I really feel like this book had good potential but in the long run it focus too much on the main character’s postpartum depression, and not about the mystery.

4.5 stars! I know this book has mixed reviews, but I thought it was great if you appreciate a good domestic thriller. I'm also a sucker for any novel set on Martha's Vineyard, so that helped. That being said, I can see how those who have not personally experienced pregnancy and/or motherhood may not find Such A Good Mom and it's female main character (Brynn) relatable, but for those who have, Spiro writes in searing honesty about the experience of new moms.

Brynn is struggling juggling the responsibilities of a new baby with her job as a writer on an idyllic and affluent island. Like may in the postpartum phase, she experiences brain fog, negative thoughts about her altered body, and feels increasingly distant from and misunderstood by her husband. Perpetually exhausted and at her wit's end, her life crumbles when the dead body of a young woman on the island is discovered, and her husband is subsequently arrested for murder.

Brynn's journalistic instinct kicks in, and she decides to investigate whether her husband is really guilty, or he is being framed by someone else on the island. However, her chronic fatigue and "baby brain" make her a bit of an unreliable narrator, as she is constantly second guessing herself, her husband, and her life's choices. I loved the plot twists combined with the raw and emotional insight into the trials and tribulations of mothers, which really resonated with me and made for a compelling read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled to get through this one due to the emphasis on the FMC’s battle with postpartum depression rather than the actual mystery plot line. The cover and synopsis led me to feel the book would be a good summer beach mystery, but the subject was much heavier than anticipated. As someone who was diagnosed with PPD and failed to emotionally connect to with my firstborn infant, I can attest that Spiro’s portrayal of these struggled are incredibly realistic. I think there was a good premise here, but the murder mystery plot just lacked enough originality to hold my attention. However, I will definitely give this author a second chance!

A good premise, Martha's vineyard is a great setting. I appreciate the author trying to drag out the difficulties of being a mother especially when you don't feel called or connected to it - but it felt very monotonous (washing your sink) in a non productive way. No comments about motherhood were new or interesting for me. The mystery was drawn out and not really surprising in the end.

If you are looking for a story that is about a mother struggling with postpartum depression (and maybe even anxiety) this is the book for you. The struggles of postpartum motherhood and mental health challenges are well depicted. But that is pretty much all the book is about. The FMC is struggling with postpartum when her husband is arrested for murder. She struggles with her feelings towards him and motherhood. She is resistant to help and trusts very few people. The book was more about her struggles than the murder, which I was not expecting. I wanted a little more from the murder aspect of the story, which was fine, but predictable and not the main focus. I think if you want a story about mental health challenges, especially as a new mother, this book will check all of your boxes. It was just not what I was looking for and became repetitive and frustrating to me (not the depression, but the constant descriptions of her challenges.)

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I liked the premise of this book.

New Mom Brynn lives on Martha's vineyard with her husband. She's a successful woman with a busy life, but she is now suffering from post-partum depression.

When her husband is accused of murder, she is stunned - he wouldn't do that, would he? She decides she needs to find out who the real murder is, but she's barely functional.

I struggled a little with the book, as it's not really a mystery, and is more women's fiction. It is certainly not a beach read, as it brings up a lot of difficult situations. Brynn is unable to really bond with her baby and regrets having given birth at times. There is a lot of information about caring for a newborn, and it's repeated several times. I think women who have struggled with depression like this would appreciate this book, but for me it dragged.

Great summer book - fast paced!

Author Brynn Nelson is a normal, overwhelmed new mom residing on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, near to his close knit family. Her husband, Ross, is the heir apparent to the family business. As his father seems to be pulling back, Ross is spending more and more time working which leaves struggling Brynn on her own feeling as though she should be able to handle it all and shouldn’t need help. This just deepens her resentment.

Summer on the island is such a different time with all the temporary visitors and workers. One of whom is found dead after washing ashore - and suddenly Ross is arrested for the murder! Brynn isn’t sure ho is trustworthy and the postpartum depression just feeds these worries. But deep down, she knows he couldn’t have done it, and sets out to find out more.

