My first JA Baker novel and definitely not my last. This book hooked me early on and just refused to let go. Great cast of characters that kept me totally invested in the story. Such great big emotions and really tender topics. All round great read.
Thank you NetGalley, JA Baker and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for letting me get a copy of the book.

Hush Little Baby follows two timelines and two different point of views. The present follows Melissa who feels like her grandson Gabriel is being neglected by his parents her son Robin and daughter -in-law Adele and also flashes back to the year 1970 to the point of view of Nancy. Follow Melissa as she runs with Gabriel and seems to hit bad luck at every turn. He becomes very ill and she battles with doing the right thing of taking him to a hospital or keeping them hidden.

She feels like she is doing the right thing and taking Gabriel away from a neglectful situation. The dual timelines added an interesting layer to the story, providing deeper context and background that influenced Melissa's actions in the present. Melissa's character is undoubtedly troubled and complex, which added to the tension, but the pacing made it difficult to stay fully engaged. I found myself wishing for more shocking twists and turns to keep the momentum going. It took me a few days to get through the book. The twist itself was very sad and made me feel sorry for her still didn’t make doing what she did right.


Overall, while 'Hush Little Baby' had an intriguing premise and complex characters, it didn't quite deliver the suspense I was hoping for. If you're a fan of dual timelines and character-driven stories, you might still find it worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Melissa snatches her grandson away from his neglecting parents. On the run their journey takes them to rural Scottish highlands. When the baby becomes ill and circumstances change, they make the long journey back to Whitby.

This is told present day from Melissa’s pov. A grandmother just trying her best to look after her grandson and keep him safe and well. We also flashback to 1970 and Nancy, Melissa’s mum. Victim of her husband and plotting to get away from him.

This story had a lot of potential and I did really enjoy it to begin. I did find it really frustrating though-a sick baby, a caring grandmother, I really wanted Melissa to do the right thing and seek medical help. The ending was not unexpected, not predictable but not completely out the blue. I did find the whole book quite long winded and unnecessary at times. The last part of the book was also quite long for me and I had to push to finish it. In saying that, now that I’m finished and I’m reflecting I did enjoy the book.

great thriller/drama!!! super fast paced and very well executed. i found myself having a hard time putting this book down. really great book!

I have read several books by J.A. Baker, so I was excited when NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read her newest novel.

The book is written from the perspective of two different people in two different time periods. It wasn’t until the end of chapter 9 that the connection between the two characters became clear. In 1970, Nancy endures abuse and beatings from her controlling husband who is loved and respected by the community. In present day, Melissa kidnaps a baby from in front of the baby’s house because she feels as though the baby isn’t being taken care of properly. Once she has taken the baby, Melissa experiences one unbelievable event after another.

I found the writing to be extremely detailed and repetitive, especially when describing the thoughts going through Melissa’s head. I actually skipped over some paragraphs here and there because I could only read about her being the best person to take care of Gabriel and keep him safe all while it seemed like all he did was cry and eat. I did, however, enjoy some of the vocabulary that the author utilized as I found myself using the dictionary feature more than a handful of times. (This is something I appreciate!)

The ending was completely unexpected and not at all how I thought the book would end.

This wasn't bad. Though that ending wasn't what I was expecting 🤯. It's definitely an unreliable narrator. I was half expecting everything else in the book to be a lie once it was revealed that both her son and grandson weren't alive anymore.

I enjoyed the "flashback" 1970s chapters. It made sense why Melissa was the way she was. The abuse she and her mother suffered from her father. I'm so glad the father got what was coming to him. I hated everything he put then through.

Review posted on goodreads and pending on Amazon.

This book was just ok. Predictable and unlikeable protagonist. It was well written but lacked enough twists. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Loved this book! Kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. Five stars, hands down. I felt so bad for the main character in the end.

It's becoming all too common to see thrillers described with things like "shocking ending" or "jaw dropping twist" or something similar. Rarely am I shocked and I haven't had to pick my jaw up off the floor of late. But...the ending of this one really came as a surprise to me. This woman is so broken and delusional that you can't help but feel sorry for her. She goes way too far and you know deep down that something isn't right and there is more to this story, but I still did not see the ending coming. It was a really good storyline. The writing was a bit repetitive and there is a lot of crying baby, which is annoying and nerve jangling even just in hearing it described. I think this one is worth picking up if you want something that's a little different.

Omg this book was a wild read! I love thrillers and this one did not disappoint! Words can’t describe how much I loved this book. The plot literally had me on the edge of my seat!

“Hush Little Baby” by J. A. Baker has an intriguing premise and atmospheric setting, building suspense effectively. However, the pacing is slow, and the characters often feel one-dimensional. Some plot twists seem contrived, making it a decent but not standout read for thriller fans. A solid, if somewhat forgettable, psychological thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
#NetGalley #ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Hush Little Baby by J.A. Baker due to be published August 23, 2024.
Melissa takes her grandchild since she can’t bear to see him suffer one more day with his parents. She goes into hiding until the dust settles. If she doesn’t keep him safe, who will? But why won’t he stop crying and settle down? Melissa must keep him safe as no one else will. Will she be able to?
This one was a very fast read – it alternated between the past and the present with Melissa and her grandchild, Gabriel. Her past and present come to a satisfying conclusion at the end as mysteries are revealed, and all isn’t what it seems to be.
This was a true page turner by J.A. Baker!
#NetGalley #JABaker #BoldwoodBooks #HushLittleBaby

When she hears a baby cry she has to protect him from the terrible parents
When Melissa is making her escape she has a terrible mistake
Gabriel’s parents won’t care about him and Melissa will go to prison
Who will look after him
I had an ARC

Thrilling, fun read kinda like the stuff from kindle unlimited but still very well written. It could be a bit vague at sometimes but it was a well written book that will likely have a lot of readers.

This book was really hard for me to finish. The story is good but the writing was monotonous and uninteresting. I am not going to review this on Goodreads.

This book tis very true considering abuse in every second house. A lot can happen when you witness abuse in a householding.

Wow , couldn’t put this book down. Really enjoyed it. So many twists and turns to it and also very sad!thanks for the early read.

Hush Little Baby by J.A. Baker is a fast-paced read that shifts between two distinctive storylines. Both will break your heart.

Melissa sees that infant Gabriel is in need of rescue from a dangerous home life. Feeling that she is well-placed to recognize the signs given her own abusive upbringing, she knows that she is taking a huge risk by fleeing with the child, but is ultimately convinced that she is doing the right thing.

I enjoyed the dual narratives of Melissa's past and present, and felt that her current motivations are credible given her traumatic history. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

The story of Melissa’s childhood is realistic and heartbreaking. The unreliable narrator Melissa in the present is not entertaining and was predictable. The story fell flat. I rated this story 3 stars because of that.