I have only just recently found A.j Campbell books and WOW thanks to Netgallery did not disappoint. The characters were really intriguing as one minute you think you guessed the plot and then BOOM another twist happens and definitely did not see the final twist.
Absolutely fantastic book! Highly recommended when this gets released.

One of my favourite read all year.

The suspense in this was unbelievable. Loved it so much. Stayed late to finish it

Wow! A fantastic and tense thriller that had me hooked throughout. I loved the story and characters and couldn't put it down until I found out what happened... Plenty of shocking twists and turns. Just brilliant!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Annie as a first-time mother who is newly married, has taken on the role of stepmother to twins, renovating a house wants nothing more than to be normal. Lola the newborn is colicky, and Annie wants to protect her.

There is a house fire, a missing baby, and deaths surrounding her.
The plot twists were A LOT.

The book was good and worth a night's read.

My fav book,so far,by this author…

We meet Annie,hubby Max and new baby Lola along with Max’s 2 children from his previous marriage and a whole other cast of family and friends

Annie is struggling,she keeps getting told her tiredness is normal and to ‘get some rest’ the whole problem is she cant get any and her tiredness starts to feel more like illness,she is forgetting things,losing things,saying she will do things and then doesn’t…..or at,least everyone is telling her she is doing these things…….she is almost too exhausted to realise things are not right,almost…

And when a tragedy unfolds next door to where she has ‘dropped off’ she realises something sinister is going on but by who and why…it could be anyone who surrounds her

Full of twists that I didn’t see coming,I usually have some idea of what's coming but in this book it had me guessing and guessing wrong

Very cleverly told and the reader like Annie needs to have their wits about them

Incredibly moreish and finished this is one sitting,not a concious decision it was just so good i kept on reading…..and reading

Loved it

100% flew through this book within 24hrs. I couldn't put it down as with all of Amanda's other books.

I didn't see the twists coming in this book and I love that about Amanda's writing. Max wasn't one of my favourite characters, loved Annie and the strength to protect those around her.

As always this is an easy 5 star read and I can't wait to read what comes next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The author invited me to read this book, and I went in completely blind—no expectations, no idea what I was stepping into. And let me tell you, from the moment I started, I was hooked. The tension, the suspense, the way the story unfolded—it had me completely absorbed.

At first, I found myself paying close attention to certain characters, especially when reading aloud, but once I settled into the flow, it all became much easier to follow. The writing pulls you in, making every twist and revelation even more intense.

As a mother, I know stress is part of the package, but the protagonist’s experience was on a whole different level. After a sudden and shocking death close to her, everything begins to unravel. She doesn’t know who to trust, and that creeping sense of paranoia seeps through the pages, making me question everything right alongside her.

The secrets in this book? Absolutely masterful. Layered, well-paced, and so cleverly executed that every new discovery felt like a punch to the gut. I loved how the suspense built up, keeping me guessing until the very end. If you're looking for a gripping read that will consume you, this is it.

This blended family consists of Annie, Max, Max’s two children, and their new baby, Lola. Annie is a first time mother to Lola and stepmother to her husband Max’s 15 year old twins, Jasmine and Jacob. Annie is not one of those natural born moms and is finding motherhood difficult. Added to this, she is living in the house Max shared with his first wife and mother of his twins. His wife died five years ago. . To sat the least the household is a bit tense and uncomfortable. And now she is dealing with a fussy baby after a difficult delivery. Her relationship with the twins is also a big strain on her nerves. Max suggests she may be suffering from post natal depression and wants her to get help. Annie feels there is something more sinister going in the house after an unexplained kitchen fire, sudden death of her sister in the house and the half empty wine bottles she is sure she did not consume.

First Time Mother is fast paced thriller and is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seat trying to second guess who is behind the chilling happenings in the household. There are several possible suspects and but I coukd not figure out who was to blame. I never guessed the ending and was shocked by the revelation. This is a fabulous read you will race through to learn the fate of Annie and Lola.
Will anyone live happily ever after?

