The audio for this book was good. Easy to understand. The book, however, was just middle of the road for me. I enjoyed the first half but really started losing interest half way.

The beginning of Mother May I reminded me of The Chain, which I had just finished a few days prior. The two books weren’t too similar beyond the kidnapping aspect, but it was a nice segue!

This book was quite the page-turner. It flew by, and there weren’t really any boring or slow parts. It was paced much faster than Never Have I Ever, which was more of a slow burn. The best part is that it starts off terrifyingly realistically–the way the baby was stolen could be straight out of a news report. This story will make you want to double check that your doors are locked and that your kids are safely in their beds (…I assume. I don’t have kids.)

The characters were very well written and well developed. Bree grew up poor but was able to fake it until she made it, and now is living the perfect life. She was no damsel in distress, though–when her child was taken, she did everything she needed to in order to get him back. Her ability to stay cool and collected in the face of tragedy made her a compelling main character. Mitchell was my favorite character, and I was torn between rooting for him to get the girl and wanting Bree to be able to repair her marriage.

My only complaint is with the way the book ended, but I won’t spoil it here. If you’ve read Mother May I, my blog has a spoiler discussion!

Overall, Mother May I was an intriguing, fast-paced thriller that grabbed my attention early on and held it all the way through the end.

It’s no mystery that I adore Joshilyn Jackson and this book just reminded me again why. Mother May I took me on a journey that had my heart racing and tears in my eyes within minutes of each other. Her story telling is like no other. I love that she narrates her books too. I can’t image anyone else bringing her characters to life like she does.
If you like great writing, characters that you feel like you know, and a story that keeps you engaged till the last page you definitely need to pick this one up. I highly recommend this one on audible!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook for a honest review

From the very beginning, I could not put down this book. At times, I was mad at Brie for being so naïve but at the same time, I know I would do anything for my children. I'm still digesting the end...not sure if I like it; however, logically I know it couldn't end another way.

This was an audiobook. I LOVE when the author reads her own books, and Joshilyn is a great narrator. She give each character their own voice and dialect.

Thanks Joshilyn Jackson, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.

I want to start by saying this IS a good book, and I enjoyed it.
The overall plotline is heart wrenching and terrifying. - Bree’s newborn baby is stolen and held hostage in a dirty revenge plot that has nothing to do with her, but now its up to her to get her baby back. This is what nightmares are made of!

Then why only 3 stars? – The pace was off for me. It seemed like in the midst of the most exciting parts we kept taking breaks to hear a long dramatic monologue or learn something about a characters past. Some of these were important but most of the time it really killed the suspense vibe and made it hard for me to keep listening.

When I received this audio arc I was excited, I’ve seen so much praise about one of Joshilyn Jackson’s other books (Never Have I Ever) so I set the bar in my mind pretty high. I do still plan to read the other book as comparison.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for and advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the audiobook for Joshilyn Jackson’s Mother May I. It was suspenseful and I had a hard time pausing the audio because I wanted to keep listening to figure out how the story would unfold. The narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life, and I found that I was immersed in the story from the beginning. I would recommend this title for readers looking for a suspenseful read that unfolds gradually.

I received an audiobook of this title from the publisher via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily. This did not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

4 stars to my second Joshilyn Jackson book! Thank you to netgalley for providing me an advanced copy for a review.

Mother May I is Jackson’s second thriller novel and I definitely see her work getting better with each one. This novel follows a woman named Bree Cabbat whose son is taken in broad daylight. When the kidnapper contacts Bree, she has to make impossible choices to follow the path to getting her son back, risking everything she knows and loves.
This story gripped me from the beginning and really pulled hard on my mom feels. It made me question what I would do in Bree’s Impossible scenario and I love a book that makes me evaluate as if it could happen for real! This book lost a star because the end fell a little flat compared to the rest of the book. I was hooked more by the suspense built throughout story than the suspense at the end. However, once it was over I smiled and had that great feeling you get when you feel like a thriller was wrapped up with no lingering questions.

I can’t wait for more readers to get their hands on this one!

I adore Joshilyn Jackson and have read everything she has written. When given the chance to listen to an early release of Mother May I, I was delighted. And, I was not disappointed. This is her second novel in the "thriller" category, after Never Have I Ever.

In this book, readers are introduced to a seemingly perfect family. But, as we know, nothing is ever as perfect as it seems. When baby Robert goes missing, Bree Cabbat is forced to grapple with her mother's worldview about the world being a dark and scary place. She's also forced to confront what type of man she married, the true cost of her comfortable life, and how far she'll go to protect those she loves. Highly recommended!

Joshilyn Jackson narrates this herself, and the run time is 12 hours and 51 minutes.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This book was so good. I could not put it down. It was non-stop suspense from beginning to end. This is perfect for anyone who loves a good suspense... thriller.
This was a hear pounding thriller that will have you guessing till the very end.
The characters were well written by the author.
And the writing wad fabulous

Bree Cabbat has it all: a gorgeous, successful husband, two beautiful and talented teen age daughters, and a brand new baby boy. So when a mysterious older woman steals her baby for a very strange ransom, Bree is not going to ask questions---she’s going to do whatever she needs to do to get him back. Whatever, truly. The first book I ever “read” by this author was an audiobook and I’ve been hooked ever since. When I saw this latest novel was available on NetGalley as an audiobook, I jumped at the chance to read/review it---and I’m so glad I did! I loved every single thing about this book: great pace, great characters, great audio (from the author herself). The only think I didn’t care for is the title, but I’m willing to shrug that off since the content was so good. HIGHLY recommend!

