Thank you, Net Galley, for the advanced audio of SUCH A GOOD MOM by Julia Spiro. Overall, I liked this novel. This book tells the story of a woman with post-partum depression, a friend of hers who was murdered and the person accused of that murder. Although this novel does talk about Brynn and the difficulties she is having after the birth of her child, I felt like I would have liked this novel better if it concentrated on the murder and the accused or if the novel had concentrated solely on motherhood and the problems it presented for Brynn. I felt like something was lost when the author tried to combine both in this novel

This story had me from the prologue to the very end.
Brynn is a new mom struggling with PPD and the complicated challenges that go with it. She is in the thick of the isolation that comes with having a newborn that so many moms experience. At times I found myself frustrated with how she made everything about herself, whether it was her husband being arrested, her child being sick, her tension with her family, or her best friend having pregnancy complications, but then I wondered if that was a clever way to demonstrate how a new mom can sometimes not see past the needs of herself or her baby at times.
All in all, I felt like this book had a good balance of history and emotions and suspense and I definitely enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Julia Spiro for an ALC of this story!

This is set on Martha's Vineyard adding a touch of small town vibes to this mystery. I found the story line thin in places but overall compelling enough to keep me interested. This is somewhat of a domestic thriller. Brynn is an author with 2 books published who currently owes a first draft on her 3rd romance novel. She's a new mom who is healing from a c-section, getting very little sleep, even less help, breastfeeding and has a fussy newborn. Her husband, Ross, is of little help but its unclear why they don't simply hire help. As they seem to be living in a tax bracket that could afford someone to clean, cook, have groceries delivered at the least, not to mention a night nurse/nanny at least a couple of days a week. Brynn also seems to be struggling with a bit of postpartum depression. In fact this goes quite deep into the impact of new motherhood and postpartum issues. It's extremely relatable and the best written aspect of the novel.

In this midst of this already overwhelming situation, a work associate of Ross's family business turns up dead. As Brynn is trying to process why neither her husband nor best friend made her aware of this shocking news, Ross is arrested for this associates murder. Brynn felt a touch ingénue-ish which I found annoying. At times it felt like an author would have more of an imagination when it came to elements of the mystery. I will say that the story wasn't exactly as I expected and I did not guess all of the reveals.

This audiobook was a fun way to spend an afternoon. The narrator of this audiobook is Abigail Reno. Abigail offers a realistic voice portrayal of an exhausted and overwhelmed new mother. Her tone and inflection really convey exhaustion combined with trepidation. In this case the narration helped Brynn feel more realistic.

Thank you to Julia Spiro, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

Julia Spiro's Such a Good Mom audiobook delivers a compelling blend of domestic suspense and small-town mystery, perfectly suited for a summer escape. The narration effectively captures the initial idyllic yet subtly strained life of new mom Brynn Nelson on Martha's Vineyard. Spiro skillfully portrays the challenges of postpartum and a growing distance from her husband, Ross, creating a relatable backdrop before the central crime shatters their world.

The tranquility of the Vineyard is brutally disrupted when a family friend is found dead, and Brynn's already fragile existence is thrown into chaos when Ross is arrested for the murder. The audiobook format intensifies Brynn's disorientation and growing desperation as she navigates sleepless nights and the overwhelming task of caring for a newborn while grappling with the shocking accusations against her husband.

Spiro expertly weaves a web of suspicion, leaving the listener to question everyone's motives, including Brynn's own unreliable state of mind. The vibrant setting of Martha's Vineyard, brought to life through the narration, contrasts starkly with the dark secrets and potential dangers lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly idyllic community.

Such a Good Mom is a gripping and emotionally resonant mystery that explores the complexities of motherhood, marriage, and the lengths a woman will go to protect her family. Spiro creates a protagonist that readers will instantly connect with, and the audiobook keeps you engaged as Brynn tirelessly seeks the truth, even if it means facing devastating realities. This is a well-paced and absorbing listen that will keep you guessing until the final revelations.

This book was pretty good. It had a pretty good premise but I feel like you could see the ending coming about halfway through the book.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Abigail Reno. The narration was spot on and I really enjoyed it. The pacing for all the anxious moments in the book was very good. Post-partem depression plays a big role in the story.

