I really enjoyed reading this although it was a real eye opener as to how cruel internet trolls can be. The storyline was set over a short period of time with flashbacks to a year ago. I found it quite traumatic in places, but it was never out of context. I initially thought it was going to be slow but I soon found myself very engaged.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this ebook early.A worthwhile read for those who enjoy psychological drama with a dose of suspense.

The Perfect Mother is about a Mel being hired as a doula by Alice. They become best friends but then things turn sour. The events of a year ago continue to haunt Mel, driving her and her family away from their old life, only to have their past follow them. Mel becomes quite annoying with her really poor decision making.
The storyline was somewhat predictable and the narrative felt slow and repetitive which made it difficult to engage with. Unlike other psychological thrillers, I wasn't hooked straight away but it was a quick read.
The book is deeply emotional and some readers may find it triggering.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Perfect Mother by Claire Allan. This book started out really strong and I was really enjoying it. Then at some point it started to slow down and became very repetitive. It was as though the author was trying to make the book longer. The storyline was a good one, but perhaps this should have been a novella, and left out the repetition. It was a 3 star read for me.

Mel was a teacher, who decided to have a career change when she decided she wanted to be a doula and help women having their babies. Alice was a client, and was adamant that she wanted no medical interference when she gave birth, no doctors, midwives, drugs etc. Mel had a few misgivings at first, but Alice was young and healthy, and no problems were noted with her pregnancy, so Mel agreed. Mel and Alice and their husbands became friends, and all were looking forward to the birth.
The birth started off fine, then suddenly everything went wrong, Alice ended up in hospital, and lost her baby son. The parents were devastated, and Alice blamed Mel for the loss of her baby. Alice put posts about Mel on social media, warning everyone Mel wasn't to be trusted, so Mel lost a lot of clients. Things got so bad, that Mel decided to move away with her husband and little girl, in the hopes things would improve away from Alice.
However, after the move, things got worse.
This book started off quite slowly for me, but picked up the pace, and I didn't see the ending coming. I enjoyed the book and read it at one sitting.
Highly recommended.

Absolutely gripping. Full of twists and turns.

Thank you Claire Allan, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Mel was hired by Alice to help her with what should be the happiest day of Alice’s life, the birth of her baby. But when that day turned into a nightmare; she blamed Mel and wants to ruin her reputation.
A year later Mel moves away and is pregnant. Alice sends her a message, she knows where she is. Since Alice wasn’t able to be a perfect mother, will she let Mel be.

I enjoyed this book and read it in a day or two. It is definitely an easy read. I did manage to guess most of the twist but I still enjoyed it and thought it worked well. There were some parts that felt a bit slow but then it picked up quickly, I think I only felt this as I’d been reading a lot of fast paced thrillers recently. I enjoyed the aspect of not knowing who to trust and would be interesting in reading some more of Claire Allan’s books.

Please look at trigger warnings before reading as I this could be very triggering for some people, but the author deals with it well.

Mel, a doula, befriends her client Alice. The two become very close until tragedy occurs. Alice then makes it her mission to destroy not only Mel's reputation, but also her business. A year later, Mel is pregnant and decides to move with her husband and daughter for a fresh start. However, things begin to happen that makes Mel think that her family, and her unborn baby, may not be safe.

The beginning of this book drew me in, but then it definitely lagged in the middle. While I suspected what was really happening, I still liked the ending. Overall, it was a slow read and a little hard for me to forge through the middle. But, with that being said, I would still give one of Allan's other books a try.

Claire Allan has combined a story line that engages her audience with multifaceted characters with many twists and turns in her novel The Perfect Mother her new domestic thriller.
This riveting psychological thriller delivers both suspense and emotional complexity. The twists are well-placed, guaranteeing that the plot remains both engaging and unpredictable.


Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thriller about starting over and a woman who is fighting for her family and her own sanity. Mel was a doula who practiced hypnotherapy as a way to make childbirth less stressful for her patients. When she was approached by Alice she was reluctant to work with her since Alice was a 'freebirther" and declined any prepartum care; but she liked Alice and wanted to help her. When Alice went over two weeks past her due date and her baby was stillborn she made it her mission to ruin Mel's life.

Mel, her husband Ed and daughter Tilly are in the process of remodeling a. house in the country, far away from the city where she was hounded and blamed for the baby's death. Alice started a social media campaign against Mel and she received all kinds of threats. Ed wants to move far away to Australia where his sister lives, but Mel doesn't want to leave her aging parents. She is also expecting a baby herself and wants to live a peaceful life. However her new start doesn't last and before she knows it there are new media posts about her and she receives threatening mail and calls. Is Alice behind this or is someone else involved? This was a tense thriller and I get tense myself when I read about women who are being gaslighted. I did wonder why so many people would blame a doula especially if information came out about Alice refusing medical care. As things get worse in Mel's life her own parents and husband don't believe her and she has to rely on her own strength to save her daughter and unborn baby. I liked this one and didn't guess some of the twists. Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.

Mel, Ed, and daughter Tilly are living a charmed life until Mel decides to change careers.
Mel meets a couple wanting her services as they prepare for their baby’s birth.
This new friendship is where Mel’s family's lives turn into a horror story.
Claire Allan had me invested in this storyline with the first chapter of The Perfect Mother. It is a twisted psychological thriller that made me nervous about the ending, but it was surprisingly therapeutic.
If you love psychological thrillers, this a book you don't want to miss.
#ThePerfectMother
#ClaireAllan
#Boldwood
#NetGalley

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

Mel has everything going on. She’s heavily pregnant, with a 4 year old, and she and her husband have just moved house to a renovation project in the country. Mel is haunted by the previous years events. Working as a doula, she was present when her friend’s baby was stillborn. Now living in a hate campaign, somebody has it in for Mel. But how far will they go.

