Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Freida McFadden’s books. I usually dislike the writing and the characters, but enjoy how easy (and generally fun!) they are to read. This book had the same pitfalls as previous ones I’ve read by this author, just multiplied.

We follow Abby and her husband Sam, who agree to let Abby’s assistant, Monica, be their surrogate mother. But it turns out perfect Monica isn’t as perfect as they may have thought…

I don’t have much to say that other reviewers haven’t already pointed out. Abby is mindblowingly naive, stupid, clueless - whatever you want to call it. Now, this is to be expected with Freida’s books, but this was a whole other level. SO MANY weird things happen, and every time, Abby is like “Nah, I’m sure there’s a totally reasonable explanation for all these messed up events.” I can get her rationalising one odd event. But it’s that way for the entire book?! Like girl, what has to happen for you to get suspicious????

The main part of the twist is so glaringly obvious from the start. The second part of it was kind of a surprise, but I did also guess it at around 80% of the book, so maybe that wasn’t as surprising, either. There are also so many loose ends that never get explained. It’s ridiculously repetitive. The ending is so weird, I don’t even know what it was supposed to mean?

And yet … I gave this 3 stars and will continue to read from this author, because I fly through her books, and they’re decently entertaining. Do with that what you will.

Relentless suspense and wild twists… classic Freida McFadden binge-read. She kept me second-guessing everyone, and the tension never let up. Definitely one of her most bingeable thrillers.

New to Frieda McFadden books but this one really delivers… literally. You get hook right from the beginning as she takes you on an emotional roller coaster throughout the book. Just when you think you know what is going on, there is another twist.

I loved this one. I read it in one sitting. Captivating, kept me guessing, and gave me anxiety in the best way possible. Freda can do no wrong!

Freida McFadden returns with her simple and captivating writing. A re-release I didn't expect to be so good! A book that makes us ponder theory after theory throughout, making us doubt ourselves. I highly recommend reading this book.

A couple desperately trying to have a baby turns to a surrogate after a failed adoption. The wife turns to her assistant who is eager to help the couple. The baby will have the surrogate's egg, and the father's sperm, really leaving the mother completely out. Things take a turn for the worst when the assistant starts messing with the wife and her relationship with her boss. Her job is in jeopardy. Her marriage is in jeopardy. While I enjoyed the book, it wasn't my favorite by Ms. McFadden.

This book was so twisted, so many awful things happening but you need to just keep reading. Finished this in one day as
I had to know what would happen to Abby. The characters just draw you into the story. 4.5 stars

Thank you to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! Okay, so I knew this was familiar, so I was excited to see that this book was seeing a new release. I always read everything Freida McFadden puts out into the world, so this was no exception! It was very well done! =]

The Surrogate Mother
by Freida McFadden
Pub Date: Aug 19 2025
McFadden is going back and tweaking some of her previously released novels, smoothing out any wrinkles she feels needs taken care of.
I read the first edition of this a few years ago, so I couldn't pinpoint the changes, but I will say this read really smoothly (read it in one day) and the surrogate mother in the book still ticked me off!
Abby and Sam have been wanting a baby for some time now. After disappointing years of trying, failed IVF attempts, and botched adoptions, they are desparate. Abby's amazing assistant Monica, who thinks the world of Abby, steps up to volunteer as a surrogate mother for the couple. She looks a lot like Abby, which would help since they would have to use her eggs, and after vetting her references, Sam reluctantly agrees to go along with the plan.
Things seems to be going well, maybe even a little too well. Monica seems very at ease with Sam. Abby starts to feel uneasy with the setup. You know what they say... Always go with your gut.
#TheSurrogateMother
#FreidaMcFadden
#netgalley
Pub Date: Aug 19 2025

I was surprised to learn when I finished that this wasn’t new. This story was actually first published back in 2018 as an ebook. It is now being re-released in professionally published paperback and hardcover editions on August 19, 2025.

