'The Perfect Baby' shook me to my very core & I was left reeling by the end.

However for the first couple of chapters I wasn't sure if I was actually going to like it, I thought it was just going to be a basic, predictable, generic surrogate story but then slowly red-herrings were dropped & I started to feel like things weren't what they seemed & I was hooked & could not stop listening, I just NEEDED so badly to know 'what the actual hell is going on here'

This was a whirlwind of a storyline, pure confusion (but in the best way), intense suspense, back and forth on what I believed was the truth & what wasn't. I was fully convinced I had it all figured out and I could not have been more wrong, the final twist absolutely blind sighted me so strongly that I needed to catch my breathe while muttering 'damn that was genius'

The narrators did a fantastic job, bringing the characters to life brilliantly, I felt every emotion of every character and their performances pulled me right into the story, a narrator(s) will always make or break an audiobook and this was spot on.

Oh and the ending!! What an amazing ending, it's left open to your own interpretation, there are so many possibilities for what could happen next, I know this is not for everyone but when warranted I personal love when a books ending is left a little bit messy and rough around the edges, such is life after all.

"The Perfect Baby" is a psychological thriller by Sam Vickery. This is an easy to binge kind of book. The audio is narrated by Sophia Zervudachi and Katy Sobey.

At first, the book has two POVs, Maya, a woman carrying a baby as a surrogate mother, and Elise, a woman who desperately wants a baby. Elise attends a surrogacy support group and says that her sister, Julia, is her surrogate. Later in the book, Julia is the 3rd POV.

This book covers a lot of psychology around surrogate parenting from both the infertile mother-to-be and the surrogate mother's side.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 5/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 4/5 (needed 3rd narrator voice)
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 36/8 = 4 4/8 rounded down to 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Sam Vickery for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

3.5
I had a lil trouble following all the characters while listening to the audiobook. Around 40% I had to start making a character list.
I love multiple povs and "then" "now" time lines. But not every chapter had a character name with it, leaving me to try to figure which pov I was in.
After finally figuring out what was all going on, the final 25% was great.

I just almost Dnf a few times so I can't rate it higher. This was totally a me problem, I'm sure and not so much the book.

Ooh just finished this book amd all I want to do is read more

Elise, has recently joined a local surrogacy support group. Her sister is acting as her surrogate and she has joined the support group alone, so she can discuss her feelings, thoughts and worries with others going through the same. There she meets Maya, who is acting as a surrogate for Nina and Will. The 2 ladies hit it off and tentatively become friends.

However both Maya and Elise are keeping secrets.

What are there secrets. What will happen when the babies are born?

I really enjoyed listening to this title. I couldn’t work out what Maya and Elise’s secrets were. I was blown away when the reveal came.
I have been left wanting more!
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this title

I cannot wait to discover more from this author. She draws you in and leaves you dangling. Great work

Thank you Bookoutue Audio, Netgalley and Sam Vickery for the audio Arc of The Perfect Baby.

Narrated by Sofia Zervudachi, Katy Sobey

This is the first book Ive listened to by Sam Vickery and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the pacing and the psychological aspects of this narrative as we follow two women through surrogacy. We have Maya , who is a surrogate Mum to a demanding, somewhat controlling parents to be. We also have Elise who is using her sister as the surrogate. Both these women meet up at a surrogate /adoptive parents support group and establish a friendship. The narrative itself gives the reader different perspectives on being in a surrogate which I felt was well balanced. I felt that I bounded and understood the different sides of what being in the situation would be like and how heartbreaking it would be if something was to go wrong.

The pacing of the book is medium, you get a good build up of the characters and their lives and then becomes faster paced once the twists start, the reveal and pay off I wasn't expecting so the build up kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat!

Sofia Zervudachi, Katy Sobey did a fantastic job in keeping both Elise and Maya separate in the narrative. Both ladies are a pleasure to listen to.

4.25 stars for Storygraph. 4 stars for Amazon, Netgalley and Goodreads.

