Imagine you are our protagonist, Rose. Imagine you lived a childhood of neglect, with a father who made a career of scamming people, and a deceased mother you can’t even remember. Imagine sitting home nights while your father is out trying to bilk others, while you eat cold tomato soup and have nobody to talk to. Imagine growing up, becoming an adult, but never truly leaving behind the feelings that come from that life of crime, that life of poverty, that life of rejection.

Rose has a beautiful child, a gorgeous husband, a wonderful sister-in-law … but a mundane job, a hole in her heart where friends should be, and a bank account constantly on the verge of collapse. Living in a shabby apartment, unable to get a job she deserves because she shares her father’s name, Rose is a woman wondering how she can make life better for her son.

Along comes The Woolf Academy, a prestigious and exclusive school that could set her child up with the success she was never allowed to have. The families are all wealthy, seemingly perfect, with glowing and thriving children. In their named homes, with their nannies and AmEx cards and perfect skin/hair/wardrobes, the mothers of Woolf Academy are exactly the opposite of Rose. Despite that, she wants her child to be a part of the society of haves, instead of living in her world of having-not.

Along comes Amala, founder and head of the academy, with her beautiful life and magical way of winning people over. Despite her fear of rejection and knowledge that they can’t afford it, Rose applies for her child to attend school at The Woolf Academy. She thinks she’s completely made a fool of herself, but Amala allows her son entry to the school, and allows Rose entry into a seemingly secret society: The Circle.

This circle of women run the town. Everyone is jealous of them, with their close ties to the effervescent Amala, with their perfect clothes and perfect homes and perfect lives. Somehow, Rose finds herself a member of this group; a member of the popular group for the first time in her life. She has more money, nicer clothes, and her child is getting a top-notch education. Yes she’s had to make some sacrifices, but imagine you were in her situation. Would you do the same?

This book completely blew me away. When I wasn’t reading it, I wanted to get back to it. I caught hints of writing that reminded me a bit of Bentley Little (one of the highest compliments that I can bestow upon an author). I was completely obsessed by the characters and, as the story unfolded, the premise and plot. Then I got to the ending, and was completely shocked. I 100% didn’t see it coming, and it was perfection. I won’t get into the plot, the twists, the shocks - I’ll just tell you to imagine yourself as Rose, and imagine what you would do in her shoes.

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers with the same tired themes and tropes, and they’ve all been two, three, or possibly four-star books. I gave one recent book five stars, but it was a 4.5 rounded up - I just haven’t read anything in awhile that I really deemed worthy of ALL the stars. This book completely fits my strong criteria for a five-star rating: I won’t stop thinking about it for awhile, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. If you are a mother, it will hit even harder … and hopefully you’ll love it. I’m seeing a huge range of opinions on this book, and I don’t understand the negative ones. This was a solid thriller (that almost veered into horror; those are the Bentley Little vibes I was getting) and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.

(Thank you to Random House Publishing, Helen Monks Takhar, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

I am such a sucker for books about despicable rich parents behaving abhorrently so the description was of this sounded right up my alley. I actually enjoy reading about unlikable characters and I don’t think there was a single truly likable character here. That’s not to say the characters weren’t well developed because they were, the author takes an interesting look at mothers who will stoop to low levels for their children and they don’t care who they hurt in the process.

My experience reading this book was odd, I was always definitely interested in seeing where things were headed but I did feel it get a little dragged on at times. By the time I finished I could clearly understand the authors intention though and it all made more sense for me. I really had no idea how things would end and I was surprised which is always nice. Overall I mostly enjoyed this dark and dramatic read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, I was provided an ARC of Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*****Publishing August 2, 2022****


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A new school year has begun again at Woolf Academy and the first fundraiser at the school is about to begin. When Ginny and the parents enter the grounds of the school near the playground, they are stopped in their tracks, a dead body lays before them. Their first thought is that she fell from above where the cocktails are supposed to be served at the rooftop sensory garden. Was this a murder or was it suicide? Since the death, there is a opening in the group, The Circle, a selected group of moms, where all moms want membership, but only the lucky ones are chosen.

Rose is a new parent at the school. It’s not going well for her son Charlie, but she ignores his unhappiness as she desperately wants him to fit in. When Rose is asked to join the highly coveted group of moms called The Circle, she selfishly accepts as she desperately wants to fit in as well and hopes the experience Charlie is having will change for the better. Will her decision to keep putting her needs over Charlie’s hurt him In the end? How far is she willing to go to satisfy her own needs? What secrets will be revealed? Is it what it’s cracked up to be? A page turner, that will have you shaking your head at times!

