Sarah, a single 30 something who owns and runs her own educational resource business is struck by Emma, a beautiful, sad, often scared 5 year-old when they cross paths in an airport. Months later, Sarah runs into Emma again and knows this is a chance to make a difference in her life. Haunted by her own memories of an angry and distant mother, Sarah strives to give Emma the type of childhood she never had herself. The only catch is she must get Emma away from her current family, breaking the law and sending off a country-wide manhunt for the kidnapper.

Sarah and Amy, the mother, are both credible women; however I never really felt emotionally attached to either. I saw WHY they made the choices they did, but I wasn't invested in them like I thought I would be. Emma, on the other hand, stole my heart and towards the end, I found myself really rooting for her to find a happy ending for herself.

Sarah and Emma go off on a cross-country adventure to stay hidden from the authorities. One major problem presented itself when Sarah's ex, Ethan, showed up at the cabin she was hiding in and threatened to tell the authorities. The problem compounded when he didn't wait the 48 hours he said he would but instead called it in much sooner. Sarah has a few close calls with law enforcement and tipsters phoning in to the hotline.

I liked the book, but I didn't love it. I expected there to be more of a scene when Sarah faced her own mother or more in the way of follow-up since that relationship seemed paramount to her decision to take Emma. I would recommend this book but with the caveat that they might not love it. I wonder if I would feel differently if I either had given birth to a child or had some mother relationship issues like the two main characters.

Also, as a side note, if I were a public librarian, I would very likely purchase this book; however as an elementary school librarian it is not relevant to my collection.

Now that was quite the ending! I seriously need someone to read this just so we can talk about it. The book opens with Emma being abducted and continues on with the perspectives from the mother and the kidnapper. The author manages to create enough backstory to understand what the kidnapper was thinking and oddly enough because of that I couldn't dislike the woman if I tried. I don't really know what else to say, but really that ending...

What would you do if you saw what you thought to be abuse to a child by a parent in a very public place? Sarah was faced with just this decision. In an airport, at multiple locations inside, Sarah witnessed a mother - distraught, tired and angry - taking out her aggression on this beautiful innocent five year-old girl.

This incident never leaves Sarah's memory and when she unexpectedly comes upon this little girl, she knows she needs to help. Careful examination of the situation to ensure that this little girl's parent was not just having a bad day, leads Sarah to the realization that this indeed is how this family lives. She needs to act. NOW.

Convincing little five year-old Emma to come along with Sarah is easy. The two of them begin their escape.

Amy, the mother of Emma, is a very unhappy lady. Nothing in life has gone the way she would like. Her job is not what she wanted, her husband doesn't live up to her expectations, her body is not at all as she pictured and finally her daughter is impossible to connect with. Finding out that Emma is gone at first is shocking, but as she begins to live with it, becomes almost a relief.

The police are working every angle to find and bring Emma back to the family. Is this what is best? Sarah doesn't think so. Emma doesn't think so. Amy doesn't think so.

A good solid story with a few twists that are unexpected and almost heart wrenching. A good read!

I can't imagine having been abandoned as a child so it's hard to really judge the main character here... I'm not sure that this is really any way to excuse kidnapping a child, regardless of good intentions.

Despite personal and moral beliefs with how this was portrayed, the story itself was extremely well-written and emotionally indulgent. Whether or not I can understand or agree with Sarah, I was still drawn to her relationship with Emma and found myself half-rooting for them along the way.

4 1/2 stars

I wouldn't have thought I'd be rooting for a kidnapper, but this book convincingly makes the case that a young girl, Emma, is better off with Sarah, the stranger who took her to protect her, than with her abusive mother, Amy. The format of telling the story in "During" and "Before" chapters and from the alternating points of view of Sarah and Amy works well, and it kept my interest throughout. By far my favorite chapters were the ones featuring Sarah; they were warm, lovingly told and really very satisfying. Less satisfying were the Amy chapters, but they were important in furthering the narrative although I could have done without the little throwaway references to past lives. I was very interested and invested in what would happen in the end, but found it quite unrealistic to believe that a short conversation should be enough to make all the other ramifications of what was happening disappear. Despite a few reservations, I would recommend this book and look forward to reading other books by this author. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy; I was very happy to have the chance to read it.

I have not read any novels by Rea Frey before, but I was intrigued by the description of this novel, though the topics of kidnapping and child abuse are disturbing. I was hooked right from page one and I breezed through the novel easily and willingly.

It was emotional, gripping, and thought-provoking. What would you do if you witnessed a little girl being verbally and physically abused on more than one occasion? Would you turn away, would you report it to the police, would you confront the mother, or would you kidnap the girl to protect her and provide her with the life she deserves? These are all questions that came to my mind and while reading about Sarah's thoughts and decisions.

