I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great legal thriller. Lara Bazelon did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

I rarely assign a single star to a book, but this one unequivocally deserves it; it's a flaming disaster. It genuinely surprised me to discover that the author is an attorney because, for a legal thriller, the courtroom scenes and legal aspects are astonishingly inaccurate and overly sensationalized. As dreadful as those elements were, the characters were unquestionably the most lamentable part of the book.

Each character in this narrative (with the possible exception of Abby's friend, Jonathan) incited my intense disapproval. The story revolves around Luz Rivera Hollis, a teenage wife and new mother accused of brutally stabbing her husband on a military base in Germany. The question lingers: was it an act of self-defense to protect herself and her infant daughter, or a meticulously planned act of revenge? Luz is transported back to Los Angeles for a federal trial, where we encounter the two public defenders, Abby and Will. Abby is nine months pregnant when she's initially assigned to defend Luz. After giving birth, her colleague, Will, assumes responsibility for the case. Will is young, handsome, and recently married to his college sweetheart. Abby refuses to let go of the case and forgoes her maternity leave, opting to co-chair with Will. The story is further complicated by a presiding judge who holds a grudge against Abby and a deceitful defendant.

*Spoiler Alert*

It appears that Bazelon intended for this book to champion empowerment for women and mothers, as it's emphasized several times. However, I might be in the minority here, but the notion of women using their bodies for "empowerment" doesn't resonate with me; it comes across as degrading and off-putting. The point at which Abby disrobes in the judge's chamber to pressure him to recuse himself, and Luz refrains from wearing underwear in her "crime scene recreations" with Will due to her anticipation of his reaction, lost me entirely. The male characters in the story don't fare much better. Will is a despicable character, and the judge is a disgrace to the judiciary.

Upon finishing the book, I remained skeptical about the motives, as I found none of Bazelon's explanations for Luz's actions convincing. The trial's crime scene recreation was also a significant stumbling block. In reality, there is no courtroom in the country where a judge and prosecutor would permit such a chaotic scene to unfold in front of jurors; it felt like a scene from a cheesy 1980s soap opera.

To sum it up, don't be deceived by the book's title. There is no "good mother" to be found within its pages, and ultimately, it amounts to a less-than-satisfactory waste of time.

This one really wasn't for me. I found it hard to connect to the story. Maybe it was because I didn't enjoy the plot, or like some of the characters. But I definitely think others will.

A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon is a courtroom thriller that puts 19 yr old mother Luz on trial for the murder of her military husband. The public defender, Abby, has a challenge in front of her. Luz could be charged for murder and is trying to save her life by saying it was self defense. But was it? This was a very fast read that when the trial is over no one will expect the outcome. You will not want to put the book down until the ending. This one thriller that you will not want to miss if you enjoy courtroom and family thrillers.


5 out of 5 stars


Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

This book tackled some hard issues and a very close-to-my-heart question. Bazelon does a great job portraying relatable characters who you want to understand and follow throughout the story.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

I liked this book but it could have been better - I did find Luz quite annoying - and the trial judge was just uncalled for. The amount of sexual innuendos in this was a bit extreme

This was a great read. I am definitely adding Lara Bazelon to my list of authors to watch for new books from! The characters were interesting and had several layers and I loved the courtroom drama throughout the whole book. It definitely kept you guessing on what was going to happen and then you find out what (likely) happened and if the jury got it wrong or right. Definitely recommend.

This is an incredible courtroom drama/psychological thriller. The stories of the two mothers, one a defendant and one a defense attorney, intersect in many ways. They both find themselves under society's microscope for their behavior.

With all of the moral lines that are crossed, I found it difficult to like/connect with any of the main characters. In spite of that, I couldn't stop reading, to find out how it all played out. There are lots of twists and turns, and I wound up seeing some things coming yet being surprised by others.

this was a great debut novel, I really enjoyed how the author was able to write the mystery in this book. the characters are great and I enjoyed going on this journey with them.

My Review:
Amazing, wonderful, excellent, awesome, great, loved are just a few of the words that I would use to describe this book. This is one of the best courtroom thrillers I ever read. It had it all. A great plot, fantastic characters and a shocking ending. What more can you ask for from a book? This book had me hooked from the very first word to the very last word. I did not rest until I finished the whole thing. It was just that good. I never heard of this author before and I thought I would give her a try. I’m so happy that I took that chance. This is the first fiction book she wrote and she sure did not disappoint. I’m so glad she switched from non fiction to fiction as she did such a great job in writing this one. There were so many wonderful things about this book but my favorite part was a courtroom scene that played out like it was a movie. I held my breathe the whole entire time and I really felt like I was there at the scene of the crime. Kudos to the author for doing such an awesome job at writing this book. I look forward to reading her next book. Hopefully it is another courtroom thriller.

