This is my first book by this author & I really enjoyed it. It was twisty & kept me on the edge of my seat through out the whole book! Definately recommend!

Beautifully written but slight.

Amber loves Joe but disaster strikes at prom and their lives are changed forever. Joe meets Meredith at college and they become the perfect couple. And then Amber returns to their home town.

What should be a toe curling thriller ends up as a bit of a disappointment from a tremendous author.

Amazingly twisted and totally genius plot. Written with the most physcological characters that you could ever imagine.

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. Although I enjoyed the unsettling and dark atmosphere, the plot was just so slow and repetitive. I also didn’t like any of the characters which made it hard to care about how the story would unfold and end.

I was drawn in by the synopsis for this book … all about a relationship being renewed twenty years later and the ramifications.So a very promising start but the not a lot seemed to be happening and then I got confused by the “Americanisms” …. I’m from the UK … and then I got a bit bored. Maybe too slow for me! The ending was good but not a very realistic read for me.

Gosh this felt quite a dark read. It’s a slow burn thriller but it felt quite repetitive at times. Would recommend if you age fan of slow burn thrillers.

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping, creepy and immersive. The characters were fantastic and the storyline was brilliant. Would definitely recommend.

This was a slow burner , and also has covid in this story so if you dont like either of these maybe this book isnt for you. I went into this one with high expectations. Unfortunately it fell flat for me.

This book was a real slow burner for me and it took me a while to really get into it. I wasn’t initially keen on the characters but I did grow to appreciate them as the story progressed. I’m glad I persevered with the book as I ended up really enjoying this dark and twisty tale. I really enjoyed the fact that the reality of Covid was brought into the story as it was and still is such a huge integral element of daily life for many. I would definitely recommend this book and I have given it 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

I found this book quire boring until the last few pages when it redeemed itself -the ending had such a twist-what a twist!

The premise of this story (a girl, who potentially didn’t know she was pregnant, gives birth on her prom night) had so much promise, but I just… didn’t really like this book. None of the characters were likeable or felt fleshed out. There were so many moments that felt like “I don’t understand why you are doing this?” And reading it felt a bit of a slog. I dunno - it just wasn’t for me & im sad about that.

In "Prom Mom," Lauran Lippman's storytelling efforts fall short of expectations. While the novel isn't entirely without merit, it fails to live up to its potential, ultimately making it a two-star read.

Prom Mom, the latest novel from prolific US writer Laura Lippman, was inspired by a podcast episode of “You’re Wrong About” called Prom Mom.

The book is centred on main character Amber Glass, a woman who as a teenager gave birth at her prom to a baby nobody knew she was pregnant with, and who she is alleged to have killed.

Amber returns to her hometown of Baltimore many years after the event to open a gallery and reconnects with Joe, her boyfriend at the time (“Cad Dad”), a popular guy who went on to live his life relatively untouched by the scandal. Joe is now a successful commercial real estate developer married to Meredith, a plastic surgeon and he’s never really had to confront his privilege or his past.

What follows is a slow-burn character study of Amber, Meredith and Joe, a cat-and-mouse game of sorts, set over the course of 2019-2021, with the pandemic not just as a backdrop but also as a plot device.

Whether this works for you is entirely subjective I think - some may find the day-to-day mundanities of lockdown tedious and not a time they’re ready to revisit. I thought it worked pretty well - these were complex times for people, emotionally, physically and financially; some benefitted enormously from it, others suffered a decline in fortune and Lippman’s stylish writing captures that astutely (Lippman herself went through a divorce during the pandemic).

I liked that the book references the political landscape, it adds context and colour. Joe and Meredith are well-drawn, realistic characters; Amber I found a little more unknowable - there’s a hint that she’s neurodivergent perhaps, though this isn’t explored.

I really enjoyed the book without totally loving it. Great writing and character work - perhaps just a little too much action packed into the last 20 pages. I admire Lippman’s self-described “f*ck-it feminist spirit” that is part of everything she does - it’s definitely present here.