Though I never sided with the mother or agreed with her actions, it was interesting to read from her point of view as well. It was almost satisfying to read, because it collaborated with my theories and I did not feel any remorse towards her at all. Though parenting can be tiring, there is no excuse for neglect or abuse.

My heart bled for Emma, the little girl. She struggled with a myriad of emotions, even towards her mom, who she clearly loved despite the abuse that she dealt. She begged for her attention, sometimes in a negative way, and would sometimes stand up to her and defy her. She dealt with her life as a strong and brave girl. I was so proud of her and rooted her on.

This book "haunted me" even after I finished - I could not stop thinking about it. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy!

One day Sarah sees Emma. Emma whose mother drags her by the wrist, snacks at her,who clearly is annoyed by her child.
Sarah can't stop thinking about poor Emma.
What does it mean when Emma comes across Sarahs path again?
Could it be Sarah is MEANT to just check and see if Emmas mom is being nicer..
What could it hurt, right?

This is a fast paced thrill ride through of a novel.

Sarah, an entrepreneur and recently single gal witnessed some disturbing behavior involving a child . Reminiscent of Jody Picoult, this book smacks you right between the eyes. If given a hypothetical situation most adults can tell you how they would react based on life experience, culture and personal morals. However, that ideology can be turned upside down in a second. What would you do if you were aware that someone was mistreating a child? What happens after an impulsive reaction? What lengths would you go to protect your own child? This book takes you on an emotional journey that challenges all you hold dear and forces you to see another side of the equation. This author gives enough insight into each character that allows you to sympathize and yet no matter how flawed they might be, there is still that nagging frustration that there are other solutions. It’s a great book club selection because I now see that my reactions after immediately finishing the book and 24 hours later are at odds. On a side note, it’s always fun when there is realistic descriptions of a city. I live in Chicago across the street from both the hotel she stayed in and the restaurant that is famous for their 24 hour breakfast. Spot on descriptions of the parks, neighborhoods and expensive parking! I’m going to be thinking about this story for a long time.
#netgalley #stmartinspress #reafrey #notherdaughter

FANTASTIC READ! I am giving this one the full five stars, I loved Not Her Daughter. This is not your run of the mill kidnapping story-line- you are going to be cheering Sarah Walker the “kidnapper” on! Take Emma Grace Townsend and keep her FOREVER, leave the state, leave the country and GOOOOOOO girl!

I think I may have enjoyed this book even more since I have worked hand in hand with social services for over 10 years and have found myself in a similar position as Sarah wanting to rescue a child. I have seen the system fail many times as well as succeed and do just what it is intended to do. “The system is broken. There are good people who work for these children and do the best they can, but the system is just too big for them to make a difference. It’s a horrible process for the child, and it’s almost impossible to prove neglect from parents by a total stranger. At best, she’d get placed in social services.” The only part I don’t agree with is that I know that these people, myself, my coworkers DO make a difference, we may not be able to fix everything or everyone BUT for the ones we can help, we DO make a difference.

Sarah Walker is catching a flight when she sees a beautiful little girl in a red dress, red bow, and red shoes. “She looked like Christmas.” Sarah watched this little girl be tugged and pulled on and yelled at by her mother and hoped that this was not how this gorgeous child was always treated and this was a bad day, a stressful day. I mean, flying is a stressful experience for most of us. “I couldn’t forget Emma. I couldn’t forget.” Just when Sarah is starting to put the little girl out of her mind, Sarah has a chance meeting with this same stunning little five year old girl with gray eyes. This cannot be a coincidence for these two to cross paths again.

“I must get Emma to come with me somewhere else, to a place that is not her home, with a person who is not her mother.”

“I am rewriting her story, altering her memories, shifting her shitty childhood into clean chunks: before during, after. Then now, someday."

The story is told from the perspectives of Sarah Walker (kidnapper) and Amy Townsend, Emma’s mother alternating between before, during, and after Emma is taken.

I was on the edge of my patio chair, heart racing wondering what was going to happen next. Rea Frey’s writing style is very engaging and captured my attention immediately. The characters were multidimensional and seemed real; I had feelings for each one. I could easily picture scenes playing out in my head…Not Her Daughter would make an excellent movie in my opinion.

I cannot wait to see what Rea Frey comes out with next as this book was superb!

***Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

***Will post review to Goodreads on July 21, 2018 and be posted to booksellers on release date of August 21, 2018.

Not Her Daughter is one of those books that you need to read with tissues. It is also a thought-provoking book. It makes you think how far would you go to help an abused child. And how far is too far? What this book also showed is how people turn a blind eye to problems that aren't their own. At any point, the school/neighbors/babysitter could have stepped up for Emma. But they didn't. No one wanted to rock the boat. No one wanted to take that extra step to help Emma until Sarah arrived. 

