This was the last book I read in 2022 and I really enjoyed it. It was a quick/fast-paced read with chapters that switched between Andrea & Gabby, who are neighbors and are both hiding secrets.

So I’m not sure how I feel about this book. Was it a wild ride? Yes. Did it keep my hooked and reading until I finished it at 11 last night? Yes. This story was messy to say the least. The main characters were both SO problematic and I couldn’t get behind any of their decisions, but I still kept reading. This book would make a great Lifetime movie. If you are in the market for a twisty, come on now…, two hour ride of a Lifetime drama (which I always am 😉) then this book is IT for you! The twists keep going until the end.

What an absolute delight this book is! It gripped hold of me on the very first page, and didn't let go until the last page was turned. In the book we get to know stay-at-home mom Gabby, who has a popular Facebook group for mothers and who finds it difficult to raise her teenage son. She lives in a beautiful and polished home, and her style is impeccable. The house across the road is the polar opposite, as is the woman who lives there, Andrea. She is closing in on her due date with her second child, and her son is only three years old. As the story unfolds, we learn that both women have secrets they would like to keep hidden from each other, but gradually both women realise that their new friend isn't who she pretends to be.

This book is the perfect book if you like domestic thrillers and plot twists, and it is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

“Everyone is hiding something. It’s just that some people are better at hiding it than others.”

Angela and Terry have recently moved into a new home with their 3 year old son, Jack. Soon expecting their second child, Andrea finds herself more and more exhausted. 🤰 When her new neighbor Gabby offers to start watching him, Andrea might finally find the relief and rest she needs. But when strange things to start happen Andrea starts to question if she can trust Gabby and has she put her son in danger?

Happy pub day to The Stay-at-Home Mother! 🥳It is truly best going into this book knowing as little as possible, as Nicole Trope grabs you from the prologue and takes you on a wild and unexpected ride. Told from alternating characters, this fast paced thriller is sure to keep you hooked until the very last page is turned.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookoture for the ARC!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Stay-At-Home Mother' by Nicole Trope.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Nicole Trope, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 3rd January 2023. Happy publication day Nicole!!

This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Girl Who Never Came Home', 'The Stepchild', 'The Mother's Fault' or 'The Family Across The Street' which I also recommend anyone read.


I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you gasping with shock and staying up way past your bedtime. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.' I am a huge fan of Lisa Jewell and Liane Moriarty so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Nicole and if this is half as good as 'The Girl Who Never Came Home', 'The Stepchild', 'The Mother's Fault' or 'The Family Across The Street' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 34 chapters and 2 epilogues. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺.


This book is written in third person perspective and the protagonists are Andrea and Gabby. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'The Stay-At-Home Mother' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Nicole discusses/includes child abduction and gambling.


OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT HAVE I JUST READ!?!?!? Nicole Trope you are a writing legend!!!

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that absolutely grip the readers attention and puts them right in the middle of it all feeling the hairs raise on their arms and feeling their heart pounding with Andrea's. This title, cover and synopsis suited it perfectly along with the cover and synopsis.

This book has got to be the most heart racing books I've read I a long time, of not ever!!! It had be hook, line and sinker from the first page and I could not put it down!!! Every time I said one more chapter it ended on a cliffhanger and I just had to know what was going on!!! If you are going to read this then clear your day because it is truly unputdownable. I started this this morning and finished it at 2am reading it in one sitting and although I'm knackered today it was 1000000% worth it!!! The storyline is unique and scarily very realistic. I loved that you got to see everything that was going on from Andrea and Gabby who were all in the centre of it all. There were little hints dropped as to what had actually going on but I never did guess right. When I found out I was completely shocked which is a huge achievement as Ive read so many books so it is harder and harder to shock me so another HUGE congratulations Nicole!!! It really does make you think how life can change so quickly and different decisions can change a life. It also makes you think how looks can be deceiving. Nicole has yet again written about an important subject (unfortunately, I can't tell you what the main one is as I don't want to give anything, you'll just have to grab your copy to find out!) and turned it into a heart stopping, page turning novela. My heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat throughout reading this. I was completely invested in the storyline and it will stay with me for a long time. The ending was was absolutely jaw dropping and so unexpected. I also love the fact that it didn't end how many people would liked it to have as this makes it even more unpredictable and unexpected but also realistic. This book would make a fantastic movie.

