Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of What Every Mother Needs by Emily Shiner.
I have read several books by this author and she did not disappoint! The story was a good one. It was a bit predictable but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of it. It you like domestic psychological thrillers, this one is for you. Make sure you check it out!! Publication Date May 30, 2025
#NetGalley #Emily Shiner #Bookouture

I really enjoyed this unputdownable gripping psychological suspense thriller. I couldn’t put it down. It’s such a brilliant page turner. I was hooked from the first page to the last.
It’s so well written, easy to follow and the tension slowly builds as the story unfolds with unexpected twists throughout keeping you guessing.
The short chapters alternate between the wife Charlotte , the sister in law Sophie and Hers POV’s adding more depth, layered with emotion, history and a growing sense of unease.
I enjoyed the authors writing style which is compelling, engaging and enjoyable. I loved the characters. The story is intriguing, mysterious, relatable, suspenseful and fast paced. I look forward to seeing what @authoremilyshiner writes next.
I definitely recommend this one. It’s well worth a read if you enjoy domestic psychological thrillers.
With thanks to #NetGallery @bookouture for an arc of #WhatEveryMotherNeeds in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 30 May 2025.

"She’s what every mother needs. But can you trust her?"
What Every Mother Needs is a thriller that follows Charlotte who is a struggling single mother and needs support after losing her husband Lawrence, but all is not what it seems when Sophie shows up. Make sure to read this one to find out what happens. The author did a good job writing this book. The characters I didn't enjoy in this, but I did like the ending in it though. Overall, this was a decent read that I enjoyed and would recommend to any reader who likes thrillers. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this read in exchange of my honest review of What Every Mother Needs by Emily Shiner.

This book grabbed my attention from the start.
Having read one other book by this author and loving it, I had high hopes for this one.
It did not disappoint. Loved the story line. Loved the characters.
Only thing I would of liked was a little more of an ending. I feel like there was more of the story to tell.
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review

Kudos to Emily Shiner for this page turning domestic thriller. This is one story that you should absolutely not try and guess what’s going on as it had numerous unexpected twists throughout the story. Simply well written, easy to follow, and will keep you at the edge of your seat as you continue to navigate through the chapters and try to figure out who’s actually the antagonist in this story. But what happens when everyone has secrets? When the characters you grow to love you grow suspicious of? When the characters you despise you begin to feel sorry for? Yep… this story brings it all.

Charlotte is a new single mom of an infant daughter, as her husband is recently deceased. Left with no support, she’s desperate to find help when suddenly her mysterious sister-in-law shows up on her doorstep. This should be a blessing in disguise, right? Well.. Charlotte never knew Lawrence even had a sister so who is this mysterious woman? Again, desperation throws her common sense & red flag radar completely out of the window and she invites Sophie right on in.

Overall, a recommended read that I highly enjoyed. Never a dull moment! I’ve read other books by Emily and have enjoyed them all so far. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Whoa! What a twisty ride. I absolutely LOVED this book! What Every Mother Needs by Emily Shiner had me hooked from the very first page.

Charlotte is a new mom whose husband, Lawrence, recently passed away. Charlotte is struggling with adjusting to being a new mom and a widow. She puts out an ad looking for someone to come in and help. When Lawrence's sister Sophie shows up on Charlotte's doorstep, Charlotte is shocked since Lawrence never mentioned having a sister. Yet she is so relieved to have some help. Can Charlotte trust Sophie? Or does Sophie have her own motives for showing up on Charlotte's doorstep?

I had no idea where this story was going. I found myself frustrated with all the characters at different times. Unsure of who to believe, my thoughts on who the "bad guy" was flip flopped multiple times. The story builds this constant sense of tension that had me racing through the chapters. And the twists? Wow! Just when I thought I had it figured out, the plot flipped everything upside down. I found myself furiously flipping the pages needing to know what was going to happen.

What I didn’t see coming AT ALL was the ending. It completely caught me off guard in the best way. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story took a final turn that made my jaw drop. So good.

