3⭐️⭐️⭐️
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First of all,
Thankyou #netgalley #bookcouture #bookcoutureaudio #juliacrouch for giving me a chance to have a advance copy of this arc for an honest review.
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Trigger warning ⚠️
social media bully ⚠️
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I was hooked up by the plot at first until I get to chapter 36. The story surrounds with full of lies and too much bullying for being a social media influencer. I'm getting lost on which is which probably because of the narrator which I give 2.5⭐️. So I read it instead but still confuse about the plot . The genre *thriller and mystery * did nothing applies until to the end which quite a roller coaster on how and what happen. It's a mishmash of words . I would love to read it more but DNF at chapter 40.


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Overall it's 3⭐️
With a narrator of 2.5⭐️

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🌹shaye.diariies

Rachel is a social media influencer, and in an effort to gain a new crowd of followers, decides to have a baby, so she finds the perfect “Mother’s Helper” among her fanbase, Abbie. Neither woman can be fully trusted as they become entangled in each other’s lives. While you won’t know you can trust, you will sense that this story is not going to end well.

Wow! I read a lot of thrillers and I have to say, this one got me. Again and again. Just when you think you have it figured out, Julia Crouch throws another twist in an already twisted story. It was almost hard to keep up with everything as the story kept surprising me, but I really appreciated the suspense and mystery. While I was not particularly attached to any of the characters (and perhaps this was the author’s intention), they did have a depth to them that still made them interesting. For the first half of the book, I did not know which character, Abbie or Rachel, I could or should trust. This book is a unique thriller with an unpredictable ending that I would certainly recommend.

Rating: 4/5, #netgalley #mothershelper

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to listen to an ARC of Mother’s Helper audio book in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars

The book is considered a psychological thriller, and while it does eventually get there, I felt like I was about halfway through before I really felt the suspense/tension that I like in stories of this genre. That being said, I did enjoy it and was still interested in the plot and character development before that point. Once it picked up, I wasn’t terribly surprised by the ending, but I did have a couple “oh my god did that actually just happen??” moments along the way, which was fun. Overall, I’m glad I came across this writer and will have to check out more of her books soon.

In Mother’s Helper we meet the dynamic Rachel Rodriguez instagram influencer, who is newly pregnant and looking for a live in Mothers helper to get her through the pregnancy and early weeks after the birth of “little bean sprout”

Rachel has the perfect life, which she shares every inch of on her instagram posts and has decided to become a mother on her own so places an advert looking for a live in nanny/helper.
Following applications from her numerous fans the job is given to Abbie, who Rachel hopes she can mould into the perfect helper.

A good plot, interesting characters and plenty of secrets make for an intriguing tale. Things are not exactly as they seem and someone is not telling the whole truth, but who and why?

Things start to unravel for Rachel and it seems her perfect life is beginning to fall apart

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book, although there were times when the narrator slipped in her accents when she was being different characters and it was a little off putting trying to work out who was saying what. I had to replay several areas just to make sense of who was who. However I can imagine this is a skill which takes time getting right and it didn’t distract too much from the plot itself


Highly recommend either reading or listening to this book.
This is my 1st book from this author and I am keen to explore more.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

I was happy to receive the audio version in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Julia Crouch and what a ride it was!
To be honest in the beginning I thought, this would not be my cup of tea since I am not too much into the Insta-world. All those hashtags and pretending to be someone you aren't. I am so glad I kept going because in the end, this is part of what this story is about: what in the world of social media is authentic and what is not.
The story centers around Rachel who wants to become the perfect instagram-mother. She has it all planned through and Abbie is hired to help her with her baby.
All settled. Sure not. These two women embark on a crazy and twisted story. I would not have guessed this ending which worked out perfectly fine.
Thank you very much #Netgalley #Bookouture Audio #Bookouture for the advanced audio version of this book

3.5 stars. This had a lot of potential based on the synopsis, but it took a long time to get going. I even considered not finishing this.. as other reviews said, though, it does take a dramatic turn around 60% of the way through that makes it somewhat worthwhile. That said, it does just get kind of crazy and ridiculous, so I had a hard time getting on board. Thank you for my advanced audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This book had some good suspense and secrets, but I didn't find either of the main characters overly likeable-very fake. The book overall was good though! The narration broke up a lot on my phone. I'm not sure if it's just me having issues all the time or not, but it did get a little annoying.

Although there is a hint of a Single White Female/Hand That Rocked the Cradle feel to this book, it's completely entertaining in it's own right...there are some serious edge of seat, whaaaaat the heck is she doing?! moments that me hovering over the pause button but needing to know what happens even more. Mother's Helper does not hold back from either uncomfortable scenes, or the unflattering light it portrays social media users and it's influencers...I will never look at a mummy blogger in the same way again and I am still torn between whether or not I actually liked any of the characters in this book - they are all flawed, they all have dark secrets, they are all human. Would I read more books by Julia Crouch? Definitely. Kirsty Dillon's narration was excellent, she did the accents and voices so well and really brought out the claustrophobic feel of this book.