This story is about a new mom, Brynn. She is already struggling with her new life with a newborn. Motherhood isn't turning out to be the joy that she thought it would be, and she is receiving little help from her husband. Her life suddenly gets worse when there is a murder and her husband is taken into custody for it. He's relying on her to find evidence that he didn't do it, but she's not even positive herself that he didn't. All the evidence points to him.

This was a solid mystery. The author did a good job of hiding who did it until the very end.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

Wow! I do not know where to start! This is a emotional rollercoaster but was an insane ride too!
Anyone who has had a newborn knows the first few months are insane, stressful, emotional and everything in between! Brynn is a new mother, an author, and she's about to go through a lifetime of changes in a moment's notice! While Brynn is out with a group of parents at the park, she hears about the death of one of the servers from a popular place. Then her husband, Ross, text her an ominous text and she assumes it's about the murder and automatically thinks that there is something that is connecting the two. While her mind is reeling and she cannot get her husband to answer the phone, she drives to his workplace and tries to figure out what's going on. However, at the moment when Ross is barely going to tell Brynn what is going on, the police chief arrives and arrest Ross for the murder of the server. Before they take him away, he tells Brynn to look at them and gives her a clue to the information proving his innocence. When the truth emerges and they suspect her husband of murder, she attempts to revisit the clues. Then, after speaking with the police chief, who possesses evidence incriminating Ross, Brynn feels lost. She must discover what he is talking about and try to find out who did it so she can know who is responsible!
This book is one wild ride! I read the book and then listened to the audio and it was insane the second time around! I was hooked from the beginning, and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved it! This is a wild emotional rollercoaster!
The narrator fit Brynn very well, and brought the story to life! It was an outstanding performance, if you are on the edge of getting the audiobook, then just go ahead you will be in for a treat! Thank you Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books/ St. Martins Publishing for this adventure!

Author Julia Spiro offers up this beach read set on Martha's Vineyard just in time for summer. New mom Brynn Nelson is constantly exhausted and her husband Ross seems oblivious to her needs. She and her husband both grew up on Martha's Vineyard though Ross's family was very well off in comparison to Brynn's own.

The reality of new motherhood doesn't at all match up with her rosy expectations. When the body of a young woman who worked summers on the island for years washes up on the beach, it barely registers with Brynn, though she knew the girl. The whole Nelson family knew her, with Henry, the patriarch, having taken a special interest in Cecelia. Brynn is shell-shocked a few days later when her husband is arrested and charged with Cecelia's murder. Ross assures her he is innocent and cryptically tells her to look for the orange sun. Sleep deprived, anxious, and confused, Brynn doesn't know what to believe. But, she is determined to find out who killed Cecelia, even if it turns out to be her own husband.

Her in-laws seem to be a godsend, helping her with the baby and giving her support. Her own parents have moved off island and try to help out but don't seem to be able to offer much support. Brynn continues to delve into the mystery, recruiting Cecelia's police officer boyfriend to help her out. They uncover some old island secrets and unmask the motive and murderer.

Abigail Reno narrates and portrays the exhausted Brynn with just the right amount of confusion and determination.

This wasn't my favorite and I did skip some middle and listen to the ending. I thought the focus on postpartum depression was spot on. The author did such a great job handling this topic. But the mystery element wasn't my favorite because it felt so obvious where it was going in the first 15% of the story. I listened to the last few chapters and that was confirmed that I was right. I will still share about it and recommend it to others that want this kind of book.

This book was so well done. I love a good twist and this one was twisty for sure. I was NOT expecting that outcome. Not only did it have that ominous mysterious vibe to it, but the character development is great and I feel like the PPD rep was perfect.

Big thanks to my besties at Macmillan Audio for the ARC to read this upcoming mystery! Anticipated pub: April 29th!

Let's start with that COVER HELLO. It's gorgeous! And yes, I do judge a book by its cover, zero shame, lol.

I went into this story blind, judging by the title I figured this would be about a mom. I loved this story. Maybe it's the time in my life right now-- my sister is expecting her first kid (I have zero) but I FELT SO MUCH for Brynn. Her struggles and emotions are SO well written that I really couldn't help but want to wrap her in a big hug and tell her it's going to be alright. I found I cared more about Brynn and the outcome for her than I did the murder mystery.

The murder mystery aspect of this story felt slightly lacking to me. Like, sure, this is a nice island girl that everyone seemed to love, but I never felt like I knew her or connected with her, which was honestly fine since she's just a minor part of the story, really. But the mystery never really grabbed me like so many usually do. I kind of didn't really care about who murdered her (terrible, I know).

