I loved that this book was so relatable and relevant to topics that you hear about everyday. The realities of post partum depression are real. I did not experience them after my son was born, so for me this book was really eye opening and helped me to see what a horrible state some women can go through after their baby is born.
This book was good and the plot very interesting. Although at times the depression descriptions were repetitive and could tend to slow down the story, I think the author made that choice to illustrate how when you are down deep into that depression how it can feel repetitive and keep circling your mind.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and would read more from this author.

4.5 stars — Such A Good Mom by @juliaspiro

A book I couldn’t put down. I loved Brynn’s early motherhood experience as a large part of this mystery. While I was invested in the mystery, I also was invested in Brynn’s life and wanted the best for her.

The storyline and twist was pretty good. I had my own theory and I was wrong. Brynn had to find an answer to a cryptic message from a love on to save them/her family. What I wasn’t fond of being so heavy on the new motherhood and postpartum depression, it was too much. At times these two subjects were just redundant. Brynn was hard to connect with. Honestly most of the characters were. Thank you, @netgallery for the book and chance to read the ARC.

This was an OK read for me. It centered on Brynn, who is struggling as a new mom anyway when her husband becomes more distant and an acquaintance on their small close-knit island of Martha's Vineyard is killed. Brynn wants to figure out what is going on with her husband and his influential family, as well as if their secrets tie to something much more sinister.

The book focuses very heavily on Brynn's postpartum depression to the point where the murder mystery seems secondary to the story. While I do think the depression is covered well, it was often quite repetitive and I wanted to get back to solving the murder. While there were a few twists as it related to the mystery, I did find it somewhat predictable and wasn't surprised by any of them. In fact, I wanted to yell at Brynn for sometimes being slow on the uptake! That being said, I thought the loose ends were tied up well, and I did enjoy the dynamic within friendships Brynn shared with her support network.

Overall, this was a quick read for me but didn't exactly hit the mark because I wasn't really sure what the book was trying to be. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure initially how much I’d like this because there was a great deal about postpartum in it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I saw this twist coming, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The book was well written. I think I will check out more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book had an awesome premise that drew me in. The story was very well told and very relatable. It deals with postpartum depression and a mother that is ambiguous about her new baby. All totally normal but things that society crucifies women for.

A murder takes place in the book and the FMC begins investigating it while dealing with PPD.

This was a slow burn that I found to be relatable and compelling.

I commend Spiro for capturing the sensitive topic of postpartum so realistically. I loved the plot and the wild twist at the end!

Such A Good Mom handles the issue of postpartum depression incredibly well. I would have found this book a comfort to read while I was going through postpartum myself. I appreciate how brutally honest the author was about the parts of motherhood that aren't often discussed.

The thriller side of the book was predictable to me. I had figured out what was going to happen before the end. Regardless, I would still recommend this book for how it portrays postpartum in an accurate way.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Julia Spiro for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
This book was not for me. It started out well, but I soon lost interest. The mother's struggle after the birth was a depressingly long part of the story and the mystery part underwhelming. Plus the ultra liberal slant irritated me.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of Such A Good Mom by Julia Spiro. I enjoyed the writing style, but the baby stuff too much. Reading every little detail about Brynne’s postpartum depression and her feeling she’s a bad mom was exhausting. If this hadn’t been listed as a thriller, I would have passed on reading it. There was so much going on it was hard to keep track of the search for the murderer, which was the part I found the most engaging. 3 stars.

In Such a Good Mom, new mother Brynn is dealing with exhaustion and also ambivalent feelings about being a new mom. Brynn's idyllic Martha's Vineyard lifestyle and family seem to be coming apart at the seams. And then, a family friend is murdered and Brynn's husband is the lead suspect. With the support of her caring friends and all-encompassing in-laws, Brynn tries to figure out what happened all while trying to deal with her overwhelming exhaustion from taking care of her son by herself.
As for my review- I thought this book lost its way a little bit. It's a searing portrait of the difficulties and expectations for new mothers and new babies. Brynn's feelings and worries highlight the challenges of trying to preserve your own identity while being a new mother. I think this book would have been better as a standalone in that direction. The mystery of the murder and trying to unravel what happened with her husband all seem secondary to the story of motherhood. Or, if you look at it the other way, this murder mystery was bogged down with so much about the angst of motherhood. This could have been a great book if one or the other took center stage. By combining these two, it's a good book, but nothing spectacular. Someone- either the people who want a good mystery or the people who want to read a book about the trials and tribulations of being a new mom- will be somewhat disappointed with this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC e-book for me to read and review.

