Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

I am obviously in the minority here as I found this book to be a bit of a chore to finish. The ending was unbelievable and far fetched. I couldn't connect with most of the characters and although I felt sorry for Louisa I didn't like James at all. When a book takes me 4 days to finish and I am on holiday I know there is a problem.

Omg! This book grabbed me and did not let me go! Everyone was a suspect to me, but I was wrong! Definitely going to check out the author’s other work!

After devouring her debut thriller, Trust Me, my expectations for Gemma Metcalfe’s second novel, A Mother’s Sacrifice were sky high, but this talented writer of grip-lit has exceeded each and every one with this nail-biting chiller that kept me reading till dawn!

Louisa and James never believed that the day would come when they would be holding their own child in their arms, but that day has finally come. After the rigours of fertility treatment and all that heartache and disappointment, baby Cory was born and Louisa and James can be the family they have always dreamed of. Life should now be perfect for them, but their dreams look set to be shattered the moment they take baby Cory home as events take a seriously dark turn that could jeopardise and destroy their new found happiness and contentment.

As a child, Louisa’s mother had committed suicide and things had gone dangerously awry for her. Meeting James had been a turning point in her life that had enabled her to shut the door on her past and start a fresh new chapter. But she has never told James the truth about her past and she guards her old secrets fiercely. But sometimes old ghosts refuse to be vanquished…

Someone knows Louisa’s secrets and they are determined to expose them and plunge her back into the darkness of the past. Louisa will stop at nothing to keep that part of her life dead and buried. But with her new life and her baby in jeopardy, will Louisa be successful in keeping everything she holds dear safe? Or is this dangerous game going to result in the loss of everything – her sanity, her marriage and her adored baby…

A Mother’s Sacrifice is a book that grabs you by the throat and does not let you go until you’ve reached the hair raising and breath-taking conclusion. Shocking, scary and seriously good, A Mother’s Sacrifice is a book that once you start reading, you will not be able to put down. Gemma Metcalfe ramps up the tension and suspense and will have you biting your nails to the elbow.

A must-read for fans of B A Paris and Paula Hawkins, A Mother’s Sacrifice is a cleverly written, thought-provoking and terrifying read you will not want to miss!

I loved this book. It was tense and gripping. I suspected everyone but still got it wrong. The ending shocked me. I didn't expect that

I really liked this book. It was so suspenseful and spooky.

The pacing was good. It sped up as it went along. The beginning of the story was hard to read because there were some problems while Louisa was giving birth. But the story picked up after that. There were twists along the way, so even when I thought I knew what was happening, I ended up being wrong.

Louisa was one of those characters that I found so frustrating. I kept wanting to tell her to do things differently, like tell James what was going on right away. But at the same time, I can understand why she was scared and wanted to keep it to herself. It was so frustrating for me, but it wouldn’t be much of a story if she resolved it right away!

The ending really surprised me! I kept going back and forth wondering who was threatening Louisa. In the end, it was actually the first person I suspected. This was a great ending!

This book is a great thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

I don’t read a lot of psychological thrillers so when I do I’m always taken aback by the pace and sheer ingenuity of the narrative their authors achieve. A Mother’s Sacrifice is no exception.

‘It really does feel like a fairy tale; the beautiful nursery, the doting husband, the scrumptious little newborn who snores softly in my arms.’

That ‘Happily Ever After’ feeling doesn’t last long though. Within a couple of sentences, Louisa is experiencing anxiety and self-doubt. Living inside the poor tortured mind of Louisa is at times an uncomfortable experience but this reader’s sympathy was always with her as the traumatic events in her past are revealed. But is what Louisa is telling us the truth, fantasy, delusion or false memory? Louisa’s joy at finally becoming a mother and her unconditional love for little Cory means the reader is disposed to be on her side as her unknown tormentor preys on her fragile mental state, made more fragile by the normal strains of new motherhood.

The author is adept at dropping in little nuggets of information – are they important clues, clever distractions or just mischievous red herrings? (Answer: maybe, yes and very likely.) As events unfold the reader will suspect just about everyone, and I mean everyone – the passer-by, the postman, the Man in the Moon, the Speaking Clock… The author had me in such a spin I swear she could almost have convinced me that I was behind it all. However, alongside the breathless narrative, the book touches on some serious themes including the anguish of infertility, the emotional scars of grief and the question of who we are and where we come from.

A Mother’s Sacrifice is a white knuckle, head-spinning, mile-a-minute, dizzying rollercoaster of a read. At times, it became a little too frenetic for me and, as the twists come so thick and fast, perhaps the mechanics of the plot take priority over the characterisation. Because the reader is made to suspect almost all the characters at some point, it does mean thinking the worst of everyone. Louisa’s husband, James, comes off worst when in truth he should probably be getting as much of the reader’s understanding as Louisa. Even small kindnesses which are actually just that end up being interrogated for possible ulterior motives.

