I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Even though I figured it out before the ending, I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of Mean Girls with adults and with twists.

Jane is married and finds out she most probably will never conceive. She has a close group of friends and everything changes when Lexie joins the group.

I really liked how Jane stood up for herself and her husband. Great read!

A very enjoyable page-turning psychological thriller. that I binged in a day! although the plot is pretty obvious, the strength in this novel is the drawing out of the characters and how the author brings out all the many complex emotions the characters are going through creating a real sense of tangible confusion, underlying menace and disorientation.
Friendships and their many emotional complexities are written beautifully in this novel, adding a real and beliavable depth to the plot. Really enjoyed this, thank you.

Sucker punched, lost for words, blown away, a blabbering, gibbering emotional wreck! How can I even start to write a review for The Baby Shower from S.E. Lynes? Every single book she has written has ticked ALL of the boxes for me…and more! The Baby Shower was no exception! All of her books should come with a warning…”Don’t pick this up at bedtime if you want to get any sleep” because seriously, once you turn the first page you will not be able to stop!
I think I literally inhale every word that SE Lynes writes, the words dance off the pages and into my heart, they prod me, they poke me, they break me and they drill into a depth of feeling I never even knew existed.
What I absolutely love about SE Lynes’ writing is the way she observes the world and those who inhabit it, there is an inherent sense of ordinariness about the characters she creates and the issues they face; she even pokes fun at some of the ironies of modern day life lived through a lens and the pretentiousness that goes with it. All of which ensures that the story she tells resonates with me every single time. While reading I am always thinking, what if…
Jane and her husband, Frankie, are happy, muddling along in their lives; they are not rich but they have each other, their friendship circle and their dreams. All that is missing from their life is a baby. And Jane has just about come to terms with it all, even when her best friend Sophie announces she is pregnant again, Jane swallows down her own sadness and is happy for her. And then Lexie Lane appears (what a belter of a character name!) And that’s where it all goes wrong.
SE Lynes peels away the layers of each of her characters, exposing the weaknesses, the secrets and lies that lurk beneath the surface. She captures each emotion to perfection, trapping the reader firmly inside of their lives. This was a hard book to read, gut wrenchingly so. It brought back so many memories of the toxicity of female relationships. I’m sure I’m not the only woman to have fallen prey to emotional aggression at the hands of other women. That particularly malevolent type of bully who knows just how valuable other women find female friendships and manipulate this trait to their own ends. And we see this in bucket loads in The Baby Shower. That horrible feeling of being on the outside looking in, second guessing yourself all the time, wondering if you are imagining things as the bully manipulates, gaslights and exposes you as petty and childish. Not ashamed to admit, I had the hankies out a few times as I watched Lexie push Jane out onto the side-lines while everyone else appears to be oblivious.
The Baby Shower also tackles another quite difficult subject and it was good to see this dealt with so sensitively and highlighting the issue. And that’s another thing about all of SE Lynes books, she really does dig deep into life, humanity and all the conflicts involved but does so in such a way that you never feel as though you are being preached at or lectured to, instead she just makes you look at things from different angles.
The Baby Shower, I didn’t want to put it down but I didn’t want it to end either. It kept me glued to the pages and it shattered my heart into tiny pieces. A masterpiece in toxicity and manipulation, you seriously DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT!
All I can do now, is crawl under my covers and wait for SE Lynes next book.

I foolishly start this this on Wednesday night planning to read a few chapters, I should have known that with this author sleep was never going to happen - I finished it at some blearly point during the early hours of Thursday and it's taken over a week for me to put my thoughts in order to attempt a review.

With a title far simpler than it's content The Baby Shower ticks all my boxes for a page turning psychological thriller. As expected the writing is superb, the characters are wonderfully drawn and their thoughts and emotions shine through. This book has an undercurrent of menace, toxic characters and many twists in the plot, all of which are brilliant and would have left me more than satisfied BUT this had so much more depth and can be read on two levels.

For me the other, deeper level was an exploration of the value of friendships and relationships and the many factors which can break or nurture them; who and when to trust and when to let someone go or to act with your gut insticts and forgive; that the events of your past can shape your future in the least expected ways.

