This book explores the complex and often dark realities of parenthood, highlighting the challenging secrets and moral ambiguities that can lie beneath the surface of seemingly perfect families. Huntley’s storytelling is tense and evocative, delving into detailed characterizations that evoke empathy and tension. The novel skillfully examines themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths parents will go to protect their children, making for an emotionally gripping read. Overall, Huntley crafts a compelling psychological drama that keeps readers questioning what it truly means to be a "good" parent.

The good parents by Jessica Huntley is a interesting psychological thriller. Brittany is a pastry chef, grieving the loss of her twin when she realizes she is pregnant. At a loss of what to do, she gets an offer from a wealthy couple.

John and Angela Dalton offer to adopt the child and raise it as their own. In addition they offer Brittany an opportunity to come and work for them in their villa during the pregnancy.

Brittany cannot shake the feeling that something is wrong. She realizes she is trapped in a deadly game, can she uncover the Dalton's secret before its too late? or will her dream job become her last job?

I was drawn in by the adoption/pregnancy topic and the fact that it was a thriller and found it to be an interesting read. Thank you Jessica for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This book was okay. It was definitely a page turner but a lot of far fetched stuff. The last scene seemed like too much. I’d give the author another try.

4 out of 5 Stars! Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this eARC of The Good Parents by Jessica Huntley.

I saw this under the Read Now section and glad I was able to get the chance to read this. This is my first book by this author and I swear NetGalley always amazes me by introducing me to new authors. This book was really good - and could connect with some sort of grieving experience. This story was fast pace (although it did start out slow - but I'm pretty sure it's the introduction of characters and the background - it picked up right ater that. Love the characters and the plot twist was just....perfect for this story.

Thanks!

The Good Parents is a fast-paced domestic thriller that pulls you in from the start. It follows Brittany, a grieving pastry chef who finds out she’s pregnant after losing her twin sister. When a wealthy couple offers her a dream job and support with her baby, it feels too good to be true—and of course, it is. The story builds tension quickly as small red flags turn into serious danger, all set against a deceptively luxurious backdrop. It’s emotional, suspenseful, and hard to put down, with short chapters that keep the pace flying. While the twist may not totally shock you, the creeping dread and emotional stakes make it a solid, binge-worthy read.

A dazzling thriller that fires on all cylinders—tight plot, vivid characters, and twists you won't see coming. The suspense builds with surgical precision, making every page a thrill to turn. It’s a standout in the genre that delivers pure, unputdownable entertainment.

Thank you Netgalley for this book, it was very entertaining. I did find it slow to start with then the storyline picked up the pace. There were so much plot twists which I loved.

There were lots of twists and turns in this, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I really enjoyed this story

This was an amazing story. Lots of twists and turns. Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I really enjoyed this story

Well written with a slow, deliberate pace, but the plot felt scattered and never fully pulled me in. I appreciated the craft, even if it didn’t quite connect but i did spend too much of the book trying to figure out what was going on. If you dont focus on the logic of the characters decisions and behaviour then its probably quite a good read. There wasn't really a twist, its more jist an explanation but its still well written, even if its a bit slow for my liking and quite a few bits could have been cut out

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Thank you Net Gallery for the book. It was very enjoyable, very entertaining, lots of twists and turns. I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight, I couldn't put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast paced, couldn't put it down. another brilliant thriller from the brilliant Jessica.
I'm a huge fan of Jessica's books and this was no exception.

3.5/4 🌟

Thank you to netgalley for an arc of this book!

Semi-spoilers!

This was a good read that did keep me guessing throughout most of it what was actually going on. When I was certain it was one thing, a strange comment or action just threw it out of whack but I like where it ended and it did really make sense.

One thing I found a bit strange was just how long it took to get to the actual story. 20% her sister only just passed away, 40% she only just found out she was pregnant. It just felt like it could’ve been a lot shorter if it cut out a lot of the beginning and got straight into it.

Overall an interesting read just not one that I loved, but still kept me in suspense.

Oof, this is the closest I’ve come to genuinely hating a book. Intriguing idea, terrible execution.

Energy: Vapid. Gaspy. Dramatic.

🐺 Growls: Bloated, repetitive, overwritten filler that circled a few plot points. Exaggerated tension and ‘dramatic’ cliffhangers. Over-explaining. Every character sounded the same. Dialogue read too formal (and like bad acting). We know the MC is pregnant from the synopsis but endure vomit/nausea descriptions for soooo long. Everyone made irrational decisions. Constantly reminding us how dangerous situations are. Tired, cliched thriller tropes (random POV switch, mental illness twists, outdated & potentially insensitive ‘shocking reveals’).

