Goal
Hope
Expectation
Those three words are used for everything in our life from career, family, friendships, relationships, love and books.
As a reader, we set goals of number of books read, goals of finishing books, goals of reading books outside our comfort zone and the goal of finding a book that will evoke a particular emotion such as sadness or joy.
We as readers hope that we meet our goals as well as hope that the book we choose gives us that satisfied feeling of having read a book worth our time.
We set expectations as readers on ourselves as well as the author to deliver a book that will let us escape for awhile from the daily tasks and responsibilities of everyday life.
Once in awhile, we are fortunate enough to read a book that surpasses our goals, exceeds our expectations and gives us hope that good books are not a thing of the past.
It’s easy to daydream any situation and ask yourself, how far are you willing to go or what would you do when presented with a particular situation but author, Rea Frey’s book, “Not my Daughter” puts those questions front and center to the two main characters, Sarah and Amy.
Successful businesswoman, Sarah Walker, is still in a lot of pain after the breakup with her longtime boyfriend. She immerses herself in her work.
Leaving on a business trip at the airport, Sarah sees a little girl being yelled at and yanked by her mother. It is unsettling and brings back memories of Sarah’s childhood.
The little girls mother, Amy, is a short tempered, overwrought mother of two. She takes out her frustrations too many times on Emma, her beautiful little five year old.
A chance second encounter gives Sarah the opportunity to do what most of think about doing, take Emma away from an abusive situation and give her a “better “ life.
Frey tells this tale from both characters point of view, harkening the reader to question ones own moral compass along with debating the age old question of nature vs nurture.
This book is a must read. I would like to thank Netgalley for an advance copy.
#netgalley #NotherDaughter

Impressive debut! Wonderful writing!

You see a little girl being yelled at and pulled along by her angry mother in a public place, what do you do ? Sarah witnesses a little girl being mistreated by her mom and feels badly for her. Her own memories of her childhood with her mother come back to her. Was it fate for Sarah to run into this little girl again weeks later? Was she meant to do something to help her?

The author did a wonderful job with character development. She had me rooting for the kidnapper not to be caught! What? Yes you read that right! This book pulls at the heart strings a bit and was a wonderful read that I really enjoyed. I'm not so sure I liked that ending though. hmm still contemplating that one! I will be looking for what this author comes up with next!

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book. Greatly appreciated!

Slippery Slope

The story of a single, heartbroken, and arguably unbalanced woman whose own mother’s abandonment years before has left deep scars and leads to her kidnapping a five year girl whose life with her own mother is anything but idyllic.

When Amy and her five year old daughter, Emma are chance witnessed by Sarah at an airport. Amy’s treatment of her daughter is appalling however through Sarah’s more sensitive eyes, perhaps worse than would be interpreted by the average person.

After witnessing the scene between Amy and Emma in the airport, Sarah astonishingly crosses paths with Emma again when Sarah and her crew visit a Montessori school to pitch their product. Emma is one of the students. This is where the story takes a strange turn.

Sarah, an early thirties successful business owner who makes reading kits for school age children bears the unresolved abandonment of a mother who clearly did not want her daughter or her life. After her mother’s departure, Sarah’s father became a devastated drunk and Sarah was left to be the adult.

Sarah feels that this encounter is fate and becomes obsessed with finding out if Emma is really OK. She stalks the family, finds out where they live and starts to watch Emma from the wooded area beyond her backyard. One night, she witnesses a disturbing altercation between Emma and her mother and makes a decision so rash, it defies any logic or clear thinking.

