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 …

This was a very good read. I enjoyed reading this very much. Fast paced.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this

This book revolves around Sara, the main character, who marries Nick, seemingly as a rebound and to mend her shattered heart. Though Sara appreciated Nick's care and it helped her heal from her broken heart, she never really had a deep romantic connection to him, and sadly, Nick picked up on it. There has been a disconnect the entire time, so Sarah decided it was time to call it quits. Despite her reservations, Sarah agrees with Nick when he suggests they should have a child. It was at this time that I became quite frustrated and started to yell, and I realized that I would not be able to Set this book aside. Due to a horrible pregnancy and ongoing sentiments of contempt for Nick, Sarah makes a valiant effort but is unable to form a strong bond with her infant daughter, Kaya. How do mothers seem to have it so naturally? Because I loved to detest them, I adored the characters in this book. The way this was presented through Sarah's eyes really helped me understand how frustrated she is with everything, and you can see things are only going to get worse when she can't even begin to bond with her new kid. It should be inconceivable for both parents when the unimaginable occurs and little Kayla is taken away at the age of just two weeks—or is it? The narrative moves quickly because you have to keep reading to find out what happens and how it all ends. I was engrossed in this story nonstop. I cherished the characters and thoroughly enjoyed delving into the truth of the events prior to their disclosure. You'll be gripped by this book till the very end because everyone is a suspect. I was unable to turn the pages quickly enough to see what actually transpired. The conclusion was incredible and rendered me utterly dumbfounded. That was something I never saw coming. With an abundance of deceptions, suspense, and mystery, Valorie is a skilled storyteller. Excellent read, and I'm delighted I had the opportunity to Look into it. This one will have everyone talking because it has so many clever story twists. If you want to be a part of it, check it out; you won't be sorry. All book groups should read this book, but avid thriller readers should pick it up first.

The Mother by Valerie Keough is a delectably addictive and anxiety-inducing domestic thriller. Tension and suspense hang like a blanket and the twists just keep coming!

Married couple Sarah and Nick have a one-sided marriage. Nick adores Sarah which infuriates Sarah. She doesn't like to be clung to and coddled and is resentful. But they decide to have a baby in hopes of connection. Kaya wasn't what Sarah had hoped for and imagined which caused Sarah to be an at-arm's-length mother. She now had a loving husband she didn't love and an adorable daughter she was distant from. But when Kaya is taken, the parents are devastated and move heaven and earth to find her.

Disaster strikes again, leaving the characters reeling. Friends and family try to help in their way but only add to the tension. The police investigators have their own theories.

The characters are easy to dislike and the story is full of fascinating intricacies which are a pleasure to read. The beautiful writing itself is what you'd expect from Keough.

Though Sarah made some pretty foolish decisions, especially as an educated woman, I didn't fully write her off. Instead, my focus was on gnawing my tongue in anticipation. Slow burns like this keep my attention and immerse me in a different world.

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this nerve-wracking novel.

I have read a few of this authors books and enjoyed them so was excited to read this one. It had an interesting unique storyline with plenty of twists and turns. My only grumble would be that it got a bit far fetched towards the end. It was however a good enjoyable read

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Mother by Valerie Keogh. This was a great read. It was fast paced and had several twists. The ending was a real shocker!! There were so many directions that this book could go so it kept me guessing. It was very engaging and I highly recommend it to others. This book was my first book by this author but I will definitely read more by her. I enjoyed the writing style as well as the plot. A 5 star rating from me.

A very slow burner with an unlikeable main character. The pace picked up about 3/4 of the way through the book with some twists and turns which kept me guessing but overall I wouldn’t rush to read her next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

This one was disappointing initially. It started off very slow, but I kept reading, waiting for it to get better…..and then, BAM! About 3/4 of the way through, everything took off! I’m glad that I persevered. The twists redeemed it.
Thank You to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Valerie Keogh for the opportunity to read this ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an early copy of The Mother. No mother would have done what Sarah did in the pub and her reaction after was unheard of. The twists in this book were amazing. It was a definite guess who kind of story but the twists of what actually happened were CRAZY!!! The ending was a bit too much for me and kind of not believable but all in all, a quick, fast read.

A wife and mother who is no longer sure she wants to be a mother. Sarah knows her marriage was the biggest mistake she ever made. Now he wants a baby? Could this save their marriage? She struggles with motherhood , and feels trapped. And then the baby goes missing….Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.

A perfect mix of fast paced and twisty! This was my first novel by Valerie Keogh but I'll definitely be reading more. I really enjoyed the writing style and even though I guessed the ending, I certainly enjoyed the ride!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC of this book.

The Mother is a pacy thriller following Sarah, her rebound marriage to Nick and their missing baby, Kaya. Although I didn’t find the protagonists particularly likeable, I was completely hooked by the story and thoroughly enjoyed the many plot twists and turns. I really like the author’s compelling writing style and raced through this novel in record time. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my advance copy.

Sarah is a doctor working as a GP in a local practice and is married to Nick. On paper Nick is the perfect husband, adoring, attentive and always making gestures to show Sarah just how much he loves her. But Sarah is not in love with Nick, marrying him on the rebound, she was caught up in his loving whirlwind. Sarah is psyching herself up to tell Nick how she feels when he announces they should have a baby. Sarah goes along with Nick’s proposal but doesn’t cope well with her pregnancy, it lays her low and she suffers severe morning sickness, which lasts all day.

Moving forward to Nick and Sarah having a beautiful baby girl, the family decide to take their first trip together. A parent’s worst nightmare then plays out when baby Kyla is kidnapped. Nick adores their little girl and is beyond distraught at her disappearance. Sarah never really connected with her baby and has formed no bond since she was born, so shows some indifference, her feelings are vastly unlike her partners. As the police investigate what has happened to her baby, Sarah begins to learn some self- truths as it slowly dawns on her what her real feelings are for her baby girl. As the search for Kyla continues, secrets are revealed and the plot twists spiral, leading to a shocking yet great conclusion.

Valerie is one of my ‘go to’ authors whose books I don’t even bother reading the blurb on before picking them up. I find her stories to be original with relatable characters and realistic plots. She has a great talent in setting the tone of a story to make it interesting from the start and become more gripping as the pace picks up, the further on you read. I absolutely loved this book, so another easy 5 stars from me!

I have read and enjoyed previous books by this author and "The Mother" has the same fast pacing and twists and turns I expect from Valerie Keogh. Sarah is a doctor married to Nick who works in finance. Sarah met Nick when she was on the rebound from another romance and he quickly won her over with his declarations of love. Sarah comes across as a cold person and Nick seems overly smothering. Nick wants to have a baby and without really thinking it through, Sarah agrees. I really have a problem reading about people who hate their children or children being harmed, so I was hoping that this would go in a different direction. Sarah doesn't care about her baby girl Kaya at all and does the minimum to take care of her while Nick showers her with attention. Then one day while on vacation, baby Kaya is kidnapped. The rest of the book is through the eyes of Sarah and two police officers who are trying to get the baby back.

The book has a lot of suspense as the police get closer into figuring out what happened and Sarah and Nick face danger from this person who wants a baby at any cost. The author explores issues of parental love and women facing expectations toward motherhood that men don't have to face. I figured out one of the twists even though it seemed unbelievable but the author had a few more surprises up her sleeve. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC to review.

Sarah is an unhappy marriage to her husband, Nick. He wants a baby bust she knows she will be forever tied to him. She has the baby. And is convinced she is a bad mother. The baby disappears and suddenly everything is in question. I enjoyed the fast paced narrative. It definitely kept me turning the pages.