Everything in this resolves but it felt kind of forced. For me, this was a winner due to how Brynn is written and how well her emotions are conveyed to the reader.

I thought the narration of this was so well done! I could feel the emotions through the telling, and again, the emotional aspect of the story was my favorite so this was a great production!

I love a slow burn, suspenseful book, which is exactly what this was. I’ve noticed that lately I’ve read a lot of books about wealthy people behaving badly but this one was a bit different because the focus was more on the actual family than on the money. I especially loved the raw look at what new motherhood is like that was woven throughout the story. This was my first audiobook narrated by Abigail Reno and I officially have a new favorite narrator!

Such a Good Mom does have a murder, but the book centers around postpartum depression. The murder mystery and investigation take a backseat as we watch Brynn struggle with new motherhood. When her husband is arrested for murder, her depression deepens, but knowing he’s innocent, she’s determined to find out what really happened, even if things go in a direction she wasn’t expecting. As a dual read/ listen this book was contradictory and repetitive in spots, and all in all was just OK. Thank you to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

I was really drawn to this book based on the summary, and there were several things that I liked. I appreciated the focus on post partum, the converstaion about inequality in division of labor in the home post birth, and the main character finding herself throghout the book. I also love a mystery/thriller, and found parts of the story really intriguing and promising. There were times I didn't understand how the two main themes of post partum & family drama were meshing together, and it seemed more like two different books/genres taking turns telling a sort-of related story. I found myself going back to the summary a few times to see what genre the book had been intended to be, a women's fiction or a mystery thriller, because I couldn't tell from what was going on. I enjoyed the narrator, and there parts of the characters that I liked. I found myself getting really frustrated with the main character, and appreciate that may have been the intent - as commentary on what it's like being inside someone's head with post partum depression/anxiety. I think if we'd had more time with character & story development, these two stories could have woven together more fluidly. Overall, it was a quick read with some twisty turns, with a focus on a difficult topic about post partum. I'm giving 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Audio ARC. There is my honest review.

This book is about Brynn, a new mom who is struggling with enjoying motherhood. Brynn and their little community on Martha's Vineyard are completely shocked when Brynn's husband Ross is arrested for the murder of a young women. With the mounting evidence against him, Brynn tries to figure out the truth, with only a cryptic clue from her husband.

I was drawn to the title of this novel because as a mom, I enjoy reading about other mothers perspective and experience with motherhood. One thing I did appreciate was the author bringing awareness to postpartum depression and the amount of women who experience it. I also liked the different perspective on motherhood and what it means from the different female characters in the story. Many times as moms we may idolize other mothers or assume they are doing things better than we are, when in reality, every mom struggles and things may not always be as they seem. The audio production was ok. I did have to listen to it at 1.25x speed because normal speed was just too slow.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot more that I liked about this storyline. I felt like the story was all over the place. There were things that weren't relevant that could have been left out and there were moments when I felt the author was trying to stretch out the story unnecessarily. Brynn as the main character was very self centered and got a bit annoying. Everything seemed to be about her. She felt like she was responsible for anything that happened to anyone else in the story. Lastly, when the mystery was solved, as a reader I felt like the author thought I was stupid and I needed it to be explained to me three different times. The last 30 minutes I was literally screaming, "I know!! I got it!". This fell flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC for my honest review.

Audiobook

Such a Good Mom follows the life of new mom Brynn Nelson as she battles with the struggles and exhaustion of newborn life. Suffering from PPD, losing her sense of self, and feeling disconnected from her husband, Brynn is in despair. Then her husband is arrested for the murder of a local girl, and Brynn spirals further. All the evidence conveniently points at her husband, but she doesn't believe it in her heart. Can she help rescue him?

Representing the reality of newborn life is a breath of fresh air. It's lonely, terrifying, and almost impossible to communicate. Brynn's feelings were relatable, especially the intergenerational feelings and resentment towards one's mother once you become one. The murder and related plot aren't the most substantial parts of the book, but the other parts make up for it.

Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, for this early listening copy.

Such a Good Mom had a really compelling premise—a murder mystery set against the backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, told through the lens of a new mom dealing with postpartum struggles? I was immediately intrigued. Julia Spiro did a great job capturing the raw exhaustion and identity crisis that can come with early motherhood, and Brynn’s inner turmoil felt very real and relatable.