The book moves forward with back and forth chapters about Sarah and Emma and their life on the run and Amy, a character with zero redeeming qualities. She is written as hateful. She is a disgusting physical specimen with “revolting skin eruptions, foul gastrointestinal issues, an obsession with cheese, and no mothering instinct whatsoever. Her marriage to Richard, a meek and ineffective individual, is in complete disarray and she harbors untold reservoirs of contempt for her entire family. I have never seen an author with so much disdain for her own character. Amy invokes no sympathy while the investigation is underway to find her daughter and it becomes clear over time that she is not sure she even wants her back. When the leads eventually dry up, Amy becomes the number one suspect for her daughter’s potential murder and the instinct to protect herself kicks in as no one around her will take her side. The part of the story about Amy’s past lives seems trite and misplaced as a way to better explain her behavior. It missed the mark of garnering sympathy for this character. Amy’s time might have been better spent in anger management classes.

Sarah’s ex-boyfriend Ethan whom Sarah is still hung up on though he has seemingly moved on also seems out of place though Sarah does eventually encounter Ethan at some point. Attempting to give Sarah a new love interest while she is on the lam makes me think of writer’s ADD. Where is that supposed to fit in? It’s biting off more than can be chewed at once.

The investigation is a relative joke and this book does nothing to foster confidence in law enforcement. Emma might have been better off with Sarah but Sarah committed a huge crime. The book, including the ill formed questions at the end seems to take the stance that Sarah’s actions might have been justified. It’s also open to interpretation that Amy should have her child taken away from her as well as whether or not Sarah should be turned in. Fathers in this story are given no consideration whatsoever and Richard does not even factor into Amy’s final shocking decision.

Yes, it’s true, many people are not cut out to be parents. That has always been the case. However, presenting the idea that it’s rational to simply judge a situation from afar then play vigilante child protector is insane. The one character that tried to convey this to Sarah was dismissed.

The implications of this book are bigger than the story itself. When Sarah observed Amy and Emma for the first time, she could draw no real conclusions as to what the child was enduring on a daily basis. Amy could have been having a bad day. Does every mother having a bad day deserve to have her child taken by a clueless do-gooder? Though the second observation may have clinched it for Sarah, she had no right to do what she did even though in her mind, she was saving a child that would have likely been failed by the system. Even so, should Amy and Richard not have been presented with the opportunity to keep their family intact? The questions raised after the ending are ridiculous. The story came across as narrow-minded, idealistic, and ultimately irresponsible.

BRB Rating: Skip It.

This book was a little strange. I was intrigued by the unique premise and the ethical questions it presented.

Unfortunately, I found the story to be way too long with too little action. There were way too many details about the relationship between Sarah and Emma, and there was something really odd about Emma to me. I found their relationship creepy, with Sarah often describing the little girl’s appearance and habits in excruciating detail: her “creamy” skin, her “toots” and pooping problems, the birthmark on her hip, her striking eyes, the smell of her hair... I mean, I guess these would all be normal things to know about a child you’re taking care of, but to read on and on about it just made me uncomfortable.

Also, Emma’s mom, Amy, was just gross. I don’t know what was up with all the weird details about her past lives and her love for cheese. It painted a really strange picture of an already unlikable character.

I appreciate the strong writing and the realistic less-than-perfect mother-daughter relationships. Unfortunately, the strange details included in this book were unnecessary and created a bizarre tone over the rest of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5 stars. I struggle between really ajoying this book, and feeling like nothing was resolved. I don't want to give anything away, but at the end of the book there was resolution, but not one that included the massive amount of other people involved in the book.

I felt the back story of Amy as well as Sara added a ton to the story and really showed how everyone ended up becoming the people they are now. I fell in love with Emma and just wanted everything to turn out well for her. I'm hoping there is maybe a sequel in the works and that's why so much is left unresolved?

I received an advanced copy of this novel in return of an honest review.

Not Her Daughter is about a woman who kidnaps a child from her abusive, disinterested family for what she believes is in the best interest of the child’s future. It raises a lot of questions of how you would react in the situation and I feel the readers’ response will differ if they themselves are a mother. It is hard not to judge the mother in her treatment of her daughter and even harder not to want Sarah to get away with the kidnapping. I did enjoy the book, although at times I found the plot to be slightly unbelievable....is any five year old that perfectly behaved? I think I would rate the book higher had the ending been different. I would have liked to seen more consequences for her actions and more detail in how the future of all characters played out. All in all, I think this is a great storyline and many people will enjoy reading this book.

