What did I just read?! That ending was SO MESSED UP! I hesitate to say too much as this book works best going in blind. Two couples live next door and have children the same age. Tensions build between them when tragedy befalls one couple. That ending though! 🤯
I was excited to learn that it’s going to be made into a movie with Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. I’m interested in how they’ll adapt this for the US since the underpinnings of the characters are rooted in French culture— but it could still be easily translated (pun intended) for an American audience.
*Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the review copy.

The book started off slow, but once it got going I couldn’t put it down. The novel is about two young couples that live next store to each other and become fast friends. They both end up pregnant within months of each other and have two boys. The boys are best friends and are the always together until tragedy strikes. Once the tragedy occurs — everything is changed forever.

Thank you to the publishers at Harpervia and Netgalley for this e-ARC of Mothers’ Instinct.

Translated from French and soon to be a major motion picture, Mothers Instinct tells the story of two couples who each have a child three months apart. The very best of friends, the couples live next door to each other and are included in each others lives. Everything starts to fall apart however after a tragic accident and things will never be the same.

All in all, I enjoyed the novel and did not see the end coming, although I did have a feeling towards the end that something momentous was going to happen. Still a real twist at the end!

My review was voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Brava!

Wow!! A tale of heartbreak, motherhood, friendship, and what happens when all that is called into question. This book will keep you flipping all night long as you read to get to the end and see what happens to all those involved.

What did I just read? I loved this! What a wild ride, I absolutely devoured this. I definitely recommend going into this one blind. The synopsis gives away too much information. This novel was translated from French and will soon be made into a film. This will make a great film adaptation.
Two neighbor couples become inseparable friends. Only a hedge separates their yards. They become pregnant only a few months apart and then have their sons who also become inseparable friends. One of the children is killed in a tragic accident and they parents have trouble maintaining their friendship. How far will the grieving parents be willing to go to make the devastating circumstances fair?

Wow this book was WILD with a capital W-I-L-D. Fast paced and binge worthy, if you need a book to get you out of a reading slump here you go.

When I saw this book was going to be a movie, I knew I needed to read it! This book was amazing! I couldn’t put it down. Every time I turned the page, I had no idea what to expect. There was so many twists and the ending was crazy! I can’t wait for the movie! Thank you NetGalley, Barbara and HarperVia for the ARC!

Mother’s Instinct by Barbara Abel was a wild read. I devoured this book in one day. Someone asked what I thought about it. The only thing I could think to say was something along the lines of, I liked it but I hated it!
I didn’t care for any of the characters. They all seemed to have something a little off about them that made it hard to like them. Despite this fact, I did care to know what was going to happen and couldn’t stop reading! It’s impressive when a book manages to do that!
This book made me question my neighbors, my friendships, my children, my hubby…..everyone. It’s creepy because we have all seen enough documentaries to know that people like the ones in this book are, in fact, walking among us.
It’s a crazy, dark and thrilling read and it is available now! Soon to be a major motion picture starring Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain!

I will be posting this review on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsWQ_sqL5gN/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5547599755

And Amazon.

Disturbing!!! WTH did I just read?!?! This is one that will have you side-eying your neighbors! I mean…if I had a physical copy this would have gone in the freezer! (Joey, I’m with you on that)

SCARY BOOKS BELONG IN THE FREEZER!
David and Laetitia Brunelle and Sylvain and Tiphaine Geniot are inseparable friends and next-door neighbors in a pretty, tranquil suburb. Their sons Milo and Maxime, born in the same year, grow up together as close as brothers. But when Maxime is killed in an accident, their idyllic world shatters. Maxime’s parents, Sylvain and Tiphaine, are consumed by grief and bitterness, while David and Laetitia are wracked with guilt for their role in the tragedy. Soon the couples are barely speaking, although they maintain a polite facade.

Then things get strange. The first half of the book is the set up. After Maxine dies, strange things start happening. At first, I thought, ok, people grieve in their own way. But as “accidents” start happening to Milo, I wondered if I was more worried than Laetitia and David. But Laetitia goes from trusting her BFF to paranoid pretty quickly. Thing escalate very fast and then the book comes to a “hit by a Mack truck” ending. I almost felt like I should re-read the last few chapters to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I literally felt like I was hit by a truck with this ending. Is that what the author intended? I think so! So…BRAVO Barbara Abel, you succeeded and what you set out to do. You totally floored me on this.

Mothers’ Instinct by Barbara Abel is soon to be a major US motion picture starring Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. I think this would be a great movie and now I am anxious to see it played out on the big screen. These characters are twisted and monstrous. I feel like I was warned, but I ignored it and kept thinking something else was coming. Now I only wonder if there is a sequel in the works?!?! I will be thinking about this one for a while.

This was a fun read. Drama filled, twisty, and mind bending. Do we ever really know our neighbors and be careful of those we call friend. The read was dark, twisty, and disturbing. This was a quick and fascinating read. While the characters weren't exactly likeable, the book was written in a way that it was a crazy read. Even now, the story won't leave me alone and rest in me. I can't wait to read more by this author.