I loved this book. Every stressed out mom who needs some extra help will enjoy the tale that Helen Monks Takhar tells in this novel. I felt seen - and appreciated someone thinking through all the options. :-)

Rose and her husband Peter live in England with their young son Charlie. Rose is a bank teller and Pete is a handsome plumber. Rose was brought up by her dad who was a conman. She has horrible memories of school so it’s critical to her that Charlie experience only the best. When Charlie gets into The Wolff, an exclusive, free school across from Rose’s home, she immediately strives to become the perfect Wolff parent. Amala, the head of school, invites Rose into the inner circle of mom’s who run Wolff. Though some of the things these moms do was a bit unbelievable, it did make for engaging reading. Takhar created some great twists in the final chapters. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I usually love highly dramatic stories but this one felt too exaggerated and unreal. I didn’t like any of the characters and couldn’t get into it.

Alright, this was interesting. I've got some conflicting feelings about this. The beginning left a weird taste in my mouth, and I wasn't really sure how I felt about the main character Rose. She felt a little flimsy like she was sucking up character from the people around her. When the story began to take off in the middle, I really enjoyed it. The craft was strong, there was suspense and drama. It was what I had expected from the blurb. But the ending again fell a little flat for me. I didn't love the way things wrapped up. It felt untrue to the character and everything that we had learned. I'm oscillating between three and four stars, just for the middle, but think of my three as a 3.5-rounded down: a promising novel that could simply be a little bit better.

I had a difficult time reading Such a Good Mother (Helen Monks Takhar). The main character, Rose, is so needy (and greedy) it's hard to feel anything except contempt for her. Rose's husband, Pete,is a deadbeat. As much as they are hurting for money he isn't finding any work. In some ways Pete is like a trophy husband, but it isn't beyond Rose to use him for her gains.

Such a Good Mother had several twists and turns until the end. The book consisted of an elite school, women in an exclusive group, and everyone wants what they believe they deserve. However, it was hard to root for a character, as all of them seemed unlikeable.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't except the book to go the way it did. All along, I was fooled into thinking this was a standard domestic thriller, with Rose being the gullible, try-too-hard, can't-keep-up, ignore-all-the-signs protagonist, then I was pleasantly surprised to discover the plot.

I have to say, any one who deliberately uses their husband and especially child in a twisted scheme is savage, and not a character I could root for, which eliminates any possibility of re- reading this book.

Rose has always felt that she has been at the bottom with no chance to rise to the top. Back in her hometown, this time with her husband and young son, Rosie is determined to step out from the shadows of her con artist/criminal father and get the life she feels she deserves. She enrolls her son in a prestigious nearby school whose motto is "more and more." Rose catches the eye of the CEO of the school and is somehow invited into the inner circle of women who control the happenings of the school. Rose initially enjoys the new opportunities (coupled with money) that come her way, but quickly realizes something is not right about the Inner Circle and the school itself.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book, honestly. The tagline on the cover is "some women would do anything," but as I read I couldn't help but think to myself, "but I wouldn't do that!" I started off feeling very sad for Rosie - she was a neglected child and suffered cruelty and humiliation in all aspects of her life. I wanted to root for her to grab a better life when she had the chance, but then was a little horrified about how far she was willing to go and even more taken aback when her true character was revealed. It was also hard not to be irritated with Peter, her husband. He is described as "hot," but in nearly every scene he came across as a sad panda/whipping dog who has no backbone whatsoever. In the end, I was a little disgusted with Rosie as it turns out the enrollment at the Woolf Academy was for Rosie, and not really for her son.

I started to think deeper about this book, and wondered how much each of us do in the name of "what's best for the kids" when really it is what is best for us or how we heal past traumas or how we try to be "more." Like I said, I'm not sure how I feel about this book, but I think it was deeper than what I thought it would be.

Full of characters you love to hate!

We all have expectations about what makes a “good” mother. The definition is different for each of us, whether we are a mother or not. However, regardless of where in the world we raise a family, modern mothers are united in being forced to make choices that mean sacrificing their ideals for survival.

Author Helen Monks Takhar explores the power and persistence surrounding the feelings of guilt, hopelessness and inferiority some mothers experience when forced to compromise. She has created a protagonist who is dominated by these negative emotions and then placed her in a setting where they are amplified and she is forced to act on them and against her powerful adversaries.

The result is a fascinating look at what we are willing to give up to be included. It’s full of darkness and intrigue and leaves readers with a warning that things aren’t always as they seem. Next time I catch myself willing to do anything to be included or accepted, I’ll remember that selling my soul to fit in will always come with a price!

