Book 21 towards my goal of 240! 3/5 stars for this mystery read. I do not recommend this one for mama's of tiny babies. The mystery in this book is excellent, loved the two main characters. I did feel like it was a bit long in parts, and one aspect felt unnecessary to the story. The audio was actually narrated by the author, which was great!

*I received this book in exchange for honest review from Netgalley*

I loved the story and the ending was exactly what I wanted but felt like it kind of dragged on a certain parts. And certain things just felt unbelievable.

Bree Cabot grew up poor but married into a family with wealth, power, and connections. She now lives in a gorgeous home with her lawyer- husband, two lovely teen daughters, and a new baby boy. 

One day Bree sees a "witch" woman looking into her bedroom window.   Is this a dream or reality?  Later that day Bree sees that same "witch" woman parked near her car.  Her new baby is sleeping in her car and when she turns away, the baby is abducted.  (HUH?)   A ransom note is later received with one specific demand.

Although this book was fast-paced, well-written, and featured strong character development, the book had too many "plot holes" to resonate with me.  TRUE CONFESSION:  I usually don't like "witch" books and that was a major negative.   I also felt that the details of Bree's baby's abduction were not very believable -- along with Bree's reaction to the abduction and her behavior after the abduction occurred.

I listened to this book's audio version that was read by the author.   The author's narration of the book was superb. 

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

4 STARS

I was HOOKED from the beginning. This was an excellent thriller that grabbed my attention and held it until the end. I listened to the unofficial audiobook narrated by the author, Joshilyn Jackson. (She nailed it.)

After Bree's son is kidnapped, Bree is given directions to follow by the kidnapper, who she believes resembles a witch. Bree does anything and everything the kidnapper tells her to do to get her son back. Eventually, Bree turns to her friend Marshall, a former policeman, for help. I couldn't wait to find out what happened.

I've read previous reviews that this book was slow, or not as great as Ms. Jackson's other books, or not worth 4-5 stars. This was my first one by the author, so I can't vouch for that yet ("Never Have I Ever" IS on my shelf, though!) I think this one was well-done, and I plan to read more from this author.

Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Collins, Harper Audio, and Joshilyn Jackson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be released on April 6, 2021.

I am a big fan Joshilyn Jackson and was thrilled to get this advance copy of Mother May I. The tension in this story is palpable and steady. There were parts of this book that felt a little unbelievable-like character choices. I also felt the ending was a bit too neat with a bow wrapped neatly around it. That being said I was consumed when reading it and anxious to see how everything would work out in the end. It isn’t my favorite book by Jackson but still an entertaining story. There are several trigger warnings. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Many thanks to William Morrow, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book started off slow for me but really started to pick up about 15% in. I’m not sure what I expected from this story. It was a good paced story and I enjoyed the narrator but I felt like the story just ended. I for sure will read another book by this author.

I was eager to listen to this book, as I’ve heard great things about the author’s narration. Mother May I did not disappoint—I was hooked to the point of being antisocial until I finished it. Beyond Jackson’s excellent narration that brought the characters to life, I couldn’t pull myself away from the plot twists and turns. I can already picture this as the next popular HBO series. Highly recommend to those who enjoyed Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere. Trigger warnings for kidnapping, sexual assault, and drug addiction.

Bree Cabbat hasn't always been wealthy. As a child, she was extremely poor and her mother made sure to drill into her head that the world was a dark and scary place. Now a mother to two talented daughters, a new baby boy, and as the wife of a successful lawyer, Bree's biggest stress is focusing on interactions with her former best male friend and making sure to get her daughters to their practices. When her baby boy is kidnapped while Bree is sitting right next to him at a school play practice, the day right after a woman dressed in all black appeared in her garden, Bree finds herself in a panic. Her only clue is a note that tells her to go straight home and to call no one. Soon Bree is caught in a plot to take out a string of people, or risk never seeing her child again. Could Bree's husband's past be the secret that puts all the pieces into place?

Author and narrator Joshilyn Jackson is stellar in the book Mother May I. Not only does her writing capture the absolute panic of a mother separated from her young child, but her delivery of the audiobook captures the voice as well. I found myself absolutely on edge with this book, listening until the wee hours of the morning to get to the very end. Jackson's writing is creative, hard to predict, and the kind of original that makes reading a thriller (or in this case listening to it) an absolute blast.

Mother May I is available on audiobook April 6, 2021.

I am usually a big fan of Jackson's novels. I find the pacing, the character development and the plot intriguing and engaging, so I was really looking forward to this one.

And while I did read it all pretty quickly, this wouldn't be at the top of my Jackson novels. It's almost as if it's two books. The first one is the plight of a mother whose baby is kidnapped and she's doing what she needs to do to get her baby back and then the second book is the backstory of the kidnapper and the event that led her to it.

