I loved this book. There was so many twists and many times where I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. I feel like this could be the perfect movie to watch. I loved every minute of it and could not turn the pages fast enough.

Such a great book. I read this in one weekend because I couldn’t put it down (but still had responsibilities lol!). I cannot wait to see what is next in store from this author. On my auto buy list for sure!!!

Love, Mom had me invested from the very beginning. After the main character’s mom dies, she starts receiving letters - written by her mom, making her question everything about her life. The author cleverly builds tension and creates suspicion in such a way that I found myself distrusting every character. How well do you really know the people closest to you?

Love, Mom was an engaging, quick-paced thriller with several twists and turns. I found myself snatching moments throughout the day to read a few more chapters!

I realized that I was waiting for another great twist at the end, but found an interesting wrap up instead. Surprisingly, I was not disappointed.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my copy of Love, Mom!

Mackenzie's famous author mother has just passed away when she begins receiving letters from a "#1 Fan" who turns out to be her aforementioned recently deceased mother. The letters continue to make their way to Mackenzie, in an almost stalkerish way and contain huge family secrets. Mackenzie investigates these bombshells with her best friend EJ and finds that not everything is as it seems.

I loved the story, it kept me engaged and had quite a few twists that I didn't see coming. It was very fast paced and a quick read for me. I did however, not enjoy the writing at all. It felt very amateurish, and the dialogue was written so clunky and unnatural. The romance in the novel felt forced and awkward as well.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Finished in less than 24 hours because I just could not put it down. I was hooked from the first "Love, Mom" and loved the way each bit of the story was revealed through Mackenzie's investigation and the POV changes that tied up every loose end. This was a great thriller read and I never saw the twists coming!

Surely one of the best YA novels of 2025, if not the best!

This is a gripping, suspenseful, and fast-paced novel. The writing is fluid and easy on the eyes, devoid of any jargon or superfluous Victorian vocabulary.

The protagonist, Mackenzie, feels overshadowed by her mother's fame. Despite having the gift of creative writing, she feels she is always going to be judged against her bestselling author Mom, so she feels the pressure.

Then there are those mysterious letters, written in her mother's handwriting, found posthumously. This book unravels that mystery in the true class of amateur sleuthing. Each chapter ending left a piece of the puzzle that makes the reader guess, and before you know it, you're in the thick of the puzzle. This is a true #unputdowner. Another illustrious feather in NetGalley's hat! Thank you, NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press, for letting me review this captivating novel prior to its release.

Also, I found a timeline glitch, but I am probably nitpicking, lol. Kat Von D. was probably just a toddler when Lizzy and Ben were dating. I'm just sayin'. #StrawberryLipstick.

——4⭐️

Love, Mom follows Mackenzie, the daughter of a famous thriller writer who suddenly dies in what’s believed to be an accident. At first, Mackenzie is just dealing with the “grief” of losing her complicated, larger than life mother, until she starts receiving mysterious letters signed “Love, Mom.” These letters reveal shocking secrets about her mother’s past and force Mackenzie to question everything she thought she knew. The story is fast paced, emotional, & filled with twists that kept me turning the pages.

Themes
➼ Mothers and daughters – The whole story is really about Mackenzie trying to understand her mom,
both the woman and the “famous author” persona.
➼ Grief – Losing her mom is complicated for Mackenzie, especially once secrets start coming out.
➼ Family secrets – So much of the suspense comes from what was hidden and why.
➼ Identity – Mackenzie has to figure out who she is outside of her mom’s shadow.
➼ Truth vs. appearances – Everyone saw her mom one way, but Mackenzie learns the reality was a lot darker.

Subplots
➼ The creepy letters signed “Love, Mom” that reveal more and more secrets.
➼ Mackenzie working through her own messy grief and guilt.
➼ Digging into her mother’s past and realizing success might have come with some ugly truths.Strained relationships with people around her, since she’s not sure who she can trust.
➼ The whole investigation vibe as Mackenzie pieces the mystery together like a thriller.


Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

I would like to give a huge thank you to NetGalley, Illiana Xander, & Penguin Books Limited for providing me with an ARC of Love, Mom in exchange for my honest review.

This book gripped me from page 1. Told from multiple view points, this story has it all. A cheating husband, a famous author, the mistress and the daughter are caught in a web of deceit and lies. Told over 2 decades it showcases the famous author and her decent with madness and her untimely end. When pages of her diary begin to appear it unravels a mystery and lie that changes everything. My head is still spinning. The story will not only grab your attention but will leave your jaw on floor with the twist. A must read!!

I have never read a book by this author, and I barely read the summary, so I didn't know what to expect. The first half of the book was slow-going, but once I got to the first little twist, the action and thrill just took off. I liked how everything came together in a neat little package at the end, and I even got chills at one point.

Love, Mom by Iliana Xander hooked me right away. It is a page turner from the beginning. The pacing is quick and the chapters are short. I love that this book has creepy letters from an unknown sender, family secrets, and several mysteries that keep you guessing. The twist was so good. I think this is an excellent thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen for the eARC and the opportunity to read this book.