“Such a Good Mom” by Julia Spiro is a mystery book, but for a majority of the book that is an underlying part of the plot. Most of this book discusses new Mom, Brynn, dealing with postpartum depression in, at times, rather detailed detail. I don’t have an issue with someone suffering from postpartum, but at times the information became repetitive and, honestly, distracted from the mystery. I never felt that the book, like the book summary says, “brings the real and layered Martha’s Vineyard to life” - for me, this book could have been based nearly anywhere and it would’ve worked fine. Getting back to the mystery, once the mystery started rolling, I felt the book became more interesting - though it took to nearly the 85% mark for it to really get underway. Was I surprised by the final who-done-it? No, as it wasn’t shocking or surprising, but I think it was an okay to good mystery. I do think this book needs some editing (at one point Brynn says the baby looks like her and a few paragraphs later, she states the baby looks like her husband) along with trigger warnings. I’m also a bit confused as to when this book took place - it’s being published in 2025 yet the baby was born during the time of COVID restrictions (so, 2020 or 2021) and is only a few months old at the beginning of the book. For me, this book was an okay idea, but I wish that either there had been more focus on the mystery OR that the mystery wasn’t part of the book; instead this book seemed to bridge both that, for me, didn’t quite work as well as I hoped.

This was a great read. Brynn lives on Martha's Vineyard and has a newborn son. She is struggling with undiagnosed postpartum depression; her husband is working long hours, and a family friend is found dead. When her husband Ross is arrested for the crime, she is overwhelmed. He would never do that, but there seems to be some evidence. Ross tells her to find something, but she is confused about what he means. As this progresses, Brynn digs for more information and finds a lot of disturbing things. Without ruining the mystery, this is well written, and I couldn't put it down. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro deals with murder, family relationships and secrets, with a healthy dose of new mom postpartum depression and adjustment mixed in. As a postpartum doula and Mom myself, I know well how a new baby turns one's life upside down, especially during those first few months. Add in one's husband seeming detached and absent, and Brynn had plenty to deal with. and that is before her husband is arrested!

From there we move into family drama and a mystery. I did predict the ending but enjoyed watching it unspool nonetheless.

I read an ARC of this book, and there were a few things that need to be ironed out, but I feel confident that will happen during the editing process.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Not for me. This novel couldn't decide if it was a murder mystery or some kind of treatise on motherhood. The main character has post partum depression, which everyone in her life seems to know except for her, and no one does anything about it. Did this upper middle class white woman really think someone would take her baby away if she told her doctor she thought she had post partum depression? The PPD seemed to be more of a device for an unreliable narrator who is so exhausted she can't even remember what time her husband came home. The mystery was flat and not fully fleshed out. Overall, this was repetitive and I found myself skimming the second half of the book, especially the unnecessary side stories about minor characters and the FMC's endless internal thoughts.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy of, Winter Magic In Port Berry, by K.T. Dady, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Brynn should be so happy, living in Martha's Vineyard, having a loving husband, and a new baby, but then someone is dead, and her husband is the prime suspect. This book had a lot going on. Murder, postpartum, and more, it was a good read.

there's the bones of a good suspense story in there, but they're kinda covered with some writing that REALLY needs a good editor. 3 stars. tysm for thea rc.

Such A Good Mom is a suspense novel set on Martha's Vineyard, an island renowned for its beauty, history, and wealth. The setting is integral to the book and this reviewer enjoyed imagining a warm weather visit there. The story is about new mother, Brynn, her struggle with post-partum depression, and its eroding effect on her marriage. When a murder takes place on the island, Brynn's husband is arrested on suspicion, and her state of mind is further challenged. Though her loyalty to her husband is tested, she is compelled to search for answers.

Such A Good Mom is well written, and the storyline is easy to follow. The post-partum depression theme dominates the book, which might not work for some readers, but will stir empathy in others.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

The suspense was great, story was interesting. Postpartum stuff was blegh, but we all have different experiences. I’d read her again.