This book was so compelling, the very idea of not trusting your own mind and dealing with the intensity of this situation was so scary but also exhilarating, I could not put it down.

"How do any of us know what is truly real?"
While My Baby Sleeps by Natali Simmonds is a dark and intriguing novel that focuses on the issues of postpartum. Postpartum depression and extreme fatigue are very real and this novel showcases those disorders brilliantly.
Lu is a new mom to 11-month-old Riley. She is struggling massively and has very little help. Her partner Tony is the breadwinner so he goes to work overnight leaving Lu to take care of all aspects of child raising. But while Lu desperately loves little Riley she is slowly starting to fall apart. Riley never sleeps enough, and the neighbor insists on blasting techno music every night further impeding Lu's sleep. When one night she wakes up on her porch, locked out and covered in blood, Lu has no memory of what happened. Needing help to get inside her house to Riley, Lu seeks out another neighbor for help. She meets Maggie her neighbor's sister and Maggie helps Lu get cleaned up and sorted. Soon Maggie and Lu become close with Lu depending more and more on Maggie's help. But even though she has someone to talk to, Lu is still struggling, envisioning people's violent deaths and how she would kill them is not normal right?
I'm not going to say much more because I don't want to spoil the plot but I will say this book had me captivated. The very real and raw look into intrusive thoughts and postpartum depression and fatigue really intrigued me. I struggled postpartum with all three of my kids so it brought me right back into those bleak days / months. I feel like some of the descriptions might be too much for someone who likes a tamer psychological thriller but overall I really loved this book. This was my first introduction to Natali Simmonds but definitely not my last.
Thank you to NetGalley, Natali Simmonds and Bookouture for this ARC. Expected release date is February 7th 2025.

Natali Simmonds brings her readers a new totally twisted tale that will have you on the edge of your seat in While My Baby Sleeps. This book is fast paced, addicting, intense, suspenseful, gripping, jaw dropping twists and turns and at times heartbreaking.

Within the first paragraph I was hooked by how dark and detailed the beginning was. The rest of the prologue followed suit with the same intensity. I knew I had been hooked.

Natali tackled a very important issue that predominantly dominated the book. However, later Natali educates us that in fact that this is an actual medical condition.

While My Baby Sleeps is one of those books where the story builds up and keeps getting better the deeper you get into it.

Goodreads Review
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

While My Baby Sleeps is a tense and gripping read that perfectly captures the raw stress and exhaustion of early motherhood. I could vividly picture those early days with my own kids, and Natali Simmonds does an incredible job of making you feel every ounce of the main character’s anxiety.

I’d both recommend and hesitate to recommend this to mothers—it’s compelling but undoubtedly triggering. A well-written, intense thriller that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished.

3.5⭐⭐⭐



* Trigger warning - postpartum depression, family drama , psychological thriller .



* lu was a new mother who suffers with sleep deprive and fatigue . It goes to show to postpartum depression as she is getting annoyed with other people aswell including her neighbour . She kind of making a way to relieve a way for her to become a great mum by making a person who is trying to help her. ( make any sense?) Nope? You better read the book as it was highly addictive. May trigger some peope.

*it was a predictable ending when it comes to chapter 7 as you can recognise what is happening to her . The ending was a good to end things and nt to add more in to the series.

* thankyou bookouture for the arc copy of this book for a honest review.



⭐shaye .reads

Just when I thought I’d guessed the twist…. It surprised me again! I struggled to put this one down I had to know what was happening!!! Definitely a must read!!

I love how the author makes us question Lu just like she is. I began wondering whether this woman really is seeing reality.
I don't like books with twists for twists sake. But this one had plenty but all done in the right places. And leave you waiting and needing the next.
I definitely see the ending coming and did take a audible gasp when I finally figured it all out.
This books was a great thriller. Fast paced and leaves you wanting more.

A brilliant thriller packed with substance, excitement, and heart! I thoroughly enjoyed another tremendously satisfying read from Natali Simmonds. This isn’t the first of her books I’ve devoured in a single day, and I’m certain it won’t be the last. She takes you on a wild ride through the sleep-deprived mind of Lu, leaving you questioning what’s real and what’s imagined at every turn. A true psychological thriller to the very last page, it masterfully evokes a spectrum of emotions with each chapter.

Lu, a new mother, is isolated and sleep deprived, Though she loves her son, she is constantly irritated and angry with her partner, Tony. She has a right to be, as Tony seems interested only in himself, However, after several chapters of little to no action, only Lu's whining and complaints, I abandoned this book for something more engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

While My Baby Sleeps by Natali Simmonds was a roller coaster ride and I secretly didn’t want to get off. Such an amazing story. It had a great plot and was written wonderfully. It’s my first novel by Natali Simmonds and it will most definitely not be my last. I loved it and highly recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this eARC.