Wow! What a twisted tale! Rachel, an Influencer, is pregnant and hires Abby as a helper. Abby has another agenda in mind full of secrets, obsession, and revenge.

Good thriller. I found Rachel a bit dim and annoying having to hear her read all the many hash tags after her perspective from her Instagram posts and worried about all her followers, but nice twist at the end. Good narrator.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this advanced audio

This novel has a lot going on from the beginning and it focuses on Rachel. Rachel is an Instagram influencer and success is everything to her. She will soon need a mother's helper as she is now pregnant. That is just fine with Abbie. She will take the job. She is certain of it. Obsession and control will make it happen. However, Rachel has no idea the extremes that Abbie went through to get the job. Rather than to worry about Abbie and even to realize how she is perfect - almost too perfect for the job - Rachel is doing everything she can for the child in her belly to be born in as an ideal a world as she can make possible. If this whole pregnancy increases her media success and pushes her likes into the tens of thousands, then all the better. I enjoyed the alternating points of view between Abbie and Rachel, and thought it was interesting how they perceived each other, which was often a juxtaposition with how each perceived themselves, neither character was very likeable. I had this ARC as an audiobook and the narration was spot on, especially considering the tension in the story, especially when the obsession was playing out. Unreliable narrators, secrets, moral turpitude, and a cleverly orchestrated plot highlight the manipulation of social media and leave carnage in their wake. This twisted tale of obsession offers readers a unique, front-row view into the trappings of social media.

Publishes October 12, 2021.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this audio book..

Along the theme of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, I was prepared for another rehash of the Nanny who comes in and tries to take over the life of the shiny new mommy. Not at all. It was a great thriller. Well written. Three-quarters through the book and I was still not sure who the threat really is – or threats are? Certainly, craziness abounds and leaves no question about mental imbalance. But there are tendrils of allusions emerging sporadically through the story raising questions about how this may truly all work out.

Great story, well done and very enjoyable.

Narration not nearly as good. Kirsty Dillon has a great mastery of the two accents she employs in this story. But her delivery is irritating. She sounds like she is angry and trying to make a point, speaking with nearly every word sounding separated by periods. I’ve not heard her before. Perhaps it has been produced this way and the issue is with the production, but it does not present well.

Full of twists and unexpected turns, Mother’s Helper was, tbh, better than I expected. (I listened to the audiobook, I feel I should mention!) Rachel Rodriguez, or RR, is an influencer on Instagram and expecting her first child. She and her team bring on a Mother’s Helper to support her during pregnancy and after the birth. Abby, RR’s “biggest fan,” is hired for the position and moves onto Rachel’s estate.

Right off the bat, something is off. The book is told from varying perspectives, which I don’t always enjoy but found natural in this case. Abby definitely has some secrets, and the reader has a growing sense that she may have ulterior motives for becoming close to Rachel. But Rachel has some secrets as well. Every time I thought I knew how the story was going to unfold, I was surprised by what actually happened. From the beginning, I had an idea of what I thought the major twists would be, and I was WRONG! Love it!! Love that I was surprised and things were so unexpected!

I thought this book was going to fit a mold (pop culture, light read, easy to deduce what happens next) and I found myself realizing that i didn’t know what to expect. It wasn’t predictable as I had assumed. Some elements of the story were very realistic, while other elements and events seemed less so. There were a good amount of characters to keep track of, which worked to add to the surprise count when they popped up unexpectedly. I did enjoy the flashbacks to previous Instagram posts from Rachel and Abby’s back story was quite interesting.

Overall I would say this was a good read and worth investing the time in. The author seems to have a sense of humor so that shines through as well. I would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Pay attention in this one, there's a lot going on!

I really couldn't decide who was the worse of the two main characters!! But I can say I was gripped to this well narrated audiobook from start to finish. It opens your eyes about who you're really letting into you world outside of the internet, it's frightening how easily lines can be crossed - no spoilers! - but this is a book I'd definitely recommend you spending time with.

I want to thank the author, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, Bookouture
for providing me the opportunity to read this new book for my honest review.

Think that being an influencer is fun, easy and quirky?
Well, think again.

Julia Crouch gives us a chilling thriller with all the right Gothic elements.
What starts off as a simple job offer, turns into a suffocating story of obsession and control.

Rachel is a famous influencer, living her best life. She has money, she was a loyal following and now all she's missing is a baby. But with her pregnancy she needs a mother's helper to not only help her with her baby, but also to be part of her brand and a new face on her IG presence.

