
Member Reviews

OUTSTANDING!!! This is my favourite book by this author so far, I was captivated from the first page to the last. Twists and turns throughout, it's an amazing read. Can't recommend this book highly enough.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC of The Baby Swap by Daniel Hurst. This is the eighth book I've read by Daniel Hurst, and what a wild ride! This book was full of twists and turns, and I loved the alternating point of view from Jade to Avril.
Avril is a wealthy woman who works in the cosmetics industry and decides she wants to try for a baby with her husband, Bobby. Jade is a very poor single woman who is unable to hold down a job. Both women end up at the hospital to deliver their babies at the same time and are on the beds beside each other at the hospital. After the babies are born, one woman's baby does not stop crying while the other just sleeps and is extremely docile. The mother of the crying baby decides to swap babies while the other mother is asleep so she can get the ultimate revenge on her for what she's done in the past.
After both women leave the hospital, this book dives into how they know each other and what was done in the past all while the mother who ended up with the crying baby tries to figure out what it is about her baby that isn't quite right. On day one, her baby was docile, didn't cry, and breastfed with no issues. From day two and forward, her baby cries non-stop, won't breastfeed, and she doesn't feel attached to him. This is when she comes up with a theory: Is this her baby? Or someone else's? And if it's someone else's, then where is the baby she gave birth to?

Wow! This book had me hooked from the first chapter, and kept me hooked the entire time.
The author has done a fantastic job telling it from both characters perspectives, and knew just how to pull on your heart strings so you would feel for them both. Avril and Jade have some tough history, and come across each other again several years later when they both are at the same hospital. From there, a new personal battle is fought from them both, and a vendetta plan is set in motion. It had some twists that I didn’t see coming.
I really enjoyed this read, and am so happy that I was given the opportunity to read this ahead of its release date!

Very clever thriller. Not your average baby swap. Revenge is at the root of the story line! Told in two POV from two women, alternating from past and present. The ending is surly not what you would expect. Then an epilogue that makes you go 🤭 Definitely keeps you turning pages to see what Arvil and Jade will do next and who, as they say, gets the last laugh.

I read this in one sitting I couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened and why. The writing really drew me in right from the start it was so readable

Daniel Hurst has written another amazing psychological thriller. Right from the beginning I was on the edge of my seat and I stayed that way until the shocking and unpredictable end.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

The baby swap was such a captivating thriller which I couldn’t put it down. I loved everything about it once I started I couldn’t put it down read it in one sitting. The book was full of bitterness, lies and suspense. I always enjoy a book were all the characters are flawed I feel it makes it more real. It was definitely written great especially with a sensitive subject which was handled fantastically. I would say it is a mixed psychological emotional thriller which I can’t wait to recommend this authors work is all fantastic and this did not disappoint. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great book.

A mother's desperate attempt to find her stolen son leads her to swap him with another newborn at the hospital, leading to a heart-wrenching decision and a dangerous secret.
This is my second book by this author, and I have to say I'm getting used to the writing style. I'm not used to the reveal happening in the beginning and then just having details unravel. It makes it a bit less suspenseful for me. However, this book was still interesting and had the right amount of mystery as the reasons unfolded.
The characters were flawed and hard to like, because you couldn't help but think that this could actually happen to someone. Not for the same reasons, but it could, and it's scary! As you get to know Jade and Avril, you can't help but keep reading to uncover more secrets and deceit. It can get really intense, but the ending is unpredictable and tragic. You can't help but think that these ladies need to grow up and move on.
I know many people will enjoy this quick, twisted read, especially if you're a fan of Daniel Hurst. Just be aware that if you have certain triggers, this book might not be for you.
Thank you, Bookouture, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow ! I. Was pulled into the story from the first page! It had many twists and turns that I never saw coming.
You’re always changing how you feel about the main characters, not sure who the true villain is .
Things don’t end up the way you think… what a ride

This was such a great read! It was quick, easy & definitely entertaining. I never knew what hat was coming next & it left me shocked at every turn!

If you are a fan of dark, jaw-dropping twists and surprises, this one is for you! The plot of this book fast-paced psychological thriller will keep you hooked until the very last page. Although, some parts of the book were a little outlandish, it is a gripping narrative with unpredictable turns.

Even though I found the premise of this on the edge story to be a bit unlikely, I was glued to it from start to finish. The book is British and maybe things are different “across the pond”.
Bitterness, rivalry and revenge is rife throughout the whole story. You will gat pother the details from mainly 2 perspectives, Jade and Avril. Jade is poor, single and struggling. She has a strong desire goals to make it in the cosmetic industry yet has not been successful. But she has a good sense about her to succeed in cosmetics, She just needs a break in. On the other hand, Avril,extremely wealthy, wildly successful, self assured and hard boiled. She is at the top of her game in a highly respected and sought after cosmetic firm and she has nothing to lose and her actions prove It! Avril has it all! But nobody really ever has it all.
The story starts in the hospital where both women have delivered babies on the same day, and both boys which look ever so similar as most babies do. They are in a ward, housing four mothers with their newborns, divided only by pulled curtains. Jade and Avril are in the beds next to each other.
Looking back, You see these two women met several years ago in no less than horrible circumstances. Today, Jade looks completely different, so Avril does not recognize her, although feels she seems familiar for some reason. Jade, however does recognize Avril and is consumed with a need for revenge.
Here is where madness instead of newborn joy begins. Get ready for a seat on this emotional rollercoaster. As the story progresses, the scenarios become thought provoking and leave you pondering the situations of ethics, welfare, bullying, upbringing and life circumstance.
I want to tell you so much more about this book… why the ladies hate each other, how she swapped the babies, all the poor people who got mixed up in the madness, what happened to these two crazy mama’s, and where did the two innocent little lives end up in the conclusion.
The epilogue with Bobby was clever and brought a different perspective to the story at the very end, that I never foresaw.
I highly recommend The Baby Swap with a plot so thrilling, you won’t want to put it down.