This book was a bit confusing but reminded me why I don't want children. But I could see why she was so tired....

The story of Lu and Riley was a breakdown of what can happen to women who suffer from Post Partum Depression.
It is an exaggerated example and I think that is what left a bad taste in my mouth.

Although no matter what I did, I had to keep reading. There is something about the character development and story line that leaves you
wanting more.
The end throws a twist at you and leaves you wondering how you did not see that coming.

This thriller was well written with immense detail. I would be interested on reading more from this author.

Definitely a TW to new moms who have doubts and are struggling to get by mentally.

The story is told from Lu’s perspective and it’s quite a whirlwind. She’s a very unreliable narrator and it constantly had me questioning what was real and what she was imagining. Most of the time it seems she doesn’t know what’s going on and that just added to all the unknowns. She’s struggling through some serious post natal depression and also having disturbing visions. I will say that her constant visions of harming people was bothersome and felt very repetitive. I pretty much guessed the major twist, but there were other twists that came to light at the end!

WHILE MY BABY SLEEPS BY NATALI SIMMONDS.
Release date set for the 7th of February 2025.
Well i thought this book had an interesting story line and many mothers can relate to parts of this book at times.
I know i did as I've been reading this book while my baby boy should be sleeping during the night but doesn't most nights.
It was an enjoyable read and i will read her books again.

Wow! This thriller definitely did its job. I was quickly caught up in the story and was itching to get back to it whenever I had to be doing something else. I did anticipate one twist but didn't mind at all; I was too busy enjoying the story and wondering exactly how it would play out. Then, just as I got complacent, then there was ANOTHER! Loved it.

This is a fantastic story for anyone who's ever felt pushed to the edge by parenthood or lack or sleep or both - or just anyone who wants to be immersed in a propulsive read.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication.

While my baby sleeps is a psychological thriller that I found interesting, but was a bit repetitive. Every day with a baby is though, but the dreams she has is disturbing. Lu has an 11 month old and finding parenthood hard, the baby doesn’t sleep and she’s feels alone until her neighbour Maggie comes to help. I was a bit apprehensive about Maggie and the author writes her very well. It’s an easy, quick read with a chilling twist at the end. 4 star read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

While My Baby Sleeps by Natali Simmonds is nothing short of phenomenal.

This book follows Lu, a new mother adjusting to life with her son Riley and partner Tony in a new home in London. But what should have been a fresh start quickly spirals into something far darker. From her unsettling sleepwalking episodes to uncontrollable bouts of rage and exhaustion, Lu’s reality becomes a nightmare she can’t escape.
The creeping unease is palpable, and as secrets start to unravel, the story takes on a life of its own.

I could not put this book down - I devoured it in a single evening! The twists were relentless, coming one after another, leaving me breathless and questioning everything I thought I knew. Simmonds masterfully weaves suspense and emotion, creating a narrative so gripping that my head was spinning (in the best possible way) by the time I turned the final page.

If you love psychological thrillers brimming with tension, unexpected twists, and a protagonist you can’t help but root for, While My Baby Sleeps is an absolute must-read. It’s the kind of story that lingers with you long after you’ve finished. Bravo, Natali Simmonds - this one is a knockout!

This was a decent read that kept me guessing. It centers on Lu, who is a new mom to Riley. She is struggling greatly after a move to a new neighborhood and her husband's constant absence due to his work schedule. Riley doesn't sleep well, so Lu doesn't sleep well, and she is having trouble coping, with little family support, when she meets Maggie, who is visiting her neighbor to help him around after he broke his leg. The 2 women become friendly and Lu feels like she finally has some support, but as time goes on, she senses that something isn't right.

It was easy to empathize with Lu's situation, but a little hard to believe that no one around her raised a flag regarding her mental health. I found some parts of the book to be repetitive, both as it related to Lu's unhealthy thoughts and her day to day routines. That being said, I did appreciate the mystery around what was going on with Maggie and some of the other happenings. I figured out the primary twist in the book, and I thought it was a great twist, however I didn't think the book did a great job of fully explaining the details behind the revelation. The ending of the book worked for the rest of the story, though I do feel that not every loose end was fully closed.

Overall, this was a unique and interesting story overall, though there were a couple things that I didn't love. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

it took me a while to get into this boo but once I did I was hooked. I couldn't put it down I needed to know what happened. I guessed some of the twists but a lot of them I didn't

I really enjoyed the way the psychological thriller element worked with this story, it had that element that I was hoping for and enjoyed the concept. It was suspenseful and worked with the overall feel of this. Natali Simmonds wrote this perfectly and that the characters were everything that I was looking for.