This book promises a nail-biting psychological thriller packed with twists and it delivers!! This was my first read by the author and I'll be seeking out some of her other work for my TBR list.

There's lots of suspense leading to the major twists, delivered through dual timelines. I definitely had knots in my stomach at times trying to figure out what was coming next.

The main character is deep in the newborn bubble and knowing how maddening sleep deprivation can be, I empathised a lot with what she was experiencing in that regard.

Thanks @netgalley and @bookouture for the e-ARC!

“Good Bad Mother” is a mystery/thriller by Anya Mora. This book follows Amelia, who is married to Timothy and mother to newborn Clover. Timothy’s family has wealth and is seemingly ruled with an iron fist by Timothy’s mother. Timothy’s family has never warmed up to Amelia, which Amelia understands although she wishes things were different. Part of Amelia’s understanding is that she has secrets to hide in her past and if Timothy - or his family - discover her secret/secrets Amelia’s whole world will come crashing down. I have to be honest - this was not my most favorite thriller as so many of the characters were unlikable and I found the ending a bit rushed. I think if you’re a newbie to the world of thriller mysteries, this might be a good one to pick up to get a feel for the genre.

How I’ve never come across any books by Anya Mora before is beyond me because I devoured Good Bad Mother and loved her writing style! It was the perfect psychological thriller full of lies, deception, and family drama. It was the definition of a page-turner and just when I thought I had the plot figured out, there was another twist to leave me guessing!

I had so much empathy for Amelia. As a new mother who wasn’t welcomed into her husband’s elite family, she struggled with her own family trauma and was forced to leave her past and recreate a new life that she wasn’t sure she could live up. Her insecurities unraveled as letters arrived with a threat of her past being exposed. At times, I thought it sounded redundant with “she/he knows” for any character who Amelia thought could be behind the letters, but after finishing the book, I now see how it flowed together.

Overall, this was an easy 5 star read. I loved the themes of motherhood, sisterhood, and generational trauma. I was surprised at the ending and how things concluded, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if it ended how I thought it would go.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: February 17, 2025*
*Reviewed January 19, 2025*

This was just a Ok read. It has short chapters so quick to read bur the book in general is very slow. May suit readers who are starting out in Thriller genre.
Ameila is married to Timothy who comes from a wealthy family and they have a beautiful baby. When Amelia starts to receive notes she worries that her secret past will come out and destroy her family. But who is sending the notes?

GOOD BAD MOTHER BY ANYA MORA.
Release date set for the 17th of February 2025.
This is my 5th 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.

Good Bad Mother reminded me of so many other books I've read and had me bored. The Sterlings were so stereotypical and horrible. Timothy was such a disappointment. I'd recommend this book to a novice thriller reader.

It was an ok thriller. Although quite slow in action it still is a fast read.
Not really for me but i think that beginners in thriller world will appreciate this because of the pacing and tension building.
Ending felt a little rushed but still all got tiek together very well.
I was disapointed in the character of Timothy, i think it was unnecessary to make him that way in the end but that's just me.
Overall a good palate cleanser and a good introduction in thriller world.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fab thriller from Anya!
Twists and turns to keep you guessing, a fast paced storyline and just when you think you've got it...

I find Anya's writing really rag to follow, without an overload of chatacters.
Is definitely recommend this if you're a fellow thriller lover!

This book was one hell of a twisty ride. I just want to say that I did not like Timothy at all and that is something I liked about the book, all of the characters had human flaws instead of there being one outstanding, perfect character.

The twist in the middle of the book shocked me, but then the twist at the end shocked me even more at the end.

A 5 star read because I stayed up way past when I shuld have gone to bed, was hooked from the very first page. The ending gave me all the feels and it took a moment to digest it all.

Wowza! The prologue had me hooked! If you are looking for an easy read that holds your attention, then this is the book for you!

Amelia, who is married to Timothy, is a fairly new wife and mother. Their daughter, Clover, is quite a fussy baby, and Amelia really struggles trying to settle her down.

Timothy comes from a very well-known, wealthy family, which makes it difficult for Amelia to fade into the background. When her in-laws insist she be photographed with the family for an article in a magazine, Amelia feels the walls closing in on her. Her life as she knows it is about to change, for the worse.

Breadcrumbs are dropped little by little when Amelia starts to receive anonymous letters in her mailbox. She's been keeping a huge secret, and someone knows her secret. The question is, who?

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Good Bad Mother. It was a quick and engaging read that kept me guessing until about three-quarters of the way through. However, I did find it slightly repetitive during the first 100 pages. Amelia’s character really resonated with me—her feelings of inadequacy and being unprepared after having a baby felt so relatable. Paired with her troubled past, it made for a compelling psychological thriller. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh my goodness! First off thank you NetGalley and Anya Mora for this ARC. What an amazing read! I could not turn the pages fast enough, I needed to know what was next for 'Amelia'. This book is comparable to a Fredia McFadden story. The main character 'Amelia' new wife and mom can't seem to keep her past hidden and her new life starts to unravel in this thriller. It is a must read for 2025!

this was such a good thrilling book!! It had me hooked until I finished it! OI love this type of story, and the author executed it extremely well!! i loved all of the twists and turns. and how it kept you tense and nervous while reading!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This was a tense psychological thriller which had me glued to my kindle I struggled to put it down. I loved everything about the writing style how well the characters were written the twists and turn kept up throughout which I absolutely love in a thriller. Overall amazing book which I will definitely be recommending to everyone. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great book can’t wait to see more from this author.

