I haven't read anything by Jayne Cowie before and after finishing this, I won't make that mistake again!!

I Did If For You is a gritty look at a world that has found a way to predict aggression and violence in men. A negative test means the best schools, the best jobs ... the best of everything but a positive test means the complete opposite, and if you refuse, it's as if the result was positive ... what would you do? Could you condemn your son to a life of barriers and hardship for a crime he hasn't committed or would you risk it to get the best that life can offer?

This is the dilemma facing two sisters, Antonia and Bea; they each make a choice which has far reaching and devastating consequences for them, their families and for those around them.

With a very different and intriguing plot, great characters and written at a good pace, this is a really good, thought-provoking read and although I guessed some of the twists, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this book.

Thank you to the author, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of I Did It For You.

Star Rating 4.5

Imagine a future where boys are tested for a violent 'M' gene. Being negative opens up a world of opportunities - good schools, jobs, insurance, all the right places to go - they are the privileged. For those with a positive result, or none at all as their parent refuses to give their child a label, life is much harder and they can end up on work farms.

Despite being sisters, Antonia and Bea have very different perspectives on the M gene. Jack, Antonia's 18-year-old son, is negative, and Owen, Antonia's husband and a doctor, makes a living by managing a clinic to assist positive cases with the help of Antonia counseling the parents. They lead a luxurious existence and Jack has everything he could possibly want thanks to the clinic's enormous success.

On the other hand, Bea, who has a son named Simon who is also 18 years old, is completely opposed to the idea that a boy's gene status, whether positive or negative, has any bearing on his behaviour and will not allow Simon to take the test. However, while being loved by his mother, Simon has never enjoyed all the benefits of his cousin because Bea is a single parent who has battled to make ends meet throughout his life.

One day, Bea and Simon turn up on Antonia's doorstep asking to stay. They've obviously escaped trouble, and Antonia believes that's because Simon has the positive M gene and takes this opportunity to encourage her sister to get Simon tested once and for all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and couldn't put it down, though I had it sussed pretty quickly, but a few things came as a surprise. It's seen from both sister's point of view, going back and forth in time. I didn't realise it was set in the UK until a few chapters in, would have liked that to be told a little sooner.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The suspense in this book is a tightrope walk, leading to a precipice of revelations that will keep you on edge until the final page. Brilliantly written and keeps you on the edge of your seat

I Did It for You Jayne Cowie

5 stars
Amazing concept that really made me think.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. It revolves around a gene that could exist in all boys, the M gene. If the test for the gene proves positive, the boy will be likely to grow up violent and aggressive but if it is negative all will be well. Positive boys can be put on medication to help them control their feelings and help them to avoid any problems caused by the gene.

Antonia and Bea are sisters but are completely different in their attitude to the M gene. Antonia’s son Jack, 18, is negative and Antonia’s husband, Owen, a doctor, has made his living out of running a clinic to help positive cases aided by Antonia counselling the parents. Due to the great success of their clinic, they live a luxurious lifestyle and Jack has everything he could possibly want.

Bea, on the other hand, also has a son, Simon, also 18, but is totally against the concept that possessing a gene, whether positive or negative, is relevant to the boy’s behaviour and refuses to let Simon have the test. However, Bea is a single parent who has struggled all her life to make ends meet and Simon, although loved by his mother has never had all the advantages of his cousin.

The story is set in the present but goes back to the past from time to time to show how both boys have grown up. The author also describes how society reacts to the gene, only negative boys can go to the best schools and it eventually starts to creep into every aspect of life. The worrying thing about this story is that it is so realistic and I could actually visualise this happening in the future.

Both Antonia and Bea were trying to do their best for their sons but are gradually overwhelmed by events that happen to their two boys. There are lots of twists in the plot some of which I guessed but a lot were totally unexpected. I would thoroughly recommend this book, I found it hard to stop reading until I had finished it...




Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net Galley

#IDidItForYou #NetGalley
Wow!!!
Scientists have developed a gene test that can determine whether boys have the 'M' gene from the moment they are born, if it's negative it means they will live a carefree life and be accepted wherever they choose to go, if it's positive they will be limited throughout their lives and trouble will likely follow them around unless they take the required medication. Antonia and Bea, sisters and both mothers to boys, Antonia had her son Jack tested when he was young, and currently runs a clinic with her husband Owen to help M+ boys with their treatment programmes, Bea refused to let her son Simon have the test, believing people's behaviour is governed by their upbringing, not the result of a test. They are both fiercely protective of their boys, for different reasons, but one of them is hiding something and this secret, once revealed, will have a devastating effect on them all.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone for giving me an advance copy.