This book is so bad on so many different levels I hardly know where to start. It is totally unrealistic, but doesn’t work as a fantasy, either.

On the plus side:
The premise of showcasing 2 different women who were rejected by their mothers was a good one and could have worked well into a meaningful plot. Showing one woman to be repeating the abuse she had endured while the other was seeking to right wrongs done to her made for a good contrast. Showing the fathers in the 2 situations to be ineffectual wimps was a bit heavy handed, but … plausible. And even showing the one man who was astute enough to understand the situation was also astute enough to steer clear of marriage into the situation was reasonable.

The rest of the plot was totally unrealistic. The story line jumped hither, thither and yon with chapters “before,” “during,” “after,” and “now.” There was an excess of repetition, fluff and padding with back stories and asides to keep the reader off track and guessing what would happen next.

Life, especially with children, is not one continuous playground.

Some of the holes in reality included things like trading cars. Trading cars at a dealership (even CarMax) involves a lot of legalities – car titles, for instance, insurance and license plates. Another hole would involve selling the business. Even in today’s virtual world, I can’t see how that would happen apart from an actual appearance and an actual signature – at the very least. And then of course in the end, enrolling in school. That involves a birth certificate and an immunization record.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an ARC of this book, but I can not recommend it to anyone.

A great suspense book and boards on family and how how everyday life at what others see and view as we raise our children. Was a book that went fast and totally enjoyed ...especially if your children have ever stressed you out. Thanks Netgalley

“Not My Daughter” is a page turner and would make an interesting book club pick. Frey does an excellent job in building one perception of a character, and then slowly undermining and exploring that initial perspective. The book shifts narratives from “before” and “after” a significant incident. This lends to the excellent and deep character development of the two primary female characters in the book. Throughout the book, you’re not sure who you should be rooting for, or what ending would be satisfying. In fact, my only criticism of the book is that the ending eventually was unsatisfying - the story felt incomplete and not fully fleshed out. The ending was a bit unbelievable, abrupt, and left many loose ends undone. But, given how engrossed I was with the entire book until that point, it begs the question - perhaps a sequel? I know I’d read it!

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of NOT HER DAUGHTER by Rea Frey in exchange for my honest review.***

In an airport, Sarah sees five-year-old Emma mistreated by her mother Amy, Sarah can’t get the little girl out of her mind. A few months later, she sees the Emma again and decides to rescue (kidnap) the child. What could possibly go wrong?

Rea Frey wrote so convincingly she had me rooting for the kidnapper not to be caught, even convinced in this one case, stealing a child isn’t *that* wrong. Down was up and up was down and what I knew to be right vs wrong became murky. I kept reminding myself I shouldn’t be championing a criminal because Emma is NOT HER DAUGHTER.

I’m not a criminal mastermind, but I’ve watched Law&Order repeats forever, so I’ve learned a few tips on getting away with crime that Sarah hasn’t. First off, I’d use a different name for myself and my victim (rescuee) for when her pretty little face was plastered in the media nationwide. Then, I’d change our appearances (which Sarah finally does). I’d sell my car, get new electronics so I couldn’t be traced. Next, I’d lay low and strategically plan my next move giving my family and friends plausible reasons for my disappearance. Lack of Common Sense Abduction Strategies distracted me, although Frey may have chosen to refrain from making Sarah kidnapper-savvy to show a lack of criminal intent.

Amy’s chapters interested me less, though Frey did a good job of making Emma’s mother have some neutralizing characteristics like her ability to parent her son. As someone who has worked wit parents and kids, Amy’s poor parenting didn’t shock me the way it would some readers.

