I feel like this book was very repetitive, and there wasn’t much suspense. You pretty much knew what was going on throughout the whole thing, but the repetitiveness of the secret was annoying throughout the book.

Such a well paced and suspenseful book! The twists were believable and not predictable.
It had excellent writing and a fascinating plot.
Good Bad Mother is a book which kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end.

Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora was a powerful and emotional read that kept me thinking long after I finished. The story about a mother grappling with guilt, love, and the complexity of raising her child in an imperfect world really hit home. What I appreciated most was how real and raw the emotions felt, particularly the internal struggles of the protagonist. It wasn't just about motherhood; it was about identity, mistakes, and growth. The pacing was steady, with the right balance of tension and heart. If you enjoy books that dive deep into personal struggles and relationships, this one is definitely worth reading.

Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora is a gripping emotional rollercoaster that held me captive from the first page to the last. Mora has an extraordinary talent for diving deep into the complexities of motherhood, guilt, and redemption, weaving a story that is both heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure.

The protagonist is raw, flawed, and utterly human—making her journey all the more powerful. I found myself completely immersed in her inner world, rooting for her even when she didn’t have the strength to root for herself. Mora’s prose is sharp yet poetic, and she doesn’t shy away from the messy, painful truths that come with love, loss, and the choices that define us.

This novel isn’t just a psychological drama—it’s a mirror held up to the impossible expectations placed on women, and a reminder that sometimes, being a "good mother" means embracing the parts of ourselves that others might label as bad.

I’m so grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this haunting and unforgettable book. Fans of Jodi Picoult and Celeste Ng will devour this one.

Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora

Amelia Sterling has it all. The perfect husband, the amazing house and a cute little baby she adores… It doesn’t matter if her in-laws look down on her… That’s the least of her worries… Her past is coming back to bite her in the butt and keeping it buried is getting harder by the minute.

It was slow… Like really slow. I thought the plot was super clever and there was some real excellence in the writing.. BUT… It was repetitive. I felt likeI could have been listening to the same chapter every 4 chapters… She was literally spiralling over her past and we didn’t really seem to get anywhere. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters because they were all jerks

It was a real shame because the narration was good and the story was good. I just think more could have been done had all the repetitiveness had been eradicated and I still don’t understand what was up with her husband…. I don’t want to spoil it but WTAF.

Having said that I did actually enjoy the book.


3.75 stars

This is a psychological thriller that follows Amelia Sterling, a new mother and new wife. She and her wealthy husband move across the street from his parents on Cutters Island, an island of wealthy families outside of Seattle. Amelia goes deeper into paranoia as she receives threatening letters that involve exposing her past. A past she is desperate to keep secret but is destined to come forth. This story is told with several flashbacks to slowly reveal the past.

This book is so very repetitive. The first half is Amelia obsessing over a secret identity and exposing the past, but she just goes in circles, and we finally find out that secret more than halfway through. The second half is also repetitive. I do find the story intriguing, and by the time I got to the ending and the big reveal, I was furious. I just didn't like anyone. There was no real justice anywhere and we never find out what happened to the characters that caused the drama in the first place. I do think the story was entertaining overall, but when you say the same thing 3 times in one paragraph throughout the entire book, we could have gotten to the point much more quickly or had a more flushed-out ending.

"Good Bad Mother" by Anya Mora is a psychological thriller about secrets, motherhood, and trust. The story follows Amelia, a woman who appears to have the perfect life. A loving husband, a new baby, and a fresh start. But when she starts receiving eerie messages, her carefully built world begins to crumble. As her past resurfaces, she is forced to question everything and everyone around her.

The book is fast-paced and full of suspense, keeping you hooked as Amelia’s paranoia grows. The author does a great job of building tension and exploring the pressures of motherhood and the fear of past mistakes catching up. The twists keep coming, making it a good page-turner.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with emotional depth and unpredictable twists, Good Bad Mother might be a good choice for you. It’s a great read that will stay with you long after you finish.

"Good Bad Mother" is a psychological thriller by Anya Mora.

Amelia is newly married to Tim Sterling with a newborn named Clover. They live on Cutters Island off of Puget Sound, Washington. The Sterling family are millionaires. Amelia has secrets in her past and is terrified that everything will fall apart if her secrets come out. She repeats this fear so many times that I wanted to DNF the book. I didn't, though.

Throughout the book, the secrets are eventually revealed. The epilogue is the best part.