This was a really compelling novel set in what could very well be our own present day society. Scientists have discovered that some boys possess a gene that might make them more likely to grow to be violent. A test for the gene is offered to all parents of new born boys. What happens next is very predictable as nurseries, schools etc begin to ask for test results and not to accept boys who possess the gene. Then treatments begin to be discovered and the boys can be medicated to keep the violence in check.
What would you do? Would you test your son to see if he had a violence gene?
The book is told through different view points, mainly the two sisters, Antonia and Bea. Antonia is the mother of a boy who doesn’t possess the gene whereas Bea is the single mother of a son who she has refused to get tested. It’s also told partly in the present but also with chapters that take place in the past. The historical chapters get gradually more up to date and we see exactly how the two women have ended up in this situation. We also see how society adapts to the existence of the gene and how boys who have it are becoming marginalised and excluded from the opportunities open to the boys who are negative.
It's a scary concept and sadly, all too believable. I loved how the facts about the past were revealed and how everything seemed so plausible. This or something like it, could easily happen.
None of the adult characters were particularly likeable but all of the women were trying to be the best mothers that they could. However, I did like both Simon and Jack who were just normal teenage boys dealing with the family lives that they have been given. The plot was incredibly well thought out and although I guessed at a couple of the plot twists, some of the others took me completely by surprise.
This was a brilliant read and I found it hard to put down.
Thank you to Random House UK and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I love a good dystopian novel and I have enjoyed Jayne Cowie’s previous books so I was excited to read I did it for you. I absolutely devoured it in one sitting! Brilliant concept and writing. I was so engaged with the characters and invested in finding out the truth that I literally could not stop reading. The book was very fast paced which I loved and had quite a few surprising twists. I highly recommended this book and have given it a massive 5 stars.

Scientists have developed a gene test that can determine whether boys have the 'M' gene from the moment they are born, if it's negative it means they will live a carefree life and be accepted wherever they choose to go, if it's positive they will be limited throughout their lives and trouble will likely follow them around unless they take the required medication. Antonia and Bea, sisters and both mothers to boys, Antonia had her son Jack tested when he was young, and currently runs a clinic with her husband Owen to help M+ boys with their treatment programmes, Bea refused to let her son Simon have the test, believing people's behaviour is governed by their upbringing, not the result of a test. They are both fiercely protective of their boys, for different reasons, but one of them is hiding something and this secret, once revealed, will have a devastating effect on them all.

I Did It For You is a dark and disturbing dystopian tale of what life is like for two women at opposite ends of the M gene saga, one is happily married and wealthy with an M negative son and the other is a single mum, scratching around to make ends meet, to a boy who hasn't been tested but many assume he's bound to be a positive match anyway. The story jumps back and forth between timelines past and present over the first eighteen years of the boys lives, with some characters that are immediately unlikeable just down to their entitled outlook on life. The premise of the book is very thought provoking and begs the question of any parent, what would you do in that situation, is it better to know and be prepared or remain in the dark and hope that love and a good upbringing will raise your child to be well grounded and respectful to society? A great read, with some unexpected twists, from a new to me author and I look forward to reading her future work.

I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

QOTD: What lengths would you go to protect your child?

I Did It For You by Jayne Cowie
Rating: 4⭐️
ARC review-31st August

This dystopian thriller will truly make your blood boil. Unexpected, harsh, dark and thought-provoking, everything you want in a thriller!

Two sisters who both have a toxic and unhealthy relationship. In a world where all boys aged seven and under can have them tested for the M gene.

Things I enjoyed:
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Alternative timelines
✅ Page turner
✅ Thought provoking
✅ Dystopian thriller

-Antonia is the oldest sister married to wealthy doctor who has a - M son. Obsessed with + M boys.

-Bea is the youngest sister who refuses to have her son tested for the gene. She worries about the effect testing boys for the gene will have on them in the future. With M positive boys being turned into social pariahs, being forced to work and live in poor conditions.

All of the characters were unlikeable, which in this book I really enjoyed. I was constantly thinking who was the worst person and why they were making these decisions. However, whilst all the adults were unlikeable. I loved the boys and my heart aches for them. Their lives have been shaped by their flawed and hypocritical parents!

To have you boys tested or not too?
Good verse evil, punishment before a crime?
Nature vs nurture?
Those are the questions you will find yourself answering throughout!

I was left considering my personal feelings and stance on several of societies issues that are present even today.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this, it gripped me and had me turning the pages to see the outcome!

This book has a really interesting them, very unique. The story is told from different perspectives and the viewpoints are very different. Each character stands alone and is well defined and easy to recognise. Some books the characters merge as too similar.

Two sisters, very different from each other, both with sons they love. The world has discovered a test for the M Gene. A gene that predicts unsociable, violent and dark behaviour in boys, testing can be done at birth. A moral dilemma. Would you get your son tested? Each sister has very different views on it. One refuses to test her son despite society locking out those untested or with this gene. They are blocked from nursery, school, colleges, you name it. Seen as dangerous even as babies and toddlers.

The other sister has set up a clinic with her husband where positive M Gene parents pay a lot to access a treatment program designed to help them manage these sons. This would make a good book club read.

Their backgrounds are brought into play. Totally different lifestyles and one sister is running from something with her son whom she has never tested. Both sons reconnect after years and the relationship between them and their Mothers are played out.

The book definitely held my interest and the reveal and twist I did not see coming and added an edge to the plot. Really well done. I wonder if you’d predict it? An original read that I enjoyed right to the end. 4 stars from me.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This shocking thriller follows sisters, Bea, and Antonia who both have sons. When a new test is announced to check for the M gene which is linked to violent behaviour, the sister’s must decide whether they want to have their sons tested.

