This book started well and I looked forward to a well plotted, tense story. Unfortunately I got a repetitive at times irritating story. I didn’t engage with any of the characters who mostly were two dimensional and the big reveal of Amelia’s secret had been signalled very early in the book. I’ve read many psychological thrillers and this one isn’t a stand out.

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Good Bad Mother is a tension filled read with some twists and turns to make sure you are not asleep.
Amelia is a new wife and mother.
Her husband Timothy is part of a wealthy Sterling family on Cutter Island.
Her in laws request her to be a part of family interviews, photoshoots and events.
Amelia cautiously and hesitantly agrees.
But Amelia is hiding from her secrets and now her past is back to seek its own truth.
I quite enjoyed this and my reading experience was never a dull moment.
A fast paced, intriguing and enjoyable thriller.
Absorbing, appealing, surprising and satisfying, a book that will keep you engaged right to the very end.

First off, a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of “Good Bad Mother” by Anya Mora in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, lightning-fast read that had me hooked from the very first paragraph.

The story follows Amelia who moves to the exclusive Cutters Island, where her life changes overnight after her whirlwind courtship and nuptials. She may look like the perfect wife, however, she’s hiding dark secrets from years ago. No one knows what she’s been through to get this life, and she fears losing it all based on her past.

This book works for a couple of reasons. First, there’s a small cast of characters that are easy to follow—some likeable (Tabitha and Amelia) and the rest, not so much. Her husband is a gaslighting, wildly waving red flag! Girl, how didn’t you see this?? Second, it employs the well-used trope of the rich and unwelcoming family of the husband, and I think we all knew how that would go. Third, the chapters are short and exciting, each ending with a little hook that makes you want to turn the page and keep going to find out what happens next.

What was just okay: the story had a bit of a contrived plot where, at the end, you might be left thinking, “Well, I knew that!” However, I stand by the fact that this was a fun and fast thriller, perfect for a day when you want to knock out an easy read that doesn’t require deep thought. I can see this one getting attention on BookTok for that very reason. 3.5 stars.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Good Bad Mother.
This novel centers on a young woman named Amelia and immediately you know she has a secret. She is married with a beautiful baby girl named Clover. Married a rich man with a prestigious family. But she has a secret she lives in horror to keep that way.
This novel goes back and forth in time which provides insight to what happened and why she is living in fear of being discovered. The peeling of the onion is slow but steady. The plot moves slowly at first but gradually moves forward.
A good read more of a drama than a mystery. 3 stars.

Wow wow !
Second book I’ve read by this author and I really love it! The story telling is top notch ! Couldn’t put it down!

I really liked this and the changing of the POVs! I did NOT see the twist coming at all and was truly shocked. I would recommend this for people who like a quick un put down able thriller.

As always with Anya Mora's books there was a great pace and suspense all the way through, it kept me hooked.

“No matter how hard I try to make this life work, the past will never stay buried.”

Good Bad Mother follows Amelia, a new wife and mother, who is living a perfect life with her family in their beautiful new home on Cutters Island. However Amelia soon realises that no matter how perfect her present is, she can’t run from her past. Amelia is not the perfect wife, or a good mother. But she is the perfect liar…

Good Bad Mother is told from predominantly Amelia’s perspective, alternating between the past and the present. The dual timeline worked perfectly in this book. The hints given within the past chapters were weaved in expertly and constantly fed my need to continue turning the pages so I could unravel what was happening and why, and so I ended up reading most of this book in one sitting!

Good Bad Mother jumps straight into the narrative, and had me gripped from the first few pages. The tension doesn’t let up from there, as Anya Mora creates an atmosphere of unease that intensifies as the plot unfolds further and more secrets are revealed.

I must say, I hated some of the characters and I found that they started to grate on me a little bit, as certain parts were somewhat repetitive. However saying that, I did really enjoy Amelia’s character. I felt myself empathising, worrying and becoming angry with her, and I’m pleased there was some much needed closure in the end to bring everything together.

Thank you so much to Anya Mora and Bookouture for sending me this advanced copy of Good Bad Mother via Netgalley to read and review, and for inviting me to be a part of the book tour. My opinions are my own.