Abbie is Rachel's number one fan and she's paper perfect to fill in the role of being Rachel's mother's helper.

Plain, innocent Abbie doesn't fascinate Rachel at first, but things start to change soon enough.

This book had my heart racing with it's twists and turns.

I love the fact that I consumed this book in an audiobook format. The narrator enriched the whole experience, she did an amazing job.

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Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for sending me the audiobook version of Mother's Helper in exchange for an honest review.

#hashtag #hashtag an up to date read about an female influencer and her life style choices. get used to insta and hashtags as they appear throughout the book. The life on screen may not be quite so perfect as followers are made to think. When the influencer becomes pregnant she decides to hire a mothers help for the end of the pregnancy and first six months of baby's (beansprout) life. Then things start to change and the plot thickens. I loved the narration and this made it so easy to follow, you do actually quite like all of the characters and almost wish they could all stay together and live happily ever after. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

Loved the face pace of this book. Also loved that it was not predictable. The read was a roller coaster ride.

Wow! What a ride! This is my first time listening to a book by this author and I cannot wait to read her other works. This book was so multifaceted but it all contributed to the storyline and was relevant. I started listening and couldn’t stop. I had to force myself to go to sleep at 7am after listening all night.

Rachel is an Instagram/Social Media Influencer with a baby on the way. She puts an ad out for a Mother’s Helper to help her care for the baby when he/she is born. She has a plan and knows what she wants. Her life is not as perfect as it appears online and Rachel is hiding secrets of her own.

Abby applies for the job. It’s her dream job. She is Rachel’s biggest fan. She seems like the perfect fit. Well qualified, Vegan, and has the same outlook on life as Rachel. Is Abby as perfect as she seems and maybe just neurodivergent which explains her odd manor or is something else the cause of her odd behavior?

The whole time I didn’t know who was the one I should side with and root for.

Excellent narration and storytelling. Extremely pleased with this audiobook. Definite 5 stars.

I’m a little divided as to whether or not I enjoyed this story. I listened to the audio version and at first I didn’t like the narrator. However, as the story developed, her voices as each of the characters were very distinct and I fell into her rhythm of delivery.

The tale centres on a successful influencer, Rachel, wealthy and successful but troubled and superficial. She lives the dream, but scratch the surface and it’s all a lie, for numerous reasons. She takes on a new assistant as she’s pregnant with ‘bean sprout’ and needs a live in helper who’ll cook, clean, nanny etc. She appoints Abby and it soon becomes clear that not only is she a flawed and troubled individual, but she has an agenda to make good the wrongs of the past. And there are quite a few.

The narrative is predominantly from Abby’s viewpoint and alternate chapters are in the form of tweets from Rachel’s social media content with loads of hashtags and updates on followers and likes. These would be easier to follow in detail in written form as the details indicate changes. The story starts slowly as Abby takes up her place in the home and other key players are introduced. Rachel’s reliance on Abby increases and resentments and concerns from others build…

The tale becomes increasingly more complex as the reasons for various dysfunctions are explored and although the pace increases, there were points where, for me, credibility was stretched too far and it became totally implausible. The situations explained deceits and built another premise, but it felt too contrived and I was more irritated than intrigued. It’s a well written story which explores numerous themes around the veneer of social media, family ties, deceit etc, but it didn’t quite work for me.

My thanks to the publisher for an audio review copy via Netgalley.

I first came across Julia Crouch as a debut author on the New Blood Panel, with her debut book, at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival. I was therefore thrilled to get an audio ARC of Mother’s Helper.

Rachel is a social media influencer with the apparently perfect life that goes with the photos and hashtags. Abbie is a huge fan and is over the moon when she is hired to help Rachel with the impending arrival of her baby. However, soon the facade starts to crack and the relationship between Rachel and Abbie darkens, taking on lots of twists and turns.

I enjoyed Mother’s Helper, notably the clever use of different POV. I did however struggle to connect meaningfully to any of the characters and thought the story got a little busy. The plot was pacey, particularly towards the end and I devoured the audiobook very quickly.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and Netgalley for the audio ARC.

Mother’s Helper by Julia Crouch

Rachel a social media influencer is determined to be the perfect mother. A soon to be single mother, who knows she will need some help with baby once he/she arrives. Rachel posts an ad on her social media looking for a ‘Mother’s Helper’.

Abbie is a huge fan of Rachel and very excited over the ad. Abbie will do anything for the job. Abbie seems too perfect! What secrets could she be hiding? Does she have a hidden agenda?

Rachel has secrets of her own as well.

Tension, suspense, twists! A good book that kept me interested the entire time!! A good reminder that you can’t always believe someone has the perfect life behind their social media.

Thank you Julia Crouch, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio to listen to this book in return for my honest review!