Some parts of the plot and the ending felt unrealistic, but fit the story well. NOT HER DAUGHTER is a fast paced, heartfelt story that will grab readers and keep them hooked from start to finish.

I love the idea of flipping the missing person script and I’m so pleased to say it was a great read. Instead of the usual is the missing person alive or dead in this case we are following the kidnapper and she is doing her best to convince us that she did the right thing. This book is a compelling read and if you have children will make you want to hold on to them tighter. This book could have gone in so many directions that it was impossible to put down. We have all either seen or been the parent at their breaking point in public with their children. The author could have made the choice here an easier one but she doesn’t and makes it very clear what is going on. We know it’s the wrong choice but the writing will suck you in. I have some minor quibbles about the c

Not Her Daughter is fast-paced, engaging, and a relatively quick read. It opens with a relatively common situation: a stressed-out mother in a crowded public place is a little rough with her daughter. Maybe a little too rough. Maybe it’s an isolated incident. Maybe it’s not.

Those “maybes” start to pile up, and Sarah Walker, our main protagonist, can’t cope with the thought of leaving an innocent little girl in a bad situation. When she happens to encounter Emma again, she views it as a sign that she needs to find out more. After witnessing another act of cruelty by Amy, Emma’s mother, Sarah does the unthinkable and takes her. What follows is Sarah’s desperate effort to stay ahead of the hunt for Emma’s kidnapper while attempting to give her a better life.

Amy is miserable, both before and after the kidnapping. She has anger management problems and a marriage that leaves her feeling smothered. She has never been able to bond with Emma in the slightest, and her younger child also prefers her husband to herself. She seems to spend every waking moment itching to escape.

What’s interesting about this book is that one has to question the reliability of both of the main POV characters. Sarah has unresolved trauma from childhood caused by her mother. She is also dealing with emotional distress caused by a recent breakup of a long-term relationship. She is feeling desperate and alone, and she sees herself in Emma. Emma gives her a sense of purpose and perhaps a chance to rescue the little girl she once was herself. Can this desperation cause Sarah to read too much into a situation?

Amy resents Emma deeply, and seems to ascribe a level of malicious intent that is simply not believable in a five-year-old child. Emma fidgets because she knows it drives Amy crazy. Emma climbs a tree because she’s so desperate to pull the attention away from Amy and onto herself. Emma does absolutely everything she does because it is her life’s mission to make Amy as miserable as possible.

The images of Emma conjured up by each of these women cannot possibly be the same child. Sarah or Amy must be mistaken. Personally, I think they both are to some extent, and part of the fun of this book was in trying to suss out a clear impression of the real Emma.

Parts of the plot strained the limits of credulity, especially the resolution, but that’s okay. Reading ordinary and perfectly believable events would not have made for a very interesting story. This is Frey’s debut novel, and while I think there was some room for improvement, it was a fun read. I look forward to seeing how she grows as an author over time.

'Don’t stop moving.'

Sarah Walker isn’t the usual kidnapper, a very successful business woman, though healing from the end of her stagnant relationship with Ethan, she puts all her energy into her job, traveling to other continents. She certainly isn’t the wild-eyed, terrifying stranger all children are warned about. To five-year old Emma Grace Townsend, a precious darling girl, Sarah is more concerned about her well-being than her own mother Amy. Their first encounter happens at the airport while Sarah is in the security line before her flight to Ethiopia for work. “Something inside me wrenched.” When she spots the beautifully dressed little girl and feels instant familiarity, thinking “she could have been my very own”, her foolish delight at the doll of a child dies when she witnesses the ugliness of her mother, Amy. Pushing and shoving the child, the father completely engrossed by his phone and oblivious of his wife’s cruelties Sarah witnesses coldness remembering her own selfish, detached mother. It’s the incident in the bathroom, though, that really tugs at her heart. Is it in that moment, even after they go their separate ways, that fate ties the two?