This was an enjoyable read. The cosy atmosphere created by the book being written with an Irish lilt was lovely. I really experienced Mel’s highs and lows. The suspense was carried right to the end, with a twist I didn’t see coming. This is one that is must read!

I have never read any novels by Claire Allan and I really enjoyed it. It was full of twists and turns and was full of tension.
The plot was good and I will be looking for more by this author.

Absolutely loved this thriller book! I could not put this book down and devoured it in a day. The author is new to me and will be keeping an eye out for more of their work!

Thank you.

Chilling novel about a couple--Mel and Ed who move into a new house Ed has built as he's a construction manager. They have a 3-year-old, Tilly and Mel is pregnant with their 2nd. Mel is a doula and years ago she helped best friend, Alice give birth but baby Jacob died and now she's worried that Alice is back to haunt her as weird things begin happening and few people even know where they live. It's a crazy, convoluted story of revenge that will haunt you long into the night.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I was really torn about this book. I have previously tried reading Her Name Was Rose and it wasn't something I could fully get into. As an Arc reader I try to give an honest review no matter what. Did I like this book? I would rate it a 5 out if 10. It was a quick read, it wasn't ahhhh amazing, but it was decently good. Did I like the characters? Some yes. I think that the author did a wonderful job, I think later on down the road I will give another one of her books a try because sometimes a book just isn't for you but it doesn't mean it isn't a good book. This does have some triggers as well.

A year ago, Mel is hired by Alice Monroe to be her doula but their close friendship becomes a tragic nightmare with a very damaging impact on Mel‘s business. To get away from the negativity of small town Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, Mel, her husband Ed and young daughter Tilly move close to Derry where they are renovating an old farmhouse. They hope this will be a fresh start as they await the arrival of a brother for Tilly. Will their future be bright as they hope or will the nightmare continue?

To be honest, I’ve always been somewhat dubious of the concept of a doula and this confirms it! I like the concept and the premise of the novel and enjoy the conundrums of figuring out who is the biggest liar amongst them, who is the wolf in sheep‘s clothing and who can be trusted. It’s not really a thriller nor is there a huge amount of mystery as it’s more emotional than that but it fits well into the domestic drama/noir category. There are some twists, there is intensity at times but there isn’t much suspense. Instead, there’s a lot of going round and round in Mel‘s mind which is very understandable in the circumstances as there’s suffering all round but it doesn’t always make for a riveting read.

The pace is good at the start, but then it slows down picking up again towards the end where there’s an unlucky coincidence and although the finale is good, it does end abruptly with a lack of resolution in a couple of areas.

My biggest issue is with the characters, especially Mel, who is clearly unhappy, miserable and not unnaturally obsessive. Some of her actions make me want to shake her but the lack of support from her family when she’s so clearly needs it seems so unfair. This is particularly true of her husband Ed whose determination to get the family to Australia seems to override the care he should be giving his wife.

Overall, it is an easy read and is probably a good one to take on holiday to read around the pool.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated epub in return for an honest review.

Wow! This book is absolutely amazing, the first 20% was a little slow, building the story from the year before and the history that lead Mel to now. However, once you hit the 20% mark it is fast-paced and exciting!

I spent the entire time reading this book, suspecting so many different people for the different things that were happening to Mel and her family. I will say, I did guess part of the twist just before it was revealed and found myself messaging a friend to put my theory out there as she had previously read it. However I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it!

Trigger warnings: still birth & pregnancy complications

Claire Allan’s The Perfect Mother is a gripping psychological thriller that delivers both suspense and emotional complexity. With its carefully crafted twists, the story keeps readers guessing, while also offering moments of introspection that linger long after turning the page.

The narrative revolves around the lives of mothers, exploring the lengths to which people go to protect their children, the pressures of perfection, and the secrets buried beneath the surface. Allan skillfully builds tension, unraveling layers of deception while maintaining a relatable emotional core. The twists are well-placed, ensuring that the plot remains engaging and unpredictable.

However, while the overall concept of the story is compelling, certain parts feel underexplored. There are moments where more elaboration or explanation could have deepened the emotional resonance or clarified character motivations. These gaps occasionally disrupt the immersive experience, leaving some questions unanswered.

Despite this, Allan’s ability to weave a story that keeps readers invested until the very end is commendable. The pacing is steady, and the resolution is satisfying enough to reward the journey. The Perfect Mother is a thought-provoking read that examines motherhood, trust, and betrayal, making it a solid choice for fans of domestic suspense.

Verdict:
A thrilling and emotional rollercoaster that captivates with its twists, even if it leaves some threads untied. A worthwhile read for those who enjoy psychological drama with a dose of suspense.

All I wanted was to help women become mothers. When I met Alice Monroe, we instantly connected. She was as passionate about motherhood as I was, and I couldn't wait to support her through this life-changing experience. But the day that should have been Alice’s happiest, turned into a nightmare. And after Alice’s dreams were shattered, she blamed me. Even though there was nothing I could have done, she wanted to ruin me. I lost my business, my reputation. My world fell apart.

Then, I discovered I was pregnant. That’s why we moved hundreds of miles away to the remote Derry countryside. Now, with this beautiful baby, we can have a fresh start. But then Alice sends me a message. She knows where we are. And I realise, it doesn’t matter how far we’ve moved, I am not safe from her. My baby is not safe. She would have been the perfect mother. But if she can’t have her happy family, she's not going to let me have mine.

Wow. This was a lot more emotional than I expected it to be. This is an excellent exploration of the different facets and complexities of motherhood, grief, and guilt. If you enjoy dark thrillers, you will love this. 4.25⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.