This book dives into the idea that the past always comes back to haunt you—especially when secrets are involved. The protagonist keeps a deep, dark secret from her husband, which inevitably causes problems. While I understand that secrets in relationships are common in fiction, it felt frustrating that such a major secret could go unnoticed for so long. Love may be blind, but to this extent?

The novel also highlights the dangers of living near in-laws who don’t like you—especially when they have a soft spot for your husband’s former lover. The family dynamics are intense and messy, adding layers of intrigue. The characters were well-crafted, and the plot was engaging, keeping me turning the pages.

That said, while the story maintained the author’s signature style of suspense, some elements felt predictable or overly dramatic. The themes of secrecy and complicated family relationships were compelling, but at times, they leaned into cliché territory.

Overall, the book had strong character development and an interesting plot. It captured the tension and intrigue I expect from this author, and I’ll continue reading more of their work.

Rating: 3.5/5 – A solid, engaging read with some familiar tropes.

Told from multiple perspectives, this one kept me on my feet until the final, twisty reveal. While this was far-fetched and redundant at times, it still kept me intrigued as to where this was going. The writing style was similar to a McFadden read and is great for a flight or beach read. Three and a half stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

4 1/2 stars

I'd like to thank netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with the ARC for Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora.

Told in different timelines, Amelia a new Mother is having a rough time. She hardly ever gets to see her husband who is always working as a cop. His Mother is breathing down her neck and she feels like she can never do anything right. The gaslighting that she receives is disgusting and I have not had a character that I hate as much as him in a long time. This is a thrilling novel.

Amelia as she is now known as has a past life that she has kept hidden from the few people that she allows into her life, even her new husband and his family .
Now this is all being threatened by someone who knows and is in intent on taking away all that she now loves .
A brilliant book from start to finish.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Good Bad Mother

This one took a bit to get into. Lots of back-and-forth and insecurities with Amelia that could’ve been cut down A LOT. Very drawn out and very vague, until about half way.

Good twists though.!

2/5 ⭐️

First of all, great cover. Im always attracted to a great cover. I really wanted to love this book but the ending was disappointing. It was too predictable. I didnt really connect with the characters.

This was a really well done psychological thriller novel and had that concept that I was looking for from the description. Anya Mora has a great way of telling the story and keeping the reader engaged with what was happening. The characters worked well in the story and was hooked from the first page. I'm glad I got to read this and was enjoying the suspenseful atmosphere going on through this.

She realizes her baby is missing and her house is on fire!
Amelia is married to Timothy and has a baby girl named Clover. She is obsessed with being perfect as a mother and a wife. However, she has fabricated her entire persona and her new husband has no idea. Yet.
There are many secrets and twists in this psychological thriller, making this an exciting read.
Sometimes, the outer appearance of a life of luxury are not what they appear to be, especially when the people therein are difficult and elusive.
Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an advance copy of the book.

Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully weaves together past and present, leaving you questioning every character’s motives. From the very first page, I was hooked by Amelia’s story—her seemingly perfect life on Cutter Island, her wealthy and powerful in-laws, and the dark past she’s desperate to keep hidden.

Told across dual timelines, the novel unfolds with a slow burn that builds into a fast-paced, tension-filled ride. Amelia is a flawed but compelling protagonist, and as the secrets of her past start creeping into her carefully curated present, the suspense only deepens. The Sterling family exudes a quiet menace, their influence suffocating, and their actions kept me on edge, wondering just how far they’d go to protect their own.

Mora’s writing is immersive, pulling you into a world of privilege, control, and deception. The twists are well-placed, some easier to predict than others, but they don’t take away from the gripping narrative. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that keep you second-guessing until the very end, Good Bad Mother is a must-read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

The cover to this one is absolutely fantastic. And I love the title...the word play on being a good bad mother.... brilliant. Sometimes good people do bad things, don't they? But does our past truly define us?