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

All the characters were realistic, well developed and had strong characteristics and personalities. My heart went out to Andrea on so many occasions for several different reasons. It is really hard to say how I feel about the characters without giving too much away but I will try my best. I could relate to Andrea in several ways with being on your own for most of the time with small children being one of them and I could easily see how what she did could easily be done (sorry but you'll have to click the link below to see what I mean!!). Although Terry really annoyed me and like Andrea I blamed him for alot of what happened I also did have a small amount of sympathy for him as like any other addiction what he did is an illness and hopefully he has learned his lesson. I also thought I felt very similar towards Gabby in a way but I wasn't so sure by the end although but I think I will definitely have to leave this here as I really don't want to spoil this incredible storyline for anyone. However, regardless of If you love them or hate them these characters work perfectly together to create an unputdownable book with some explosive twists!!

I did absolutely NOT expect that humongous bombshell at all. What an absolute twist!!! I can hand on my heart say that I cannot remember when I was so gobsmacked by a book twist but Nicole you have done just that!!! This book is rammed with suspense and tension and will keep you biting your nails, on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding while your flipping the pages because you just cant stop!!

If you read one book on your life, make sure it is this!!!! I would love to see this turned into a movie and Nicole I really hope you are working on your next psychological thriller at this moment because this book will go far!!! A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on what promises to be a MASSIVE success!!!

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first chapter of Nicole's 'The Family Across The Street' which is another addictive must read page turner by Nicole!!

Overall an absolutely heart racing, nail biting, unputdownable psychological thriller with several bombshells you will not see coming!!!


Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Literary Fiction, Women's Psychological Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Coming-Of-Age story, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction and Domestic Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, 'The Wife Between Us', Liane Moriarty, Adele Parksanyone who has read any of Nicole's previous books AND YOU, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY AND JUST EVERYONE!!! .


286 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.99 in your paperback via Amazon (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#TheStepchild #Bookouture #NicoleTrope #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@NicoleTrope @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86

https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhitlock86/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34299953-kirsty-bookworm86

https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86

This is a quick, page turner that will have you wondering about befriending your neighbours. Much of the story seemed predictable until it wasn’t. There was a slow burn until…whoa! Didn’t see that coming.!
Thank You to Bookouture, NetGalley and Nicole Trope for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I have read so many books by this author and everyone of them is fantastic! I absolutely love the twists, plots and characters and this book does not disappoint. I love how there is very little foul language in her books also. This storyline was amazing and I loved the twist at the very end!!! You always think the book is done and then there is one final twist!

What a good read! So full of twists and turns.
I liked the characters and the storyline kept my interest the whole way.
Read the book in two sittings as I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next!

The Stay at Home Mother will give you nightmares if you're a parent, especially of a young child. I was a bit worried at the beginning as it starts a bit slow. It's a slow burn that ramps up as you read on. Andrea and her husband Terry have moved with their 3 year old son Jack to a rental house in Australia. They were forced into the move after Terry got into some money troubles with a gambling habit. The house is a step down and smells of mold, but it's what they have to do to get back on their feet. Andrea is very pregnant as she tries to unpack after the move. She is due in 5 weeks and is quite large. Jack is a handful as every 3 year old is so she has to unpack when he's busy napping, playing, or watching something. Terry goes to work at an electronics store each morning and isn't a lot of help with the unpacking and general house chores.

Across the street from Andrea and Terry their neighbor Gabby lives with her son Flynn. Her husband, Richard, is traveling for business in the United States. Gabby runs a blog about motherhood and is always complaining that teenaged boys like Flynn are hard to deal with. She has quite a following and other mothers ask her for advice on a regular basis. Andrea meets Gabby when the neighbor brings a welcome gift of chocolates to her. She invites Andrea to her house for tea and tells her to bring Jack to play. She has lots of toys left from when Flynn was young. Gabby doesn't have any friends in the neighborhood and is excited at the prospect of having one. Andrea is excited to get out of the house and relax a bit with some adult conversation thrown in. While visiting, Gabby tells Andrea that she's almost always home and would be happy to babysit Jack if she ever needed it. Gabby has photos of Richard and Flynn in the house, but Andrea has never seen either one of them. Flynn is always at school, hockey practice, or at a friend's house.

As Andrea starts to get more settled, Terry starts coming home later than he should and acting suspiciously. Andrea questions him about it, but he says he's allowed to go have a drink, coffee, and some food. Andrea grows more concerned when a red beat up car keeps driving by their house. One day the driver stops and parks. He gets out of the car and just watches Andrea unload her car of groceries. Andrea is freaked out and tries to hurry into the house with Jack. She carries more than she should with her late stage pregnancy. The man finally gets in his car and speeds off. Who is he? Why is there money missing from their bank account? It seems like more than a few lunches and coffees. Why is Terry lying to her? One day when Gabby is watching Jack so that Andrea can take a nap, she oversleeps and Jack is gone! Where would Gabby have taken Jack and why is she not answering her phone?