NOTE: Special thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

When the author reads the audio version of their book, it typically means a sub-par listening experience. That is most certainly not the case with Joshilyn Jackson. Her reading enhances the whole experience, because it feels like she’s a friend telling me the best story I’ve ever heard. Mother May I tackles some difficult topics, which I don’t want to mention because I’d run the risk of spoiling the story. This book is best read without knowing much about the story ahead of time, but as I’ve learned, readers (or listeners) are always in excellent hands with a storyteller like Joshilyn Jackson.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Mother May I is Joshilyn Jackson's newest thriller. The audio version was spellbinding in its intensity; I listened over the course of one day. The main character, Bree, has the life she has always dreamed of: a wealthy, loving husband, two talented, beautiful daughters, a new baby son, and a worry free life.....until she wakes to see a witchy- looking apparition peeping into her bedroom window.
Her life literally changes forever from that point on: her son is kidnapped. How far would you go to rescue your child---whom would you be willing to sacrifice ? Do you really know your family and friends? The characters and situations drive this racing plot through the darkest emotions of power, privilege, and revenge. The ending was satisfying, as I like all the loose ends securely tied.
*Trigger warnings* include rape, drug use, binge drinking, murder, suicide, child murder, and profanity.
Thank you #NetGalley#Harperaudio#MotherMayI for an Audio version ARC of this book. My honest opinions are my own---I review books I enjoy so that others may enjoy them, too.
The narrator, the author, does a great job reading this book.
COMING APRIL 6, 2021

This book had me hooked from the get go. The story is an absolute Rollercoaster, the characters well written and intriguing. I couldn't put the book down.
I will be recommending to everyone I know when the book is released!

This book was so good I actually dreamt I was living the story. When a story can invade your dreams you know you are invested. I listened to the audiobook (the narrator is the author so she understands the characters very well) it was a fast paced thriller. I was terrified for the characters and parts (as a mother) were super hard to listen to. The story is very realistic to the point I had to remind myself this was not based on real events. (I live where the story is based so I think that was messing with me too) I highly recommend reading or listening to this book.

The audio is fantastic and kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciated the narration and it paired well with the pace of the book. The story itself threw me for a loop in a good way, I enjoyed the characters and appreciated all the threads of the story. The ending surprised me and I greatly appreciate being able to listen to an audio early, Joshilyn Jackson is talented.

This was a good thriller. There are some trigger warnings for sure in regards to rape but overall I thought it was well written and one of her better stories. Even when you think it's over there is still quite a lot left!

I have always enjoyed Joshilyn Jackson's fiction, but I think she has really gotten her grove on with her more recent forays into the mystery/thriller genre. The first book in this vein was Never Have I Ever, which was solid. But, the upcoming Mother May I is even better!!! And, I long ago began to exclusively listen to her novels because she's a delightful narrator. Trained as an actress, she puts her talent to good use on her own books. If you enjoyed Gin Phillips' Fierce Kingdom, you will like Mother May I.

I listened to this over the course of two days. I couldn’t put it down. Joshilyn Jackson wrote and narrated Mother May I, her latest thriller.

A wealthy, stay-at-home mother discovers her baby was kidnapped while she turned her back for a moment. In his place was a note instructing her to go straight home if she ever wanted to see her baby again. She and her best friend’s widower (a detective, conveniently) race to find her baby before her wealthy husband and in-laws find out he’s missing. Along the way, they discover a horrifying incident in her husband’s past that led to the kidnapping.

The story is well paced and captivating. The reader is going to have suspend disbelief a few times. Why didn’t they just call the police? There were plenty of opportunities. The ending was nice and tidy.

The author as narrator isn’t always the best choice, but in this case Jackson was a great performer. I recommend the audiobook without reservation.

Mother May I

The book started out with a compelling creepiness, but it lost me just as quickly as it grabbed me.

I felt like the narrator was constantly reminding me of what was happening and how she felt about it. Some of this did seem necessary for added impact, but it mostly felt overdone and artificially dramatic. It felt like filler and suggested to me that the author doesn’t trust her readers to think and feel on their own. I find this very unappealing, as I don’t need my hand held as I’m led through a story.

Some of the things the readers are expected to believe about the villain are so far-fetched: She slips away with the baby after Bree looks away for just a moment and no one notices, even though most of the people present would have known Bree and her baby. The culprit is supposedly too sick to carry out the deed she asks of Bree, but she is not too sick to kidnap a baby and make a fast getaway. Sometimes when I’m already so disillusioned by a story, suspending disbelief is just too difficult.

All of these factors are making this reading experience incredibly unenjoyable for me. I’m going to leave my thoughts on Goodreads as me simply not being the right reader, rather than hashing all of this out for a book that other readers will be able to positively promote. I won’t share these thoughts publicly on my Facebook page or Instagram either since sharing will not benefit the author. I am abandoning this at the 30% mark.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my audio review copy. All opinions are my own.

Bree doesn't want to be like her mother, scared of everything, so when she sees the "witch" outside her window, she thinks she is going a little crazy. She sees her again when she is at her children's school and it's then when she realizes she does have the right to be scared. Bree's 10 week old son is taken and she has to do whatever this woman tells her so that she is able to get him back.
Secrets are unearthed that have been buried for years and she feels like she is in over her head. Luckily, her friend Marshall is there to help her solve the mystery of the past. She must sift through all the clues from her husband's past to figure out what this woman wants.
As she learns these secrets, she has to decide what she is willing to live with and what she will do to get her child back. This book left me on the edge of my seat and I wasn't planning on finishing it in one day, but I HAD to know what happened. I loved the ending here, I would have been mad if it came out any other way.
The audio was fantastic and the voices were on point. Thank you to Harper Audio, Netgalley and Joshilyn Jackson for and early copy of this audiobook.