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

What a fantastic book, that had me gripped from the first chapter. I loved reading book that constantly leaves you wanting to read it all in one day. The characters are well described and you can imagine what they are really like.

This is my first book by Emily Shiner and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Thanks Net Galley for the ARC copy 😁

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book. If you overthink or think about the worst case scenario often, this book is for you. I know a lot of people love a good twist right off the bat, but I thought the first twist in the book could have waited a bit longer because after that the book kind of dragged on for a bit before picking back up again. That being said, it was definitely worth the read for the twists at the end! Overall, I really liked this book and could see it being made into a movie. If this happened it would be one I would watch.

Side note, there were some mistakes in the book (an extra word or inaccuracies) that I have pointed out below:

Chapter 6-six pages in: it says “because you’re Jordan’s sister” It should say Lawrence’s sister.

Chapter 10-three pages in: it says “Sophie became desperate enough” It should say Charlotte, not Sophie.

Chapter 30- seven pages in: it says “food of my bed” instead of foot of my bed.

Chapter 51- it says, “she the security settings”

This is my first book from Emily Shiner and I enjoyed it. I love stories that I am constantly trying to figure out. I really thought both Charlotte and Sophie were both crazy. And I hated Lawrence, but I'm sure we were supposed to not like him. The twist at the end was perfect and just the kind of twists I love in my thrillers.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT did I just read?! This book was so twisty and addictive—I devoured it in no time.

When I started reading, I found myself thinking, “Why would you let a stranger into your home with a newborn?” But hey, it's fiction, so I just went with it—and I’m glad I did. The setup pulls you in quickly, and even though I figured out part of the twist early on, the full picture didn’t hit me until much later. And wow... the payoff was worth it.

Emily Shiner knows how to keep you guessing, and I loved how the tension just kept building. If you’re into domestic thrillers with layered secrets and shocking reveals, definitely add this to your list!

A page turner, I was invested in the story from page one.
Charlotte is anew mum and recently widowed. She is exhausted from lack of sleep, so puts up an ad for some general help a few hours a week. Sophie arrives at door, she tells Charlotte she is her late estranged husband’s sister, she has suit cases with her and can move in and solve Charlottes problems immediately. Charlotte didn’t want live in help, but finds herself too tired to say no, so invites Sophie in, unaware of the can of worms she is opening or the game of cat and mouse that is about to begin!
The story is told in alternate POVs by both woman plus an unknown woman from the past.
I did guess some of the upcoming twists, but still enjoyed the read though I felt the ending was rushed and fell a bit flat.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review..

3* for me

I found the first half slow, but after hitting 50% I understood why it was slow as it had to build up the two main characters and the story, it started getting really good! I need to know what Sophie was getting up to and what she was planning. But then the ending was a let down for me, I feel like an extra could have chapters it would have ended better. I need to know ( without giving spoilers )did Sophie manage it? Did she get away with it? Did Charlotte come back? Did Charlotte get what she wanted?

Apart from that this book was a easy read, an when I hit the 50% point I didn’t want to put it down as I needed to know what was going to happen.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Alright this one was so good I regret not having time to read it in one sit !!

I had a looooot of theories for it and only two were true 😂😂
I was on edge and the ending got me like “🤯😱😳”

That said when you read this book you will probably choose a side !! It’s quite difficult but I chose one and in the end I’m more than happy about it 😅

I can’t wait to read her other books !!

Great suspenseful read! This book sucked me in and kept me wondering. The twist at the end was a true surprise.

First off, Thank you so much for the advanced copy of "What Every Mother Needs." In this book Charlotte is in search of help with her newborn baby. She places an ad for help and help arrives... but is it the help she needs or wants? Who is this person she is accepting help from? I will say it definitely is a "slow burn" type of thriller/suspense book for me, personally. I did find some of the twist and turns a little predictable and the ending sadly a little anti climatic. It was a fast "need to know" read in some parts. I did read this in about 2 days time (I have needy children it seems during my reading time). Overall it was a decent read. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this early!