I know this is going sound weird, but I kind of felt for Amy right after Sarah took Emma. My sympathy was taken away as the story went on. She became unlikable. She only thought about herself. Not about Emma. Not about her husband or son. Just about herself. I came to the conclusion at the end of the book that she was some sort of sociopath. She deserved everything that happened to her after Emma was taken.

On the same note, I couldn't believe how clueless Emma's father was. How could you not notice your wife mistreating your child? How could you not see the bruises or even the fact that your child was malnourished? I know most people would feel bad for him, but I didn't. He lived with his head in the sand. He did end up doing the right thing in the end by leaving Amy but still. Too little, too late.  

Sarah was such a great character to read. She was conflicted and man, did she have her demons. I thought seeing Sarah so torn on taking Emma was great. She wasn't a bad person but she did something that was horrible. Even if it was to protect a child. Her demons did show up during the book. Between the ex that she shouldn't have let get away to her very childhood, she was forced to face them. I like how it was done during the book. I also liked how Sarah learned and grew from facing them.

Emma was the only one that I felt completely bad for. Her mother hated her. Why? Because she was prettier than Amy. Yes, you read that right. So, she ended up getting the short end of the stick. She was neglected, beaten and not fed right. Then Sarah comes along and takes her. Don't get me wrong, it was for the better. Emma thrived with Sarah. But still. Even at the end of the book, Emma was treated like some sort of hot commodity. Emma did get a chance to make her choice and I was pretty happy with what she chose.

The child abuse angle was very well written. The author did a great job of giving enough detail so you knew what was going on. But she didn't give too much. I have read books that give too much detail. Which is fine. But in this case, it wasn't needed. 

The kidnapping angle held enough oomph to keep my attention. Sarah's run from the law while trying to heal a wounded child and deal with her own issues. The author did a great job at not dropping the ball with that. The urgency was there and it did not let up. I did think that Sarah going to her ex's cabin was a bit of a fail but I could see why she did it.

I do not like more than 2 POV's. I get thrown off the storyline. But in this book, it works. I got to see what was going on in all 3 people's minds as this drama unfolded. It fascinated me and kept me reading.

The end of the book was anticlimactic for me. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that. I felt let down. After everything that happened in the book, I expected more out of the ending. I loved the epilogue. Thought it was one of the best ones I have read to date.

What I liked about Not Her Daughter:

A) Thought provoking

B) Sarah. 

C) The epilogue

What I disliked about Not Her Daughter:

A) Amy. She was an unlikable character

B) The abuse Emma endured

C) The people in the book that turned a blind eye to what was going on with Emma.

I would give Not Her Daughter an Adult rating. There is language. There is violence. There are sexual situations (but no real sex). I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are trigger warnings in Not Her Daughter. They would be child abuse and kidnapping. If any of those trigger you, I suggest not to read this book.

I would recommend Not Her Daughter to family and friends. I would also reread this book.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Not Her Daughter.

All opinions stated in this review of Not Her Daughter are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you ever seen kids getting screamed at in public and wondered if it's an isolated moment or whether they have a bad home life? I have, and so the description of this book really called out to me.
Sarah is a woman who was neglected, abused and abandoned by her mother as a child. When she sees Emma Townsend being screamed at by her mother it affects her so strongly that she can not forget. When she is sure that this was not an isolated incident she steals Emma, wanting only to protect her and give her the love that she never had as a child and that Emma so obviously needs. Once they are on the run together she is not sure whether she's made a mistake. The story starts off really strong and I was sure I was going to fall in love with it but the ending was just too simplistic and unrealistic for me.

In Not Her Daughter (a debut fiction book by Rea Frey) it takes a little while to get use to the rhythm of "During and Before" by the two main voices and points of view. Once into the story the pages fly by fast as the reader wants to know what happens next. I'm looking forward to Ms Frey's next story. I was given an early copy to review.

Rea Frey is a new author to me, and I am so grateful Netgalley gave me a copy on exchange for my honest review. I HONESTLY lost too much sleep. I loved the writing style and constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. Great book! Great writing.