Nicole Trope does a great job of building the suspense in The Stay at Home Mother and I found myself reading way too fast to find out what happened. This is a very good book for anyone that enjoys mysteries and suspense.I rated the book 4 stars. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

I just finished #TheStayAtHomeMother. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the ending and feel it could have been more. I wish it had been longer, but a fun, fast book. Excited to read more by #NicoleTrope. #netgalley #bookouture

3.5 ⭐️As always Nicole writes intriguing books. While I guessed what was going on, I still enjoyed it. I thought some of the things were a little far fetched still recommend it.

I have recently started getting back into reading again. I find I go through phases and sometimes it can be hard to get back into focusing on reading a book.

This book though had me hooked. I finished it in just 2 days and that wasn't even 2 full days of reading! I'm a huge psychological thriller fan and the ending of the book I just didn't see coming.

It's a story about who we put our trust in and really opens up to the fact that not everyone is who you think they are/ what they are perceived like.

"Loving mother...Loyal friend...Liar."

Nicole Trope never fails to disappoint and though this one begins a little differently with something of a slow build, it definitely gains momentum and picks up pace as everything slots into place. I could relate to the weather and the constant autumn rain, spring rain, summer rain and back to autumn rain again as in Australia we have just endured that weather system with so much rain and constant flooding that just seems to come back again and again. But maybe this year will be different. But I digress...

Firstly, that prologue. WOW! Throwing the reader right into it that leaves our head spinning with possible scenarios...and then tapering off to where exactly? The story rewinds back some five weeks prior to the events coming to a head with Andrea having moved with her husband Terry and 3 year old son Jack into the damp ridden house that really wasn't fit for living in. But having no choice they were out of options as a kind gesture gave them a roof until they could get back on their feet. Weighed down at eight months pregnant, Andrea could think of better things to be doing rather than unpacking boxes in a house she wished she never had to move to and longed for the friends she had left behind.

Across the road, Gabby watched the new arrivals moving in and pondered what renovations they would soon be undertaking as the house was in dire need of renovating. I mean, why else did they pay such an exorbitant amount for the property if they didn't have plans for it? But that isn't her concern. What captured her attention was the little boy and the tired look on the heavily pregnant mother's face. What she needed was a friend. And Gabby decided that she would be that friend. After all, she needs one too. Dealing with all she had to deal with on a daily basis with her son Flynn that left her in tears, a friend is something she longed for to confide in. Of course, she has her Facebook mother's advice forum she runs but they aren't "real" friends, are they?

So one day Gabby crosses the road and reaches out the tired Andrea and the two women become friends. Jack loves visiting Gabby's house where there are plenty of toys and treats on offer, and he can play to his heart's content while the women talk. Gabby confides about her teenage son Flynn who is rarely home and a husband Richard who is somewhere in the US on business. Andrea doesn't reveal much but Gabby feels that she will in time.

And then Andrea begins to notice the red sedan with the mismatched door driving slowly past the house and she gets a strange feeling. Not again. Who is this person and why are they watching her? She tries to tell Terry but he dismisses it as just a tradie in the neighbourhood needing directions or her imagination. But is it her imagination or has Terry's problem reared its ugly head yet again? Gabby notices the red car parked out the front of their houses too. But she isn't sure if they are watching Andrea's house or hers. What if they are after her? Could they be?

And then when Andrea goes into labour suddenly, she is unable to contact Terry. He's not at work and not answering his mobile. Where the hell is he? But that is only the beginning of her problems when she discovers everything she thought she knew is a lie.

THE STAY AT HOME MOTHER begins as a slow build that may seem off base at first but soon the pieces of the jigsaw come together, with the pace picking up at lightning speed as the reader races through the pages to see how it all ends. There are loads of red herrings and you don't know who or what you can trust. So many questions...what to believe?

The story unfolds through Andrea and Gabby's alternating narratives respectively. And oh how I love an unreliable narrator! But can we trust both women? Andrea's "baby brain" could be playing tricks with her perception and Gabby may or may not be who she claims to be. And then there is Terry. Dodgy much? I couldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. Everything that came out of his mouth was a lie, or a deflection which is still a lie anyway. Did he not value his family? His wife is ready to drop their second child, for goodness sake! And she is so obviously exhausted, that the reader can't help but question her narrative at times. But is everything as it seems?

I had so many questions right up and slowly pieced bits together in my mind - some of which were right. I figured out one of the biggest twists very early on but there were more surprises to come. But the biggest of all was that ending. Just brilliant! Did you see it coming?

I love how Trope explored a number of issues, dealing with them sensitively, which I won't list here as it could be deemed a spoiler. But as with all her books she takes topics that are relative to many and weaves her story around them while doing so with sensitivity.

