In this psychological thriller the main character is a GP Practice Manager, Beth. Now a single parent with 2 young children and enjoying life until her mother, who had walked out over 30 years ago, comes back in to her life..

With no apparent misgivings Beth welcomes her back into her life with open arms. letting her stay and become a mother (again) and a grandmother.

The book then lurches from one family mini crisis to another, with strange happenings in and around Beth's house and 'poor' Beth does not know who to trust. She loses her friends and finds some solace in wine. She has to jump quite a few hurdles to get to the truth (the book being set close to Cheltenham racecourse!).

Eventually Beth ends up sorting it all out, and all ended happily ever after (sort of).

A real page turner but with slightly shallow characters. I am still frustrated with Beth who was finding odd things happening in her house - but she didn't change the locks!! This would have been simpler and cheaper than employing a man to search for hidden cameras etc.?

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the chance to read and review.

Beth's mom, Alice, disappeared 30 years ago. But wouldn't you believe the luck? Alice has magically reappeared into Beth's life after all these years! But strange things are happening. Who is responsible?

This book was not for me. First, it had body shaming in it. That is a big no-no, and I really, really wish the character involved would have said, "I'm a real woman. I've had children. This is what a real body looks like." Instead, the character just felt guilty and self conscious. Second, the portrayal of the MC was nauseating. She was acting entirely silly and non-sensical, ignoring perfectly obvious signs and things that were wrong. She also let her ex run all over her, allowing him to take the kids, yell at her, burst into her home when he felt like it.
That's not how things work these days. One parent cannot just unilaterally terminate a parent's rights. The MC talks about how she and her ex get along great. If that is the case, he should respect some boundaries. Third, the book was so entirely predictable. I guessed the ending very early on. Fourth, the pacing was really off. Typically, I tend to enjoy slower paced books, but this was just too slow even for me. The storytelling just was not there. The Happy Family did not seem to build in anticipation, and there was far too much foreshadowing.

This was a very lackluster thriller. In my opinion, the plot was interesting if it could be trimmed to a pretty intriguing short story, axing the extraneous characters who did not really add anything to the book and most of the parts where the MC is acting silly and ignoring perfectly good clues. With characters this gullible, I have some ocean front property to sell in Arizona.........

Thanks, NetGalley, for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.

Jackie Kabler is a new author for me so I was eager to read The Happy Family. The novel centres around Beth, a divorced mum of two and Practice Manager at the local surgery. Her mother walked out on her thirty years ago when she was just ten years old. Ever since then it was just her and her dad. She’s lived a full life, loved her children and job and visits her dad numerous times a week. Until one day there’s a knock at the door, her mother has returned. Welcoming her back into her life, things seem to be going well until things take a turn for the worst and start going very wrong. I flew through this book. It’s a great domestic suspense thriller with some twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

This is a fast paced book , that I read in two sittings.
Beth is a divorced mum of two, and her mum walked out on her when she was ten years old and this obviously left it’s scars in Beth’s life.
One day Beth opens her front door to a stranger , who says she is her long lost mother , things move on rapidly and Beth invites her mother to stay with her , everything is perfect in Beth’s world, isn’t it?
After the arrival of Beth’s mum , her life, every facet begins to gradually disintegrate, Beth has her own secret from years gone by and someone knows the truth but who is it?
The writing is easy to read and the story is a psychological thriller with plenty of intrigue and suspense.
An enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter.

When your long lost mother comes back into your life after 30 years, its supposed to be a happy time. But for Beth, it's where everything begins to go horribly wrong. But who could be doing this to her, and why? Did her long kept secret finally come back to haunt her?

This one started off slow, but then I couldn't put it down!

Another great book by Jackie Kabler.So if you read the blurb, you know Beth’s mother abandoned her when she as a little girl. Left her with her father to raise. Now Beth is divorced with a daughter Eloise and a son Finley. Her life is fine even though she is divorced. She has a good job and a nice home and lots of friends.Then out of the blue her doorbell rings and her long lost mother is on her door. Beth is elated and welcomes her in her home. Then strange things begin to happen to Beth and she feels she is losing her mind. At this point, I had a strong feeling who the perpetrator was but no spoilers here. Also after the big reveal there is another twist to the story. I enjoyed this book and if you like domestic thrillers, then you will enjoy this book. I want to thank net galley and the publisher for the ARC I received for an honest review. (less)

When Beth was 10 years old, her mother Alice walked out and never came back. Despite a troubled childhood coming to terms with her abandonment, Beth is finally settled and happy. A knock at the door one day throws it all in the air when her Mother walks back into her life unannounced. At first her happiness is complete but things soon start to go wrong, badly wrong. Who is trying to destroy Beth's life and how far are they prepared to go to make her suffer.

