Nicole Trope has done it again! I love her books and am always excited when she has another coming out. Each story is emotive and filled with tension, drama and even a little bit of mystery and THE FOSTER FAMILY is no different. She has the innate ability to draw you in from the very first page and keep you invested throughout the journey. And it is a journey she takes you on. Her skillful prose and the way in which she entwines the past and present into one can only speak of her proficiency in both her writing and the genre with which she floods. She can always be relied upon to spin us a tale of intrigue and tension that will get under your skin.

On the beautiful south coast, a couple of hours from Sydney, Elizabeth, husband Howard and their 5 year old foster son Joe arrive at their holiday home for the next month leading up to Christmas. The weather is warm, the sun hot and the sandy beach offers plenty of recreational enjoyment for the family. Elizabeth wants nothing more than to give Joe all that his heart desires but Howard rules the home with an iron fist - both figuratively and literally. He has a list of rules that are far too many for such a young child and yet there will be consequences should Joe fail to follow them.

Across the road, watching from his window is 80 year old Gordon. He enjoyed the idea of a young family on the quiet street again and is eager to introduce himself. But something stops him. A cross word, a frowned expression and a pointed finger that was oblivious to his watchful eye and Gordon realises that all is not as it seems. What should he do?

One morning he goes out to fill his bird feeder when he sees little Joe laying on the bench outside with a blanket over him. It might be summer but the mornings can still be chilly on the coast. So why would a child be sleeping outside when he should be safely tucked up in bed?

The more Gordon watches, the more he realises that something is amiss with the family across the street. But when he phones his son Malcolm and shares his concerns, he tells him to keep out of it. But Gordon isn't so sure.

And then one morning as he returns from his walk, he is shocked to find police cars outside the house. It seems Joe has gone missing. And Gordon can't help but think if only he had called the police and shared his concerns earlier, maybe he could have prevented this from happening. But he isn't sure himself of what he saw in the fogginess his deteriorating mind has become.

Across the street, Elizabeth is frantic and Howard is angry. He has pointed the finger at "the old guy across the street" accusing him of showing a perverted interest in Joe. But Elizabeth knows that not to be true. He is just a nice old guy that is a bit forgetful sharing his love of birds. But can she speak out against her husband and live with the consequences? Or should she just keep quiet? What if Joe's biological mother has come looking for them? What if she's found him and taken him? The authorities have denied her any access whatsoever after she was caught trying to sell him for $50,000.

And then there are the intermittent chapters of an unnamed man who stops to help a horrifically injured young girl. Who are they? And where do they fit into the story?

But what's most important is finding Joe. Where could he be? Did he run off? Did Howard hurt him? Has Gordon taken him? Or has the biological mother returned to claim him, albeit illegally? The possibilities are endless.

The story unfolds primarily through the alternating perspectives of Elizabeth and Joe both leading up to the disappearance and on the day of. While interspersed are those of the aforementioned unnamed man. The plot is complex with a wealth of characters that each play a part. The beginning may be a little confusing to start with, especially as the unnamed chapters have no timeline on them so we have no idea of when it takes place. Is it present or sometime in the past? But it soon falls into a steady rhythm that flows quickly as the pace quickens.

The characters are expertly drawn though it was hard to warm to Elizabeth and definitely not to Howard. The winner of the story, for me, was Gordon who wanted so much to help but was battling with his own deteriorating mind. Nicole expertly gave us a window into the mind of someone in the early to mid stages of dementia...and it is both eye-opening and heartrendering. It is something close to my heart just now.

As always, Nicole's writing is solid and skillful as the story seamlessly flows between perspectives, timelines and events. While the ending did require a little suspension of belief, it was a rather happy ending for all and that in itself is satisfying, whether it was believable or not.

Overall, THE FOSTER FAMILY is an emotive yet tense read that while not really a thriller, is still fast paced tale of domestic suspense. I cannot speak highly enough of Nicole Trope's work and I have loved everything of hers I have read. Worth every star.

I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheFosterFamily in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don’t always love a book that changes perspectives, but all of the characters were so rich I was interested in hearing all of their thoughts on what had happened in the past and what was happening in the present. Also, the way it all ties up at the end was more satisfying than I had hoped for while reading. I’m also very interested in the foster/adoption experience. The author did a great job tying in the many emotions that go with that process. Some of the logistics weren’t exactly what I understand the process to be, but then again I’m in the US and this book takes place in Australia so that likely explains that.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow this book that I have just read is soooo good! Twists and turns all over the place and it kept me hooked from page one until the very last page!

Wow I love this author and absolutely enjoy her books. She is amazing and this book is just absolutely wonderful. I loved it from start to finish. Emotional and suspenseful this is a stunner of a read.

