THE PERFECT FAMILY
by Anya Mora
The Perfect Family was first published as Tuesday’s Child in 2020. I loved the dual timelines and how the story unfolded..I was blown away and HAD to finish this book and fast. What a brilliant shock to end the book. It was one felt for everyone.

I really loved this book! A brilliant combination of suspenseful thriller and emotional fiction, with sensitive topics explored tactfully.

Emery is inexplicably drawn to Holden, a 10 year old boy in care who is looking for his forever family and decides to adopt him into her family with her husband, Mark, and her daughter, Betsy, also 10 years old. When Betsy is found dead, Holden is suspected of being her killer.

Every detail in this book is relevant, the character building and plot are intricate and Anya Mora sensitively explores the experience of adopting an older child, who reacts to everything life throws at him more dramatically, due to the struggles he has endured previously. The sibling relationship between Betsy and Holden is beautiful and takes away from the darkness hanging over the reader, knowing that in the present day, someone has killed Betsy.

Thought provoking and emotional. Had me welling up at the end. Emery defined a mother’s unbreakable love perfectly.

5⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Anya Mora and Joffe for an ARC in return for an honest review.

My daughter is dead and my son is the prime suspect.

This was way too predictable and the characters were pretty insufferable. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I think the main thing I did not enjoy about this book was the writing. It took me out of the book because I was too distracted by the odd structuring of the sentences. Maybe someone else will enjoy it more than I have.

The Perfect Family is the definition of an unputdownable domestic thriller. It follows a family whose daughter has been murdered, their newly adopted son being the prime suspect. Through flash backs to each month in the past year since the adoption to present day, it shows how families are not always how they appear.

Anya Mora does an excellent job at keeping readers guessing with her addictive storytelling.I read this book within hours. Each time I thought I thought I had figured out the plot, something would change, or be twisted to something totally unexpected.

Perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Stacy Willingham.

4.25/5

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. It was easy to get into and held my attention throughout. I did not figure out the twist until the author revealed it. Would definitely recommend.

Love this author read all her books and love all of them :) therea some nice twists in all books and makes u wanting more when finished!!!@

Thank you to NetGalley, along with the publisher for the eARC! This is my first time reading Anya Mora and it certainly wont be the last! The Perfect Family has lots of drama- adopting a foster child with behaviors. The book goes back and forth between present day and months prior, but the time change happens with new chapters beginning. It worked very well! You figure out what happens and more twists and turns just keep being revealed!
I will post my review on my bookstagram account- @bookofthemeg on 9/10!

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC. The Perfect family is a brilliant read. Not only did the Anya Mora write a suspenseful psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes as the plot unfolds.. She also shows readers how a mother's love for her children reaches no limits. This book had me guessing, angry, and tearing up. My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. I highly recommend The Perfect Family to anyone looking for that binge read. I did not give a 5-star rating only because I guessed who the killer was before Mora revealed it herself. I will definitely be reading more books by this author to she what else she has to bring to the table though.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I never saw the main twist until it was unfolding before me! I can’t spoil anything but OMG you never know who you can trust. Such a fast read. Perfect for a chill evening. I especially love how the book ended with a full conclusion. I love when authors bless us with complete resolution.

The idea of losing a child is excruciating, but not knowing the circumstances of a murder would be unbearable. The Perfect Family explores Emery, a woman who seemingly has it all until her young daughter is killed and her adopted son is accused of killing her. This book was impossible to put down---loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I couldn’t put this down! And I was not expecting that ending! The writing style was really well done and I really like how everything was resolved by the end. Emery was a very likable/relatable character as well.

"The Perfect Family" by Anya Mora is a heart-pounding emotional journey that had me on the edge of my seat. From the devastating loss of a beloved daughter to the shocking revelation that her death might not have been an accident, this novel keeps you guessing at every turn. Mora masterfully crafts a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and full of suspense. The central question of who could have committed such a heinous act against a bright and sunny young girl lingers throughout the story, making it an utterly compelling read.

As a reader, I found myself deeply connected to the protagonist's pain and desperation as she grapples with the loss of her daughter, Betsy. The story explores the complexities of family dynamics, trust, and the haunting uncertainty of whether we truly know the people we love. With each page, the mystery deepens, and you'll be compelled to examine your own perceptions of family and the lengths one would go to uncover the truth, even if it means confronting unbearable realities. "The Perfect Family" is a riveting psychological thriller that will leave you questioning the choices we make in the name of family and the profound impact they can have. It's a solid four-star read that I wholeheartedly recommend.

