Single mother was quite a tale. A single mom down on her luck gets what’s seems like a gift at just the right time. This was hard to put down. I loved the characters and how strong they were and easily relatable. Mel was abandoned at birth and is raising her daughter and inherits a hotel which contains so many dark secrets. There was some shocking twists to this I didn’t see coming. I’ve already added Samantha Hayes book to my TBR list. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Single Mother" tells the story of Mel, who suffered a terrible childhood and relationship which resulted in her beloved daughter Kate. Mel and Kate struggle to make ends meet, and then, when Mel is fired from her job she loses everything. When Mel is sent a letter telling her she has inherited money and a hotel, on the English coast, she jumps at the chance for a new start. Once she arrives at her new hotel, secrets about Mel's past are slowly uncovered as she begins to find her footing as a hotel owner.

This book took me on a wild ride! There were lots of twists and turns that I did not predict. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers that keep them guessing!

Thank you Bookouture and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One letter is all it took for Mel’s life to drastically change. In between running late for work and worrying about how she would afford new school shoes for daughter Kate, Mel nearly throws the letter away but her oldest and longest friend Michael convinces her to read it... Fast forward a few weeks and Mel and Kate are in a small seaside village, standing in the dilapidated hotel that Kate has inherited from an unknown benefactor. Deciding this could be a fresh start for her little family, Mel throws herself into renovating the hotel and happens to unearth secrets that someone has tried to ensure stay buried...

Straight off the bat I will say that a lot of the twists in this book are predictable and rather unsurprising BUT this didn’t take away at all from my enjoyment of reading it - it’s a well-written story, full of mystery and secrets.

I think my favourite thing about this book is the eclectic mix of characters; alongside main characters Mel and Kate are Mel’s loyal and long-standing friend Michael, mysterious Miss Sarah from room 12 who never speaks, handsome handyman Tom and his elderly father Walter, hotel chef Rose and barmaid Nikki and despised local Donald - amongst many others. The diverse assortment of characters really drew me in to the story and I was intrigued to find out more about each of their lives. I also enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship between Mel and Kate and found their bond to be relatable and heartwarming. Overall a pleasant read and one I would recommend.

This is my first novel I’ve read by Samantha and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Single Mother draws you in slowly but knowing Samantha Hayes, you just know you are in for a wild ride with lots of twist and turns and an ending you won't see coming.

Single Mother did all that and more.

The pages turn themselves as you follow Mel and her daughter Kate on a journey to a new life as Mel inherits a hotel from an unknown benefactor.

Sound too good to be smooth sailing for this mother and daughter team? You are right the waters become rough quickly.

Your light will stay on at night for just one more chapter.

Great read to keep you guessing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the privilege for reading and reviewing Single Mother.

Mel is single mother to Kate, trying desperately to keep her head above water. When she receives a letter about an inheritance, she brushes it off as a scam, but a little digging proves it to be true. But is it really the fairy tale it seems?

This is quite a slow book and I found it rather frustrating in parts. I am mother of a teenager and of my child came home with a phone I didn’t recognise you can bet your life that I’d be all over her like a rash and I don’t have the complicated family history that Mel did! The relationship just didn’t ring true at all and this soured the book for me.

The story itself is good with plenty of twists and turns, but Mel is such a wet lettuce about everything that it went on longer than it should.

It was a nice enough way to while away a morning and I’m sure this book will be well received. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

This is not a crash, boom, bang kind of thriller. It starts rather slowly, but always with a hint of suspense lurking in the background. There is always something that makes you wonder ‘Why?’, ‘How?’, ‘Who?’ and that’s what I like a lot.
Being a single mother is never easy especially when money is tight and when you get a chance that will change your life forever, you are sceptic. When something is too good to be true, it often is exactly that. So better put it out of your head and save yourself a whole load of heartache or maybe you should rethink everything and follow your best friend’s advice. After all he does only want what’s best for you, right? He has been this way for years, so why would you not follow his advice this time? Correct, no reason at all and you are very grateful indeed…
For some of you it might feel like there is not enough action, but I ask you, please, don’t give up. Be patient and you will be rewarded.
I, for one, enjoyed very much. I could compare the story to a beautiful decorated cake. You first bake the cake which has a great flavour and than at the end you add the toppings to make it even better. 5 stars.

Thank you, Samantha Hayes and Bookouture

I’m a big fan of Samantha Hayes so very happy to see Single Mother coming out in January 2021.

Good strong start to the story. The prologue intrigued me.

Poor Mel is having a tough time, sharing a one bedroom flat with her daughter Katie. Going hungry so her daughter can eat...it’s no way to live. Then she inherits a hotel...
As a reader you want everything to go right for Mel and Katie but of course this is a thriller so things don’t go to plan! I thought Mel was a fantastic character, she reminded me of someone I know!