Elizabeth and Howard are foster parents to 5-year-old Joe. They take a month-long vacation rental near the beach. Joe goes missing. What has happened? Was there an accidental drowning? Did his drug-addicted birth mother snatch him? Is elderly neighbor Gordon, in the early stages of dementia, responsible? Or maybe it's Elizabeth or Howard, who are hiding secrets and who are in an abusive relationship. This is a twisty thriller told from 3 viewpoints, Elizabeth's, Gordon's, and a mystery narrator. The different viewpoints really kept me off-kilter, just when I thought I knew what was going on my ideas would get challenged and changed.

The Foster Family by Nicole Trope is a very highly recommended domestic psychological thriller.

Elizabeth and Howard are foster parents for five-year-old Joe when he disappears from their front yard. The police are called in and the search begins. It becomes clear almost immediately to readers that Howard is not who he is trying to portray and Elizabeth as well as Joe are totally scared of him and under his control. Joe is a sweet little boy who just wants to watch the birds across the street from their summer rental at Gordon's house. Howard, however, governs them with and iron fist. He controls both Elizabeth and Joe. He doesn't accept anyone questioning his authority.

Gordon is a good hearted elderly man living across the street. He knows there is something wrong and Joe could be in trouble, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be. In an alternate story line we follow a man who found a brutally beaten young woman sitting on a bench when a man finds her and wants to call for help. She begs him not to, but agrees to allow him to take her home to recover.

The characters are all well-developed. They have and have depth and are portrayed as realistic individuals. This is what will pull you in and completely engulf you in the plot and the characters.

The writing is excellent and, admittedly, Trope will control your emotions like a virtuoso throughout. This is one of those novels that completely dominates you. You'll switch between being upset, emotional, angry, and crying quite quickly between chapters. I was also thoroughly aware that Trope was playing with my emotions and controlling them. Yeah, I accepted it and went with the flow. Chapters switch between different points-of-view. Most of the story is from Elizabeth's and Gordon's point-of-view.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

This is my first Nicole Trope novel, and it made me understand the hype around the author!

The Foster Family starts with foster mother, Elizabeth, alerting the police regarding the disappearance of her foster son, Joe. The rest of the novel uses alternating timelines, highlighting events leading up to Joe’s disappearance, and showing present-day events where Joe is nowhere to be found. Apart from alternating timelines, multiple perspectives are also used in the novel - Elizabeth’s, Gordon’s (their elderly neighbour), and Malcom’s (Gordon’s son).

What makes The Foster Family so compelling is that it tackles themes like domestic abuse and dementia. Whilst reading the novel, I can’t help but feel sorry for Elizabeth and Joe; the physical and emotional abuse that they were getting from Howard (the foster father) was just downright toxic and destructive. I love how the novel walked us through the cycle of domestic abuse in Elizabeth and Joe’s household, with Howard displaying controlling behaviour towards his family, and then seeking for forgiveness, and finally circling back to his abusiveness. Regarding the theme of dementia, it made me sad seeing Gordon’s memory deteriorate as time was passing by, especially since I found his character extremely likeable. If it isn’t obvious yet, the author did a good job evoking deep emotions from me, and this is why I’m giving this novel 5 solid stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me access to an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This wasn't what I consider to be the usual thriller- there's no really tense moments leading up to a twist. But it is definitely a thrilling read. It's more about human nature and the evil that people can do right in front of you. I enjoyed the story (as much as you can enjoy a story about abuse) and was happy with the ending. As usual, the writing is great and makes it easier to get through a difficult story.

This story starts out with a bang, when Elizabeth calls the police to let them know her “little boy, is missing”. Elizabeth is a foster mom, and they are in a holiday home. She loves Joe just like he is her own. Howard is Elizabeth husband, but he is not bonding with Joe, and is a less than ideal human being.

The neighbor Gordon, loves having them over to see his birds. Gordon thinks something is going on with Elizabeth, Howard and Joe. As Joe comes up missing they think Gordon has something to do with Joe’s disappearance. To add to the story Gordon is suffering from dementia.


Triggers-abuse

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for providing me an ARC of #TheFosterFamily in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication: September 21st 2022

This story will definitely leave you feeling all emotions, love, hate, sadness and happiness.

You never truly know what kids go through before entering the foster system and what lasting effects it may have on the rest of their lives. But when they enter the system they are supposed to go somewhere safe, to be loved and protected. Some are and some aren't.

Trigger Warning: This is an interesting story but it does include child abuse and domestic abuse which was hard for me to read about.

I do believe the author told the story as it needed to be told, the ending was one I was very happy with. I will read more books by this author.

Wow, The Foster Family is a fantastic read. The description of this book drew me in and it did not disappoint. It deals with emotional and sensitive subjects which aren't always easy to read but are necessary. I flew through the pages as I needed to know the outcome and what an outcome it was. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

This was a really good domestic thriller.that had me hooked from the very start. A really good storyline with good solid characters, one or two who I loved and one who was utterly despicable. This was quite a slow paced read but it suited the story. There were a few twists in the story which I did figure out before they were mentioned but it in no way took away from my enjoyment of this book.