This fantastic thriller keeps you gripped and you really can't put it down. I loved this book and would definitely recommend to friends. Full
of suspense and the concise chapters make it very easy to read and enjoy. Had me sitting on the edge of my seat

"Good Bad Mother" by Anya Mora follows Amelia, a mother of a newborn, as she works to protect her reputation from her dark, secretive past. Amelia, who once lived under a different name, has a reputation to protect, as her husband's wealthy family wants to be interviewed by various media outlets. She will do anything to shield her past from her wealthy and influential new family.

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for the gifted eARC for review purposes and for allowing me to be part of the publication tour. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is about living in the present and protecting secrets, with twists and turns throughout. Along the way, the reader is immersed in the lifestyle of a new mom and the pressures that come with raising a newborn, along with some dark secrets that come to light toward the end of the book. I felt like a nervous wreck, just like Amelia. It really added to the tension of protecting her secrets, which must be truly horrible and are unknown to the reader. Speaking of the unknown, Amelia's past was a significant part of the book, and Mora kept the secrets hidden. Sometimes, I was confused and had to reread chapters because I assumed the secrets of the past would come to light during the chapters I was reading, but they were hidden so well by Mora that I had to wait until the end of the book to put the pieces together, which really kept me guessing until the end. I thought that by rereading the chapters, I might reach a better conclusion, but I didn't.

This is a truly magnificent book that I will certainly recommend to readers of domestic suspense and thrillers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

We all have a history, and as adults, we often wish it remains in the past. But sometimes, it won't stay there…

This book was skillfully written. Its concise, impactful chapters made it feel like you were quickly moving from one moment to the next. This was my first time reading a book by this author and I would definitely read another!

Thanks netgalley for an ARC!

Good, Bad Mother by Anya Mora, Amelia Stirling is a new mother and loving wife to Tim Sterling, one of the most influential members of an even more influential family. she’s very insecure about being a new mother and the voices in her head, questioning her ability doesn’t help. Nor does the fact She’s keeping secrets from her husband, and when she gets notes warning her, someone knows her secrets things get even worse. As if things aren’t bad enough, She even believes her husband is cheating on her with the woman. His mother wished he would’ve married. if you think this is dramatic, you haven’t read anything yet because there is way more to this book and it’s just is thrilling and twisty as a reader wants in a thriller novel. I have never read a book by this author before and despite really, not liking Amelia and her insecurities, I would definitely still read another book by her. I always like to have someone to root for, and the fact there was no one in this book and I’m still giving it three stars should tell you how twisty this read is. #NetGalley, #Bookouture,#TheBlindReviewer, #AnyaMora, #GoodBadMother,

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Book Review: Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora
Wow—what a gripping read! Good Bad Mother is a psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the very first page. This was my first book by Anya Mora, but it definitely won’t be my last.

The story follows a woman who appears to have the perfect life—until secrets from her past start catching up with her. The writing is immersive, the pacing is perfect, and the twists? Absolutely mind-blowing! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the story threw me in another direction.

Mora masterfully weaves suspense with emotional depth, making me question every character’s intentions. The protagonist’s inner turmoil was so well written that I felt her fear, desperation, and determination firsthand. I love thrillers that make me think and keep me on my toes, and Good Bad Mother did exactly that.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend Good Bad Mother to thriller lovers—it’s one you won’t want to put down!

Some thrillers grip you. Some thrillers shock you. And then there are those rare books that completely consume you, pulling you into a world so unnerving, so cleverly constructed, that you can’t stop reading until you’ve unraveled every last secret. Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora is one of those books.

I picked it up this afternoon, thinking I’d read a few chapters—and before I knew it, the hours had vanished, and I was still sitting there, utterly transfixed, racing through the final pages, jaw dropped, mind spinning.

At the heart of this gripping story is Amelia, a woman with a past she never speaks of and a present that is growing more suffocating by the day. From the outside, her life on the ultra-exclusive Cutter’s Island appears picture-perfect—wealth, luxury, a beautiful home, a seemingly privileged marriage. But beneath the carefully curated exterior is a woman who does not belong in the world she’s married into, and no matter how hard she tries, she knows it.

The Sterling family—her husband Timothy’s parents, Alexander and Isabelle—practically hum with quiet menace. They don’t want her there, and she knows it. But they have to keep her now—at least for now.

And then her worst nightmare happens. She wakes to find her baby, Clover, gone. The panic is visceral, the tension unbearable. But the terror of that moment is only the beginning. Because nothing in this book is what it seems.