I've been eagerly awaiting a new release by Anya Mora, having already enjoyed three of her previous works. Good Bad Mother did not disappoint! I especially love her vivid Northwest settings and her remarkable ability to transport readers right into the heart of the story.

The story revolves around Amelia, whose life is unraveling under the weight of lies. This book delves into the consequences of running from the past and explores the unsettling notion that even our own memories might not be reliable.

A slow burn, Good Bad Mother skillfully alternates between past and present, gradually revealing Amelia’s story. As she struggles to fulfill her role, she's plagued by unsettling notes in her mailbox and her own relentless self-doubt about being a good mother.

This is a fantastic exploration of complex family dynamics, the lengths we go to for those we love, and the power of forgiveness. It’s a gripping tale that keeps you guessing—and keeps you turning the pages late into the night!

Amelia has a past that she is hiding from everyone, when suddenly she starts getting anonymous letters in her mailbox that proves someone knows her secret.

This was a solid read. It kept me engaged from the very beginning. I did feel that some elements were repeated non stop (the colicky baby aspect and referring to her as "tiny"). It also felt like Tim's personality flipped overnight.

Overall, a great book and I definitely enjoyed it.

Name:- Good Bad Mother
Author :- Anya Mora
Genre :- Psychological Thriller
Anya Mora’s Good Bad Mother is a tense, gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a rollercoaster of emotions. With a protagonist balancing the weight of dark secrets, a missing child, and a facade of perfection in an exclusive neighborhood, the story delivers twists and revelations that keep you hooked from the first page to the last. The story follows a mother navigating life in the affluent and surveilled Cutters Island, where appearances are everything. But beneath her perfect exterior lies a complicated past. When her daughter mysteriously disappears one night, her carefully curated world unravels. As she searches for her child, the narrative peels back layers of lies, betrayal, and the haunting truth about what really happened "that night."
Likes and Dislikes:-
Likes:
1 Complex Protagonist: The narrator’s moral ambiguity makes her a compelling character. She’s not a traditional hero but rather a deeply flawed, multi-dimensional woman whose determination to protect her family shines through.
2 Unpredictable Twists: The story delivers unexpected revelations at just the right moments, keeping the reader guessing about who to trust and what will happen next.
3 Atmosphere of Suspense: The setting of Cutters Island, with its security cameras and judgmental neighbors, adds a claustrophobic layer to the story. The unease builds steadily, mirroring the protagonist’s spiraling fear.
4 Exploration of Themes: The book dives into motherhood, guilt, privilege, and the lengths one will go to for survival. These themes resonate deeply, adding emotional weight to the story.
Overall :- Good Bad Mother is a thrilling exploration of the dark side of motherhood and the secrets people keep to maintain the illusion of a perfect life. With a fast-paced narrative, morally complex characters, and a chilling atmosphere, Anya Mora crafts a story that’s as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful. Fans of domestic thrillers will find themselves riveted, questioning the limits of love, guilt, and redemption.
My Rating :- 5/5.

Loved this story, it has a bit of everything. There’s tragedy, mystery, twists, romance, and a sweet ending that literally brought a smile to my face. I love Amelia and how everything comes out for her. Hoping the author writes more, I’m already a fan.

This book starts with a nightmare that’s unfortunately not a dream: a mother wakes up and finds her husband isn’t in bed with her. She groggily makes her way to the nursery to see if he’s with their newborn, but the crib is empty and she smells smoke. The book then ricochets us back and forth in time, from the present to the past that led to our main character having so many secrets.

Amelia and Timothy had a whirlwind courtship, which hastened into marriage when she unexpectedly got pregnant. Now, their daughter, Clover, is two months old, and Amelia is getting used to living the life of a VERY wealthy woman. Her husband, along with his parents and his sister, run Sterling Enterprise, a real estate development company, and all of them live on Cutter’s Island, outside of Seattle. Amelia didn’t grow up with money and is a woman of simple tastes, but she now finds herself in a huge house that is dwarfed by the even huger mansion next door. The mansion belongs to her new in-laws, who aren’t happy about Amelia now being in their lives. They are always there, watching from cameras or windows, always making her feel less-than, always making her feel excluded. This feeling intensifies when Timothy’s ex returns to the island, and it’s clear that she was a much better match for this lifestyle.

I can’t say much more than that - Amelia has secrets she’s been keeping, and a magazine article about the Sterlings that includes their pictures has her reeling. She’s spent ten years hiding from the world, and now her picture is right there along with this famous family. She’s also struggling with being a new mother; why does everyone seem to think it’s easy except for her? This has a lot of common domestic thriller tropes, but all the same, it was it was very entertaining and had an unexpected but interesting ending. Four stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me on this book tour! “Good Bad Mother” is slated to be released on February 17, 2025.)

"Good Bad Mother" is a book full of secrets, lies and fear of others finding out. Amelia is a new wife and mother and is under a lot of pressure to be a good wife and mother all while trying to keep her past buried. Someone wants Amelia's past to be exposed and is hell bent of revenge for all the wrong reasons!
This book is a gripping page turner with lots of twists and emotion. I did only give it 4 stars as I found that it did drag on a little bit but I would still recommend it as a great read!