Fans of twisty, suspenseful, psychological thrillers will not be disappointed by A Mother’s Sacrifice.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley, publishers HQ Digital and Neverland Book Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Louisa and James have very much wanted a child. Following IVF they are ready to welcome their new baby into the world. The early days are tough as any early days with a new baby are. However as Louisa starts to unravel is it her past depression returning or is there someone watching them? Has Louisa got post natal depression resulting in paranoia or is someone from her past back to haunt her?

This book started well. James is a good, solid figure who tries very hard to support Louisa throughout. Poor Louisa has so much baggage from the past, some of which she still hasn't told James. Add into the mix friends from the IVF clinic who are still waiting to become pregnant and James' Mother who does nothing to help the situation & you have the makings of a good cast.

Unfortunately, however, as Louisa starts to really struggle, so does the book. I really struggled with the ending and didn't feel it matched where the book had been going up until then. To be perfectly frank it was a bit of a bolt from the blue. I don't mind if you can think back & see the little clues which meant the book could have led to this conclusion but in this case I can only think of one sentance which could have been a clue. Towards the end of the book the writing deteriorated making it difficult to distinguish between the characters & keep track of what was going on.

An excellent first half of the book but a shame about the second.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

What lengths would you go to to have a child? That is the premise of this clever and taut psychological thriller.

The book starts with Louisa about to bring her son into the world. Straightaway we are thrown headlong into the action as we follow baby Cory's rather traumatic birth. Louisa and her husband, James, had tried for a long time to have a baby. They take him home and set about their lives together but fate has other plans in store.

Louisa is extremely damaged. Without giving too much away, her childhood was a mess and postnatal depression is almost expected.

The story is split into sections mainly consisting of Louisa Now and Louisa Then. The Then sections were heartbreaking to read, the Now sections thrilling and shocking. Is Louisa paranoid or is somebody really out to try and take her baby from her? As Louisa is the narrator of her own story we never know whether what she's experiencing is real or not and that's what makes it so freaky and so exciting.

A Mother's Sacrifice is quite the page turner. It's pacy and such an easy book to read that I raced through it. I sympathised with Louisa, but I did wonder if she was imagining all that was happening. You'll have to read it to see. The ending was a surprise and I'm not sure if I would have liked it to end differently or not, but I thought it was a fitting ending, tying in with the title very well.

It's a cleverly plotted book with an extremely unreliable narrator. It's filled with twists and turns and I never knew what was going to happen next. I also couldn't have predicted the main outcome which is great. All in all, a fab twisty read.

After reading the blurb for this book I was very excited and knew I had to read this! And my goodness this did not disappoint.

This is a book you just will not be able to put down honestly I just had to keep reading it was addictive! My heart was pounding, I couldn't stop reading, I was scared for Louisa. I couldn't wait to find out what was actually going on and if someone was behind it all or was she sick?

I finished this book last week and I keep thinking about it, the way it ends, I was in complete shock! I just did not see that one coming!

The beginning of this story really sets you up for a good read, however as the main character starts to unravel so did the clarity of the book for me. The chapters flip from different times and different characters and all are written in the first person, this is fine but if you so reading mid chapter it makes it difficult to pick up easily. I also found the main characters ramblings detracted me from the story. For me too much going on, too much histeria. However having said this the book is well written and the characters rich just too much to follow for me.

I had a hard time staying interested in this book. I did not like the dialect of the book. I marked this as a DNF for me.

What you think you know is not always the truth. This book will leave you wondering what the truth really is and who knows the truth and who is telling the truth.

I am not the biggest fan of this book. I did not like the ending at all, as well as other parts of the story that did not seem very logical.

I loved Trust Me by Gemma Metcalfe, so I couldn't grab this book fast enough. It kept me reading, but didn't quite make it to the four or five stars I see from most other reviewers. The ending just threw me way too off balance. I did find it surprising, but too unbelievable. I'm sure a lot of other readers will love how out there it is. The good: the writer is great at making you feel for the main character, even as she begins to unravel. You can feel how overwhelmed and lost she is. I had a lot of debate in my head as I read about what was going on, trying to figure out what was happening. Turns out, I couldn't! I also liked how creepy it was at times.

While Louisa may seem to have the perfect life now, once it was filled with tragedy. Now she has a loving husband and an adorable baby, but back then she was an orphan whose mother had killed herself being bounced around from home to home. People don't see her troubled past when they look at her now, but they are still wary depression will take her over again. And most don't know the secret about her new baby: James is his father in all manners but biologically. When all other attempts failed, they turned to an anonymous sperm donor.

Louisa and James are certainly enamored with new baby Cory. With hair red like hers, pale skin, and dark eyes like James has, they think he's perfect. There's someone lurking about, watching her with her baby. Spying, planning something. But who? And why?