This book is jam packed with twists and turns. Just when you think you've figured it out the story goes in a different direction. As the intensity builds it's easy to forget chores and just keep reading. The chapters are short so it's easy to say one more chapter and find that it an hour or 2 later when you take a break. There are several OMG moments as well. It grabs you from beginning to the very end, A J Campbell's books get better with each new one. This is one with a twist you'll never see coming. I highly recommend this book.

Really interesting story full of thrilling mystery and questions you want to keep reading so you’ll have answers! The end was quite a surprise. I really enjoyed this one. I look forward to more books from this author. Thanks NetGalley for this treat!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell due to be published April 15, 2025.

Annie, Max, Max’s two children, and their new baby, Lola are happy. But, are they? When Lola goes missing and Annie thinks she is going crazy, she knows she would never hurt her baby girl. What is happening to her? She does have secrets, but know she will never hurt her baby girl.
This was a fast read and kept me interested the entire time. It was interesting to see where Annie’s and Max’s relationship went – as well as her stepchildren. Throw in some mystery in Max’s company with her sister and best friend, and it definitely kept me engaged. Looking forward to more books from this author!
#NetGalley #AJCampbell #Boookouture #FirstTimeMother

Good story, solid plot, typical crisp writing we expect from this author. Once the bad guy is revealed,
everything else falls into place. Creepy little twist at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7403443675

Oh my goodness. FINALLY. I've been in such a book slump not finding anything that captures me. But goodness this one surely did. I don't trust the husband still though. 👀 everyone was so mean to the mom. And how did his first wife die?!

Woooooow this book had me hooked! I couldn't put it down and I read it so quick so I could find out what happens. I had no clue how the ending was going to go and I did not see that ending coming!! I was guessing the whole way through. I felt really sorry for Annie the whole way through but I'm glad everything that happened int he book did and it was a great ending.

This entertaining book is told in the perspective of Annie who questions her own sanity. It’s filled with characters that are difficult to trust and plenty of secrets that unravel. Reading about all the secrets being revealed was entertaining. The author did a wonderful job at making it difficult to accurately guess who the true suspects were until they were revealed. The last 25% was my favorite part of this book.

Unfortunately I wasn’t a fan of any of the characters so that made the story less interesting for me.

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

First Time Mother had me totally gripped from the start. Annie is a first time Mum to Lola and stepmother to her husband Max’s 15 year old twins, Jasmine and Jacob. It is clear that Annie is finding motherhood difficult and struggling to feel at ease in the house Max shared with his first wife who died five years ago. Her feeling of helplessness in dealing with a fretful baby after a difficult delivery is spilling over into her relationship with the twins. As those around her suggest she needs help and may be suffering from post natal depression Annie feels there is something more sinister going on and she is about to be proved right.
A J Campbell is the master of the psychological thriller. First Time Mother is fast paced and had me on the edge of my seat trying to second guess who is behind the chilling happenings in the Carpenter household. There are several possible suspects and it is difficult to know who is to blame. Is Annie being totally neurotic as she suspects even those closest to her? I never guessed the ending. What a fantastic read. I raced through it over a weekend.

I was completely drawn in by this book straight away and it kept me guessing all the way through, the twist was a complete surprise which made the book so enjoyable

I was sold within a few pages of this page turner! A very twisty psychological thriller, a great read. Lots of suspense and mystery- what more could you want?

Secrets, lies, etc. It's difficult to know who to trust in this story. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Well I didn't see that coming! A twisty psychological thriller that led me to believe I had it all worked out, and I did - very slightly - but there was so much more to this brilliant plot that I could never have guessed. Insanely good!

Annie, new Mum to four month old Lola, is struggling. She's tired, forgetful and is convinced that her partner's twins from his previous relationship have it in for her.

The things that were happening to, and around Annie just kept getting darker and darker, with so many twists, it's no wonder Annie didn't know who she could trust! AJ Campbell's writing style and her well thought out and fast paced plot had me gripped!

Annie, Max and the twins were believable and relatable characters, which definitely helped me become completely absorbed in their world, wondering along with them, what the hell was happening to Annie and whether they would all make it out the other side unscathed and alive!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, AJ Campbell and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.