Twisty twisty.... this one was great! I loved the concept of the past creeping into the present and wrecking absolute havoc. This was a story that held my attention and kept me on edge. I definitely want to check out more from this author.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This dual pov is very engaging as you want to find out what the secrets are and how the stories come together. Some of the past seemed very
far fetched and put in to enhance a story. At the heart of the story is we are all the product of the sums of our history every event and interaction . I found the ending seemed a bit rushed and too ideal. There were parts of the story which seemed unrealistic that people with money would not investigate who they marry but on reflect i think these were added to make it more engaging and to make you care about the characters and their past. it did tug on the heartstrings and i found myself thinking it was one secret and then there were another reveal. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery but read it for what it is without any expectations. Thanks netgalle.ry, publisher and author

This one is hard to review, not because I didn’t like it, I had a blast with this book. It’s difficult because I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything because, oh boy, are there some curve balls and twists hidden this little gem. Some people keep secrets from their significant others or spouses, but at what point is a secret TOO big to keep hidden without them finding out? Amelia is happily married and a new mother – she and her little family are living on the incredibly affluent Cutter Island and life is seemingly perfect. Her picturesque life is about to go up in smoke after a photo of them is published and she worries her past is going to come back and haunt them. If you frequent thrillers, then you’ll recognize and enjoy the twisty and psychological tropes. Multiple timelines, only slightly predictable (took longer than usual to have a good guess at the ending), and a solid pace made for the perfect storm and now I have a new-to-me author to check out!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The work started with a strong premise which compelled me to read this work. I am quite new to thriller and suspense and am looking forward to acquire more stories of the genre.

At fifty pages in, nothing was happening aside from one sudden event the protagonist experienced, which suggested things would pick up from there but didn't.

Mostly, the book consisted of overly descriptive details regarding the large mansion, a deep insight on the splendour lifestyle of a billionaire family, repetitiveness of Amelia knowing how much the Sterlings hate her, and saturated fear since page 1, that the reader becomes desensitised. 

The reader is being told Amelia is afraid, rather than shown through her actions. There was no reader's journey that allowed us to experience her anxiety and invest in the character.

There was a lack of focus on plot and more on Amelia’s emotions, which felt very singular on paranoia and insecurity. All I could think of at the start was why on earth did she marry a billionaire family and assume she can ever escape publicity??

I was tempted to DNF at this point from frustration but ended up continuing to see if the pace would change drastically.

Following that first significant event, the repetitive and mundane routines continued. Unfortunately, this was the majority of the book until the early flashbacks took place. 

I felt much of the descriptions could be cut down and it wouldn’t impact the finale or twists at all. 

The twists were not bad, and ended up salvaging the overall rating. However it was a little underwhelming than it likely would have been if the start of the book had been different.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
Amelia seems to have it all- a beautiful baby, loving husband and brand new house. But then mysterious letters start showing up in her mailbox and her facade is starting to crumble. This was a definite page turner!! I finished it in one day.
I am looking forward to more books by Anya Mora. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#GoodBadMother #AnyaMora #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

Good bad mother by Anya Mora is fast paced and nail biting.

As Amelia starts to settle into her new incredible life, she receives a note in her mailbox saying "how can you live with yourself?

But when her house fills with smoke later that night, she rushes to get her daughter only to find that she is missing

This book is perfect for fans for Frieda McFadden and Shari lapena

Loved that you get the point of view of multiple people

Special thanks to Amber Mora and Bookouture for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I struggled to finish this book due to the main character's incessant references to her secret. While secrets can add intrigue to a story, in this case, it became overwhelming and repetitive. Instead of enhancing the plot, it detracted from my enjoyment, leaving me feeling more annoyed than engaged. The potential for a compelling narrative was overshadowed by this constant reminder, making it difficult to connect with the characters or the storyline. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book. I only posted a feature on my instagram account.

Wonderfully thrilling and addictive. So very tense and twisted. Loved this one so much! One of my top reads this year!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Ohh so much backstory! The present and past narratives worked so well - Mora kept me on my toes!
A quick read, intense plot, family drama and issues with a healthy dose of woman's guilt.

What can I say... simply wow!! This book kept me hooked all the way until the end. A very good thriller with lots of twists and turns. You can't say what it'll comes 'till the end.
I read this in one sitting, what a book!