The antagonist wasn’t scary enough for me. I had no fear for the characters but I still loved this story. It has a certain charm and way of pulling you in that other books are lacking.

Single Mother has a couple of minor faults but the excellent writing and plot is worth picking this one up for! A strong 4/5.

Mel and Kate's life is a struggle. Everything changes with a stranger's will where Mel gets a seaside hotel with some conditions. Nothing is as it seems...

What a captivating story! Great characters and atmosphere.
I loved it!

Melanie Inherited a hotel from an unknown person. In order to take her inheritance she has to live at the hotel and cannot sell it. Melanie’s life is not going well so she decides to take the inheritance and moves with her teenage daughter to the hotel.

Melanie has so many ideas to fix up the hotel but there are some strange characters in town and at the hotel. Melanie is determined to fix up the hotel.

The middle of the book drug on for me. While the story was interesting it didn’t seem to fit in with the overall book. The ending however makes up for everything. It is an action packed, secret revealing, everything is explained ending. The ending was my favorite part of the book.

3.5

Life has been very difficult for many years for single mother Mel and daughter Kate. She’s financially strapped and then out of the blue she’s loses her job as a carer. On top of that she’s constantly worrying about her abusive ex Billy, currently in prison, who casts a shadow over their lives. However, a solicitor’s letter regarding an inheritance which includes a large sum of money and the Moreton Inn near Lyme Regis offers a way out of their hand to mouth existence- how timely!

The book starts well and grabs your interest especially once they arrive at the hotel which has a neglected air and is full of gloomy secrets and a mysterious non speaking permanent guest who is so intriguing. There are parts of the book that I really like however, it’s inconsistent and there are occasions where my attention wanders. There’s a big cast of characters and some of them especially those of less than honest intent did not feel real but more like stereotypes. I do like the character of Mel and teenager Kate is well portrayed. This is a novel about trust as a central issue as Mel has many good reasons to be lacking in belief but at times she accepts things far too readily which seems at odds with her life experiences especially with Billy. As the storyline progresses I have some issues with the plot as there is so much going on it’s becomes dizzying and you get so many twists and turns my head spins and some are far fetched and others are predictable. The final twist is good and I didn’t see that one coming! Every now and again the dialogue makes me wince and it just strikes an off note.

Overall, this is an author I really like and I’ve read other books by her that have left me speechless. This one doesn’t have that vibe for me though if you can suspend disbelief you may enjoy it as many others have. It’s not a bad book by any means, I like it rather than love it and it’s an entertaining way to take your mind off current events.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the arc for an honest review.

I’ve read all of Samantha’s books and loved them, but this one I didn’t enjoy as much. I felt that nothing was really happening until about three quarters of the way through and I didn’t like the ending. I liked Mel and her relationship with her daughter but felt that it was lacking in suspense and something was missing.

Thanks netgalley for giving me the opportunity of reading an early copy of this book.
I did enjoy it but found it overlong until it really got into the story of Mel and her surprise inheritance.
Mel was struggling with her life holding down a job, looking after her daughter Kate, and always on the lookout fior her abusive ex husband.
Until she found she was left some money and a. Hotel, but with the hotel came lots of secrets and surprises.
Some good and some bad.

My Review:

I love, love, love this author so much!!!!!! When I saw she had a new book coming out I knew I had to read it. I’ve read so many books by Samantha Hayes and I’ve loved them all. There was never a bad one. This book was no exception to that. It kept me guessing all the way through. I loved that twisty ending.

This book was about Melanie who was a single mother to a twelve year old and was down on her luck. She had miraculously inherited a hotel just in the nick of time. But strange things start happening at the hotel and then her daughter goes missing. Melanie had to figure out what’s going on and fast to save her daughter. What secrets did this hotel hold? Who gave her this hotel as she had no family? Who had a grudge against her and her daughter? You find this out and so much more.

So I want to start out by saying how much I loved this book. I do want to warn readers I found it a bit slow paced in the very beginning. I know most books are slow to start as you are getting to know the characters but this was extremely slow but it definitely picks up by the middle of the book so don’t give up. It’s definitely worth it in the end. I loved all the characters and they worked well together. I found them all to be hiding secrets and when the truth finally came out there was an explosion of emotions. I liked the plot as well. Melanie was abandoned as a baby and didn’t know who would leave her such an extravagant gift like a hotel. It was fun watching her play detective to try and figure out what secrets were lurking behind the shadows. That ending was awesome. There were so many twists and turns. I didn’t know which direction I was heading in. It was like a winding road that was never ending. As you can see I loved this book for so many reasons.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Mel is a single mum she is trying to do the best for her daughter Kate . her ex partner is out of prison and she is trying to hide from him she work s as a carer at a old peoples home . her best friend Mickey is her rock Mel gets a letter from a solicitor wanting her to go see them she has been left a hotel .Mel s boss accuses her of taking money so her and Kate move to the hotel . there is a lady who lives in the hotel who does not speak not saying no more but this story is so so good i so love this authors books once you start you can not stop