Whilst the heartbreak of a romatic involvement ending is a topic of general discussion the gut wrenching pain of the loss of (or betrayal by) a good friend is rarely talked about . My insides were churning with Jane's bewilderment, self doubt and rage. Bullying wrecks lives but it is rarely as obvious as a thump, the snidey comments, gaslighting, ridiculing then pretending it was a joke making you wonder if you are losing your perspective, making you doubt yourself and eroding your confidence.

When confidence is low you can end up coveting the things that don't matter and end up risking everything which does. Our Instagram society can make us think that someone has everything when in reality they are sad, lonely and broken and the online adulation is the only thing they have. The author explores an issue of sexual consent I haven’t read before, this event and the subsequent fallout is central to the story and imo extremely well handled.

Which ever level you read on, be it the fabulous psychological thriller or the deeper human factors I hope you love this one as much as I did. This is a seriously outstanding book - unreserved 5 stars, I'd give it a million if I could.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and give my honest thoughts on this cracking book.

This was a quick read, centered on Jane, who is frustrated when her best friend Sophie makes a new friend who is mean and throws off the dynamic of the group. Her husband, Frankie, is also dealing with his own issues, and both are struggling with the fact that they are unable to get pregnant.

The story moves at a fast pace but is somewhat predictable. There were a couple surprises, though. When the villain’s motivations were revealed, I felt that the reasons didn’t really match with the actions. I also felt frustrated with Jane, who felt like she had to be a martyr instead of just telling people how she was feeling. I was satisfied with how it all ended, though.

Overall, fun read but not sure it really stands out amongst similar stories. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jane is sad when her best friend Sophie finds a new friend Lexie. Jane who is unable to have children is further shaken when Sophie and Lexie announce that are both pregnant. To make matters worse Lexie is causing trouble by telling lies about a Jane.
There are lots of secrets going on behind closed doors.
This was an enjoyable read but a little predictable. I guessed the ending quite early on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a while to get into this story line but once I had I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book with good characters and it was interesting and exciting.

I can thoroughly recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to this book.

This book.. THIS BOOK!

It hooks you in with the twists and keeps you reading. I couldn't put it down, obligations be damned

Such a good read. While I admit I’d an inkling early on where the villain might have come from the brilliant twists and turns along the way meant it didn’t retract from my enjoyment of this. Absolutely gripping thriller

This is the first book I have read by S.E Lynes and after finishing it I cannot believe I haven’t read the rest!
An utterly compelling read from start to finish, it touches on many subjects from loss to friendship to relationships. It’s twists and turns are fantastic and is an excellent, thrilling page turner! A highly recommended read!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me access to this book.

The Baby Shower was an easy, drama-filled read that sucks you in, as satisfying as binging reality TV. The story follows a hardworking couple, Jane and Frankie, as they navigate some unexpected challenges in their lives and relationship. There is a new member of Jane's friend group that she isn't altogether thrilled about, especially as the new girl seems to be monopolizing the time and energy of Jane's best friend. Frankie struggles with jealousy in his own group of guys and comes up with a plan to boost his ego a little. A plan that has unexpected consequences. Things quickly spiral out of control, and what was once a loving relationship, becomes fraught with lies and secrets.

I related to Frankie's self-doubt and paranoia, as she struggled to figure out if she was in the wrong or if this new girl was out to get her. It was an interesting reflection on what friendship is - and what it is not - and how to stand up for yourself. This was a book I was able to predict the ending accurately, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of it.

Thank you netgalley , the author , and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.. WOW ! That's one word I use to described this book. I loved it! I loved Jane and felt so bad for her after her friend Sophie announced her pregnancy and then when Lexie came into the picture , the twists that happen next I never would have imagined. This isn't the type of book where u can guess what happens next. The book literally keeps you guessing until the last chapter. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author and I recommend this one highly !

