This book was full of twists that kept me hooked, as soon as I started reading I didn't want to put the book down until I had devoured the whole book.

"The Mother" is a book about a couple, Sarah and Nick. Sarah realises too late that she shouldn't have married Nick and then gets caught in the situation of being pregnant and hoping that will fix their marriage. Things take a turn and Sarah realises that you need to be careful what you wish for! The book is written very well by not giving too much away which makes the ending unexpected and amazing. However the book did a feel of dragging on for too long with filler information that really wasn't needed and was lost on me. I would however read it again and recommend it to anyone that likes a suspenseful book!

This was a great psychological thriller. I found myself pulled in right from the very start and could not put the book down.

There were multiple twists, some that were COMPLETELY unexpected.

I loved this book and I’d highly recommend to anyone that likes a fast paced, twisty thriller.

Sarah is unhappily married to Nick. Then she discovers she is pregnant. When baby Maya is born things just go from bad to worse and then baby Maya goes missing. I think this is Valerie Keogh's best physcological thriller to date. As there was so many different directions the plot could have went so it keeps you guessing and connected. The growth development of each and every character was outstanding. The plot has twists that left me gobsmacked. The ending was not what you think but leaves you satisfied. I stayed up late to find out what the outcome would be and I was not disappointed.

Keough is very talented by writing and creating some of the most vile characters!
Most of the central characters in this book are just horrid.
Sarah: cold and standoffish who makes really stupid decisions.
Nick: a cloying obsessive husband
Jade: just terrible
The character I liked the most was Zee. She was a good cop but also the most likable.
The book delivers a lot of surprises that are edgy.

Another absolutely compelling read from this author. Valerie Keogh has a skill in her writing that pulls you into a story and doesn't release you again until it's finished. By the time this book is finished you've been through the emotional wringer and have ended up like a corkscrew as there are that many twists and turns in it. Just when you think you have worked everything out in comes another twist to throw you off course once again.
This is an outstanding psychological thriller that has you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

W.O.W this book was amazing., from the first page till the last. I kept wondering what would happen next., the things I thought would happen Didn't. I was gob smacked by the cleverness of the author in writing this book. I have reviewed a few of this authors books and this is definitely the best. If you like physcological thrillers read this it's brilliant. Sarah a GP married Nick even though she had doubts. When she became pregnant Nick became jealous, but WHO stole baby Kaya from the pub and why???

"The Mother" is a fast-paced story brimming with twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed..

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

A truly twisted tale! Just when you think you know what is happening, the story takes you in a completely new direction. Very well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

Book Title: The Mother
Author: Valerie Keogh
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: June 27, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 302


Sarah Westfield is a physician but unhappily married to perfect husband Nick who is charming and adores her. She married him on the rebound and now after being married for a few months his attentiveness seems to be smothering.
Nick would like to have a child and believes a baby will make their marriage work
Sarah agreed only after baby Kaya is born, Sarah is feeling overwhelmed. Nick suggests the three of them need a weekend away. On Saturday night they go out to dinner not realizing that they should have made reservations. They are able to sit in with two women- Meg and Andrea who are almost finished with their dinner.
However, just as dinner arrives for Nick and Sarah, Baby Kaya wants no part of it. Meg offers to walk the baby to calm her down. Nick is reluctant. Meg offers to leaves her huge rucksack at their table. Sarah agree to let Meg walk Kala outside to sooth her. When she doesn’t return in a reasonable period, Meg’s friend Andrea states she will go find them.
Sarah searches the rucksack for clues and finds it stuffed with newspaper. Yes! Kaya had been kidnapped.
Nick as well as Sarah both devastated.
However, things go from bad to worst.

Story drags a bit.
I read a lot of thrillers so a few things are going through my heard- how did Meg and her Andrea know the baby would be there or were they prepared to kidnap any baby?

Although Sarah continued to be unlikeable, I was sure curious ~ but I certainly got it wrong!
One thing I was right about is that it was another great Valerie Keogh thriller!

This is my eleventh Valerie Keogh thriller.
She never disappoint. 💕
Additionally loves to keep us readers in suspense.

Want to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 27, 2024.

I really enjoyed this book..it was fast paced with lots of twists and turns.
I didn't see the twist at the end coming, which made it even better.
It's my first read of this author but I'll read more based on this.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Five stars.

A brilliant twisty-turny read that kept me hooked from the off.
When love turns obsessive the most extreme can seem acceptable.
Another addictive page-turning psychological thriller, Valerie Keogh never disappoints.

Wow! This story swings to and fro with twists aplenty to keep you turning page after page and just when you think that you have fathomed it out, the author throws another curve ball and you are left wondering what now!! Read this in almost one sitting as I was gripped by it throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for the ARC to review

A tense psychological thriller and an absorbing read. GP Sarah married Nick Westfield on the rebound and soon realised that although he is a good man she doesn’t love him romantically. Plan 1, stupidly she agrees to having a child with him in the hope that this will cement their marriage. However, she finds it difficult to connect with baby Kaya and is envious of Nick’s easy relationship with their daughter. Plan 2 is a family holiday to Lynton in Devon but there the unthinkable happens….