I enjoyed this one although I had worked out the ending fairly early in the book, it didn't take anything away from the skilful story-telling. The characters are very three dimensional and Beth's confusion and torment is well written. I would definitely recommend this book

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

I'm excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Jackie Kabler's latest tale of domestic suspense THE HAPPY FAMILY.

Having read her previous thriller "The Perfect Couple" , I had high hopes for this book...and I wasn't disappointed. Addicted pretty much from the beginning, THE HAPPY FAMILY is anything but a happy family. But oh how it's dysfunctionality worked!

When Beth was ten years old her mother walked out of their lives and never came back. Now she is forty, amicably divorced from Jacob with two children - Eloise (10) and Finley (7) - and a practice manager for a local GP surgery. Her father who brought her up single-handedly after her mother left is now 80 and living in a care home having suffered a stroke where Beth visits him regularly. Despite the upsets of her childhood and the ensuing adolescent years, Beth has found a happy contentment in her life for which she is grateful.

But Beth has a secret. A deep dark secret which haunts her still. In her thoughts and in her nightmares. And Beth believes it is only a matter of time before her past catches up to her and her secret shame is revealed for all to see.

And then something surprising happens. A knock on the door is about to turn her life upside down as an unfamiliar woman stands on her doorstep. Beth has no idea who she is...until she sees the familiar tattoo on her collarbone. Three stars - one for Beth, one for her dad and one for her mum. No...it can't be...can it? All at once, Beth is overwhelmed by a flood of tears as emotions run rampant at the realisation that the woman standing before her is her mother. She has come back.

Welcoming Alice with open arms, Beth invites her into her home and into her life, asking her to stay for a few days (at first) and then for however long she likes. So thrilled to be reunited with her long lost mother after thirty years, the questions she had about her absent years and why she left just disappear into the background as unimportant. Her mother is back and that's all that matters now. Soon Beth is introducing her mother to her friends and colleagues and they are all incredibly happy for her and accepting of Alice.

And then things start to go wrong.

Almost instantly, strange things begin to happen. Beth loses her keys, not once, but several times. The central heating develops bipolar heating the place up like a sauna despite the thermostat set at the usual temperature. Things go missing or are moved about and Beth begins to wonder if she is losing her grip on reality. Then it seems she is alienating her friends, losing her appetite and drinking far too much. Everyone around her seems to notice the change in her behaviour and become worried, but it's when her children start to suffer that Jacob steps in and tells her to get her act together.

And then videos appear online of Beth...naked...in the bath and rather lewdly in front of a mirror. Not only that, but the videos are linked on several Facebook pages - the surgery where she works, her ex-husband's business page, the care home where her father resides, her friends' pages - all posted from her personal account and is going viral. But the humiliation doesn't end there. It seems a tabloid has picked up the videos and have delved into her background and uncovered the deep dark secret she never wanted to make public.

Within a couple of months, her life has gone from happy contentment to a complete humiliating mess. And the only one who remains in her corner is her mum. Thank goodness she is there to support her. Or is she?

With her life crumbling around her, Beth looks in danger of losing everything and everyone close to her until someone totally unexpected comes to her rescue – a fabulous twist I admittedly guessed early on. But it was still a brilliant twist. So who is Beth's saviour?

There are several twists and reveals in THE HAPPY FAMILY and though I guessed a couple of the big ones it didn't ruin my enjoyment of it. For me, it made the most sense...even if Beth didn't have a clue. But what had me scratching my head was why would Beth take the word of the mother who had only just reappeared in her life (after being absent for the most part) over that of her friends who she knew far better in any case? She was so quick to believe the worst of them on the say so of her mother...and yet didn't question if Alice really had her best interests at heart? She may have briefly entertained the idea but she dismissed it just as quickly also. I realise the woman may have spent her whole life yearning for her mother but after being absent for thirty years, I'd want to be asking some questions. And yet Beth pushed all those aside. Still, maybe Alice just wanted Beth all to herself after being away for so long.