This audiobook is narrated by Lauryn Allman and Penelope Rawlins. They did a decent job.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 3/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 4/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 26/8 = 3 2/8 rounded to 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Anya Mora for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Good Bad Mother
⭐️⭐️.5/5

Good Bad Mother had an intriguing premise, but it didn’t quite deliver. The plot felt too far-fetched, and while I usually enjoy a good twist, this one pushed believability too much. The pacing dragged in places, making it hard to stay engaged. Unfortunately, I found myself more bored than invested.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the story of Amelia a new mother who lives, living a picture-perfect life with her husband, Timothy, in an amazing home.
However, when her wealthy inlaws, the Sterlings, insist on a family photoshoot for a magazine interview, Amelia reluctantly agrees. She doesn't want to have her picture taken or evrn printed because she doesn't want her past to come up. It soon becomes clear that Amelia may not be as flawless as she appears. But trust me: nothing is as it might seem!

At first I was not too much into the story and didn't care. But the more I learned about Amelia's story the more I got hooked!

Lauryn Allman, Penelope Rawlins do a perfect performance in the audioversion!

Thank you #NetGalley #Bookouture Audio for this audiobook

*Good Bad Mother* by Anya Mora is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of motherhood, secrets, and survival. The story follows a woman who moves to the exclusive Cutter’s Island, striving to fit into her new life while hiding a dark past. When her baby goes missing and her home is engulfed in flames, she is forced to confront her deepest fears and the lengths she’ll go to protect her child. Mora masterfully weaves suspense, emotional depth, and unexpected twists, creating a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very last page.

Good bad mother was a good bad book. Nothing overly terrible, but obvious, unrelatable, and repetitive. For new thriller readers this may be amazing but I think veterans of the genre will be less amused.
Amelia is perfect so that no one suspects that she isn't who she says she is. Obviously the best way to do that is to marry into a millionaire family on an exclusive Island. An island that, conveniently, her family moves to without her and without telling her years before. Amelia is not really Amelia but in fact a young murderer trying to hide that fact. Amelia struggles to live with the guilt despite the fact that she says later she knows she didn't do it.
This was convoluted at best and overdone at worst.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Anya Mora, and Bookoture Audio for my ARC of this audiobook.

Amelia isn’t who everyone thinks she is, but she must keep her secrets or the entire life she has built will blow up in her face. She has more than she could have ever imagined; a handsome husband, beautiful baby girl and a gorgeous home. When her mother in law insists their family pose for a magazine article she knows this could be the beginning of her unraveling. And she isn’t wrong….

This was an engaging, suspenseful audiobook. The narrator was good and the story kept moving at a great pace. I enjoyed it!

I just finished listening to the audiobook of Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora, and it was such an emotional and gripping experience! This was my first time reading Mora’s work, and I’m officially hooked. The narrator did an incredible job bringing the characters to life, capturing the raw emotions and subtle nuances of the story in a way that made it impossible to stop listening.

The characters were so relatable and complex, especially the themes surrounding motherhood, guilt, and self-discovery. The emotional depth in this book really struck me—it’s both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. The story beautifully explores the idea of what it means to be a "good" or "bad" mother, making you reflect on the complexities of love and sacrifice.

The pacing was perfect, and I found myself fully immersed in the story, even pausing everything just to keep listening. Anya Mora’s writing is powerful, and paired with such a talented narrator, the experience was unforgettable. If you love emotional, thought-provoking stories with strong characters, Good Bad Mother is a must-listen!

I haven’t read anything by this author before but liked the sound of this book and I’m so glad I picked it up. This was well written with an interesting plot and I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audio version and liked the narrator. I will definitely look out for more by this author in the future

Really good book! I really enjoyed listening to it while getting ready in the morning and on my way to work! I’ much rather listen to a book now than listen to music!!! My jaw dropped so much with this book what a crazy plot twist!!!

4 1/2 star

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.

This thing sounded good. Like, really good. The person talking kept me listening. The way the story jumped between people was cool. It made me think everyone was hiding stuff, and nothing was real. The big idea is that what happened to you before makes you who you are now, and everyone messes up sometimes.

It was slow to start, but then BAM! I couldn't stop listening. I had to know what was happening and what the big secret was. It was short and fun, but some parts felt like they were just there to make it longer.

If you like puzzles and weird stuff, you'll like this. Thanks to the people who made it.

This book was just ok for me, it was slow moving and the twists were not twisty. But I liked the characters and hoped for the best for them.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was compelling t and always exciting. The characters were great and you really wanted to understand what the mother was going through. I highly recommend if you are interested in thriller/mysteries involving mothers and children