#MOTHERSINSTINCT #NETGALLEY. #BARBARAABEL

This is about two couples who lived right next-door to each other had babies three months apart and were the best of friends. Unfortunately one of them lost their son due to an unfortunate accident his name was Max and after the loss of Max each couple respectively went crazy in the wrong way. David who is Milo‘s dad didn’t have parents he was an orphan but he was very close to his probation officer Ed and when Ed dies David becomes the prime suspect for his murder he conveniently gets arrested right after an argument with his wife and so he leaves Milo with his neighbors Sylvan and Tiffame. There’s a lot of stuff that happens in the end between but what happens next isn’t sanity this is a book that is nonstop boom boom boom one thing after another cannot put the book down kind of reading and OMG I loved it! This was originally written in A foreign language that has been translated into English and will soon be a major motion picture. You can tell when you’re reading it that it has been translated from another language but that doesn’t stop the enjoyment and thrilling suspense created by Barbara Abel in the book mother‘s instinct it is a book I highly recommend in a definite solid four-star read. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Overall the premise is good. The characters are interesting. While at times unbelievable it keeps you turning pages. However, this is an instance where I believe the movie will be better than the book.

After the death of her parents, Laetitia and her husband, David, have moved into the home she grew up in. They are overjoyed when another young couple, Tiphaine and Sylvain, move in next door. Becoming fast friends, the couples are always together and when they have baby boys three months apart, they draw even closer. As the boys (Maxine and Milo) grow they share everything and become closer than brothers. When a devastating accident occurs, the friendship is rocked to its very core. Accusations are thrown both ways but the rift is pretty deep. When a reconciliation does start to take place, Laetitia is sure that all is not what it seems, but as time goes on she is looking more and more deranged every day, but is she really? This domestic drama is a fast paced, but at times was difficult to read. A definite page turner from beginning to end with a mighty fine twist! Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A domestic thriller at its finest! Fast paced, short chapters, and completely unputdownable. The changing POV added to the story, it was easy to follow and gave so much more perspective. 90% of what I read is thriller so some things were easy to pick up on… but let me tell you this is one of MAYBE two books so far this year that had me completely shook at the ending! This books comes out in may so do yourself a favor and read it! Then keep your eyes out for the film adaptation coming soon!

This was one of the best thrillers I read this year! Well written and engaging. This story is about relationships, mothers' love and grief. Lots of different emotions. The ending though...I still don't know how I feel about it. Is it shocking? YES very! I definitely didn't see that coming. Realistic? Not really. Could this end differently? Probably not. I think I loved it and hated it at the same time. Now I can't wait for the movie to come out.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperVia and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Barbara Abel, HarperVia and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. I don't even know what or how I am feeling after this book. What an absolute ride. This book made me say "what the ...." out loud more times then I want to admit. I felt one way thought most of the book and then BAM I'm hit with the truth and it left such an unsettling weird feeling I really thought about this book for a few days. Abel wrote such a great psychological thriller/mystery that kept you wondering the entire time. I completed this book faster than I have any others because I had to figure out what was going on.

A dark and disturbing domestic thriller. Two couples, David and Laetitia Brunelle and Sylvain and Tiphaine Geniot, are neighbors and best friends. They have sons three months apart who also become inseparable until one of them is killed in a tragic accident. Their parents' relationship initially deteriorates as they are full of blame and resentment. They try to regain the friendship they had before, but Laetitia becomes increasingly paranoid that her son is in danger from Tiphaine. Abel does a great job of depicting the relationships between the four main characters and building plot intensity. I saw most of the twists coming, but I still felt like I was "watching in horror" as the story unfolded. Some of the writing feels a bit stilted, but after a while, I got used to it and found it added to the atmosphere.

This book was a Wild ride! This was the type of book you cannot put down; you are so wound up with the tension! Oh. My. Goodness. I feel like I am left with no words! This is an unbelievable drama with two families who have been friends for 10 years, and one of their sons dies in a terrible accident. This shows what can happen between friends when faced with tragedy and grief. This is a book that will stick with you, and I see why it is going to be a movie soon with amazing actresses.

This is a tough read, but a must read. I recommend this book to everyone but prepare yourself for a crazy journey!

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Netgally for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mothers instinct was a fast paced twisted story. Best friends and neighbors like family raising their sons together until tragedy strikes, it’s really no wonder this will be a movie this book was amazing, if you like crazy twisted domestic thrillers this is totally for you. Trigger warning for death of a child .

I received an ARC of this book from HarperVia & NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I would suggest not reading the synopsis and going in blind. I must have read it at some point, but by the time I actually started the book, I didn't remember it. Therefore a key event came as a surprise to me and I think it works much better this way.

This book is crazy and I have never read anything like it - as a voracious reader, especially with thrillers, that is saying something. The author does a fabulous job setting up the background of these two couples and their friendships. Although there are periods where not much action is happening, the atmosphere and suspense are always building, so I never found the book boring.

One star off for the horrible ending!!!!!