There are so many hints dropped throughout the story that lead the reader trying to figure our exactly what is going on, tying some in knots in the process. There were always going to be questions behind Alice's sudden reappearance...even if Beth failed to ask them. But should we be suspicious? Should Beth? Nothing was ever going to be straightforward, that's for sure, but is it too good to be true? Or are we just set up to be cynical about the obvious? Kabler has certainly played upon the more conspicuous to leave us all scratching our heads wondering what to believe. Is it Beth being gas-lighted? Or is it the reader?

Throughout the story, THE HAPPY FAMILY is, of course, anything but. But the mystery, the suspense, the tension...oh, it was a car crash moment. We simply couldn't look away. We were baited in the beginning then slowly drawn in and by this stage were well and truly hooked as we witness Beth's slow decline into self doubt and self destruction.

Part psychological part domestic, THE HAPPY FAMILY is an addictive read that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of psychological drama and domestic thrillers such as Shalini Boland, K.L. Slater, Sheryl Browne, Ruth Heald, Rona Halsall and Lisa Jewell.

I would like to thank #JackieKabler, #Netgalley, #RachelsRandomResources and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #TheHappyFamily in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Happy Family a quick, page turner of a read. It was fast paced and kept me wanting to read more. I did find it a little predictable in places but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

The Happy Family
Jackie Kabler
Publication date 6/4/21
⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5 stars

Beth is a divorced mother of two living a peaceful life. It took her awhile but she has found her happiness. She has a successful career, a beautiful family and caring friends. When Beth was 10 years old her mother disappeared leaving a whole in Beth’s heart. It’s always bothered but after 30 years she has gotten used to it.
Beth is shocked when her long lost mother appears at her doorstep. Just as Beth thinks her life is complete her life starts to crumble- this story is filled with twists I found somewhat predictable the storyline at times was choppy.. overall it was a quick read that kept my attention!

This review can be found on my Goodreads account

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12409011-donna-beiderman

Thank you NetGalley for the early edition for an exchange of my honest review.

Beth had a tough childhood. Her mother Alice walked out and disappeared when Beth was only 10 years old. Fast forward to the future and Beth has built a good life for herself with a great job, a nice home, and a loving family of her own.

Then one day Alice unexpectedly shows up on Beth’s doorstep. Beth welcomes Alice with open arms and they start to rebuild their lost relationship. And here comes the twists! Strange things start to happen to Beth, which leads her to question everything. Is someone after her?

This was my favorite Jackie Kabler book to date. I enjoyed the suspense that lead up to the brilliant ending. I highly recommended this thriller.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) on May 28, 2021.

Beth has two beautiful children and a job she loves, and even though she is divorced she is on good terms with her ex-husband and his girlfriend. All in all, life is happy. The only missing piece is her mother, who walked out on Beth and her father when Beth was only ten years old.

Then, with a knock on the door, everything changes. Her mother has returned and they quickly begin to make up for lost time. At first it all seems to be perfect. Then strange things begin to happen, Beth’s friends seem to be distancing themselves, and rumors surface about her past. Someone is trying to destroy her happiness.

The Happy Family is a page-turner. It is a well-written, well-paced domestic thriller with good characters and a writing style I enjoyed. While Beth may have made some errors in judgement, her mistakes were somewhat understandable and could be forgiven. Even with a few missteps or inconsistencies, I still found this book to be a good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy of THE HAPPY FAMILY. This is the type of book that makes me squirm in my chair as I'm reading it. The troupe where the main character is either crazy, or being framed has always made me uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, it is a great POV, it just unsettles me. I felt like in this case the writing was excellent. I felt as she did, being manipulated and always afraid. The reason I did not give this four stars is because I saw the end coming. Thanks for an entertaining read.

The Happy Family is the second book I’ve read by Jackie Kabler and like the last one is one I enjoyed reading.
Beth is a single parent, she has a good job and two lovely children, she even gets on with her ex and his girlfriend who he he left Beth for after having an affair. Beth religiously visits her father who is in a home after suffering a stroke. The only thing that is missing from Beth’s life is her mum. Beth’s mum walked out on her and her father when she was only ten years old, this is something that has had a lasting affect on Beth in more than one way. Beth is stunned one day after answering the door to a woman who says she is her mother. Fast forward and Beth’s mum has moved in with her and the kids and can’t do enough for anyone but Beth’s life spirals downwards when she starts to drink and friends turn against her.
This was a good read, I had figured it all out by the halfway mark but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment any, if anything it made me more angry at what was happening to Beth. I liked all the characters and thought they all played a good part and the storyline was moving forwards all the time.
I would like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

UGH, I hate writing bad reviews but I gotta be honest, right? I really enjoyed The Perfect Coupe by this author so I was really excited to get this from NetGalley. Unfortunately I was really disappointed with this one. It was very repetitive, the main character was whiny and weak, and I had figured out the big secret and the twist about 60 pages in. Three big negatives from me.