The secrets, the mind games, the shocking truths lurking in the shadows—every time I thought I knew where this story was going, Anya Mora pulled the rug from under me. It’s rare for a book to truly outmaneuver me, but this one did, brilliantly so. The layers of deception are masterfully woven, making you question everything and everyone.

The writing is cinematic—so vivid that I could see every chilling interaction, feel Amelia’s growing sense of unease, hear the whispers of a past she has tried so desperately to bury. Mora’s ability to build atmosphere is stunning; there’s an almost claustrophobic intensity to the way Cutter’s Island is portrayed. It’s not just a setting—it’s a cage, a place where wealth and influence can conceal a multitude of sins, and where the people who hold the power will do anything to keep it.

But what truly sets this book apart is the way it plays with perception. It’s the kind of story that makes you second-guess everything—not just what you’re reading, but even your own instincts as a reader. When the truth finally came to light, I actually had to pause for a moment to take it all in. I wanted to flip back through the pages, retrace my steps, see where I had been so expertly misled. In fact, now that I know how it all unfolds, I’m tempted to reread it immediately just to pick up on all the clever breadcrumbs Mora scattered along the way.

I went into Good Bad Mother expecting a gripping thriller, but what I got was something so much more. It’s psychological suspense at its finest—intelligent, utterly immersive, and with one of the most satisfying twists I’ve read in a long time. If you love books that play mind games with you, that make you question every assumption, that leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the final page—this is an absolute must-read.
But trust me: don’t assume you know where this book is going. You don’t. And that’s what makes it brilliant.

✨ Unmissable. Twisted. Addictive. Highly, highly recommended. ✨

This is my 8th book by Anya Mora.
I felt so bad for the main female character in this book.
This one is a fast paced psychological thriller which has so many twists that i loved.
This was a quick read for me.
I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. Overall 4 stars.

First, I want to thank Anya Mora, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Anya Mora brings her fans a psychological thriller packed with suspense in Good Bad Mother. Instantly, Anya grabbed a hold of my heart strings missing baby Clover but then in a split second a roaring fire rips through the house. At this point my heart is literally beating out of my chest as I wonder what in the world is going on and where is the sweet little baby! Yes, this was the hook I needed to continue to read the book.

Anya, would like to dedicate this book to her sister, Alessandra. She is always reminding her that she is a good mom-especially when she needs it the most.

I could feel something was off about Amelia due to why she didn’t want to be a part of her husband’s family picture. I understand not everyone is a selfie queen like I am but being in this was making her physically sick. Why didn’t she want her picture taken?

Is Amelia the person everyone thinks she is? What secrets has she been hiding? You need to go pick up the book to find the answers.

We all have a past. And sometimes as adults we want them to stay the past. But sometimes they refuse.
This book was written really well. With short sharp chapters it meant you were almost jumping from point to point. And it kept the flow and pace. You.were almost tumbling over to read the next one. It also meant you kept telling yourself "No, I can't stop there...one more!"
Right until the end I had questions. I had thrill. I jad suspence. It was so good at holding me and my attention the whole way through.

Good Bad Mother is a thrill ride packed with twists, secrets, and edge of your seaf heart pumping adventure. The central theme focuses on how family dynamics and two split second decisions altered the life of two sisters, Hazel and Meadow. The characters were relatable with a top notch plot with a few Easter eggs sprinkled in. It had all the elements of a perfect psychological thriller. If you enjoy thrillers with engaging character, edge of your seat thrills, amazing plot lines, twists, secrets, lies, manipulation,and hope for a better life outcome this is a great choice. Anya Mora is now one of my top thriller authors. I’m sitting here patiently waiting for you to go preorder this amazing 5 star book.
*Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free eARC!

This was a fun little read, that had a pretty annoying couple of main characters. The whole story could have been avoided if the FMC was up front with the MMC. The story was gripping and fast moving, but by the time you got to the end, it could have all been avoided with a simple conversation. This is probably more of a me problem than anything. There’s nothing wrong with the writing itself. The book kept me hooked the whole way through and I finished it in just a few hours. Will definitely read more from Anya Mora!

Wow, Wow, Wow! This book is absolutely fantastic. I was completely hooked and spent hours staying up to read this as I needed to know what was going to happen. Full of twists and suspense.