This isn’t the life Amy wanted, caring for two children, the demands, the tedium and her daughter Emma somehow always trying her last nerve, pushing things too far. A stubborn willful child, or is she? Why does she tolerate her young son Robert better, and turn into a raving madwoman with Emma? No one knows how hard it is for her, this motherhood thing that she longs to quit! One day will change their lives forever, one explosion of fury that confirms what Sarah knows she must do. ” I ask if I can hold her hand. She lets me, and then we are walking toward the big, bold lights of the store. Our first public appearance as Sarah Walker and the Missing Girl.”

What does it mean if a mother doesn’t much miss her child? That all the rotten things she has done could lead to exposure of her own true nature when her child vanishes? What if the authorities turn their suspicions on her? Who took her child?

Sarah can’t do what so many others seem so eager to, turn their back on a child in desperate need. She knows all too well what life is like for a child in the storms of a cold mother. The reader reaches into the past as witness to she and her father living as if waiting forever for her own mother to return. Abandoned in youth, a unwannted, discarded thing Sarah and Emma may as well be the same person. There are no options beyond committing a crime, the system is broken and the only way out is through rescue. Can a kidnapping be a rescue? Is it a crime if your offer is salvation? Is Amy really the monster Sarah has painted her?

This is a love story, but not about Sarah and Ethan’s broken love. It is about the love between a woman and a child of the heart, if not womb. It is an interesting provocative tale, but my issue was with the ending. It’s easy to say this could never happen, eyes are everywhere today, she’d be caught, but we know all to well from stories of abductions that it is plausible to take a child that isn’t yours, there have been plenty of tales of adult children finding out they are a missing child. Obviously Sarah’s logic is skewed from her own broken childhood and mommy issues, she is adamant that what she is doing is necessary. Though, why not worry about the baby, I mean really if Amy is this monster of a mother it would only be a matter of time before her rage turns on him too? No? I guess a baby is harder to abduct. Okay her money makes it much easier to up and go, to set up a new life, to hide. A child will change as it grows up, be less recognizable, if you settle into surroundings you would be nothing more than a single mom and her daughter, move along nothing to see here, but still this easy?

It does seem fate works more often in Sarah’s favor than not when on the run. Does everyone get what they want in the end? I am still reeling and arguing with myself about it, forget the whole right and wrong aspect, the law doesn’t work that way. I still think about her baby brother, why is that not even an issue much. Oh he’ll just forget her, because a child won’t be tortured for life about the ‘not knowing’ as they grow up. I know, he won’t remember her sure they’ll keep her abduction a secret, because secrets never get out. Amy, I just don’t see Amy chosing as she did in the end if for no other reason than to come out looking like a better human being than she is, exonerating herself. I can’t say more.

I think it’s an interesting story, that begs the question, how culpable are we all in what we witness? We all know how turning people in turns out, kids can end up in even more dangerous abusive situations or worse, parents wiggle out of accusations and the children are back with the abuser. What a tangled tale.

Publication Date: August 21, 2018

St. Martin’s Press

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was offered this ARC based on some other book that I read and enjoyed. My biggest issue is that I like Mystery/thrillers and this is really more like women's fiction in my opinion. I found it to be comparable to a Jodi Piccoult with some off the wall behavior, minimal suspense and a lot of emotion.

I thought this book was well written and I felt that the Sarah and Amy characters were well developed and I knew where they both were coming from. But, I felt like a lot of the things that happened in this book were pretty far fetched especially the ending. How did that exactly work out? I needed more closure and more understanding how such an agreement would work.

When I read the description, I knew I just had to read this book. The striking cover didn’t hurt, either.

This story is told from two points of view, that of Sarah--the kidnapper, and Amy--Emma's mother. It also alternates between before, during, and after the kidnapping. If this sounds complicated, don't worry. The voices of the two characters are distinct enough to avoid confusion, and it becomes very easy to sort out the time jumps.