Charlotte is barely holding it together as she tries to raise her six-week-old daughter, Jordan, in the wake of her husband Lawrence’s sudden death. The house is in disarray—dirty dishes pile up in the sink, Jordan’s toys are scattered everywhere, and grime coats every surface. Then Sophie appears on her doorstep, claiming to be Charlotte’s sister-in-law and offering to help. But Charlotte never knew Lawrence had a sister. How much did she really know about her husband?
At first, Sophie seems like a miracle—cooking, cleaning, and bringing a sense of order back into Charlotte’s life. But soon, Charlotte begins to suspect that Sophie’s intentions aren’t as pure as they seem. Has Sophie uncovered secrets Charlotte thought were long buried? As tensions mount, so does the suspense in this fast-paced psychological thriller by Emily Shiner.
While I did figure out some of the major twists early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. I especially appreciated how the narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, keeping you guessing about each character’s motives—and just how far they’re willing to go. This gripping, twisty read kept me turning pages, and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC. What Every Mother Needs will be released on May 30, 2025.

A really good read.
When her husband dies his sister turns up to help the new mother & grieving widow all she can.
But as it’s a thriller all is not that straightforward.
There are a few chapters where you get extra insight & I liked the way they were linked in.
Then the rest was woven with it, very good way to keep you reading. It worked as I kept going and was glad I did.

Since my husband Lawrence died it's just me and our sweet baby girl Jordan. It's so hard raising her alone. Then Sophie shows up at my door. She says she's Lawrence's sister,.... and she seems like a blessing in disguise. But with her in my house. looking through my things, it's going to be difficult to keep the secrets about my marriage hidden....

Charlotte didn't recognise me. That isn't surprising. She seems frantic, and I know she's not sleeping. I hear her tossing and turning while i rock her baby to sleep. When Jordan stares up at me with those big blue eyes, my heart melts. Charlotte doesn't deserve such a gorgeous child. Not after what she did. It's clear to anyone that Charlotte isn't coping. All she needs is a little push to send her over the edge.... And then i'll finally get what i came for.

Charlotte is struggling to cope with bringing up baby Jordan on her own after her husband Lawrence passed away. Then a woman turns up claiming to be Sophie, Lawrence's sister.

When something feels too good to be true.... The story is packed with twists, some of which i saw coming. The pace was perfectly set. Once Sophie moves into Charlotte's home, the tension intensifies. The story is told from Charlotte and Sophie's perspectives. An edge of your seat psychological thriller that i could not put down.

First, I want to thank Emily Shiner, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Emily Shiner is back with another twisted psychological thriller in What Every Mother Needs. Now, please understand I am a huge Emily Shiner fan and have loved all of the books I have read by her. She is one of my favorite authors! I am always excited when a new book of hers comes out. Sadly this was not one of my favorites. However, just because I didn’t care for it doesn’t mean that you won’t.

Emily would like to dedicate this book to everyone impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Emily instantly tugged on my heartstrings in her prologue as I have a soft spot for babies.

It was interesting and out of the box that Emily would incorporate the Help Needed sign into the first chapter of the book. I liked how detailed the job description was.

My heart went out to Charlotte for the recent loss of her husband Lawrence. I totally can feel her pain when she mentions that she didn’t expect to miss him as much as she did. I lost my Dad 5 months ago and it doesn’t get easier!

One thing that I found very odd was Lawrence's sister showing up totally out of the blue. A sister Charlotte never ever heard him speak about. So why was she showing up now? So many questions surrounding that storyline.

There was a very interesting mystery surrounding little baby Jordan. It got complicated and very messy with lots of shock value for all parties involved.

Charlotte's is learning to navigate life with her infant daughter, Jordan after her husband Lawrence dies. She puts an ad up for help at her home when Sophie show's up claiming to be Lawrence's estranged sister; Charlotte is so tired and stressed she welcomes Sophie into her home. Sophie is great with Jordy but Charlotte feels something is wrong. Is Sophie really who she says she is or has she just welcomed a stranger into her home?

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!