I honestly liked this one better than some of McFadden’s more recent thrillers—maybe because it’s her older work, which I seem to enjoy more. It has that raw, unfiltered intensity that made me tear through the pages in a single sitting. Twisty, addictive, and just the kind of psychological suspense I was hoping for. I didn’t guess the twists and I was on the edge of my seat.

If you’ve only picked up her latest releases, this re-issue is the perfect chance to dive into an earlier McFadden story and see where some of her signature style began.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 4 stars from me, and one I’ll definitely be recommending now that it’s officially back in print!

Mal wieder ein sehr spannendes Buch von Frei McFadden. Ich konnte The Surrogate Mother kaum aus der Hand legen, es war spannend bis zur letzten Seite.

McFadden always delivers an entertaining thriller - idk how she churns them out so fast! Abby has been struggling to conceive and carry a baby to term, and after being disappointed when an adoption falls through at the last minute, she is feeling desperate when her young assistant Monica offers to be her surrogate. Except, guess what? Monica has secrets and is not who she says she is. It kept me guessing, and I enjoyed the ride. Didn’t change my life, but I had a good time reading it. If you like her others, you’ll like this one too.

I had an ARC, and forgot to post this but it came out last week. Available now!

The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up

I don’t understand how Freida pumps out this many books, while being a bran surgeon and having plots that are different. The one thing I will say, they always have a 3rd act twist and this was no different!

A psychological thriller you want to throw across the room but can’t put down. I spent half the novel frustrated by how recklessly naïve Abby was—honestly, the writing was on the wall. The husband wasn’t much better. But the plot twist at the end caught me completely off guard. A great read if you don’t mind being irritated with the characters while the suspense builds.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a twisty Freida book. Interesting and the twist was something I didn't see coming. So, I know her books can be predictable in the unpredictability but this was reminiscent of the first books of hers I read. Still fresh.

Abby has been dreaming of being a mother for years, and she and her husband know that would truly make their family feel complete. But after adoptions have fallen through and infertility treatments haven't worked, she's close to giving up hope. Then her assistant, Monica, makes her an incredible offer - that she would be happy to be a surrogate. It seems like the answer to all their problems - but Monica's offer is not all that it seems. There are many dark secrets hiding in Monica's past that are just waiting to come to light.

Like most of McFadden's books, I found this to be a quick read. However, it was easy to see the warning signs coming in this story from a mile away. Even though I could see through what was happening, it was frustrating to watch the main character continue to turn a blind eye to obvious signs. That frustration carried through the book and made it harder to finish, because I found myself wanting to smack some sense into her. Still, it was a good read and definitely made for a quick suspenseful story.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC. Wow, McFadden writes books FAST. Honestly, I wish she would spend a bit more time on each book and focus on quality over quantity of what she publishes within a year. The FMC was so... dumb? I felt so infuriated by how idiotic Abby was that it made me just hate the rest of the story. She made the worst choices at every possible moment. Other than that, it was alright, but god, she has so many other better books. Also, the cover on this one is weird as hell.

Freida McFadden’s books are a work of art. This one did not disappoint. Many twists and turns, as usual.

Thank you to NetGalley and Freida McFadden for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been hooked on Freida’s books since I picked one up earlier this year, and The Surrogate is another great addition to her lineup. The story follows Abby, who wants nothing more than to be a mother after years of infertility struggles and failed adoptions. When her most recent adoption falls through and her coworkers find out, her assistant Monica steps in with an unexpected offer to be her surrogate. As you can imagine, things don’t exactly go smoothly from there.

What I love about Freida’s books is how easy they are to sink into. They’re fast-paced, addictive reads that always keep me entertained. My only gripe is that many of her female protagonists come across a bit too naive at times. Still, The Surrogate is a fun, quick thriller that’s perfect to binge on vacation or during a cozy day off.

I really enjoyed this latest book by Frieda McFadden! I thought that the thriller was fast paced and had a really interesting plot. I feel like the story was a bit predictable but I still had a good time.