Perfection is the best disguise...except when it isn't...

For a quick read this was a slow read. I mean, our protagonist Amelia Sterling spends half the book lamenting on how she fears her past being discovered by not only the rich and powerful she has married into but that they would see her for who she really is. And Amelia doesn't like the person who she used to be...which is why she has spent so long running from that past she has left behind. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so frustratingly repetitive and with no real direction except a mother with a newborn who was constantly tired and didn't want to be the centre of attention. Oh, and a secret to hide. Those were pretty much the only clues to go off.

Until the THEN chapters began. Suddenly, we are given a glimpse into the past through a young girl's first person narrative but the identity of that girl isn't clear until further in. So naturally it is left up to the reader to guess. Actually, I much preferred the THEN chapters to the present ones. They seemed to have much more happening than Amelia's life now. But it was the prologue that really drew me in...after that, the rest fell a bit flat until it began to fall into place.

So the players we have in the present are Amelia, husband Timothy, baby Clover, parents-in-law Alexander and Isabelle (though Alexander I think has one line "It's so good to have you have you back at the table again Celeste" was the sum of his involvement), sister-in-law Lydia, neighbours Eleanor and Celeste, Amelia's only friend Tabitha and reporter Jack. In the past there are just four - Hazel, Meadow, their mum and Hazel's boyfriend Tommy. So how do all these people and their stories come together? It wasn't overly difficult to piece together and the story was fairly predictable but it was still an OK read. I didn't not like it but it wasn't edge of your seat either.

Honestly? I couldn't stand any of the Sterlings. They were fake and pretentious and too powerful for their own good. They didn't care about Amelia, though it's hard to care about Amelia as she is hard to like. Isabelle was controlling and condescending, Lydia was fickle, Timothy was a two faced hypocrite - only Alexander didn't register anything as he didn't feature long enough to do so. This was all about girl power - or rather bitchiness. I felt like I was watching some Real Housewives reality TV rubbish.

When the pace picked up there was tension, secrets and lies that aren't entirely difficult to unravel once you piece everything together. It was a quick read that I devoured in about four and a half hours of an afternoon though it was filled with unlikeable characters that made it hard to like anyone. But I enjoyed it for the most part and it gave us a good satisfractory ending, even if not entirely believeable.

I would like to thank #AnyaMora, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #GoodBadMother in exchange for an honest review.

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

Everyone has a past, some worse than others. Amelia has dark secrets from her past, and she is working hard to keep them buried. She suddenly starts receiving letters letters that threaten the new life she has built as a wife and mother. How far will a mother go to keep her past hidden? How far will a mother go to protect her child?

Even though this book was a slow burn, it drew me in right from the first page, and I was invested up until the end. I was so curious to know how everything would play out. The author kept me in the dark for a long time, and I kept guessing about what would happen. All of those guesses were wrong! The suspense building by Mora was top notch, and elements of surprise that were intertwined throughout the plot development kept me intrigued. I loved the ending!

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

This book explores how past secrets can come back to haunt you, especially when hiding a major secret from her husband. A believable and tense family drama, with in-laws and a former lover in the mix, added extra layers of intrigue.

The characters were well-drawn and the plot kept me hooked, though some twists felt predictable or a bit overdone. Overall, it delivered the suspense and complex relationships I expect from this author, and I’m eager to read more.

This book had me hooked from the very first page. Love the storyline and the mystery around what happened. I did not anticipate the twists at the end but loved how it all came about. Highly recommend.

Thank you so much for this book, it really didn't disappoint.
Totally hooked from the start and couldn't put it down.
Highly recommend reading this.

I could not wait to dive into Good Bad Mother and when I did it did not disappoint. It was fast paced with just enough twists and turns to make in interesting without going over the top. I did find it a little predictable in places but that did not spoil my enjoyment one bit. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Thankyou netgallery for the ARC, I would recommend this book if you love a book full of twist and turns. You think you have the story and then you.realise you don't.

This was a great read and a pretty quick one as well. It was a little predictable but still entertaining.

I gave this book 4 stars! It was a good story and once I picked it up I did not want to put down! I will be looking for more from this author!