Briefly, enjoying lunch in a pub in Lynton Kaya starts complaining and shockingly Sarah and Nick agree to a stranger at their table taking Kaya outside to quieten her. But she doesn’t come back and Kaya is gone. The police are called and the PC, Zoe-Lee O’Farrell, who I found very judgemental and quite unprofessional, is very suspicious of Sarah who doesn’t seem unduly upset.

I can imagine a lot of parents reading this will be quite disturbed by what took place, as a non parent I was shocked! Although I didn’t like Sarah as a person, she was very uptight and unfeeling, I do understand some of her feelings, being stuck in a marriage that doesn’t make you happy then having a baby you don’t bond with must be extremely difficult but her reactions to this are quite cowardly. However, after the kidnap you can see how gradually the loss of her daughter hits her. A compelling and tense read with some great twists and turns. An enjoyable and engaging read.

Holy Moly!! I’m so glad I had off of work today because I was able to read this in one sitting. There was nothing, not even a bathroom break that stopped me from carrying my kindle around all day today to read this. I recently read and reviewed The Mistress and loved it so I thought I would read another by the author and this one was even twistier. I’m not going to go into the synopsis because you can read that on your own and saying anything at all will take away the pure reading pleasure of this book. My mouth is still on the floor as the twists didn’t stop until the end and then still didn’t stop. Do not miss this one. Valerie Keogh is my new favorite author. A million thank you’s to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy and to Valerie Keogh for giving me the biggest book hangover ever!!

I’d like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Mother’ written by Valerie Keogh in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Sarah and Nick have been married a year and although she has feelings for him she doesn’t love him as his love and devotion are smothering her. As she’s about to tell him she wants a separation Nick comes up with the idea of having a baby and Sarah can’t remember agreeing but immediately becomes pregnant. When baby Kaya is born she feels total apathy for her and is horrified she has to care for her. It isn’t until Kaya is taken that Sarah realises how much love she has for her and wants her back.

Every time Valerie Keogh writes a new novel I don’t need to read what it’s about as I’ve loved everything she’s written so it’s no surprise that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Mother’. It tells of Sarah Westfield who at thirty-eight realises the clock is ticking so has a baby but it’s obvious she’s struggling with post-natal depression and when the baby disappears the police become suspicious of her. From page one I was completely hooked by the plot and the characters so much so that I started reading at lunch-time and continued till I’d finished it that same evening, stopping only to eat. This book is excellent, perfectly written with drama, suspense and intrigue, and so many twists and turns that by the time I’d reached the end the conclusion was a huge surprise and not at all what I was expecting. Absolutely brilliant, well done Valerie, five stars from me!

Sarah Westfield is unhappily married to the perfect husband, Nick. Handsome, devoted, and kind, he should be the ideal man for her, but Sarah knows their marriage is the biggest mistake she's ever made.... and she wants out. But the Nick offers her one last chance to make their marriage work - a baby. Sarah is horrified - a baby would tie herself to this man forever.... wouldn't it? Or could it be exactly what she needs?

Why do couples think that having a baby will be the glue to keep them together? A cleverly crafted plot that's well-written. It's a bit of a slow burn, but the story keeps your interest. It was also a bit predictable. There were unexpected twists with well-developed characters/

Published 27th June 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #ValerieKeogh for my ARC of #TheMother in exchange for an honest review.

It's always hard when you don't know where to start. It was a decent book. It did keep me hooked and I wanted to see what happened. The plot line was pretty easy to figure out however, and the writing at times seemed a little simplistic. It was a very quick read.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Sarah is a 38 year old GP who recently parted ways with her boyfriend of three years. While trying to move on, she meets Nick. Nick quickly falls for Sarah and the two soon wed.
Sarah realizes her love was misplaced and that she only thought she loved Nick. In reality, he was more than likely a rebound.
When Nick states he’d like to try for a baby, Sarah is beyond hesitant. She had planned to tell Nick her true feelings and admit she didn’t really love him. To Sarah’s surprise however, she quickly becomes pregnant. She hopes the baby will bring them closer together as she acknowledges Nick is a very good, compassionate, and caring man; but he can also be clingy and overbearing.
Once Sarah has delivered their daughter, she fails to feel anything but resentment toward both Nick and her baby.
Then, while Nick and Sarah are out to eat with their baby, they struggle to enjoy their meal considering the loud atmosphere and crowded area. When the baby begins to cry, a woman sitting beside them offers to walk the baby around so the two can enjoy their meal. Sarah immediately jumps at the offer while Nick is apprehensive. After too much passes and the woman doesn’t return, the couple realize their baby has been kidnapped.
Was motherhood too much for Sarah? Did she pawn her baby off on someone? The police sure think so. Was Nick jealous of the time Sarah had to commit to the baby and decide it’s best for him and Sarah to be alone? Or did the seemingly Good Samaritan at the restaurant offer to help them due to her own sinister plan? One thing is for sure, you’d better be careful who you share your secrets with!
This was an excellent five star read! Valerie Keogh quickly became a “must read” for me and continues to write thrilling and jaw dropping stories! You’re not going to want to miss this one!

Thank you Boldwood books and NetGalley for this E-ARC of The Mother by Valerie Keogh.

I started this book and couldn’t finish till I read and savoured every last word. The plot of a reluctant new mother whose baby is kidnapped, but then nothing is as it seems - is just so brilliant.

Apart from a few areas of the plot which felt a tad unnecessary to the story, I was hooked from start to the end.

A must read …