We get glimpses into the head of this mystery person and dark details about Louisa's past as the present slowly unravels! Worth the read for me but not as enjoyable as Trust Me. I'm still looking forward to reading whatever Gemma Metcalfe puts out next.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and HQ Digital, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

This book was fantastic right from the very beginning the mystery starts as a mysterious person watches a new couple who just gave birth to their baby stating at the end that the baby will be theirs. Every time I tried to put the book down I had to finish one more chapter which turned into another until the whole book was finished. The book jumped a little bit between Louisa now trying to deal with her new baby and someone watching her threatening to expose her past. Then it jumps back to her past to give the reader some explanation on what the person wants to expose. Usually books that jump back and forth confuse me a lot but I do appreciate the fact that the author made it very clear when that was happening so it made the book easier to understand. I really liked how although there were many characters there was only one main character and since the whole story revolved around here there weren't lots of sub characters.The best part was that Louisa seems to be confessing things and being blamed for doing things that she cannot remember doing. So the reader gets to find out along with the main character which always makes for an interesting read. I really enjoyed this book and thanks to netgalley for the advance reading copy. I think the best part of the book had to be the ending it just flew by and I couldn't read it fast enough. Oh my god the ending!!! I loved it cause it was so well written but it did leave me with an Oh my god NO moment. Great book, I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

A superb story that totally lives up to the genre psychological thriller... A truly, cleverly written novel that follows the descent into hell for Louisa, a new mum desperately in love with a very wanted and tried for baby. With her history of mental health issues everyone is watching her to see if she will decline into post natal depression. Well add in a stalker tormenting her and life for Louisa declines rapidly. Every friend and relative at some point seems a likely suspect until the next head spinning twist. Despite the chilling and dark subject there is some really great, clever humour. An end with a difference and not expected. A great read.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in turn for a review. Don't want to give a thing away. Read this book. Now!! SO great!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Stars! Nearly 5 stars!

This was a great book, hooks you in, easy to read, a variety of characters, twists, turns, you can’t quite work out who the baddie is.

I was up till 1am finishing this book, it really had me gripped. Only missed out on 5 stars because of a slight slow patch half way through which had a bit too much repetition, and because pretty much all the characters were unlikeable or annoying.

I wasn’t entirely convinced by who the baddie turned out to be, though it definitely kept me guessing.

But that ending! Really brave way to end the book....I’ve a feeling it might divide people, but I loved it.

How far would a mother go to protect her child? I assume a good mother would do anything in her power to keep her child safe right? Why then did the prologue open with a mother and child standing on a bridge, looking down in the vast nothingness and is she readying herself to jump with her child in her arms? I was utterly intrigued and readying myself for the reasons I might find. To take such drastic measures, I could only suspect the worst and I couldn't wait to find out about her motivations.

The story abruptly cut back to the moment when Louise is in hospital giving birth to a little boy named Cory. She and James had had many troubles conceiving and there was even a time she didn't expect to hold her own baby in her arms anymore after unsuccessful IVF attempts. Louisa always had a child's wish though. She longed for someone who would love her back unconditionally. Her past and background was well explained and her sad youth was written with such internal heartbreak, it made me completely understand her longing for a child. She's not on cloud nine for long though, her happiness is overshadowed quite soon when threats are directed towards her. Someone wants her baby and she has a pretty good idea who it is, until other possibilities pop up when her friends who she met through the IVF support group start to act strangely in her eyes.

There was a select group of suspects in her vicinity which included the two other women who were in the support group she was in and I did have my own personal favorite but was never a 100% sure. I was mentally slapping myself when the identity of her stalker was revealed and applaud the author as well. She did such a great job in creating so much doubt including everyone and the next so that even I didn't see clearly anymore and got so caught up in everyone's dream of having a baby of their own, along with Louisa. The ending was amazing, the story really built up towards the climax. Some people might not be entirely happy with the way it ended but I think it really fit the story.

I can recommend this novel highly if you enjoy guessing and feel it's one of the better novels in this genre.

Definitely my type of thriller, 4.5 stars. Starts in the beginning with a ride and doesn't stop until the end. I love when thrillers start out with a bang, and don't let up until the end, and this definitely makes sure it does that for the readers. Lots of twists, turns, thrills, and chills. Highly recommend! Look forward to more from this author!

4.5 stars

Don't you love it when a book is chilling and disturbing from the get go? A Mother's Sacrifice certainly delivers on that note. And I'm pleased to say it didn't ease up either, having me on edge until the very end!

The story follows Louisa and James as they are finally about to welcome their newborn baby Cory into the world. As the story progresses, we get to read of Louisa's infertility issues, her mental illness and her disturbing past of which she has kept secret from her husband. I really enjoyed that we also get to hear from another mysterious and oh so creepy voice, who is clearly not in favour of Louisa having her happily ever after. This is a book where there is a lot going on, yet it didn't prevent me from keeping up at all. Instead, I was left curious as to how this would all play out.

I was completely engrossed and on the edge of my seat in utter anticipation, not having a clue who to trust and what was coming next...I so enjoy when than happens! And just as I thought I had things figured out as I approached the conclusion, the author sucker punched me with her most disturbing morsel of information, making this one riveting read from the very first page to the very last.

Will we be expecting a book # 2 from the author? Hopefully. I would like to read more of certain characters as I feel the story could continue due to its open ended conclusion ( of which I'm usually not a fan of).

If you are into dark, eerie and disturbing psychological thrillers that will keep you guessing throughout, why not grab yourself a copy...you'll be thrilled that you did.

Many thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital and the talented Gemma Metcalfe for the opportunity of reading an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.