Either story, fully fleshed out might have been interesting but together it felt disjointed.

There are also several trigger warnings that go with this story, so please do look up those before you read it. I am not usually easily triggered but because the second part of the story felt so disjointed for me, I didn't see it coming.

Even with all that, I still read this story fast and wanted to keep reading to see what happened and why. As with many Jackson novels, the characters were real and the story moved at a pace that made it hard to put down.

with gratitude to Harper Audio and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't guess the ending at all! I kept wanting to keep listening and in fact I did every chance I got. This is not the first book I have read from this author. I will continue to follow and read her.

Wow! This was my first Joshilyn Jackson book and I can’t wait to read every other one by her.

This book is a five star reading experience that should not be missed.

The cover is beautiful and catchy that made me want to read before I even knew the story.

I read this as an audiobook read by the author. This was the best audio experience I have ever had. Joshilyn Jackson is someone I now want to read all my future books to me! She was remarkable.

The story follows Bree who has her toddler Robert kidnapped while she looked away at her older daughter’s school.

Bree and her search for her child and answers keeps you wanting more and more. She is a very likable character that you just want her to find peace and comfort throughout the book. There is nothing a mother won’t do or trade for her child’s safety and happiness.

Thank you so much to William Morrow, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ARC and such an enjoyable reading experience!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, it was utterly amazing. I think it will be one of my best books in 2021! It's the first book I've read by Joshilyn Jackson and it won't be my last. A life lesson that your past follows you into your future.
#goodreads

3.5 stars - I can't decide how to rate this book. Part of it thoroughly captured me and part I found to be shake my head unbelievable. Maybe after a few days of processing, I will think differently.
This was an ARC given to me by NetGalley..

The narrator of this audiobook did a great job with the variety of character's voices and I was hooked from the start. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book in advance!

The main character, Bree Cabbat, was easy to connect with. She married into a wealthy and privileged family, which was very different from the way she was raised as a child. She is an understanding, cautious, gentle woman who cares deeply about her friends and family. When her son was kidnapped, she was forced to make difficult decisions to get him back. I really enjoyed how her character developed throughout the book as she navigated danger, fear and tough choices.

There were some dark parts (kidnapping, murder, rape) and lots of twists that kept me needing to know what was going to happen to Bree and her family.

While most of the book kept me on my toes, I thought the relationship between Bree and Marshall was predictable and the happily-ever-after ending fell a bit short for me after just finishing another thriller that had a very unexpected ending. I really enjoyed the character development, the unique setting and the plot twists throughout this book. I’m looking forward to reading more Joshilyn Jackson!

I liked this book a lot. I think it was different in the way the main character Bree connected as a mother through this and the bond between mother and child. The question of being defined for one mistake in the past to all the other positive things in your life is something that stuck with me. What would I do if I was in her spot? Would I be able to play all the different rolls she did? The reason I gave this a 4 over a 5 star rating is as much as I enjoyed the book I don’t think I would pick it up and read it again unless I have forgotten the story line. This story line is also hard to forget. Great book overall not your average thriller.

Review posted on goodreads.

Have you ever read a book that makes you think, Wow that's messed up? But also, what would I do in that situation? No? Well, here's your chance. Bree's son is taken, and to get him back, there are....conditions. My heart was racing for most of the book, but the ending was a bit too neat for me. Overall, though, this was a great read.

I was quite intrigued with the cover and premise, but unfortunately this one fell flat. I felt there were two stories; the first half lead right into Bree’s baby boy, Robert, being kidnapped. It was suspenseful and twisty because of the rules & tasks she had to follow. What extremes would mothers go to to get there kids back?! The second half felt different with new characters and mystery. It’s a bit confusing to follow and a bit long. Thank you to William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

I love books by Joshilyn Jackson, and Mother May I was no exception. She is generous with details and giving the plot fairly early in the story. The tension build is steady and does not feel rushed. And the twist is good, one I did not figure out. The characters are multidimensional and remind me of someone who could be my family or friend. The narrator for the audiobook did a great job of capturing the emotions of the characters and engaged the reader through the entire book.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Well written with good character development but very predictable to me. A woman’s baby is kidnapped and she is encouraged to do some unspeakable acts to get her baby back. But why? It honestly was a struggle to get through this. Too many twists and turns I was getting whiplash and confused. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

Bree wakes up one morning convinced a witch was peering into her bedroom. Later on her infant son is kidnapped and Bree must do something in exchange for getting back her son.

I have read several Joshilyn Jackson books and she has a great way of building characters. Mother May I was a solid mystery that made you want to keep reading.

I ended up reading half and listening to half with an audio book. I liked listening to the author reading her book.