This book was very confusing and I couldn't understand the slang. I didn't finish it. This one isn't for me , sorry !

What a great book. Would definitely recommend to it others I no. Great work will look out for this author again

Watch Over Me was a complete surprise. I was expecting a simple crime story and what I got instead was a dark, twisty, psychological thriller. Yes, I know, it says psychological thriller right there on the cover but we know that what we readers think of a "thriller" is not always what publisher's consider "thrilling." Let me tell you, Watch Over me was suspenseful, edgy, creepy and, yes, thrilling!

A child, Beckie, is being torn between families. One is educated and wealthy and desperately searching for a child they can love and call their own. The other is, well, there aren't a lot of kind descriptors for this family. They are poverty stricken, unhealthy, morally bankrupt and Beckie's mother is in jail for murder. It doesn't sound like the ideal situation, does it? The government didn't think so and they removed Beckie from the squalor and "gave" her to Flora, a mother with so much love to give. However, Beckie's family loved her. Her grandmother, a foul-mouthed obese woman, really did love Beckie. So, when is it okay to take a child from one family and give it to another. That is the question at the heart of this book as Beckie's biological family goes to amazing lengths to get Beckie back. Their actions had me wondering if they were truly as ignorant as they appeared.

BUT - and that is a huge but right there - BUT, the ending and the twist is what will leave you sitting in your seat with your mouth hanging open. I generally do not like twists at the end and only appreciate them when they are amazing. Let me tell you, IT IS. I highly recommend Watch Over Me which grip you tight from start to the startling conclusion.

This is the story of a young girl, Beckie or Bekki (depending on who’s telling the story), and her adoption, against the wishes of her maternal grandparents, the Johnsons, who we first meet in the Glasgow Sheriff’s Court during the adoption process. The potential parents are in a cottage in the Scottish countryside, immediately highlighting a social divide.

I got in to the book straightaway, though because of the scene setting, it could be considered a “slow burner”. It starts with an undated prologue highlighting a very significant and traumatic event but as no names are used, we’re left wondering who is who and how it fits in.

The story then switches between being told by Beckies adoptive mum, Flora and her maternal grandmother, Lorraine. The differences in their lives is highlighted by the different styles of writing - Flora comes across as privileged and middle class, trying to give her adoptive daughter the best upbringing she can after her unsettling start in life whilst Lorraine and the family have a criminal background and the sections Lorraine narrates incorporate some strong Scottish slang. However, Lorraine as the matriarch is clever and manipulating and you begin to wonder who is telling the truth.

It’s a story with a few twists and turns, some coming totally out of the blue and with others, I had an idea but wasn’t totally correct, making it a perfect psychological thriller for me. I found it believable and totally absorbing, reading it in a couple of days. I even ended up having some sympathy for the mainly despicable Johnsons but only as they railed against a system biased against the social underclass.

This is the first Jane Renshaw book I’ve read and I’ll definitely be looking out for more. I’m happy to recommend the book but with a couple of provisos: there’s a lot of Scottish slang which I initially found irritating. With hindsight, I should probably have read the glossary of slang terms first but what I ended up doing was “bookmarking” the glossary so I could refer to it whilst reading until the words were familiar.
Secondly, in the chapters concerning the Johnsons, the language is very strong. If you aren’t happy with swearing in your books, this isn’t for you.

If, on the other hand, you want to read a story which I believe is a sad indictment of the society in which we live in, where social workers are damned if they do and damned if the don’t, where money and privilege still carry weight and the desperate attempts people will go to to rectify those perceived wrong doings against them, then this is definitely for you.

Gillygill @SunnyBookReviewers received a free book for review.

Sometimes, having a lot of twists that the reader doesn't see coming, isn't always a good thing. As readers, we should be able to connect the dots, pick up the little breadcrumb clues.

This book was so good and had me hooked from the very beginning! It was full of twists and turns as well as being a very quick read. I highly recommend it to all.

This is the sort of book that grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go.  Somewhat confusing at times, but read on and all becomes clear.  Be sure to check out the meaning of the Scottish patois in order to more easily understand the plot.