Bea decides against the test, but as the boys grow, the prejudice between M- & M+ boys are becoming more apparent, and she wonders if she made the right decision to protect her son.

When there is a violent incident Bea’s son is found to be the main suspect, with a test result imminent they must hope his result ends up negative.

Will his result be negative? Are the boys hiding any secrets?

I found this thriller shocking and thought-provoking, I just kept thinking why it is just boys and not girls, women and men which are to be tested.

I found the segregation between the positive and negative boys hard to read, as the variance in what they have access to in life is completely different, but the even more scary thing is that I could see it going this way if this testing ever became available.

The storyline also shows how much the mothers are prepared to fight for their own son’s even when they know they may not be innocent.

Overall, a shocking and thought-provoking thriller where a new test to determine if a boy will be violent is launched into society.

This book is written in a dystopian world of the near future, where genealogists have discovered 97% of men in prison have a gene known as M positive. Antonia’s husband has set up a private clinic which tests boys and then medicates them and gives parenting advice to avoid their otherwise violent future. Her son Jack is M negative, but her sister Bea has always refused to test her son Simon, who is a similar age. The story explores how not knowing if you are positive or negative impacts your life as much as knowing for certain.
I enjoyed this book but felt it lacked depth. However, it is an enjoyable read and made me wonder what I would do in that situation.

Imagine if scientists have discovered a gene in males that causes them to be violent, the 'M' gene. Imagine if male babies are offered the test at birth, and those who are M+ face a life time of medication. Imagine that nurseries, schools, universities, workplaces, shops, pubs, and nightclubs won't accept anyone untested or M+. Imagine that violence against Women and girls decreases, as does the prison population. Imagine that M+ boys are treated as though they are guilty of crimes that they are yet to commit. Imagine M- boys are living an entitled life. Imagine that you have a son, what would you do to protect him?...Read it!

This book took me a little while to get into, but the plot then took off. I didn't much like Antonia so I wasn't surprised by her actions, just by some of the plot twists. I don't want to spoil it for others so I'd say read it for yourself as it's a good book.

To start, I loved the realistic depiction of a dystopian now, because I can’t even say that this story was set in the future!

Whilst at first glance, the M Gene and all it entails may seem far fetched but the more you immerse yourself in to the story you realise just how easy it would be to find ourselves in a society just like the one in ‘I Did it For You’.

I loved the whole concept and only wish I could read and discover other stories from within the M Gene universe. I found the idea so intriguing and to see this horrific situation through the eyes of four very different people was incredibly interesting.

The book is filled with clever plot twists that grab your attention and keeps you hooked throughout the entire story. These developments keep you guessing until the very end.

The multiple point of view format added an extra layer of excitement and suspense which I totally vibe with whilst the emotional depth of the characters and their struggles made this book a truly heart-wrenching read at times. The only downside to the entire reading experience was that I didn’t want the story to end. I became so invested in the characters and their journey that I found myself wanting more.

‘I Did it For You’ is a brilliant and captivating book that I highly recommend. Jayne Cowie has a way of writing an exceptional story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.

This was a really interesting book, the dystopian future element added to it greatly. It was a fantastic book from start to finish and thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read it before publication

A clever and original concept and an intriguing and compelling storyline.
There has been a gene marker identified which can separate males into two categories, those M+ have traits of violence and can be dangerous and predisposed to crime and those M- do not. This causes a knock on effect for those identified as M+ as they are prejudiced against from the start and have poorer life opportunities and feel forced to join a programme of behaviour management and medication.
The theme of life opportunities is also explored through comparison of two sisters who have vastly different lives and the way that they manage their sons’ lives and whether to test them or not and how the whole situation affects their lives.
I found the first third of the story slightly shaky and I didn’t entirely buy into the concept but the pace and moral dilemmas increase vastly as the book progresses and it becomes compelling, twisty and clever. It cleverly plays on the quirks of science and perhaps knowing too much becoming dangerous which is relatable and a chilling warning in a modern world that we all live in. Recommend.

A dystopian near-future world and its secrets. In this world, boys have to be tested for a gene which makes them violent if left untreated. Two sisters, one wealthy the other poor, have different ways of coping with this. Dark and intriguing.

I DID IT FOR HER

Thanks #NetGalley for my e-arc copy of #IDidItForHer in exchange for my honest review.

A dystopian novel, asking a question in which the answer should always be a resounding NO to !!

Where it was a thought provoking mystery I found I was expecting so much from this book.
I found it laborious, until you’re approximately 60% of the way in, and even then I found it predictable and had already figured out the twists before they came.

Personally I found this novel to be less than mediocre and with what seemed like a rushed ending.

A world in which all boys have to be tested to see if they have the gene that is likely to make them act violently in the future. This was definitely a very thought provoking book. The judgement given to the boys in the book purely because they had the gene really made you think of the nature vs nurture debate and made the book so interesting. I needed to keep reading to see what would happen next. The book also explored mothers love and how far they’d go to protect their child, which made for riveting reading!