Very interesting premise! Claire, who has lost a child previously due to a rare, genetic disease decides to team up with Dr. Nash and his assistant, Julian, to use Julian and Claire’s egg and create a child with three parents.

Sounds weird, right? That’s what drew me in. The story is compelling and the chapters are short which I enjoy. Some aspects of this story were predictable but the others completely threw me off. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley but I look forward to purchasing a copy in September!

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/54694945-kait-martin

Expected publication: September 10th 2019

4.5/5 stars

I had a feeling this was going to be a breathtaking experience and I was right. Coundn't be any more right about a book. What did I just read?

This book was really great. I love family dramas, and if there are crazy scientist stuff going on I'll certainly pick it up. Glad I did! It’s a completely captivating read and I couldn't put it down for a minute because every chapter kept me wondering wtf was going to happen next.

Kira Peikoff knows how to keep a reader curiosity on. If you like a good psychological thriller family drama about motherhood/parenthood, not talking about the ethical issues on gene mutations, you should definitly read this one. The book sticks with you.

So if you enjoy books like this I would highly recommend to keep an eye on "Mother Knows Best".

A thrilling ride…

To avoid passing on a mitochondrial genetic mutation to her second child that killed her first-born in the past, Claire Abram undergoes an illegal, experimental genetic procedure during her in-vitro fertilization. Before she could give birth to the baby, the information about the secret procedure becomes public knowledge. Trying to avoid the criminal charges and media frenzy around the unborn child, Claire escapes into hiding. Doctor Robert Nash, the fertility specialist involved in the illegal experiment, follows the suit while doctor Nash’s young assistant, doctor Jillian is left behind only to get charged and convicted. The things almost return to normal until Abigail, Claire’s 11-year-old daughter, starts suspecting her parents of hiding things. At the same time, Jillian who is back after serving her sentence, is determined to set the scores right. The pace of the book is brisk and it stays the same even as the story moves through different moments in time over the previous decade. While Abigail’s quirky obsession with finding her parents’ secrets facilitate the suspense-filled plot, it’s also …. full review at website.

This is an intriguing and gripping psychological thriller which tackles a complex and moral question about creating genetically "perfect children." When a mother losses her baby due to a genetic disorder she participates in questionable experiment with shattering consequences.

This premise poses serious questions about scientific possibilities and moral boundaries all warped in an engaging suspenseful plot about nature vs nurture and does a mother truly know best? Highly recommended.

Thanks #Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the "Read Now" option, I voluntarily reviewed this book.

I admit that at first this book was not holding my attention. But I decided to stick it out in the hopes it would get better!! So glad I did!! The very idea of the parentage option in this book is what kept me reading. Does “Mother Know Best?” You’ll have to read this psychological thriller and decide for yourself! 😉

Claire Abrams’s dreams became a nightmare when she passed on a genetic mutation that killed her little boy. Now she wants a second chance to be a mother, and finds it in Robert Nash, a maverick fertility doctor who works under the radar with Jillian Hendricks, a cunning young scientist bent on making her mark—and seducing her boss.



Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book

I loved loved loved this book!

Honestly, this was one of the best books I have ever read. Superb story, writing, characters, everything. Riveting and suspenseful. This is a MUST read.. just beware, you won't be able to put it down!

The premise of this book intrigued me -- a woman has recently lost a son to a genetic disorder that she carries, and so she wishes to attempt to have a child with three biological parents, to have a child who can survive. It calls to question interesting topics, and I am intrigued by the ethics of genetically creating "ideal" children - and the risks and morals that it can call to question.

This book was compelling in some ways, but I did also find parts of it a bit difficult to follow at times. I did appreciate being able to read it, but I found some parts a bit too confusing. I do think that for some, though, this book could be ideal! :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced e-book!

Knowing that your child is dead because of a genetic abnormality you passed on is heart breaking. Claire still feels guilty about the death of her child but she longs for another. Enter Dr. Robert Nash, a cutting edge fertility doctor who doesn’t always play by the rules of standard medical procedure. He practices “medicine’ out of the watchful eye of government regulator with the help of Jillian Hendricks a scientist who will do anything to make her mark on medical history, and on Nash. The goal of this unholy triumvirate is to produce a child with three biological parents. Of course that’s not a secret you can keep for long and when word gets out, Nash and pregnant Claire flee the scene, leaving Jillian to face the music.. and jail. But revenge is a dish best served cold and ten years later, Jillian will track down Claire and the child they created, the child that she believes belongs to her. This story pushes the boundaries of genetics, fertility and raises the question of what is ethical, all in the most thrillingly entertaining way possible

Thank you netgalley for an ARC of Mother Knows Best!
This is a really cool premise. It begins with Claire. She lost a son to a rare genetic disorder when he was eight years old. Several years later, she and her husband investigate options for another baby. Claire connects with Robert Nash, badass fertility specialist, and his postdoc student, Jillian. In order to avoid potentially having another child with the same genetic disorder, they create an embryo using both Claire and Jillian’s eggs.
There’s a lot to unpack here. I really enjoyed the author’s meticulous attention to scientific detail. Though there were quite a few science/ethical explanations, it’s written in such a way that’s easy to understand - and fascinating. The author uses the characters to examine the moral and emotional implications of a 3-parent baby. The chapters are short and switch perspectives and time periods between Claire, Jillian, and the child they create. Though some of the story is predictable, there were several twists that I didn’t see coming at all. I was also very satisfied with the ending. This was a very well executed story about a very relevant topic. I can tell the author worked hard on this, and it definitely shows.

There's only room for one mother in this family.

Claire Abrams’s dreams became a nightmare when she passed on a genetic mutation that killed her little boy. Now she wants a second chance to be a mother, and finds it in Robert Nash, a fertility doctor who works with Jillian Hendricks, a young scientist bent on making her mark—and seducing her boss.

Claire, Robert, and Jillian work together to create the world’s first baby with three genetic parents. But when word of their illegal experiment leaks to the wrong person, Robert escapes into hiding with the now-pregnant Claire, leaving Jillian to serve out a prison sentence that destroys her future.

Ten years later, a spunky girl named Abigail begins to understand that all is not right with the reclusive man and woman she knows as her parents. But the family’s problems are only beginning. Jillian, hardened by a decade of jealousy and loss, has returned—and nothing will stop her from reuniting with the man and daughter who should have been hers.

An engaging psychological thriller. Definitely a page turner, I loved the story line and couldn’t wait to figure it all out.

I’d like to thank NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this novel.