This book had potential but it was slow moving and had so many bad and strange things happen to the main character that is was not believable, felt hard to care about them. Had a final twist that didn't make sense and actually cheapened the book. So it was not for me

Nederlandse versie:

De nieuwe Thriller van Samantha Hayes. Dit keer weer een verhaal dat staat als een huis. Samantha is in topvorm. Ze weet de verschillende personages mooi uit te diepen en zorgt wel voor een verhaal dat heerlijk leest en een geweldige twist aan het einde heeft. Een aanrader. Ik heb dit boek eerder mogen lezen door Netgalley. Single Mom komt 3 januari 2021 uit, een goed begin van het jaar.

English version

The latest thriller was written by Samantha Hayes. In another story as strong as a rock, Samantha is firing on al cylinders. She knows how to give us interesting characters and a story that grabs hold and doesn’t let go until the end. The story has a wonderful twist at the end. A book you have to read. I had the opportunity to read this book thru Netgalley. Single Mom will be released on the third of January 2021, a fantastic beginning of the year.

Samantha Hayes as a flair for the shocking. From the first chapter, that's the hook that got me reading the story non-stop. However, some moments was slow and hard to read. Mel's character is gullible or perhaps unbelievable. That drove me nuts! Kate's character is better and very intuiative. The ending was something I will never forget and you have to read the last line. That's the ending! I was blown away. Love it!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this amazing ARC in exchange for an honest review.

(This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.) This is probably one of the most inconsistent books I’ve ever read because it was just all over the place. One moment I was enjoying it and the next I’d notice something that would make me roll my eyes or not be able to take the story seriously anymore. The story is about Mel and her daughter, Kate, who move into a hotel after Mel receives a letter saying that she has inherited it but the benefactor wants to remain anonymous. A lot of things transpire and it was a hot mess if I’m being completely honest.

To begin with, the plot was unique, I’ll give it that. However, it was just so drawn out at times and nothing really exciting happened until about 70 percent through the book. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and it just didn’t. The only reason I decided to give this book three stars instead of two is because I appreciated the effort, it just failed to deliver anything worthwhile. I feel like this is the least thrillery you could possibly get, very minimal in that aspect. Also, the plot dragged at times because the set up took up most of the book and the climax was very brief and then the ending was a bit drawn out again. I kept waiting for the book to be done but it just kept going, even without needing to in my opinion.

Further on, the characters were not very realistic in my opinion. I felt as if they were kept at an arm’s length from us and even though we got an idea of who they were, we didn’t get into their psyches and found out who they were in their souls. Also, the dialogue was a bit cheesy at times and didn’t fit the situation at hand which didn’t make the characters any better either. I feel like this book had the potential to be a great psychological thriller but its execution just doesn’t work in any aspect.

The writing style was average. I didn’t have many issues with it but it was maybe a little over simplistic. Considering how drawn out this whole story was, the writing made it a bit less painful to read and get through. I might give this author another shot but perhaps sometime in the future because this novel was a trainwreck.

In conclusion, I didn’t feel a lot other than disappointment from reading this novel. While the idea is there, the execution fails miserably. I would not recommend this novel to anyone else because there are tons better psychological thrillers out there in my opinion.

An outstanding author with such edgy and gripping plots. Like all Hayes' books the devil is in the detail.

From the very first page of single mothers you are gripped. You feel this intense need to get to the end and see what it's all about. The electrifying twists and turns add to this gripping need where you just have to finish. It's always never knowing what has just happened and what is coming. Hayes is brilliant at leading you one way only to go another.

The clear, taut edgy writing style grips you and you just want to keep reading. Each chapter is gripping and engaging where you just want that little bit more. The style of writing is very influential and really makes you feel like your there, bringing life to real raw emotions.

It's a classic tale of someone down on their luck and given a life line but with a twist. What are they running from? What's hidden in their past and how can they really trust this life line. Throw in the dazzling and catalytic power of Hayes's writing and it makes an outstanding remarkable read.

Like all her books it keeps you guessing, eager for more! Another truly gripping read - bring on the next.

The build up to this story is amazing. You get an inkling where the story is going. Seeing it all pan out makes your heart go in your mouth as it unravels and Mel's world comes crashing down. A real page turner and had me reading as fast as I could to see what happens next. I loved it. It's my first book by Samantha Hayes but it's not my last.