clever thriller where every has a story and an agenda but it's not sure who's playing who and why until the very end.

I've read some of the author's other books but wasn't aware of how good a thriller writer she is till this book, with its twists and turns and throwback narrative and so many secrets.

This is the kind of thriller I devour in one sitting, even forgetting my snack! (Doritos and grapes fyi for this one).

Not My Daughter by Suzy K Quinn is an absolutely marvellous contemporary psychological thriller suspense that completely messed with my mind and emotions. It was a ‘wow’ read.
The novel is cleverly constructed and Suzy Quinn manipulated my emotional responses throughout. I tried to sort out the truth from the lies. Who was spinning the tales? Who was completely vulnerable? And who was in control? See if you can figure it out before the final word is read.
Now the book is ended, I feel totally shell-shocked – superb just doesn’t cover it. There are no superlatives good enough to describe just how marvellous, intricate and clever this book is.
Suzy Quinn has created a fabulous set of characters. My responses to them were perfectly set up by the author, so that I could experience that ‘wow did that just happen?’ moment.
I found Not My Daughter an explosive, exciting, nail biting read. I love Suzy K Quinn’s writings. I am never quite sure how they will end but one thing I do know – I am in for a stomach churning, teeth clenching, heart racing read. Absolutely superb. Suspense out of the top drawer.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

This was an interesting domestic thriller but unfortunately it felt a bit average to me. Definitely not the best domestic thriller I've ever read

I did like the writing style. I thought it was really easy to read and engaging. I flew through it quite quickly when I sat down and read it.

However, there was nothing in the story that made me want to pick it up and read it.

The plot was kinda average. It felt more of a domestic drama for most of the book until the end where it read more like a thriller

I wasn't too keen on the ending. It felt a bit silly and far fetched. It wrapped up incredibly quickly and it seemed a bit too unbelievable

I didn't really care for any of the characters either. None were particularly likeable

Overall, this was an interesting domestic thriller but it just didn't blow me away. Its probably quite forgettable

TW: murder, violence and domestic abuse

The beauty of this book is that there is no padding; the writing is tight and concise. Although you feel you know the twist that is coming, the writer is one step ahead of you so the ending is a genuine surprise. It was a real change to read a novel which doesn't over-egg the ending and that leaves the reader feeling good afterwards. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good plot with a well- engineered twist. Will certainly recommend this one to friends.

Firs things first, the front cover of this book looks great, stands out really, and great colouring.
The story is set in two different times - young Lorna and older Lorna. It focuses on two perspectives - mainly Lorna’s and her daughter Liberty.

The story focuses overall on Lorna getting mixed up with a famous rock star called Michael, who is completely unlikeable from the start. I spent time during the book wanting to shout at him myself. Lorna gets brain washed by him, she’s in love with him and his fame, and generally thinks he is a God. In fact, he isn’t.
It begins with Lorna 16 years on after her time with Michael, and straightaway you can feel her overprotective ways for her daughter and their home. And the story goes back and forth so you can understand why Lorna is so protective.
I really liked Lorna, and she’s very relatable, but I also wanted to shake her in parts and want her to open her eyes as to what was going on around her. Her daughter, Liberty, was also a great character, very strong willed and bright.
I enjoyed the snippets in the book of the relationship between Lorna and her sister Dee, that is a true love relationship. I feel Lorna’s fiancé could have had a bigger role in the book as his character seemed very down to earth and likeable - the polar opposite of Michael.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, I read it in one sitting. The story was very gripping, and wasn’t completely unbelievable. It was a page turner, and the storyline was great, very modern.