Overall, this book was good. The plot keeps moving and holds your interest throughout. There were several twists that I did NOT see coming, and I can’t stop thinking about them! One thing I struggled with is some of the intersections of stories weren’t well-explained as then happened, and it was pretty confusing to try and piece together. They mostly all come together by the end, but this made it a bit hard to read without having to try hard to decipher what was going on. Other than that, I very much enjoyed the book and would read Jane Renshaw again.

This book was filled with twists and turns that have a big payoff in the end for the reader!  I thoroughly enjoyed this, as I couldn't put it down due to wanting to know what would happen next.  The author grabbed me from the first page and didn't let me go until long after I finished the book.  This is what a mystery/thriller should be!

Thank you NetGalley as well as Jane Renshaw for giving me the ARC to this book, Watch Over Me. 

This book was not an easy read for me.  It did have the twists and turns in the book but it was not clear and I did not find that I was invested in any of the characters in the book.  I almost did not finish the book but out of guilt..( which I am working on not having anymore about finishing a book), I completed and it turned out to not be as slow as in the beginning and more interesting.  I am trying to be vague because an avid thriller reader will get spoilers very easily.  I can say it was not the top of the thriller list but would work for a beginning thriller reader.

This book was very different for me. I liked it but following the story at times was a bit tricky. I will say that it was a take on adoption that was interesting. I had a hard time connecting and liking some of the characters but the twists and turns kept my interest alive. I will read another book by this author for sure.

I was excited to read an advanced reader’s copy of Watch Over Me, but never connected to the book. I tried so many times to get in to it, but could barely get though. The story had so much potential (reading about adoption fascinated me), but felt like it missed the mark

I think the slang made this one a little harder to read at times.  The premise of the story was good but I had a hard time staying interested as it seemed to drag here and there. 
Adopting is tricky anyway and the thought of adopting a child who was taken away from her biological family for them to hunt and track you down later is nothing short of terrifying. Rachel has always wanted a child so when she and Neil adopt Becki they are over the moon, especially since Rachel's past was kept a secret.  As we learn about Rachel's past and the Johnson family who wants Becki back at any cost we will see just how far a mom is willing to go to protect her family. . and how far another family is willing to go to get that family back.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I could not finish. Could not understand the language used or the f word used constantly.

This story of a closed adoption gone wrong is certainly a page turner. For young Bekki this whole book is so full of uncertainty that I can't believe she's as "normal" as she is. Her adopted parents are trying to do their best, but her birth family, The Johnsons, are relentless and unfeeling and will stop at nothing to get what they believe is rightfully theirs. Reading the chapters where Lorraine and her kin are speaking with their strong scottish accents was a little bit funny sometimes and also annoying at times. I was really expecting more twists and turns from what was written on the cover, but I certainly went along for the ride!

The story was told from Juth the adoptive mom and Lorraine Johnson, Bekkie's grandma point of views. The Scottish slang pissed me off. Sometimes I don't even know what they are talking about. The Johnson's used lot of bad words and the way they talked are annoying af! The author used  too much 'Fuck'  word! 

I don't care about Ruth at all! All I care is Alec and Bekkie. I feel bad for what happened to Alec. I suspected that someone who appeared suddenly and when I found out the truth I was like I knew it!! Too good to bw true lol

Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for Watch Over Me Arc! 

🌟🌟🌟.5

This was a tough one for me. I really hated the chapters where Beckie's bio family talked. They used such bad language and sometimes I had no idea what they were talking about. I also think getting more than halfway through the book and not having a clue about Flora/Neil's story was ugh.

Twists and turns; kept me wondering who I could trust! Family secrets, name changes and murder; what more could you want in a mystery. My only criticism is the Scottish slang; I struggled. It made the Johnsons sound like they weren’t all that intelligent (which maybe was the intention) but struggled to read and connect with their conversation. Making me think that they were so unintelligent there was no way they could pull off some of the schemes they did. Otherwise a fanatic, dynamic, mysterious thriller.

A great book with a well developed characters you care about. The description drew me in and did not disappoint.

A really good book that I very much enjoyed. Strong characters and a fascinating storyline make for an exciting read. Highly recommended.