A fast paced, twisty and dark psychological thriller with an unpredictable ending - you will not want to put this one down!
I've read several books involving surrogacy issues but this is definitely a cut above.
The story is told from three different points of view with each main character revealing their back stories as the drama progresses.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this very well narrated audiobook.

This one shook me!!! I’ll be reading more from this author!!! The twist was so unexpected!!! 4 stars instead of 5 only because I was hoping for a different ending but still so so good!!!


Thank you @netgalley and @bookoutureaudio for an audible version in exchange for an honest review.

Sam Vickery’s new book is a gripping, twist filled thriller that left my head spinning. The story follows Elise, whose sister Julia is acting as her seemingly reluctant surrogate, and Maya, who is carrying a baby for a controlling couple.

As the pregnancies progress, tension builds, secrets surface, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the plot takes a turn that completely blindsides you! The pacing is done well, and while there are a few moments that stretch believability, the shocking twists and emotional rollercoaster kept me hooked until the very end.

Be warned, the cliffhanger will have you begging for a sequel!

***Contained a few MA words, and a brief MA scene

Huge thank you to @netgalley and Bookouture
for the advanced audiobook copy!

This was a good listen with a weird plot but it worked as the storyline went on there was lots of twists and turns to the storyline which made it a really interesting storyline

The book itself was super engaging. The writing style was easy to follow and kept me interested. The reader follows the lives of Elise and Maya, both characters are trying to move forward from events of the past and are navigating a lot of emotions. Elise wants a baby; she’s grateful that her sister is carrying a baby for her. Maya is a surrogate for a doting (yet, controlling and overbearing couple). Eventually Elise begins to feel as though she will not get her baby and Maya starts pulling away from the couple she is surrogating for. I enjoyed the stories of Maya and Elise. The two MCs each have secrets from their pasts that aren’t revealed until later in the book.
Emotions, tension, drama, thrills, etc etc begin to rise and the reader is sent on a wild ride! It’s very twisty! I did suspect some twists, but I definitely didn’t see part of one coming. I felt a little frustrated about the unknown secrets of the MCs pasts, but it comes together toward the end and provided a very thrilling wrap-up of the book.

Audiobook: I did enjoy listening to this book while I wasn’t reading the ebook. The quality of the audio was great; I appreciated the use of two narrators. Each one brought the characters to life.

Happy publication day. Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC.. Unfortunately I DNFed Oscar 20%.. I couldn’t get past the pregnancy talks, which isn’t the books fault, just a trigger for me!

Oh boy!!! This book truly blew me away after chapter 8. Initially, I thought it was going to be another run-of-the-mill surrogacy story, one of those predictable plots that tries to pass as a suspense novel. To be honest, I was starting to feel a little bored and almost put it down. But I’m so glad I stuck with it because, wow, was I wrong!

As the story unfolded, I found myself completely hooked. OMG! I couldn’t believe the twists and turns—it kept me guessing at every page. I remember posting on my Facebook, “She did what?! Oh no, not the husband! How could it be her fault?” I was utterly confused but in the best way possible because the suspense kept me eagerly turning the pages. The way the author tied everything together at the end was absolutely brilliant. It all made sense, and the resolution left me craving more. I can’t wait for part two to come out!

And let’s talk about the narrator—FREAKING BRAVO! 👏🏽 They truly brought this story to life, making it feel like I was right there in the thick of it. I could vividly imagine being in those tense meetings, running across the street, spying on people. The atmosphere was perfectly set, and the narration only enhanced the experience.

Overall, this book exceeded my expectations. It transformed from what I thought would be a predictable story into an exhilarating rollercoaster of suspense. If you’re on the fence about this one, trust me, stick with it—you won’t regret it. Now, I’m eagerly counting down the days until the next installment. This is definitely a must-read!

Thank you Net galley and Bookouture Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook. Sofia Zervudachi and Katy Sobey are wonderful narrators giving the thriller vibes but I was challenged to keep track of the characters initially. The prologue sets the scene but you are left not knowing what it is really setting. Surrogacy is the overall vibe with lots of other issues thrown in.