This is my umpteenth book by Nicole Trope and she is one of my favourite authors. I love her style and the fact she is in Sydney too so I can relate to some of what she is writing about - places, the weather, the cost of things etc. I read this book in a day, and as with all her books, it was the perfect afternoon or bedtime read.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheStayAtHomeMother in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

3 1/2 stars
A quick read. Full of twists and turns.
Andrea a young pregnant mother moves to a new neighbourhood and her neighbour Gabby friends her. When Gabbys son goes missing Andrea helps out by posting his picture on a missing child website only to discover he is not Gabbys son. Who is Gabby and what is she hiding?

The Stay-at-Home Mother
By Nicole Trope
Bookouture
Publication date: 1/3/23
Psychological Thriller

This is a story of Andrea, pregnant with her second child, who reluctantly moves into a sketchy neighborhood. There she meets Gabby, a woman who writes an advice column and has a teenage son. But, something seems off here. Everyone seems to be concealing secrets, and things start to spiral out of control.

This was an enjoyable, fast-paced and quick read. I love a good unreliable narrator, it really throws you for a loop. It was just lacking something for me. This is the first I’ve read of Nicole Trope and I would definitely be interested in reading more by her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Nicole Trope.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Nicole Trope - 4 stars!

Andrea is pregnant and has a small son. Her and her husband, Terry, just moved into a new neighborhood because of money issues. Gabby lives across the street and welcomes Andrea; both seem lonely and in need of a friend. But both women are keeping secrets.

This is a book best gone into with as little knowledge as possible - especially because the synopsis doesn't really match up well with the book. The story unfolds from the viewpoints of both Andrea and Gabby, with lots of twists along the way, especially that ending! Also a relevant look at social media issues. Another quick, engrossing read from Nicole Trope!

I’m a regular reader of. Nicole Trope”s domestic thrillers and wow, this is one of the best of her best. The lives of two women become intwined as neighbors in rural Australia, seemingly helpful to both Gabby, the mother of a rebellious teenager and Andrea, mother of a three year old with another on the way. Both husbands always seem to be working so the two women bond over the trials and triumphs of motherhood with Andrea benefitting from the advice of the older woman and Gabby feeling relevant again with her growing bond with Jack, the youngster. Both women have secrets which threaten to destroy the lives they have made for themselves. As they inch to the surface, cracks become crevices and these crevices can swallow you whole. Can be read in one or two sittings - it’s that good.

Such a great book with amazing twists! Love a good unreliable narrator and we definitely get that here. Will definitely be reading more from this author!

3.5 ⭐️


🦕 “ On being a stay at home mom: Half of the time, I feel like I’m running an insane asylum… the other half, I feel I belong in one.” — Unknown 

🦕 The story follows Andrea Gately who has moved to a new neighbourhood with her husband, three years old son and a new baby on her way. She soon befriends Gaby who lives across the street. Gabby is a SAHM to a 16 years old boy while her husband travels around the world for work. Gabby offers Andrea to babysit Jack so Andrea can get some rest. But Andrea has no idea of Gabby’s real intentions….

🦕 Pick this up if you like/don’t mind:
📌 dual POVs
📌 missing child troupe
📌 slow paced plot
📌 unreliable narrators
📌 unlikeable characters hiding secrets of their own
📌 struggles of motherhood
📌 predictable plot twists
📌 one of the MC suffering from mental health
📌 unexpected & shocking epilogue

🦕 The synopsis of the book instantly grabbed my attention however it was too slow paced. Throughout the book I kept on waiting for something BAD to happen. ( It’s not that I enjoy when something bad happens or the characters in the book suffer. The “BAD” was bound to happen but it took ages 😴) But once it happened and the story took pace, it literally kept me on the edge of my seat. And that shocking epilogue, never in a million years I would have been able to guess it. It definitely stole the show for me. 👏 This was my first book by the author and I am definitely gonna read more by her.

🦕 Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s true what they say, you never really know anyone. When it comes to your children, it’s hard to know who to trust. But who do you turn to when you don’t have many options? Stay at home mother is relatable as the story can truly happen to anyone one of us.
I found parts of the story to be predictable and other parts to be a total surprise. For example, I had a feeling right away that Flynn wasn’t real, however I thought Ben may be Gabby’s child. The final chapters were a total shock of who Richard and Gabby really are. Certain sections of the story felt hyped at the beginning but turned out to be minor details to the story, such as the beginning starting off with the phone call yet it turned into a minuscule part of the book at the end. Overall this book was a quick, page turning read that shows to be careful who you trust.