Elizabeth and Howard are thrilled to have the chance at becoming parents to 5 year old Joe, a foster child who has been between foster families and his mother’s inconsistent care. all Elizabeth wants is to be a mother, and Joe is the child she’s always dreamed of raising. but when Joe goes missing while their family is on holiday, Elizabeth’s promising future of a happy family flashes before her eyes.

the story begins with Elizabeth making a call to report Joe missing to the police. from then, the story’s chapters differ between present-day and the past week, with perspectives varying between Elizabeth and their elder neighbor, Gordon. Elizabeth’s point-of-view paints a picture of their family life behind closed doors, while Gordon’s point-of-view helps us see things from afar. intermixed throughout the story, we get an unnamed character’s run-in with a troubled young woman and how he steps in to help.

i thought this was a sadly realistic and incredibly tragic book. it certainly paid homage to the endless issues of the foster care system, along with the intense trauma that so many of these foster children endure, both inside and outside of care. numerous types of abuse were heavily detailed in this book, so be mindful of that if these are triggers for you. Joe and Gordon were such lovable characters, and it did help alleviate some of the despair brought in this book.

despite its dismal topic, I really enjoyed this book, and while some of the twists were predictable, they were still entertaining. overall, I thought the author did a great job bringing together the separate storylines in a way that was surprising yet reasonable, and she was realistic while still being mindful when approaching such heavy topics throughout her writing.

thank you to @netgalley, @bookouture & @nicoletropeauthor for my advanced reader’s copy! this book’s #pubday is tomorrow! 🎉

This has been a slow reading month for me, but finally getting another review up. A young boy goes missing from a rented vacation home. His parents are distraught, especially his mother, but his father makes it clear they are his foster parents. And this isn’t the first foster child to go missing from their care, an older child ran away. The mom is hoping to adopt the boy and so concerned he won’t be found. A neighbor across the street seems overly interested, but he’s older and has dementia so it’s hard to trust him. This domestic thriller had some good twists and kept me guessing. And today is pub day so I recommend checking it out. Trigger warning for abuse- it was hard to get through at points.

I love Nicole Trope’s writing style, plot twists and the way she deals with harrowing subject matter! But the thing that puts her in a class of her own, is her ability to pick you up and plonk you right in the middle of the story!! I felt every bit of fear, chill, rage and despair, all while feeling like a friend of all the people involved. Well aside from Howard!! I wouldn’t be friends with Howard!
Not many books take you with them on an absolute rollercoaster of a journey - this was outstanding!

Nicole Trope knocked my socks off with The Foster Family....I couldn't put it down. I loved the way she connected all the characters in this gripping tale.

I’ve read all of the authors previous books and this one did not disappoint! It’s full of twists and turns that are bestseller material
Please read it

'Not everyone should get to be a parent. Not everyone'

Elizabeth and Howard decides to adopt a kid as they cannot have children of their own. When a 5 year old, Joe, starts living with them, Elizabeth thinks that her dream of perfect family is not so far away. They take a holiday trip to Gilmore for a month.

One fine morning, Joe goes missing. Howard suspects that the old man across the road, Gordon, took his little boy. But, Elizabeth knows how sweet Gordon is.

Where is Joe then?
Does someone kidnap or murder him?
Does Gordon has anything to do with it?
Or Does Joe ran away from the house? But where can a 5 year old go?

This one is a neatly executed thriller. The story can be so obvious. But, the writing kept me hooked till the end. The non-linear narration and narration from both Elizabeth and Gordon povs are big plus.

I liked Gordon. I mean who doesn't love a sweet old neighbour who gives you tea and hot chocolate everytime you visit😉
Howard is the biggest red flag. Man, he needs therapy.

I enjoyed reading this book. If you are only looking for mind-blowing twists or action-packed thrillers, then this one isn't for you.

The Foster Family is a real page turner that keeps you gripped from start to finish.

Little Joe goes missing from outside their holiday home, as the entire community comes together to help find the little boy, cracks start to appear, and it is soon very clear that all is not well in the home. Told from both Elizabeth’s perspective then and now as well as from Gordon’s perspective – the elderly gentlemen from across the road – The Foster Family gives a sometimes-disturbing insight into what sometimes happens behind closed doors.

I absolutely loved the inclusion of Gordon as a character and found his dementia a powerful took to highlight the inequality we often experience as we age.

Why is it the most vulnerable people in society are the ones no one ever wants to hear from?

The only thing that stopped me absolutely loving The Foster Family is that although she is a victim, for me that still doesn’t excuse Elizabeth of what she did wrong. We always have choices, and the impact of her bad choices made The Foster Family a really difficult read for me at times.

It is utterly compelling though and kept me gripped until the very last page.

I’m a huge fan of Nicole Trope’s writing style! I enjoy reading all of her books and this one is no exception. A solid story with surprises, twists and a well wrapped up conclusion.