Sadly I can’t think of anything positive to say about this read, I won’t get the time back. One dimensional plot, very little development of story or characters and a bizarre style of writing. The build up was tedious and the main character annoying, the writing was stilted and unimaginative. I saw the gaslighting a mile away and so would any other reasonably minded human.

When Beth was a child, her mother walked out and never came back. Now that Beth is approaching forty, settled in with a good career and loving family, her long lost mother shows up at her doorstep, and soon her life begins to unravel.
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I loved THE PERFECT COUPLE, so I was thrilled to get a copy of Jackie Kabler’s latest thriller! When I read her writing, I feel like I can sit back and relax because I know I’m in good hands.

I connected with Beth from page one and found myself immediately on the ride of a single mother juggling a full-time career while caring for an aging father. I felt her joy when her estranged mother showed up on her doorstep, and when things began going wrong for her, I found myself cringing, feeling her embarrassment, confusion and paranoia. Like a good main character in a psychological thriller, Beth starts drinking a fair amount in an attempt to deal, and I must say, under those circumstances, I can’t blame her.

The supporting characters are all incredibly specific and believable, and while Beth tries to grapple with the notion of someone intentionally trying to ruin her life, there is certainly plenty of suspicious behavior happening around her. I’ve seen some reviews stating how easy it is to figure out the first big reveal, but I have to say, I think that’s all part of the plan. It makes the twists that follow all the more shocking! I think Kabler is so adept at what she does that she’s just having fun playing around with what the reader can figure out when.

As thrillers go, this one-part psychological, one-part domestic. It’s a fun, perfect-for-summer page-turner that never gets too dark and ends in a fun flurry of surprises and twists.

This comes out on June 4, 2021!

Thank you One More Chapter and HarperCollins UK for the ARC!

While I didn’t love this book as much as I hoped I would, there were some positive elements to take away. Firstly, I really enjoyed the writing style - although I wasn’t fully engaged with all of the content, I liked the detail that the author put into situations and characters and at some point in the future, I’m going to read some of her other books in the hopes that I might enjoy them more. I was definitely caught up in Beth’s paranoia as she tries to work out if she is genuinely losing her mind or if someone is behind the strange things that keep happening to her - I thought the suspense during those parts was super tangible.

However, I figured out the major twists pretty early on in the story and from there, the plot kind of lost its mystery for me. Although I did mostly like Beth, she came across as ridiculously naive for a 40-year-old woman, why would you not question your ‘mother’ coming back into your life after 30 years?! I couldn’t wrap my head around it and had a difficult time relating to her character after that. I neither loved nor hated this book, it falls into the ‘ok’ category for me and I will probably never think about it again but I am going to give some of the author’s other books a go!

Big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a psychological thriller that had me holding my breath and actually getting angry at the person causing Beth so much anguish and pain. I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could to get to the end of the book. The author created some exceptional characters and did an excellent job with the reactions of the characters. They played on the typical human response and how quickly some people judge others without asking for facts.

Beth has spent her adult life being chased by what happened when she was younger. She grew up without a Mum, struggling to understand why she was left behind. When someone started playing these games on her, her mind couldn’t grasp what was actually happening. I will say I figured or out quickly but that only made me more angry at the villain and to feel much more for Beth.

A great mystery that doesn’t involve gore or violence. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing ARC. A must read if you love intriguing storylines, in-depth characters an a mystifying thriller.

This book was just brilliant.

It was so easy to read, the chapters were short and I really struggled to put it down.

It is packed with mystery and I really enjoyed finding out what happened.

It is fast paced and things started unravelling really quickly, I just loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler. When Beth’s mother shows up on her doorstep 30 years after she walked out on her and her father, Beth welcomes her back with open arms, no questions asked. Beth is overjoyed to have her mother back but then slowly things in her life start to go wrong. Although I guessed the twists quite early on, it didn’t take away the enjoyment of it all coming together.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.