Thank you, She Writes Press for the copy of Not Yours To Keep by Zelly Ruskin. The story was great and I can see why so many readers loved this book. I found the timelines confusing because they weren’t very well delineated so they were confusing. It took me so long to decipher what was happening and when, I lost interest in the characters and what they were doing didn’t really stay with me. The big reveal wasn't a huge surprise, but how everything came together was very satisfying. This debut had plenty of promise, it just wasn’t really the book for me. I still recommend it for the story. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Not Yours to Keep by Zelly Ruskin is a gripping thriller that delves into emotional and ethical complexities. The story follows Billie Campbell, an adoption specialist whose intense desire to adopt her client's baby leads to dark consequences. When the baby is abducted and Billie becomes a prime suspect, the plot thickens with secrets and suspense. Ruskin crafts an engaging narrative with strong characters and unexpected twists, though some pacing issues arise. Overall, it’s a compelling read that keeps you hooked until the end

Goodreads review:

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy of t

The book is told from the point of view of Tyler, Billie, and Anne. Billie is having issues getting pregnant and Tyler is wrestling with even wanting children. Anne comes into their lives and basically turns it upside down. The wild ride this story takes you on is a great mix of sadness and happiness. Overall, great story.

This book started a bit slow but did end up picking up as the story unfolded. The book had some topics that were emotional. There's a missing baby towards the end, infertility, and stalking.

Not Yours to Keep by @zellyruskin expertly weaves together multiple adoption stories into one suspense-filled novel that slowly goes from what seems like a series of weird coincidences between three adults in their 30s into a very interconnected web of people tied together in ways they would never expect.

This story is told through alternating narrators in 3 points of view, with 2 FMC and 1 MMC. Billie, a social worker who specializes in adoption is struggling to go to work each day and help unite families while she and her husband, Tyler struggle with infertility. Tyler, a successful lawyer who is hoping to make partner, understand's Billie's struggle, but isn't 100% sure he really wants a child of his own, especially when work is so stressful to begin with! Anne's life is unraveling, her mental health is unstable and her ability to follow her normal daily routines, like going to work each day, is quickly declining. She keeps having flashbacks to the year she gave up her daughter for adoption back when she was 13. When she catches a glimpse of her former junior high boyfriend, Tyler, it ignites something in her to resolve some of the unfinished business she left behind so many years ago. Anne quickly begins stalking Tyler, and eventually Billie, and finding ways to worm her way into their lives. With her increasingly limited connection to reality, Anne makes choices that she believes will bring her closer to her childhood dream of life with Tyler, no matter who or what stands in her way.

I was quickly drawn in to the three stories and enjoyed watching the way pieces of the puzzle came together as the novel progressed. It isn't until the final chapters that you really see what an interconnected group of people the supporting characters make up, including a set of young birth parents planning to put their child up for adoption and some of the people from Tyler's past. While there is some hopping between time periods, especially in Anne's point of view, overall the story is quite easy to follow and not overly predictable. The suspense is very low key and not scary, something I am often grateful for! I loved the varying views of adoption as well as the infertility journey, it is clear that the author knows a great deal about these processes and the importance of counselling and therapy when needed.

I would definitely recommend this book if you're interested in adoption and/or a suspense novel that is a good level of interesting without the intensity of murder or fear! It is coming out in October so mark your calendars or pre-order a copy! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher, shewritespress for giving me the chance to read and review this great book!

This was a tough read. Not just because of the story itself but because the writing was all over the place. It became a little difficult to follow at points because of how quickly everything jumped around. I understand the time jumps were important to the story but I do feel like they could have been done in a better way.

I loved this book! I found myself reading it through the night not stopping until I finished. Such a wonderfully complex and compelling story and characters with whom you’ll become completely invested. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. Don’t wait - pick up this book as soon as it’s released. You won’t be sorry!

Billie and Tyler are a married couple facing infertility issues while at the same time Billie helps others to adopt. A mystery woman has been trying to contact Tyler and he has no idea who she is. Now this mystery woman has begun to follow and run into Billie but why, who is she.
This story is a bow and then focusing on the mystery woman, Anne. Apparently Anne and Tyler knew each other back in grade school but now she is lying about her name as well as why she’ wants to meet Tyler.
All things come to a head when one of the babies Billie has set up for adoption goes missing from the hospital.
Where is the baby and where is the mystery woman, Anne.
The ending a going to be suspenseful, hang on.

Thank you #netgalley #shewritespress #notyourstokeep for this ARC.

MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS - Child sexual abuse, mental & emotional health issues, teen pregnancy, fertility issues. In this debut novel, Zelly Ruskin tackles many life altering experiences to both the children and adults in the story. Social worker Billie and her attorney husband Tyler have struggled to keep a pregnancy. In a nearby town lives Anne, who is struggling with the effects of childhood abuse and a baby she was forced to give up for adoption. Their lives become intertwined in an unexpected and frightening way as dark secrets are exposed. Ms. Ruskin did a fine job in examining the occurrences and effects of these very heavy topics and the various ways that individuals and families are affected and come to an understanding of how resilience and love can allow one to move forward.

Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Publication date: October 8

In "Not Yours to Keep" by Zelly Ruskin, the narrative centers on Billie Campbell, an adoption agency worker in Massachusetts, who confronts personal challenges related to fertility and becomes increasingly fixated on adopting a baby belonging to one of her clients. As Billie navigates her profound desire for motherhood, her husband, Tyler, grapples with uncertainties surrounding fatherhood while also contending with disconcerting anonymous messages. Concurrently, Anne, a woman burdened by a traumatic history and remorse regarding a child she relinquished for adoption, endeavors to reconnect with her lost family. The interwoven narratives of these three characters escalate in tension, particularly following the abduction of the newborn, which casts Billie in the role of a prime suspect. Ruskin's narrative delves into significant themes such as maternal longing, familial complexities, and the psychological ramifications of trauma. Through a deft alternation of perspectives among Billie, Tyler, and Anne, the author illuminates their internal conflicts and relational dynamics.

As the plot advances, the stakes intensify with the unveiling of connections among the characters and the abduction, fostering a sense of urgency. The story culminates in a thrilling race against time to uncover the truth and locate both Billie and the missing infant. Ruskin's work resonates with readers through its profound emotional depth and meticulous character development, inviting reflection on the intricate interplay of desire, loss, and the quest for identity within the framework of family.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Billie Campbell works as an adoption specialist while her and her husband are simultaneously dealing with infertility issues. When her client's newborn is abducted, Billie becomes the prime suspect when she goes missing as well. A riveting domestic suspense novel that explores the complexities of adoption and reproductive healthcare.

I really enjoyed this book on a personal level. Billy was very relatable. The author captivates you with her writing. I actually finished this book in one sitting. It keeps you guessing til the very end. I hope this author continues to write more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book.

I was absorbed in this book from the first page!
Tyler and Billie have it all, well almost all.
Billie so wants a baby and will go down almost any path to have her wish come true. She is a social worker at an adoption facility and feels for the mothers who give up their babies. Her agency helps with the placement of infants and Billie does it well.
Tyler is a wonderful husband, yet is not quite as ready for a child. He is trying to move up in his job and knows that babies are expensive.
Can they make it work?
What do they need to do as a couple to make Billie's dream become a reality?

The suspense as time goes forward is great and I was definitely quite shocked at the ending and it was not what I was prepared for.
This is a quick read as you will want to see how it all plays out and what else is causing the drama,
I know I was in a hurry to get to the end!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @She Writes Press for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.
It's good!

SOO good! This was such a fun read that explored the hardships of mental health crisis in addition to women's rights and overall options for women after birth. Ruskin did a great job of weaving a very intricate storyline between the past and present and still brought out an amazing ending. Worth the read!!

This compelling debut novel kept me turning pages into the wee hours. The characters were well- developed and relatable, and the story pacing was just right. The story was full of tension and suspense, and although parts of the story were easy to predict, the thrill was seeing how the events came to pass and how the various storylines culminated into a tension-filled, emotional ending.

The story is told from three alternating points of view: Billie, an adoption specialist who is struggling with infertility, Billie's husband Tyler, an attorney working overtime to become a partner in his firm, and Anne, a person from Tyler's past. Ruskin's description of the character's experiences were absolutely visceral. I found myself in tears and feeling sorry for each of the main characters, even with their 'faults.' The author skillfully deals with the trials and tribulations of infertility, adoption, family dynamics, mental illness, and more.

This was a masterful debut and I am excited to read other books by this author. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and She Writes Press for the advanced reader's copy.

This is a story that draws you in and keeps you guessing unil the end. There are sad topics in this book and it left me feeling just a little bit sad. This book discusses topics of sexual abuse, infertility and adoption. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

#NotYoursToKeep #NetGalley
Engrossing..5 ⭐
Billie Campbell, a Massachusetts adoption specialist grappling with fertility issues, dreams of adopting a baby, but not just any baby—her pregnant client’s baby. While her longing threatens to send her down a dark path, her husband, Tyler, is keeping secrets: he’s full of doubts about becoming a father, and he’s also trying to figure out who is sending him upsetting anonymous texts and photos. On the other side of town, Anne, a woman scarred by childhood abuse, obsesses with a second chance at becoming a family with the two people she regrets ever having let go of: the baby she gave up for adoption twenty years ago and the man of her dreams. Their lives become entangled when the client’s newborn is abducted, and Billie becomes a prime suspect. Amid the chaos unleashed by the abduction, Tyler uncovers a link between the person tormenting him and the abduction—but now Billie has disappeared too. The race to find both her and the baby is on; but will they find them before it’s too late?
I adored it. Wonderfully written.
Thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for giving me an advance copy.

I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this book and at first I had a hard time getting into it but then it got good. The character development and the way it would switch between the different povs right when you thought you’d find something out kept you reading on. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

This book was very engaging from page 1. It has me guessing the whole way through. Very gripping. Would love to read more from this author

This is a fantastic debut novel about fertility issues, mental illness and the complex family dynamics when dealing with these issues.

Billie is an adoption specialist who suffers with fertility issues and yearns for a baby of her own. She feels that her husband doesn’t want a child with the same desperation as she does. When Billie finds herself skirting the boundaries of right and wrong with a couple wanting to give up their child, she understands that she must do better.

At the same time, her husband, Tyler, is being stalked by a woman who seems to have some ulterior motives. This is beginning to damage his marriage as well as his job performance.

The two events culminate in a tension-filled ending that will have you scratching your head. This book is beautifully written, it is compelling and it is very suspenseful. Thank you, NetGalley and She Writes Press for the advanced copy.