🤱Three female POVs
🤱Dual timelines
🤱Not a creepy kid/baby story
🤱infertility, surrogacy, PTSD, revenge story
🤱Heavy aspect on PTSD and mental health illness

⚠️⚠️⚠️
Layered story about women who deal with surrogacy in different ways. How one random character's addiction can have a ripple effect and will forever change the life of four women. Maya and Elise - two MCs
Julia and Nina - supporting characters


⚠️Spoilers
This story wasn't what I expected.
The title should have been the perfect babies since Elise took both Julia's and Maya's babies to complete her revenge. One boy and girl she named Phoenix and Nova to remember her late husband and child by. This is the first thriller I've read dealing with surrogacy. The narration is good and will keep you engrossed if you don't mind a slow build up until about 70% and the twist in the end left me feeling baffled and blindsided.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the arc 🎧📕

4✨

This is the first thriller I’ve read with surrogate mothers, which was quite a change of pace and definitely gave me some things to think about. It had a nice pace and I definitely didn’t see the end coming at all, which I always appreciate.

Elise, Maya, Julia, and Nina. Four women whose lives will be forever changed by one decision.

Elise's sister Julia is carrying a baby for her through surrogacy. Despite this intimate connection, the sisters have a strained relationship. Julia is cold and distant towards Elise, making the situation even more complicated.

Maya is also carrying a baby for a couple, Nina and Will, who are controlling and demanding. Elise and Maya become friends at a surrogacy support group, and their lives are unexpectedly intertwined.

I was engrossed in this book from start to finish, with its surprising twists and excellent audio narration.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and the author for an ALC of the book.

The Perfect Baby is a thrilling story about two women who become friends while helping each other have babies. But things take a dark turn when they discover secrets and lies. The story ends suddenly, leaving readers wanting to know what happens next. It's a good book for people who like exciting stories with unexpected twists.

the perfect baby by sam vickery💛🖤

rated by me, and my boyfriend rob🫶🏼

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

well, if we could rate this above 5, believe me we would!! actually, we make the rules here so why not?

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

where do we begin?! this was our first time listening to an audiobook, and my first thriller of the year and wow am i glad netgalley gave me the opportunity to listen to this pre release!! i’m forever grateful!!🙌🏼

the characters were so emotionally charged we were invested from chapter one, it made us feel like flies on the wall to their lives! going through their motions and all their pain, the happiness and feeling all of their emotions in ourselves!!

the way sam has written this book is just incredible, and the narrators really just brought it to life - am i an audiobook girlie now?!👀

GUYS!! dual POV paired with a dual timeline?! you just know im a lover and now rob is too!! it honestly made it a true page turner (audiobook style) and we definitely had one too many late nights because of this book…

the twists, the turns, all had us holding our breath, waiting for the suspense to come to an end, only to be given another twist as one ended 🌪️ AND HONESTLY the plot twist in this book you just won’t see it coming!! i’ll be forever thinking of it🧠

truly an amazing book!!

i will be buying the physical copy of this book, just because🤭

Well this story wasn't what I expected. Sam Vickery has chosen a interesting topic with The Perfect Baby as it delves into a twisting tale of birth, death and surrogacy, and although I found it took a while to get into the story, and at times I wondered where it was heading, I found the final 1/3rd definitely livened up and I'm glad I kept with it. Great twist at the end.

The Perfect Baby tells the story of Elise, who joins a surrogacy support group as her sister, Julia is carrying her baby for her. Elise meets and befriends Maya, who is surrogate for a controlling couple. Maya has chosen to become a surrogate to repent for her past, whilst Elise feels that she is 'owed' a baby. Everyone has their own secrets that collide to create an explosive ending.

This book was an absolute whirlwind! It was fast-paced and full of action with one heck of a twist that I didn't see coming.

I found that the topic of surrogacy made for an interesting storyline and I was very much invested in the characters' journeys.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.