Don’t expect a fast-paced thriller, but if well-written, slow-burn thrillers are your thing, give this one a go. 3.5-4/5⭐️

*Many thanks to @gillhessltd @faberbooks for the #gifted copy. As always this is an honest review.*

Despite the title of this book, very little of the plot is devoted to the defining incident of the main character's life - the prom where she gave birth to a premature baby that died in unaccounted circumstances. Actually, very little of the book seems to be about Amber at all - this is a book about Joe, good guy Joe, who it's fairly obvious is not a good guy at all. I would love to discuss this book at length in a book club, about why we (particularly women) excuse so much from men if they are handsome and have a certain amount of charm - they don't even need to be nice, or even that charming, since Joe seems to me to be a entitled, self-involved idiot. Set in 2020-2021, it's a Covid era novel with all the emotions that entails for us all. The majority of the novel is a bit mundane and slow and annoying (a lot like Covid lockdown itself actually) after a shock opening and a shock ending. Finishing reading this book, I just feel annoyed and a bit grotty, like I'm somehow complicit in the events that all of the horrible people in this book think were justified in order to. get what they wanted.

An absolutely brilliant read that had me hooked right from the start, Perfectly paced with just the right amount of twists to deliver a sucker punch to the reader

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

Amber Glass returns to her childhood home many years after the prom where had given birth to a baby . She had been sent to a juvenile prison as a result because the baby died. She had gone to the prom with Joe who didn’t know she was pregnant with his baby. He didn’t really want to go with Amber that night because he was still in love with his previous girlfriend.
Joe still lives in his home town with Meredith his wife of 20 years she thinks they have no secrets from each other . However Joe has been having a clandestine affair with a much younger woman named Jordan and he also soon begins an affair of convenience with Amber Glass.
Joe is a very shallow individual and was idealized by his mother when growing up. Joe’s perfect life is fast unraveling, he’s mortgaged his house and is slowly but surely going into debt just as covid hits. He is getting tired of Jordan but she’s threatening to tell his wife and he is unable to finish the affair..
How does Joe get out of this mess in his previously perfect life. Was Amber a bad omen that once again turned Joe’s life upside down. Was Joe’s marriage to Meredith as perfect as he thought, did she know about the affairs.
This is a tangled web of deceit and lies with well written characters that are well formed but unfortunately unlikeable especially Joe . Read and enjoy 4 stars.

An unexpected pleasure - Amber Glass is a highly complex character and from the beginning to the end, you’re not entirely sure what she wants. The title made me expect a pushy parent narrative but it was much more than that. Clever, intricate and thoughtful. Thank you #netgalley and the publishers for sharing this with me.

Prom Mom is.a 3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4⭐️
Amber Glass is going to the prom, well that’s what she thought until she’s taken Ill and spends the night in a bathroom. When the police visit her the next day it is to tell her and her family that she had given birth and killed the baby. Amber hadn’t told anyone she was pregnant, not even her date Joe. She leaves town and does not return until 22 years later as her step father left her his house and some money in his will. She opens up an art gallery and who comes through her door but Joe wanting a painting for a Christmas present. Despite Amber not wanting to get involved with Joe again it does happen and covid helps them get together more. Joe is leading a double life but for how long an he do this for and what are Amber’s intentions?
This was an ok read, I didn’t really care for the characters and I thought that it went on too long without anything happening. A lot of it is day to day life, I know it’s setting the scene but it was just too long and could have been shorter making it a snappier read. The ending was good but I’m to sure it was worth the read. I did enjoy the storyline it was just the length of nothing happening I had the problem with.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Faber And Faber for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Found it hard to stay interested in this one, the characters just didn’t appeal to me. An intriguing plot line nevertheless.

this book was very slow. I am usually a big fan of slow burners but this one did not feel engaging enough to keep me hooked. I wanted to DNF this one but was grateful for the arc so pushed through but I found myself skim reading alot of the story - this one just was not made for me!