Wow just wow! What a ride! An action packed psychological thriller that had me hooked instantly! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Joshilyn Jackson's books are un-put-downable. I've read every single one and this is one of her best. The book is gritty and gripping from the very first page. You're rooting for the main character, Bree, the entire time, and you're right there with her through every emotion she is feeling and every impossible decision she's faced with. I'm pretty sure my doctor wouldn't appreciate what this book did to my blood pressure. My heart was pounding the whole time.

Mother May I by author Joshilyn Jackson is such a great book. This is not the first book I’ve read of hers, but I think it’s her best! This storyline had me glued to the pages only taking breaks when I absolutely had to. It was so riveting it made me feel as if I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. Books don’t usually grab me like this, but this one did. There was just so much suspense about how things were going to turn out and the author did not disappoint. This is a book I will be telling everyone to read. It’s that good. I know you probably expect me to go into details about what it was about, but I’m not going to. You just need to read it for yourself. It’s a great thriller and I think it deserves more than 5 stars. I’d like to thank Scene of the Crime Early Reads, Sam Glatt, marketing assistant at HarperCollins Publishers/William Morrow and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. This was a fantastic story and I can’t wait to read what Joshilyn comes up with next. 5 stars!

Trigger Warning: Mother May I contains events involving sexual assault and drug addiction, so I would not read this book if those topics are disturbing and sensitive to you as a reader.



From the outside looking in, Bree Cabbat has it all: a doting husband, three beautiful children, a gorgeous mansion, and wealth beyond belief. But Bree married into this life. Growing up, Bree lived in rural Georgia with a single mother who worked two jobs and struggled to make ends meet. Bree's mother supported her daughter fiercely while simultaneously warning her that the world is an incredibly dark, scary place, but Bree did not take to her mother's anxieties as she got older. Bree did take one thing from her mother, though, and that is dedication to her children: teenagers Anna-Claire and Peyton, and newborn Robert. One night, Bree is startled awake and sees a witch-like woman staring at her, so she immediately wakes up her husband, Trey, but the woman is gone is quickly as she appeared. Later that day Bree takes Robert with her to watch Anna-Claire's play rehearsal when Bree sees the witch again. Trying to shake off her anxiety, Bree sets down Robert in his car seat to focus on Anna-Claire rehearsing her solo. And just like that, Robert is gone within a couple of minutes and in his place is a note. Bree frantically reads the note and realizes her son isn't coming home unless she explicitly follows the listed instructions. When the kidnapper makes contact a couple hours later, Bree learns that the kidnapper is not only the witch-like woman, but also a mother. What kind of mother would do this to another? And why did they choose Bree?


I tore through this book in three days and it was a truly fun read with lots of layers and high-quality twists and turns. Mother May I starts out fairly slow with a lot of dialogue, inner thoughts, and vivid descriptions, but, once Bree springs into action, the book does not stop moving. Juggling a kidnapping investigation and moral dilemma, Mother May I gives readers a lot to think about. While the investigation part of the book was exhilarating by itself, the moral dilemma and social commentary is what made this an excellent read. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that I enjoyed being in Bree's mind as she tried to rationalize her present reality with history. Alongside loving Bree's character, I also really liked Marshall and Gabrielle (I would love a separate book just about Gabrielle, honestly). I haven't read anything by Joshilyn Jackson before, but she is now on my must-read author list - I love her writing style, character development, and commitment to inclusive story-telling. With that, I wholeheartedly recommend Mother May I.


4.5/5


Thank you, William Morrow, for an advanced copy of Mother May I in exchange for an honest review.

I just couldn’t get into this book. I tried on a number of occasions and it didn’t work. I put it down pickup and finished other books but every time I tried this one again it just wasn’t it for me. I couldn’t connect with the main character as a mother. I just felt this story was dragging me along and moving way to slow.

I first want to say that Joshilyn Jackson is a phenomenal author! Thank you Joshilyn Jackson, Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for allowing me the privilege of reading Mother May I. Although I love her works, I must admit that I could not get in to Mother May I so it was a bit of a struggle for me to read it. Having said that though, I will still continue to be on the lookout for her books in the future since I have enjoyed her other ones. Despite not enjoying it myself, I would still recommend that other readers consider it and at least give it a chance.
Bree’s mother raised her to be skeptical of the world, be prepared for the worst and to accept that bad things were going to happen with regularity. She ingrained in her that that’s just how life was. Determined not to believe her, Bree is headstrong in her pursuits of happiness and finds herself having all she ever wanted (and more). Her life is a dream come true! She has an enviable relationship with her husband, her daughters are noticeably blessed, her wonderful son is a recent addition to the family and her home is beautiful. Not only was Bree’s mother wrong about her outlook on the world and life, but Bree managed to get the best of everything! Things can change in the blink of an eye though and that’s what Bree hadn’t been prepared for. She sees a witch outside one day and is initially alarmed and panics. Questions race through her mind about what could the person possibly want but then Bree redirects herself and assumes she simply overreacted and that there’s nothing to worry about. She only caught a quick glimpse of her so maybe it was only the last few fragmented minutes of a dream she tells herself, although she still isn’t able to shake off the lingering negative feelings. Within a few hours she sees the old woman again at her daughters school and the sinking feeling intensifies. In a matter of quick moments Bree realizes that her baby boy is gone! One minute he was soundly sleeping in his car seat and the next he’s gone as if he was never there. What she finds in place of where her son should have been is a note warning her that someone is watching her and that if she wants her son back she must follow certain instructions. Although Bree is only directed to do one thing/task, the fallout of it threatens to destroy everything she has. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do to protect her family, but what if saving her family means tearing it apart too?
I loved the premise of the story and it had great twists and turns but it just felt like the story dragged on. The surprises were great but somewhat predictable so I felt like I knew where things were leading many times. I wish I had been more thrown off by the twists and turns. I didn’t feel the edge of your seat, thrilling or captivating pull toward the story that I had anticipated, It was darker that I expected and I genuinely loved that element. Many readers will love Mother May I, but it just wasn’t for me. Thanks again for allowing me the honor of reading this copy! I do not want to deter other readers from purchasing and reading Mother May I so I will only post my positive thoughts about her and Mother May I instead of posting this review. I respect authors and publishers and do not want my reviews to reflect poorly on them so I do not share my reviews that are below 3 stars.