The character of Brynn was incredibly relatable as Spiro did an excellent job to describe her vulnerabilities, doubts and fears. Her mother in law, Margaux was relatable too - a born leader always seeming to know how to make points with others. There were some portions that were a bit repetitive in nature, and some of the background development felt slightly clunky. Regardless, I enjoyed the story, didn't predict it (maybe because I sped through it!) and feel this would be a great summer read by the pool or on a plane.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and Julia Spiro for the eARC.
Pub Date Apr 29 2025

Boy, does this book hit hard on the early days of being a first time mom. I loved the murder mystery along with the heavy mom stuff. I somewhat guessed the twist but only about 25%. A great read!

A lot of the heavy mom stuff was repetitive, and I understand why, but it was a lot.

This could also be triggering for someone with PPD or who has had it in the past.

Brynn is struggling after recently giving birth to her first child. She doesn't know if she's cut out for motherhood. Plus, her husband, Ross is growing more and more distant. Then when a young local woman is found dead and her husband is accused of her mother, her life is turned upside down. Did her husband really kill Cecelia? What secrets was he keeping from her?

I had a difficult time with this book. I'm not a mother and couldn't relate at all to what Brynn was going through, and over half the book was about her dealing with a newborn, breastfeeding, wondering why she wasn't connecting, etc. I didn't care for that part of the book. I was more invested in the murder mystery than post-partum depression. I guess the title says it all. My mistake.

Thanks to Minotaur for an advanced copy of Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro.

I loved the Martha's Vineyard setting of this family drama - mystery. This book might be more appealing to women who are mothers since the main character Brynn is deep in the newborn stage of parenthood and feels like she can't do anything right with her son and isn't living the life she imagined as a mom. She has postpartum depression (but hasn't gotten any help) and that part gets really repetitive (and I started to question her friends/family for not helping her).. Oh yeah, and her husband has been accused of murder and she's trying to figure out the truth.

I liked the audiobook - the narrator Abigail Reno kept me interested in the book and while I guessed who did it earlier on. I liked seeing how and why it all unfolded.

This was an enjoyable book and I think the author's commentary on motherhood and the struggles will be something that a lot of moms will resonate with.

So much potential…

I appreciated the close look at how, upon giving birth, women are expected to automatically turn into nurturing mothers. The content tries to address postpartum depression, the fear of doing things wrong, and the absolute exhaustion of catering to a newborn while recovering from childbirth. But what we get is a repetitive cycle without a lot of depth.

Our wealthy white mother doesn’t seek help for her postpartum depression because she’s afraid the state will take away her baby if she tells her doctor how she feels. I mean, seriously, that’s just dumb.

In general, the story is about a lot of rich people behaving badly, interfering in one another’s lives, while doing nothing about the fact that Brynn is clearly suffering. It all felt shallow, despite the complex topic.

The murder mystery aspect is thin, and the twists predictable.

Read SUCH A GOOD MOM if you want a close but not necessarily expansive look at postpartum depression. Don’t read it if you’re looking for a good mystery.

“Such a Good Mom” by Julia Spiro
New Mom and a mystery
I found this to be an easy read. I did get frustrated from time to time with all the ‘new mom’ ‘new baby’ chatter when what I was wanting to hear was the ‘mystery clues’. I do recommend this story to anyone contemplating adding the new mom/baby routine into their lives. A lot of food for thought for you. But a bit too much memory lane for myself. I did skim some of that chatter a few times to get to the mystery. Happy Reading ! !

Unfortunately not for me. Not really too much about the mystery and more about the postpartum depression. It's a bummer because this sounded so interesting and just ended up not being for me.

👩‍🍼 T R A I T O R T H U R S D A Y review 👩‍🍼 featuring “Such A Good Mom” by Julia Spiro!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Brynn Nelson is really struggling. She has a new born baby, a distant husband and terrible writer’s block when attempting to write her next book. From the outside they look like a picture perfect family, until a buried family secret rocks them all.

A server from their country club in Martha’s Vineyard is found murdered and the prime suspect is Brynn’s husband Ross! Not only is Brynn suffering from post partum depression, but now her world is being shattered into a million pieces. Could her husband AND the father of her child actually be responsible for this?? Or is Ross being framed?? After all, blood isn’t always thicker than water.