The baby Shower is a compulsive read and if it hadn't been for work and family commitments, I would have probably read it in one sitting! It is the first book by S.E. Lynes that I've read but I'd like to explore her other works now. It is a very well-written novel which hooks you in and maintains reader interest. The plot is centred around Jane and her husband Frankie as well as Jane's three close friends. When one of them, Sophie, introduces a new woman, Lexie, into the group, the dynamics of the friendship change for ever. The character of Lexie is brilliantly depicted in all her shallowness. The reader is transported into the shoes of Frankie and witnesses, first hand, all of Lexie's deceit and mind games. Many people will be able to identify with the frustration of being the only one to recognise fake charm and poor behaviour in a partricular indivudual, when every-one else seems to be fall under their spell and be oblivious to their ways a

Touches of humour and wit are sprinkled throughout yet the author is also able to discuss serious issues such as infertility and sexual assault, in a sensitive manner. At times you need to suspend your disbelief but this is usually the case in a good thriller. There were some moments when I felt irritated by Jane's tolerance of Sophie's hostility and lack of loyalty towards her. I found Jane's less than assertive response to be unrealistic but S.E. Lynes succeeds in demonstrating Jane's reluctance to make waves.

Overall, this is a fun book and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Omg!! This book is just everything!!! I was so blown away by it. It had me hooked from the off and I was about to quit my job just so I could keep reading. It's so common to say a story has its twists and turns but omg, boy does this story have TWISTS!!!! you will be hooked, you will love every second of it. I raced through it in a day and have absolutely no regrets. It just really sucks you in with this amazing storytelling, good pace and cast of really well rounded characters. There's suspense, mystery, drama, it's just everything you want from a thriller

This is a perfect book for those days when all you want to do is lose yourself in a book. I read it in less than 24 hours. The plot is an interesting one (a newcomer joins a group of Mums and disrupts the status quo), and the plot develops with interesting twists and turns, and an interesting focus on pregnancy, infertility and revenge. But for me this book was great because of the characters. I was so invested in them in a very short space of time, and had to keep reading to see what happened next. This was my first book by S. E Lynes and have already started reading more of her novels.

This was a fantastic story. So many layers with the characters. I loved the female friendship aspect as it can sometimes be a tricky path to navigate.

Jane and her husband Frankie have a moderately good life except for one thing they long for a child. Jane owns her own Coffee shop, and her husband has his own Plumbing and building business. He works long hours and with Jane does too. Sometimes they come together like passing ships in the night.
Jane has a small group of friends that she goes running with and goes out with on a Friday night. So, when her best friend Sophie is introduces Lexie Lane to the group. Things become unsettled. You can never to many friends, right? Lexie Lane is completely opposite to Jane. She seems to have plenty of money to splash about. Her hair is always styled, her face and her makeup always expertly done and a hint of Botox there too. She is also and Instagram influencer and is always on her phone hashtag everything.
So, when Sophie announces that she is pregnant, she is happy for her friend but the feeling of her own troubles of not able to conceive resurface. When also Lexy announces that she pregnant too. They decide to have a Baby Shower. Jane tries her best to get through it. When she excuses herself and goes to the bathroom, she sees Lexy with a fake bump. Why is she faking it?
Thank you, Bookoutre for S. E. Lynes latest offering The baby Shower. At first for me personally I thought this was quite a slow start to begin with. At for me I wondered why it was called The baby Shower until the actual event in the story and then WOW. This is another cleverly written story with lots of twists and turns and it goes to show, men can be victim and much as women can. Life is not always as it seems as all the glam of social media. I really enjoyed this story once it became clear. 4 stars from me.

That was bonkers, but in a chilling way and filled with, dare I say it, creeping menace. The story opens with 3 people in hospital after a hit and run accident. We know one of them is called Jane but we don’t know who the others are or any of the circumstances leading up to this. The story is told largely in the months preceding the accident (although accident is a bit of a misnomer) with snippets from the present day.

Jane Reece runs a coffee shop and loves her work. She is very happily married to Frank, a plumber. They are not wealthy but are comfortable enough. Jane’s one big regret is that, even after 3 rounds of IVF, it looks like she will never be able to have children. But she has a lovely group of friends - Sophie, Kath and Hils, who meet up regularly for Friday night drinks and join a larger group, Runner Beans, for a friendly bit of exercise.