Joshilyn Jackson is one of my favorite authors. Mother May I, however, was a bit of a slog for me. Though the pacing is decent, but there is a lot going on that distracts from the main plot. The events are more implausible than most of the other mysteries I have read lately. The ending was satisfying, if a bit predictable.

This is my time reading a book by Joshilyn Jackson, and I have to tell you I have missed out on a lot. This book kept my interest all the way through. Bree is living a good life with her husband Trey and their children. Until her baby son Robert is kidnapped by an old woman who demands Bree do some horrible stuff in order to get her son back. What follows is a race against time to save her son, and secrets about her husband that he wishes remained buried, I highly recommend this book. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Bree lives a wonderful life with her wealthy lawyer husband and her three children. Her teenage daughters are polar opposites, but good girls, and her son Robert is just a sweet baby. Bree thinks she sees a witch outside of her bedroom window one night, then again at the school in the parking lot. As Bree is watching the girls practice for their play at school she takes her eyes off of Robert for a few moments and finds he is gone when she turns back to his car seat. Bree cannot understand why she was targeted, but she knows she has to figure it out to get Robert back. Bree finds a cellphone at her home, and receives a call from the woman who has Robert, and is given explicit instructions that may prove deadly for those close to Bree. With the help of her childhood friend Marshall a former cop who was married to he now deceased best friend Betsy, Bree sets out to find out who this woman is and why she has taken Robert. What Bree finds out about her husbands past may grant the clues as to why Robert was taken and how to get him back.

Thank you Scene of the Crime and William Morrow Books for this ARC.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

Overall I thought the book was okay. It was a definite page-turner. I enjoyed the mystery, but some of the plots seem to be convoluted and dragged on far too long. I found myself skimming parts of the book as a result. I wanted to hurry up and get to the facts. I did not like the fact that the book alternated between first person and third person. I found myself confused and having to say wait and reread sections. A definite waste of time. I did not like the ending. It was a little bit too much like a Lifetime movie for me. Definitely not my favorite book from this author.

** spoiler alert ** Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for an ARC of Mother May I in exchange for my honest review. I am conflicted on my star rating. Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of Joshilyn Jackson. I enjoy her writing style. I also think the character development was done well and I can get behind Bree's character's actions in finding Robert. I did not like however Trey flat out gaslight her and she was going to try to still "fix him". We don't know what would of happened had Kelly not done what she did so maybe she got Bree off the hook or maybe she would of made Trey take responsibility. Clearly Marshall is right for her but I wish we could of heard more about what happened in the three years they decided to flash through. Overall still a great piece of work from Jackson and I can't wait to see what she does next!

In Mother May I, Joshilyn Jackson takes us on a journey with Bree, Marshall, Trey, Robert and the witch she sees peeking in her window one morning. The journey is full of twists band turns and surprises at every turn. Full of suspense, this was a hard book to put down!

I am a Joshilyn Jackson fan but this book is just a little darker than I like. The intrigue and suspense is front and center in every chapter. Bree married into a wealthy family, her husband loves her but his family isn't thrilled. He is a good husband and father but he has a past that isn't perfect. When their young son is kidnapped Bree needs to fix his past to get her baby back. A thriller with a few twists. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was fast-paced and kept me reading and listening! There are twists and turns, but I felt that I knew where the story was headed, even if I didnt know the exact details. I appreciate that the author isn't looking to have the shocking twist, but rather shows us something about the world we live in and how the rules are not the same for all people, and how the actions of few have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences for many others. This was a really thought-provoking read, and many times had me wondering what would I do, if in the main character's position.

Mother May I, by Joshilyn Jackson, had me sitting at the edge of my seat while reading as fast as I could! This book will keep you guessing and take you for quite a ride.

I've never read anything by Joshilyn Jackson before and I am now hooked. I enjoyed this wild ride! Bree's son is taken from her in the blink of an eye and she has to fight to get him back from a mother and life she herself did everything to escape. Really loved the cover art as well. Can't wait to read another of this author's books!

Trey is the perfect husband. He was a frat boy that now is a successful attorney. Bree came from humble beginnings and thinks the world of him. They have three children and she gave up her job to be a stay at home mom now. While she is watching her daughters performance her infant goes missing. There is a note found where he was instructing her to go straight home. The story opens with a bang and continues all the way through. She is beginning to find out that her husband has secrets and she doesn’t know how deep they go. A fast paced thriller to easily read in one sitting.

This is the first book I have read by Joshilyn Jackson. I did enjoy this book...a revenge/protect your family type of story. Some of the subject matter and details made this book hard to read. I also liked Marshall and the sections where he narrated the story.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. Parts of it were hard to read, due to subject matter, I cared about the characters, and thought the pacing was great. Can't wait to read more from Joshilyn Jackson. #MotherMayI #NetGalley