Ross gives Brynn clues to figure out the truth, but as she begins to spiral with questions and emotions she realizes that she cannot trust anyone. Even herself.

The constant fog of being a new mom and figuring out her inlaw’s secrets drags Brynn down to an all time low. Reality and the truth start to blur together as Brynn gets put through the wringer when trying to solve this mystery!

💗 I really enjoyed this book! I thought the mix of strained family dynamics, a murder mystery and the challenges of motherhood was an interesting twist that screams raw and emotional!

Thank you kindly to @juliaspiro @minotaur_books @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on April 29, 2025!

This was a gripping mystery novel set in Martha's Vineyard. The story revolves around Brynn Nelson, a new mom, a loving husband, and a successful career. However, Brynn is struggling with the challenges of postpartum life and some difficulties in her marriage.

Things change when a family friend is found dead, and Brynn's husband, Ross, is arrested for the crime. As Brynn struggles with sleepless nights and the demands of motherhood, she is thrust into trying to uncover the truth behind Cecelia's death. Her journey is faced with uncertainty, as she tires to figure out who she can actually trust.

The author weaves in suspense and also explores of the pressures of motherhood and marital trust. The novel also dives into identity, resilience, and just how far someone will go to protect their family. This was a good read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I would recommend to all my friends.

My overall rating was 3.5 starts

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

No, this book didn't do it for me at all.

I understand postpartum depression can take many shapes and affect a new mom in so many ways, but this was too.... everything.

Brynn is having a hard time with her newborn not sleeping. Her day job before motherhood was as an author of a couple of books. Her hubby seems to be there, but not really helpful and she resents him, she resents the baby, her own mother, a little bit her mother in law and herself. A lack of sleep alone can do that, but add hormones and you are in deep trouble.

Add to that the fact that a waitress from their club on Martha's Vineyard has been found dead, a woman who had shared a special relationship with Brynn's father in law, but he's not the one on the hot seat, AKA in jail, but rather Brynn's hubby.

Throw in some very pregnant friend, a gay couple from the playground and a few others such as an old boyfriend who happens to be her brother in law and you get the picture rather fast, right? Too much. For someone who is supposed to be an author in the story, she's definitely not using her head to solve this one. No one would go walking into the police station saying I know he didn't do it, give me more info. Right? Without a lawyer no less she goes off on this kind of mission.

I ended up skimming the last half or actually skipping most of it and the ending didn't make me want to go back and read it carefully.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

Set in Martha's Vineyard, Brynn is struggling with the demands of being a new mother, as well as a wife, and a writer. It is the beginning of summer and just as Brynn thinks she might be reaching her breaking point, tragedy strikes their small town when a family friend washes ashore, and none other than her husband is arrested for the murder. On top of her struggles as a new parent, Brynn now finds herself looking for clues to help solve the murder. Brynn finds her stride as a mom and starts to re-find herself as a person as she also finds clues to help solve the murder. Such a Good Mom is a perfect spring/summer beach read!

Sadly, this book was just not for me. I thought it was going to be more of a mystery even though the title is, Such a Good Mom!
This book is mostly about Brynn's postpartum depression and not much around the murder. I just found it to be a bit boring and predictable and I wasn't so interested in reading about Brynn's postpartum depression.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

I read this along with the advanced audiobook copy I received and just struggled. Not because the book isn't good, but because the content was so raw and real for me. (PPD)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a mother who is experiencing postpartum depression and a murder that her husband is the prime suspect for. Her husband is from a well-to-do family on Martha's Vineyard, where this book takes place. It doesn't take long for news of his arrest to get out around the island. Brynn, our protagonist and mother, begins to investigate the murder of Cecilia Buckley because she just cannot believe that her husband killed her. There was a lot of focus put on Brynn and how she feels as a new mom with postpartum depression. I felt this got repetitive at times. I wanted more focus on the mystery, but that could just be me as mysteries and thrillers are my favorite genres. There were some twists and turns when it came to the mystery.