There is a lot to like about this book.

The characters are well fleshed out and are complex enough to be empathized with, for better or for worse, but I do have a few complaints. 

Much of Sarah's before is dominated by her obsession with her ex, but while we are given a token resolution/explanation, it's rather thin and doesn't really make sense. The obsession itself also seems to be out of step with the strong, independent woman Sarah is throughout. 

Another small quibble is that Amy has a very small voice in comparison to Amy's. I get that there are plenty of books that are heavily told from the parents' side, but I still wanted a little more. 

The plot is well done. It's fast moving and keeps you interested from the start. I read this book in one day, and stayed up until 2 a.m. to do so.  I just had to know how it ended!

In the end, I decided to give the book 4 stars instead of 5, because of the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but I just wasn't sure about how it all resolved.

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC. The opinions above are solely my own. 

Not Her Daughter hits the shelves on August 21, 2018.

This story stirs a lot of emotion. On the one hand you have Amy the biological mother who is jealous of her own daughter and is abusive. She’s mean and it treats her daughter. Emma is a great child and is very lovable. On the other hand you have Sarah, she wants Emma to have a better life, wants to save her from abuse and give her the love she deserves. So Sarah kidnaps Emma and they form a deep bond. Amy herself reassess her life when her daughter is gone and makes changes hoping to rebuild her bonds with her daughter. While I can sympathize with Sarah wanting to give Emma more I could not accept that kidnapping her was right. To me, as a mother, no matter what the reasons, what Sarah did is wrong. And as much as I feel that she is a wonderful person that I would root for normally, the course of action taken by her is not something I can support. That part seems a little far fetched to me
It’s a well written book and an enjoyable ready overall.

**Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s press for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.**

Not Her Daughter
Rea Fray
I received this copy from NetGalley for an honest Review:
Motherhood...do any of us think we're doing it right? What about a woman who really doesn't 'like' her 5 year old daughter? Who has a hard time keeping her temper, who really is unsatisfied with her life?
I really wanted to relate to Amy, the 'real' mom, but I have to tell you, I just didn't like her...she was selfish, mean, short-tempered, and whiny...everything a Mom can't afford to be (that being said, I did find myself feeling for her, she honestly knew her short-comings). When her daughter goes missing, actually kidnapped by a woman who has seen how she is treated and just wants her to have a better life, well you start to root for the kidnapper; it's a weird feeling to be rooting for the 'bad' guy for all intents and purposes, but you do!
I found this story to be a bit far-fetched yet it kept me glued to the pages to see how it all worked out.
Very readable story.
#NetGalley #Not Her Daughter

I absolutely loved this book! I definitely plan on ordering a copy for my library when it comes out. I can't wait to recommend it to people!

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

I really liked this story for the most part. It was the ending (of course), that had me wanting for more. Not because it didn't have an ending, but because the ending was just so unsatisfying that I wanted a do over. Sarah Walker is a successful businesswoman whose job entails creating age appropriate toy kits for children. After having her heart broken by her boyfriend, Ethan, Sarah becomes entranced by a little girl who she sees at the airport. A little girl (Emma) who is physically and emotionally abused by an unhappy mother. Sarah decides to rescue Emma from her family and goes on a nationwide road trip staying a Airbnbs to cover their tracks. I really enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and Emma and although it was wrong of Sarah to kidnap Emma, she really did give Emma a better life. Amy, Emma's mother, on the other hand, was an awful woman full of scorn and hatred for her own daughter. The thing was, Emma was a really good little girl. She listened and was good-natured despite her mother's abusive behavior. It made me think...how many other kids are there out there who are in this situation in real life? It was a really sad reality to think about. The book was written extremely well and had great descriptions of the characters, the investigation into Emma's disappearance, and the places Sarah and Emma visited.

Thank you to Netgalley, Rea Frey, and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get into this one at all. The main character was not compelling. Disappointing because the plot was interesting.