This was a nice mystery. It has a good amount of twists and turns and it has a good ending. The characters and dialogue are written well and the story moves at a good pace. This is a really great thriller I would recommend . I will definitely be checking out more books by this author. Special Thank You to Anya Mora, Joffe Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️
While this was a good story, I felt as though a lot was repeated throughout. It also felt very predictable. The twists and turns didn’t happen until about 70% into the book which made getting through most of the storyline very difficult. However, it did have me in literal tears! As a mom I cannot imagine losing a child and the way her daughter is unalived is horrific and you learn about how it happened through the daughters point of view. I love that it was a happy ending and the way it ended was beautiful!

Mark and emerys daughter Betsy has died, falling from a ravine. However, the next day they inform them that she has been hit over the head, she had been murdered, and the last person seen with her is their adopted son, Holden. Told in differing perspectives of the present trying to figure out who did it, and the past from the day emery sees Holden and decides she wants to adopt him, we slowly learn the complexities of what happened.

I enjoyed this a lot. Easy and quick chapters keeping me very interested. The second you think you’ve figured something out, something new happens and the twists keep coming. A little too much at the end making it not a 5* for me, but close.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All I can say is that once you think it’s going one way the author throws a twist or two that blow your mind.

Wow! This book was such a beautiful thriller. I never thought I would use beautiful and thriller in the same sentence, but this book!

I devoured this book in less than 2 hours. I had to keep reading to know what happened. The Perfect Family is a domestic thriller based around a family that is not as picture perfect as they seem. (Who is, right?) Their daughter is dead and their troubled adopted son is the main suspect. But are things as they seem?? Absolutely not! This book pulled me in from the first page and kept me HOOKED until the last line. The plot was well developed, and I appreciated the pacing of this book. The twists were relevant and believable. I had multiple jaw dropping moments throughout.

On top of this being an entertaining thriller, it weaves in such beauty. Unconditional love, redemption, family. I was emotional at the end of this book. I finished reading it and just sat in silence for a bit before trying to put my thoughts together into a review. Such a beautifully written novel. Well done Anya Mora!

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

They embodied the image of the perfect family: Emery, a devoted stay-at-home mom actively involved in charitable endeavors; Mark, an aspiring politician who appeared to be the ideal husband; and a bright and cheerful 10-year-old daughter who radiated joy. Their family recently expanded with the adoption of a son, a joyful milestone.

However, their idyllic life took a nightmarish turn after a Halloween evening that ended in tragedy. Their sweet and innocent daughter was not the victim of a mere accident but the brutal target of a murder. The nightmare deepened when their adopted son, Holden, emerged as a prime suspect, captured in a damning piece of evidence linked to her death.

Emery's world shattered into a million pieces. She had welcomed Holden into their home a year earlier, unaware of the violent tendencies that now seemed to define him. As the narrative unravels backward month by month, we gain insight into Holden's unsettling behavior, marked by fits of anger, sudden outbursts, and schoolyard brawls. Did Emery unwittingly invite a monster into her family, one potentially responsible for her own daughter's tragic demise?

This book masterfully blends elements of domestic thriller and psychological mystery. While the conclusion may stretch credibility in places, and some explanations appear coincidental, the story as a whole is a gripping, fast-paced, heart-pounding, and gut-wrenching exploration of a family's unraveling. My heart ached for the young girl, and tears welled up in my eyes, particularly during the final sections of the book where her perspective takes center stage.

This marks my introduction to the author's work, and I eagerly anticipate diving into more of her creations in the near future.

I offer my warmest congratulations on the upcoming publication date! Hooray!

I'd like to express my gratitude to NetGalle " y and Joffe Books for generously providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my candid thoughts and opinions.

I was hooked to this book from the first page. The chapters were all short and fast paced so I managed to finish the book in two days!!

The story is a really hard one to read and I loved that each of the characters had flaws - it made them so human! It was definitely an emotional read at quite a few points too because of the plot and the different stories it touches on but again I love that in a book!

I had a feeling I knew who the killer was (and I was right) but I was struggling to figure out their motivation for a long time in the book, so it was a shocker when that was revealed near the end!! I loved that everything was wrapped up nicely at the end too and there wasn’t really anything not touched on with the ending! I’d definitely recommend reading this book if you like a pacey thriller!