One day Sophie announces she is pregnant again and then she brings a new friend, Lexie, to Friday drinks. This is the beginning of the end! Lexie monopolises Sophie, ignoring the others, while looking daggers at Jane whenever no one is watching. Jane can’t work out why. Things go from bad to worse as it becomes clear that Lexie is bad mouthing Jane to Sophie at every opportunity. And then, to rub salt into the wounds, Lexie announces that she, too, is pregnant. She insists on organising an appallingly extravagant baby shower for the two of them and engineering the whole thing to make Jane look bad. However, things are not as they seem so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, Jane’s rock, her dear husband Frankie, is somewhat missing in action and is not himself. This concerns her more than the likely loss of her friend Sophie. From here on the twists keep coming. Some of them are jaw dropping as you realise just how far some people will go to for revenge. For yes, dear friends - this is ultimately about revenge. The characterisations were really well done and I really liked Jane and Frankie, they were such a solid couple. Sophie showed herself to be very shallow and Lexie was, well, pure evil!

The pace was good throughout and there were no flat spots. In fact I was glued to the pages to find out what was going with the evil Lexie. It was so much worse that I could have imagined. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This was my first book by S.E. Lynes, and while I found it a bit predictable it was a decently crafted thriller. Set in London, the story follows Jane who is happily married to her husband Frankie despite a long running struggle infertility that has left her emotionally scarred. Jane owns and runs a coffee shop and has found a set of female friends through a running club. She is particularly close to a woman named Sophie, who becomes pregnant with her second child. Jane is gutted for herself, but happy for her friend. However, soon Sophie meets a new woman named Lexie. Young, seemingly wealthy and sophisticated, Lexie quickly infiltrates Jane’s life and seem bent on ruining her friendship with Sophie. Jane starts to feel crazy as Lexie manipulates those around her, leaving Jane questioning herself and those closest to her. Jane’s reality is further threatened by a shocking discovery at Sophie’s baby shower. She must find out what secrets Lexie is keeping before her life as she knows it is torn apart.

I’ve read quite a number of mysteries and thrillers, so I was able to piece together this book rather quickly. As a result, the end of the story wasn’t surprising to me. However, despite sometimes causing a rather slow pace, Lynes crafts the story using small snippets of memories and events to create the suspense that made the story more relatable. It took me awhile to get through the first half of the book, but I did enjoy seeing it all come together at the end even if I knew what was coming. I also enjoyed the character of Jane and sympathized with her struggles throughout the story, especially when faced with confronting Sophie about their tenuous relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and S.E. Lynies for this e-ARC to review.

This was quite a slow read, but fortunately, the story was interesting enough to keep me reading.
Jane is quite a strong character, considering how she feels about the situation she finds herself in. I really liked how eloquent she was when berating Sophie over her attitude. She didn’t just whimper and apologise; she stuck to her guns even if that meant she would end up alienating Sophie even more. She was scared of this happening, but she wasn’t willing to compromise her integrity just to keep a friendship that obviously didn’t mean as much to the other person.
There are only small things contributing to Jane’s paranoia and life falling apart, which is why the book’s pace is relatively slow. There aren’t tidbit cliffhangers to keep you reading. If you haven’t already guessed the ending, it is worth waiting for. Unfortunately, I had managed to guess most of what was going on, so I felt like I was missing out on the reward for persevering!
This was an interesting read about friendships, especially ones in a grown-up circle of women. It’s like Jane says there are books about break-ups with a partner but nothing on coping with the loss of a friend. I’ve been through a few friend’ break-ups,’ and I’ve always felt like I never really got closure or understood what happened, so it made for a clarifying read to know that I’m not alone when it comes to these matters.
Overall, despite the book’s slow pace, I still enjoyed it, and it’s been a few days since I finished it, and it is still in my mind. I always think this is a good testament to the effect a book has made on you. A four-star read from me.