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❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rating: 5/5 stars.

“A Good Mother” by Lara Bazelon is an intense legal thriller focused on the theme of motherhood. Juxtaposed throughout the novel is the two mothers; the lawyer, Abby, and the defendant, Luz. Both have very different ideas of just what it means to be a ‘good’ mother. And both face very different challenges. For Abby, it is balancing work with a new baby. For Luz, it is facing the prospect of life in a prison for a crime she may or may not have committed.

The plot is well-paced, and the characters have a lot of depth. Even though they might not necessarily be the best people, their backgrounds and descriptions incite empathy in the reader. The plot quickly ramps up nearing the climax. The build-up from the closing statements of the trial to the jury’s verdict were so intense, that I was sweating as if I myself was on trial.

Overall, I loved this book. It is very solid debut, and I cannot wait to read what the author writes next.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

A Good Mother is an intriguing courtroom thriller. It's the story of Luz, a 19 year old mother who is is on trial for murdering her soldier husband, and Abby, the ambitious public defender who is assigned to her case. This was a quick read that was captivating and kept my interest throughout. The Good Mother was a great debut, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Love trial narratives that feature strong women? The new book A Good Mother follows Abby, a public defender who refuses to turn down a challenge.. She's determined to take over the case of a woman accused of stabbing her husband through the heart at an Army base. Did she do it to save her infant daughter?

The book questions what it means to be a good mother, no matter your circumstances.

I love legal thrillers and I have to say this is an amazing, awesome debut book! It is full of twists and turns and the author captures your attention and holds it! An absolute page turner!

As a legal thriller, it felt to be subpar but it had its good moment. A teen mother was accused of killing her husband in Germany and was brought to the USA to stand trial, as there was some suspense about the motive, if it were self-defense. So far so good, then there were some creative fiction licenses taken which diluted the suspense but it was dramatic enough in some parts. overall an okay read.

As a "murder show" consumer, I liked this story. It had the Law and Order Esque courtroom stuff plus a little CSI thrown in with it. I thought that the characters and their motivations were plausible, and without giving away more of the plot, I was pretty satisfied with the ending.

Thank you to the publisher for a NetGalley copy of A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon.

A young 19-year-old military wife is put on trial for the stabbing death of her soldier husband. Lies and deceit abound and attorneys Abby and Will must work to uncover just what actually happened on that treacherous night.

Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. Maybe it's that I'm finding courtroom legal dramas are not my thing, but mostly, I just found myself not invested in any of the characters or the drama going on. We have Luz and her deceased husband Travis who are both full of issues conflict, and lawyer Abby and her co-counsel Will who also are extremely unlikable and full of controversy. I found myself zoning out and willing the book to just keep moving forward while I trudged through. After learning about every character's dark and deceitful pasts, I was left without anyone to cheer for. However, if you're into courtroom dramas, this might have a better outcome for you. It definitely isn't a bad book, just not my style.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy of this one - all opinions are my own.

This is SUCH a fascinating and intense read - I am still not over it honestly. I love a good legal drama, and this was exactly the kind of plot and execution that makes these types of stories so deeply compelling to read.

The center of the plot is deliciously salacious, with a wife who has 100% killed her military husband, but the reasons why aren't clear. As a new mom, and a young woman she is withdrawn, and refuses to divulge her secrets.

Every single character is so well done - flawed, messy humans who are making mistakes and trying their best as they navigate through their lives intertwining with the case. I love the juxtaposition of what makes a good mom, and how that definition can be entirely fluid depending on the circumstances.

No spoilers, but I certainly didn't see the end coming and I loved how the story played out. An incredibly satisfying summer read!

A GOOD MOTHER by Lara Bazelon a legal thriller that does not live up to its promise.

A soldier’s wife calls 911 because she has stabbed her husband, the only thing that is unclear is whether it was premeditated or self-defense in order to protect her and her child. Abby, a defense attorney, comes off maternity leave early thinking that as a new mother herself she can better relate to Luz and help her tip the odds of acquittal in her favor.

The legal aspect is long and boring with characters that are not likable or believable and reads like a bad soap opera plot. If Bazelon was going for a legal thriller that would keep you on the edge of your seat, she failed.

I didn’t enjoy this book but I do appreciate and thank the author, Net Gallery, and Harlequin for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.