The Baby swap by Daniel Hurst is quick read by the author but this is such an unputdownable read from the author that I read it in a couple of hours.
When Jade recognizes a woman from her past in the same maternity suite, all she can think about is seeking revenge. Several years previously the woman called Avril destroyed Jade’s life and now Jade wants to make her pay. Her own child that she has not yet named keeps crying all day, whereas Avril ‘s baby is placid. She decides that she is going to take the most important to her right now and swap the babies.
Mr Hurst yet again writes a fabulous tale with his trademark twists that you don’t see coming. The story tells about to women that goes to any length to seek revenge and get what they want. I couldn’t put this down. I couldn’t stop turning the pages to find out what happened next. This is such an enjoyable read. 5 stars from me.

This book had me sweating all the way through haha
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture as well as the incredible Daniel Hurst for allowing me an Advanced copy of this book!
Daniel Hurst delivers a gripping psychological thriller with The Baby Swap, a story that doesn’t just keep you on the edge of your seat—it makes you question whose side you’re even on.
Avril and Jade are two women bound by a horrifying secret: a baby swap in the maternity ward. But what starts as a desperate act quickly spirals into a web of paranoia, pain, and revenge. Hurst shifts between their perspectives, forcing readers into the minds of two deeply flawed characters. The result? You find yourself hating both of them at times, yet unable to look away, needing to understand their motives and fates.
This novel is an emotional rollercoaster. One moment, you feel the raw pain of mothers, as a mother myself I felt sick at times and confused at others; before you know it you’re caught in the creeping paranoia that seeps from Jade’s every thought. And let’s not forget the mean girl in the mix Avril, the one you desperately hope gets what’s coming to her, but the thought of such a evil plan involving these 2 innocent lives is heart wrenching. The tension is relentless, the twist at the end and the epilogue left me scratching my head, did Hurst take it to far? I will leave that to you to decide.
If you love morally gray characters, psychological mind games, and a plot that keeps you wanting to read more, The Baby Swap is a must-read. Just be prepared to question your own sense of justice along the way.

A great, fact-paced psychological thriller. I did at times find the plot to be pretty far-fetched and felt the dialogue was a bit cringe at moments. Overall, a good quick read that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Name :- The Baby Swap
Author :- Daniel Hurst
Genre :- Psychological Thriller
Daniel Hurst’s The Baby Swap is a gripping psychological thriller that explores every parent’s worst nightmare—the loss of their child under mysterious circumstances. Packed with tension, emotional turmoil, and shocking twists, this novel keeps readers on edge from start to finish. The story follows a mother who, moments after childbirth, becomes convinced that the baby in her arms is not hers. While doctors and nurses dismiss her concerns as postnatal confusion, she is certain that her child has been stolen. Meanwhile, another woman confesses that she deliberately swapped babies in the hospital—but her reasons remain a chilling secret. As the truth unravels, both women find themselves caught in a dangerous game where their children’s lives are at stake.
Likes and Dislikes :-
Likes:
1 Unique and Intriguing Premise: The idea of a baby swap is inherently suspenseful, and Hurst executes it with gripping intensity.
2 Dual Narratives: The alternating perspectives of the mother and the woman who orchestrated the swap add layers of depth and psychological complexity.
3 Fast-Paced and Suspenseful: Short chapters and cliffhangers keep the tension high, making it a page-turner.
Dislikes :-
None.
Overall :- The Baby Swap is a chilling and emotional thriller that hooks readers with its high-stakes premise and relentless suspense. Daniel Hurst masterfully builds tension while exploring themes of maternal instinct, deception, and desperation. If you enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers with shocking twists, this book is a must-read.
My Rating :- 5/5.

I absolutely loved this book. However, it was a slow pace at first and didn’t get good until right at the end. I did not see the plot twist and there should definitely be a book two to this telling it from Brian pov.

Okay, so like, this was a total rollercoaster. One minute, I'm fully on board, flipping pages like my life depends on it, and the next, I'm just sitting there like, "Did that seriously just happen?" It's twisty, it's dark, and it's totally bingeable. I mean, baby swapping? Dramaaa.
The story gives you both sides, and let me tell you, picking a side? Impossible. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, BAM—curveball. The tension builds in a way that had me speed-reading, and while I saw some things coming, that ending? Whoa.
Was it totally over-the-top? Yes. Did I love every messy, dramatic second? Also yes. The pacing was a little uneven in spots, but honestly, it still kept me hooked. Perfect for a quick, wild thriller fix.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was eager to get through this book as I wanted to know the history between the 2 main characters. This was the hook that kept me reading, even though I found much of the plot fairly unlikely. I like my books to be believable however I struggled with this one. The way the characters just happened to meet up; the way such a powerhouse of a woman would spend so much time and energy on a person but then not recognise them after a bit of time? I found myself eyerolling at the unlikely turn of events throughout this book.

This was a great read. I was anxiously awaiting for the next thing to happen. I couldn’t imagine switching a baby, but then when I continued to read WHY she did it, I guess it made sense. But it cost her her life, so clearly not worth it. I enjoyed the way this book was written.