The author has amazing insight into the gentrification of neighbourhoods, Punjabi culture, power balancing, hustlers, and what it means to be a good mother and/or ‘having it all.’.

I was gifted this advance copy by Helen Monks Takhar, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Such a Good Mother.

Rose O'Connell strives to provide a better life for her son, Charlie, and her family. That's why she's enrolled her son in the prestigious Woolf Academy, and the connections this elite school will offer to a blue collar family such as hers.

When she's invited into The Circle, a group of highly affluent and powerful women, fronted by a charismatic leader named Amala, Rose discovers keeping up with the Joneses is not as easy as it looks.

And it might cost her family, as well as her soul.

The premise was intriguing but I found the narrative long, tedious and lacking suspense and urgency.

The cast of characters are diverse, but not likable. No one is likable (except Jacq), not even Rose, who I found boring and uninteresting.

Rose lacks confidence, ironic considering she's the daughter of a con man. She's plagued by a troubled and difficult childhood, unable to shake off the harsh taunts and incessant bullying she endured in school, and pulled unwillingly into her father's cons.

Not surprisingly, she has serious Daddy issues, refers and thinks about him often, which is the biggest reason she's drawn to Amala, who exudes charisma and confidence.

There are numerous pages where the author has Rose talking about how hot her husband, Peter is, how she never thought someone like him would fall for her. I get that's part of the con (or maybe not), but these repetitive details only reminded me of Rose's lack of self esteem and confidence.

Even Peter, a loyal spouse, is portrayed and described as a doormat.

The cast of characters are one dimensional, and there's little to no character development. All we get to see are the greedy and privileged trying to one-up one another; basically, this is a story of entitled people behaving badly.

The writing was fine, but repetitive, long and wordy, especially when the con is explained, it was unwieldy and confusing.

The story had potential, if only the characters were better developed and the story better edited to increase the pacing and urgency.

This book sucks you right in but about halfway through the book, I honestly stopped caring about the characters. that made it hard to really enjoy the rest of the book although I did finish it since I wanted to know the end. it was okay, some people will really enjoy it and others won't. it is one of those books that you have to decide for yourself if you like it or not. It wasn't a bad read but not my favorite either.

This was an interesting read. What lengths would you go for your child to give them what you feel is the very best for them? These Mom's want the best and want to hide secrets. A good quick read!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I first started this book, I was sucked right in! That opening scene and the following chapters created this sense of unease along with a desire to know more about the characters. It gave off vibes of "The Husbands" by Chandler Baker and "The Hunting Wives" by May Cobb. An exclusive group of women that an outsider is dying to get into so that her life will become better. When this trope is done correctly, it can be very riveting and suck you right in.

The further I went into the story the more disappointed I got. The characters became more and more unlikeable. Frankly, they were almost impossible to relate to because they were too dramatic in their characterization. Also, some of the things that they were doing were disgusting and sad. I got "The Hunting Wives" vibes during those parts which caused me to rate that book poorly.

Overall, this didn't feel like a thriller to me but more like a grown up version of "Mean Girls". If readers enjoyed both "The Husbands" by Chandler Baker and "The Hunting Wives" by May Cobb then they would enjoy this book too.

I found the narrator both frustrating and relatable. I can’t really relate to wanting to get in with the crowd she did, so many warning bells. But I think there was enough background to understand where she was coming from and the frustration she’s felt her entire life. Which made me not entirely frustrated with her.

It’s the kind of story that fills you with a sense of dread bc so many things just have the potential to go awry, and many do.

My only criticism is that I think parts of the ending rewrite some of the earlier plot points in a way that I’m not entirely sure made sense. But I think the tension of the book and the way it sucked me in makes up for that.

Based on the synopsis of this book, I felt sure I was in for a good time. However, the writing style just never clicked with me. The main character Rose felt flat and almost like a caricature at times. There weren't any real surprises, but I enjoyed the story enough to keep reading. I'll try another of this author's books in the future.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rose, a young mother who wants the best for her son, enrolls him in a school where she suffered at the hands of bullies. Other traumas suffered by Rose come to light in the storyline. She is not the only one of the mothers with secrets in the Instagram phoniness of the school community. As members are exposed, power changes hands.

I ADORE the premise of this book. As a mother of a preschool-aged child, having recently played the game of "which preschool is best," I so appreciated the idea that a woman gets an invite to an exclusive school. She enrolls her son, and that's when things start to get twisty. If you like the premise, definitely check it out--wish more books were written about things like this. Also, I'd say a good comp title is Big Little Lies, so if you like that, you'll love this!