I really wanted to love this novel as it grabbed my attention right away. Unfortunately, it dragged on for me. There were too many little storylines, most of which were not fully thought out. Great idea, just not for me.

I received an advanced reader copy of The Second Mother by Jenny Milchman in exchange for an honest review. The main character, Julie, is losing her marriage due the loss of their only child. On a whim, Julie applies and accepts a teaching position on a remote island that is "ruled" by the Hempstead family.
This writing focuses a lot on the description of the island and the ways of seafarers. The book moves along at a good pace for the most part, and the reader really questions Julie's mental state and who is trying to mess with her. Is Peter an innocent child or a devious monster? You'll have to read The Second Mother to find out.

The Second Mother is an atmospheric novel with many layers. And wonderfully creepy. Ms. Milchman knocks it out of the park - again.

I've enjoyed Milchman's books in the past, so I was excited to receive an advance copy from NetGalley. Milchman knows how to weave a story and keep the reader engaged. This one has an intriguing setting on a remote island in Maine and the characters and side stories of their lives are also interesting. Readers will be cheering for the main character and how she fights her own battles with herself and others.

Answering an ad on opportunity.com for a teacher on a small remote island off the coast of Maine feels right. Julie Weathers needs a fresh start. A start away from Wedeskyull, New York. The place where she lost her baby, and her marriage has just imploded….a fact she was unaware of until her husband informed her that he was not interested in joining her in Maine, but instead wanted a divorce. She soon discovers that although they may be diverse, this island has its own problems.

The landscape of this book was beautiful…..and the author did a great job painting the picture of a village in Adirondack and the island. I enjoyed the author's writing style. She was brilliant at making us feel the impact of how controlling money and the hierarchy of power can be anywhere….whether it's a huge city and fortune 500 company or a remote coastal island and gangs of lobster fisherman. That being said...this book was all talk and very little action. Seriously...so much dialogue, but little going on for long periods of time. It's hard to not lose interest. When I was almost to my limit the book pulled me back in and finished strong.

The Second Mother by author Jenny Milchman is a dark and fun novel with mystery and thrill throughout! Being born and raised in Maine myself, I truly enjoyed the feels of Maine she described, spot on with a lot of things! Definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. From the very beginning, I was immediately hooked. Stayed up all night to finish it and am glad I did!

Island life is different, especially if that island is off the coast of Maine, Summers may bring outsiders to visit, but winters are for the locals only. Julia Weathers is an outsider, but she’s taken a job on the island, teaching grades K-8. And while at first the job on location seem ideal, as time progresses, she begins to wonder if her new neighbors are as friendly as they seem. Island life is different and so are the people who live there. I really enjoyed this book because I am a Mainer and have visited our islands off season and they are very insular places, outsiders are not usually taken to, so the tension in this book was very real and palpable