I listened to this one on audio, and the narration was solid—easy to follow and well-paced. The narrator captured Brynn’s exhaustion and uncertainty really well, which added to the emotional weight of her journey. That said, it didn’t necessarily elevate the suspense elements or hook me the way I’d hoped an audiobook might.

The pacing of the story was a bit uneven overall. The first half leaned more heavily into Brynn’s emotional journey and domestic life, while the mystery didn’t really take off until later in the book. I found myself wishing the suspense had been more tightly woven throughout. And while there were definitely some twists and turns—I called the twist pretty early, which took away some of the impact.

The setting was beautifully described, and I appreciated the commentary on privilege and appearances in tight-knit island communities. And while I empathized with Brynn’s experience, I had a harder time connecting with some of the other characters, which made it tougher to feel fully invested.

Overall, a solid listen with some poignant moments and strong emotional depth, especially around motherhood—but it didn’t quite hit the mark as a mystery for me. A decent pick if you’re in the mood for light suspense paired with domestic drama.

Rating: 4.25

Review:

Right off the bat I loved narrator Abigail Reno's voice and will be looking into any other books she has narrated. I enjoyed how the book started out with a "tell me a story feeling". It felt like I was sitting at the kitchen table with the friend group and I was being let in on the inner thoughts of Bryne's take on gossip on the island. As the book progressed, the jumble of her feelings about all the people in her life felt so real, I appreciate author, Julie Spiro's choice to show the flaws in her main character and to give a balanced view of what new motherhood truly feels like. I will say there were one or two moments that it felt a little after school special, but through her characters the author offers coping mechanisms for postpardum depression. It's such an unusual choice for fiction. These paragraphs read more like a self help book but I imagine many women in that stage of their lives would really relate and would benefit from seeing what might be their experience expressed in the story.

As for the mystery, it took a while for that to get going and even longer for what felt like two separate tales to come together into one narrative, but I ultimately feel it was worth the wait.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free listen To the audiobook.

Blurb:

With a healthy newborn baby, a devoted husband, a successful career, and a busy life on Martha’s Vineyard, Brynn Nelson should be the happiest she’s ever been. But Brynn is struggling. Her husband, Ross, grows more distant by the day, and the challenges and exhaustion of postpartum make Brynn feel like she’s slowly losing pieces of herself to motherhood. Pieces that she might never get back.

But it’s summer on the Vineyard, a beacon for wealthy visitors, and a place so beautiful that it seems immune to tragedy and crime. Except for locals, like Brynn, who know all too well that tragedy can strike at any point. And this time, it hits close to home when a friend of the family is found washed ashore dead and Brynn’s already hectic life is turned upside down when Ross is arrested for the crime.

Left reeling with more questions than answers, Brynn’s only path forward is to find out who really killed Cecelia Buckley, even if it means it was her husband. She’s not sure who she’s able to trust anymore. And with the dizzying, endless cycle of sleepless nights, diapers, and bottles, Brynn’s not even sure she can trust herself. She’s not sure of anything anymore, but she won’t stop until she finds the truth.

Bestselling author Julia Spiro is known for writing characters readers instantly connect to. With Such a Good Mom, Spiro brings the real and layered Martha’s Vineyard to life through the eyes of a new mom trying to get her family out of the eye of the storm that is a murder investigation.

This book was real and raw for me as a mom. The thoughts and feelings Brynn had as a new mom are so common but unspoken. I loved how her journey with motherhood paralleled with her navigating her world as her husband gets arrested for murder! I say this time and time again, I love a book with dramatic rich people. When done well it adds a flair to the book.

I would say to all moms new or veteraned this book is a raw fictional take on motherhood and identity. Brynn does have some intrusive thoughts that maybe triggering for some.

I was entertained and sucked into this book the whole time. I loved the audio. Thank MacMillian Audio for this ALC.

This domestic thriller delivered a gripping plot and a solid twist. While I prefer a faster pace, the slow unraveling of Brynn’s life kept me hooked. The author captured the exhaustion and isolation of postpartum life so well—it took me right back to those tough newborn days.

The Martha’s Vineyard setting added to the intrigue, its idyllic beauty clashing with the darkness creeping into Brynn’s world. As she struggles with doubt and the shocking accusations against her husband, the tension builds steadily, making it hard to put down.

Though the pacing lagged at times, the mystery was well-crafted, and the emotional depth made it stand out. A compelling, atmospheric read!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.