I did enjoy this, although I found it quite predictable and a bit slow at times, especially through the middle. I found my attention would wander elsewhere as I was waiting for something to happen. When things did start happening, it felt a little rushed and came to conclusion fairly quickly

Really enjoyed reading this book, had me hooked from the beginning! Will definitely read more books from this author

This was my first from this author and it was an intense ride! So many twists and turns. I didn't not see the ending coming at all! I do enjoy these type of books where I feel like I know how it's gonna end and then something crazy happens

This is the first book that I’ve read by the author and it won’t be my last. Great plot and great character development. Held my interest throughout the whole book. Will be reading more by this author.

A twisty, turny story that will have you guessing until the end. The twist at the end got me.

That characters will annoy you, intrigue you and I felt a little bit sorry for female lead. So many secrets, imposing family members and trauma from the past.

This book will grab your attention and keep you engaged.

If you’re looking for a thrilling twist; look no more!
Good Bad Mother was such a fun and quick read. I did not expect the plot twist that came with this!

The writing style is not my favorite, it was still such a good book . I highly recommend the read!
#GoodBadMother #NetGalley #booksbooksbooks #booksonaburger

There was too much emphasis and mention that there was a secret

I absolutely loved this debut read from Anya Mora! The mysterious letters that kept appearing added an irresistible, page-turning element that had me up late into the night. The setting—Cutter's Island—was the perfect eerie backdrop for this gripping thriller.

I’m eager to read more from Anya Mora and truly appreciate Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Good Bad Mother. If you're looking for a suspenseful read that will keep you hooked until the very last page, I highly recommend this one!

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you love:

✨Dual time lines
✨Unexpected ending
✨Discussion of postpartum struggle
✨Creep factor
✨Explosive plot twists
✨Faithful friends

This book is an incredible, unpredictable, anxiety provoking domestic thriller.

So you must be wondering what this gem of a book is about. The Good Bad Mother is about Amelia, who currently lives the life of luxury with her adoring new husband and brand new baby girl, in a beautiful home on an exclusive island off the coast of Seattle. On the surface Amelia appears to have it all. But behind that perfect facade, she has deep dark secrets and a past she wants to remain hidden. But someone on Cutters Island is digging up Amelia’s past, leaving anonymous notes, threatening to reveal her secrets and make her pay for the mistakes of her past. The stress of being a new mother, keeping secrets and running from her past are catching up with Amelia. She is starting to unravel. But now with the threatening notes, Amelia begins to spiral. The reader makes assumptions but be careful what you believe. All is not as it seems!

Good Bad Mother is the first book I’ve read by author Anya Mora and I’m so happy Bookouture and NetGalley introduced me to her.

#bookreview #bookstagram #newreleases #thrillerbooks

Psychological Thriller

The perfect life- until it’s not. Will she unwind the past and find her baby in time?

The blurb for this was so dramatic, “Because I am not a perfect wife. I am not a good mother. But I am the perfect liar. No one knows what I have been through to get this life. And they shouldn’t underestimate how far I’ll go to get my baby back…”. I couldn’t wait to get started!
Amelia describes Timothy as the perfect husband but the more I read the less I believed that. The suspense built as did the need to know what did Amelia that night in her past? Timothy’s family and friends angered me more than once but this contributed to the drama of the reveals and ending. Big shock twist at the end with only some bits I found predictable, still really enjoyable.

Thank you so much to @bookoutre and @netgalley for this ARC!! I loved it ♥️

I was totally gripped by the first half of this book, and then it totally dropped off for me. I felt the need to provide an alternative ending, in which Hazel, by divine cosmic justice, gets into a car accidents causing the death of both Timothy and Celeste. The reader is left wondering if this "accident" was intentional, despite Hazel being arrested for vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. The epilogue concludes with Meadow meeting Sylvie and Hazel in prison for *family bonding time*

But seriously, why did the Sterlings just ride off into the sunset when they sucked? You absolutely know Timothy was going to keep Amelia locked up in custody battles until the end of eternity. She left that plot hole wide open, when it could have been solved so easily.

I loved this first read by Anya Mora. The letters that kept showing up added a lot to the page-turning, keep me up at night part of this thriller. The setting, Cutter's Island, was perfect for this book. I hope to see more from Anya Mora and am always thankful to Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced copy of "Good Bad Mother." I recommend this book if you are looking for a book to keep you up at night or to finish in one sitting.