Scene: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇫🇷 London, England. Côte d’Azur, France
Perspectives (2): A talented but unrecognized pastry chef who is grieving a loss and wants to focus on their career but finds out they’re pregnant. The spouse of the person who hired the pastry chef to be a personal chef.
Timeline: Linear, leading up to an incident. 2010s or 2020s
Narrative: Listening to characters, deep in their minds (first person)
Fuel: What will happen with the twin sister’s illness? Who is the couple that wants our MC to work for them? Why do they seem to have a strange dynamic? What will our MC do about their baby?
Cred: Over-the-top illogical

Mood Reading Match-Up:
Villa. Nausea. Dizziness. Ultrasound. Freezer. Nausea. Dizziness. Ultrasound. Freezer. Nausea…
• Overly simplistic, cheesy, and melodramatic writing style
• Bumbling, naïve, foolish, mean, unhinged, and villainous characters
• Domestic melodrama & horrific things happening
• Dumb MC
• Adoption schemes
• Abuse, grief, trauma, and illness twisters
• Reluctant motherhood
• Plot-drive popcorn thriller structure
• Casual fling
• Twin bonds

Content Heads-Up: Ableism/lookism (cleft palate). Adoption (illegal). Abortion (forced; discussion). Bullying (workplace; misogyny, sabotage). Child abuse (baby). Chronic kidney disease. Confinement. Dementia (recall). Domestic abuse, violence. Drugging (forced medication). Financial insecurity. Grief (on page, descriptive). Loss of child (baby). Loss of sibling. Medical (transplant; hemorrhage). Miscarriage (recall). Post natal depression. Sexual content (behind closed doors). Suicidal thoughts. Vomit (frequent).

Rep: British. Cis. Lesbian. Hetero. Beetroot red, pale skin tones.

📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Inkubator Books and NetGalley

I actually didn’t guess the ending for this one. Surprisingly it kept me guessing. A fast paced and enthralling read with very Freida McFadden esque writing, however I actually cried in this one. There were a few emotional parts that took me by surprise. It also had some pretty creepy sinister moments with one particularly crazy character. Overall good read. A couple slow parts it could have done without but worth the read.

I actually ended up liking this one more than I expected. The writing is solid, and the story pulls you in right away with a strong premise that slowly builds tension throughout. It’s not exactly fast-paced, but I didn’t mind that—it felt more like a slow burn in a good way.

There were definitely some slower moments in the middle that could’ve been trimmed, but overall the pacing worked. I found myself wanting to know what happened next, even when things quieted down a bit.

The characters had depth, and while not all of them fully clicked with me, a few stood out and added layers to the story. There’s a subtle emotional undercurrent that I appreciated more as the book went on.

It’s not a perfect read, but it kept me engaged, and I think it’ll stick with me longer than I expected. I’d definitely read more from Jessica Huntley after this. Solid 4 stars.

This was a dark twisty thriller, gripping and oh my! with one cray characters! It was really engrossing and interesting read.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Inkubator Books for another amazing ARC read.

I liked this book because it has the theme of adoption in it. It is creepy and sinister. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Looking forward to reading more books by her.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story begins by introducing us to Brittany, a talented and well-liked pastry chef who lives with her unwell twin sister. Her dream is of owning a restaurant one day and escaping her tyrannical boss, but she is currently supporting her sister who is unable to work due to kidney failure. As their debts pile up, Brittany prepares to donate a kidney—only to be denied leave by her boss. With no other option to save her sister, Brittany quits her job.

The first part of this book is touching and heartwarming. The bond between the sisters is beautifully written, and it was heartbreaking to watch Brittany fall apart after her sister’s death. Still, she gradually pulls herself together and tries to move on.

The story then takes a dramatic turn when a wealthy couple, the Daltons, walk into a restaurant and offer Brittany the opportunity of a lifetime: to work for them at their French villa and on their private yacht, with all her outstanding debts cleared. It seems like the perfect fresh start, especially after everything she’s been through. But shortly after accepting the offer, Brittany discovers she’s pregnant—and the Daltons’ flawless facade begins to crack. They offer to adopt the baby, and while it initially seems like a simple arrangement, things quickly become more and more unsettling.

I loved Brittany’s character—she’s incredibly likeable, and I was rooting for her to succeed. This was a book I didn’t want to put down! The short chapters made it easy to keep saying “just one more,” until it was far too late at night. It was shaping up to be a five-star read for me.

However, the “twist” was less of a twist and more of a revelation, and I didn’t find it especially surprising—which was a bit of a letdown. That said, I still really enjoyed the book overall and would highly recommend it!