Loved this book and couldn't put it down from the first few pages. The story is told from 2 different perspectives and is told as before, during and after. Loved the writing style and seeing how the characters developed throughout the book. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! This book was really good! Totally kept me interested and in suspense waiting to see what was going to happen with every turn of the page. One of the reasons I gave it four stars was because I think the title is just not indicative of the book and how good it is. It seems like it could be more exciting but maybe that's just me. The other reason, I will add at the end. Sarah Walker is an accomplished businesswoman who just went through a bad break-up. Although she is doing ok and throwing herself into her work, she is sad. She sees this 5 yo girl at the airport who is being treated really badly by her mom, bordering on abusive. The mom is nasty and the dad is oblivious but she lets it go. Then she sees her again on a work outing and starts kind of stalking the girl and witnesses physical and mental abuse by the mom, so she kidnaps the girl. The parents are obviously completely overwhelmed, have a terrible relationship and the mom takes it out on her daughter. So Sarah sees this and decides to take Emma and takes really great care of her, let her grow and flourish, so unlike a real kidnapping, she loves her and showers her with gifts. But the police are on her tail so she has to keep moving and avoiding them which proves to be challenging. Definitely a page turner! I did really like the ending though and it was a great book but it seemed like a few loose ends were left at the end. All in all I loved it though!

Could there be something such as a good kidnapping? That’s the question you will be asking yourself while reading Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey. This story is more of a suspense read than a thriller as you know from the beginning what is going on and it’s a matter of waiting it out to see just how it will all turn out.

At the beginning of the book Sarah Walker seems to have abducted a little girl named Emma and as the story unfolds in the current timeline it will also go back and show what led to Sarah doing what she did. You see, Sarah feels what she is doing is her only choice and that Emma desperately needs her to do it.

Going back we find that maybe Sarah wasn’t in the perfect state of mind having gone through a break up with a man she saw herself marrying and starting a family with. But what brought Sarah and Emma together were a set of chance encounters in which she witnesses Emma’s abusive mother.

Going into this one I saw a few reviewers call this one implausible, but I have to ask why? What is so far fetched to think that one woman sees a beautiful child and goes to extremes to keep that child from pain and suffering? Children go missing every day so are we all so jaded as to believe that one child out there might be better off and more the victim before they were taken than after?

We all hear the horror stories of what could happen in a home of that nature and Sarah connected and saw something in Emma that she lives with in herself. I could not only see it happening but I had a mental debate with myself the entire story in how I would want it to turn out. The story is quite compelling and changes the point of view between Sarah and Emma’s mother so you get to see both sides unfold in the past and present. In the end I would give this one 4.5 stars and recommend checking it out if you want to read a truly thought provoking and compelling story.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

How far would you go to protect an abused child?

What an incredible book.
Five ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ gigantical stars
(yes, that's a word 😉)

Was she kidnapped or was she rescued?

Not my Daughter is the debut novel by Rea Frey and is told in first person in alternating chapters between the mother and the kidnapper, moving between the past and the present seamlessly. Both characters are so relatable...yes, even the abusive mother. An emotionally charged story that had me turning the pages at a frantic rate. Easily one of the best books I've read this year.


I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. I did. The one question it claims to ask is how far you would go to protect an abused child? 

I can say honestly that kidnapping her is not one of those things. 

Told from the point of view of the mother, Amy, and the kidnapper, Sarah. Sarah sees Emily first in an airport being treated roughly by her obviously stressed mother. And when she sees her at a school next, she pretty much stalks her until she is alone and takes her.

Police are called. Several times Sarah and her vehicle are spotted. In one part they actually have her tag number, but still don't know who she is? Her ex boyfriend turned her in. Still the police have no idea. This was a hard part for me to find believable in this day and age of cell phones and Amber Alerts.

And as for the ending, really? Just call up the bad mom and ask to keep the child? Then what? How does that work? How do you get a birth certificate to start school? And the cops just quit looking?

For me this just wasn't even close to being believable.

Netgalley/ August 21st 2018 by St. Martin's Griffin

Amy is Emma's mother but Emma and Amy do not get along at all. Amy has a very short fuse with 5 year old Emma. When Sarah sees Emma at the Airport first she is drawn to the way the child is dragging behind her parents and seems lost. Then she see's how Amy treats Emma and recalls her own Mother. Loads of stuff happends Sarah ends up kidnapping ( in a way) Emma but for good reasons. . Emma gets a taste of love and never wants to go home. She loves Sarah as her Mom now not her real family.
This is a great book and I loved it. Too bad it was not legal to SAVE kids like this as so many would still be living. (#LucasStrong# In Loving memory of Lucas Hernandez of Wichita Ks)

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a heart-wrenching story of two women. One Sarah, the product of her neglected childhood and failed relationship and the other Amy who struggles with her perceived failures as a wife and mother.
Whilst I had some empathy for Amy and believe she suffers some form of depression I detested the way she treats her daughter with such cruelty and at best indifference.

This story is realistic in the portrayal of two lives that haven't been as fulfilled or as happy as they expected for different reasons. When Sarah kidnaps Emma the repercussions for both woman are monumental. Amy has to deal with the guilt of knowing that she actually doesn't love her little girl like she does her son.

This is such an emotional rollercoaster but I felt the ending was abrupt and a little unbelievable.