This is the first book I have read by Iliana Xander and it will not be my last. I was hooked from the beginning and did not want to put it down! It is a fast paced psychological thriller with many twists and secrets. Mackenzie Casper's mother is a world famous author, known for her twisty thrillers. She dies in a tragic accident and then Mackenzie starts receiving mysterious letters that appear to be from her mother's diary. What she learns is jaw dropping. I loved part one, but part two was even better.

This book is loads of fun in almost a guilty pleasure way. Mackenzie's mother is a famous author who has just passed away in an unfortunate accident, which we all know means there's definitely going to be more to it than that! Her books are infamous for being gory, twisted revenge thrillers, and her fan base is similarly dark and macabre. Mackenzie never got along well with her mother, so she has some mixed feelings about her death and hasn't truly grieved, yet. Then she receives the first message.

Because not much is revealed in the blurb, I can't say too much about what the messages say or what they're composed of, and that's so frustrating! I feel like if readers could know more about the plot, then their interest would increase and they'd definitely want to read this story. So I have to be frustratingly vague and give the usual spiel about it being full of twists and exposed secrets, etc. Which really doesn't help. I can say that Mackenzie learns more about her mother's early life, and some experiences she had, and the truth is much darker than anyone expected. See, disappointingly vague! But it really is an engaging story with some characters you will enjoy and some you will want to punch in the face.

I couldn't stop reading, and I thought it was going to end on a really depressing note, but I kept going anyway and was pleasantly surprised. I was really rooting for Mackenzie because of all she suffered through. The notes themselves were a bit cliché, really just a way to introduce the backstory about Mackenzie's mom, but it worked. I'm glad to have discovered this author and hope to see more in the future in the same vein as this one; it's a definite must-read!

Love, Mom is a gripping thriller packed with twists that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story moves quickly, and the pacing makes it hard to put down. Iliana Xander’s straightforward writing style makes for an easy and engaging read, perfect for fans of suspenseful, twisty narratives.

While some moments felt a bit predictable or over the top, these didn’t detract significantly from the overall enjoyment. The novel delivers strong emotional beats and a compelling atmosphere that will appeal to readers looking for an entertaining, fast-paced thriller without too much complexity.

In short, if you want a page-turner full of surprises and family drama, Love, Mom is definitely worth picking up. It’s not literary heavyweight material, but it’s a solid, satisfying read that keeps you guessing until the very end.

This was my first read by Iliana Xander, and I absolutely loved it! The plot hooked me from the start, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. There are so many twists and secrets that kept me guessing at every turn. The irony in each character was both insane and unexpectedly funny, making for such an entertaining experience. My favorite aspects was that there are several antagonist and it adds so much complexity to the story. Every plot hole was tied up brilliantly, and the way everything connected in the end completely blew my mind. The conclusion wrapped everything together beautifully, leaving me both satisfied and impressed. The characters felt believable and well-developed (though a couple could have gone even deeper), but the writing style was so vivid and immersive that it never felt shallow.
I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from Iliana Xander. I can’t wait to devour whatever she writes next! I highly, highly recommend this book, but here’s a tip: be patient through the first half it’s good, but the second half is where it truly shines.
If you love thrillers with secrets, multiple antagonists, and a jaw-dropping ending, this is a must-read!

Here is a little synopsis - Mackenzie Casper is a brilliant student but most people know her as the daughter of a world-famous author whose dark, twisted thrillers have captivated millions. When her mother dies in a tragic accident, fans across the globe mourn. But investigators have one question: Was it really an accident? On the day of the memorial, Mackenzie receives the first mysterious envelope—signed. What she reads inside changes everything. Then comes the second letter. And the third… As Mackenzie digs deeper, she uncovers secrets her family has kept buried for years. Soon, she realizes her mother’s road to stardom wasn’t paved with talent alone, it was built on sinister lies that may have finally caught up to her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5 Stars
(rounded up to 5)

WOW! this left me gobsmacked.
let me preface this by saying that i have wanted to read this book for quite some time. i've seen it all over social media. unfortunately, i have fell victim to the excitement of all the BookToks and Bookstagrams before only to be left disappointed one too many times. but i get it, reading is subjective! so, i went into this with no expectations.

this was a surprising and unraveling journey of twists and turns, and a psychological thriller worth the read! i enjoyed it. i lost sleep over it. chose not to eat bcuz i didn't want to put it down. it is addictive! the writing style might not be for everyone, but it's not like it's hard to follow. just takes a bit to grasp onto the manner of storytelling, and once you do... you don't want to let go.

needless to say, i highly recommend this! if you're in your thriller era, this is a must-read! it IS worth the hype. i can see now why people lost their minds over this book. 😂

thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Honestly started off well, kind of staled in the middle but ended as a 4 star
Once it went into Tonya and Ben’s identity it picked up a lot

Not a bad overnight read

Mackenzie is best known as the daughter of a famous author. But her mother has just died in an accident. On the day of the memorial she receives letters from her mom's diary. They are shocking. This was twisty and lots of family dynamics which I liked. This book will keep you reading and hooked.

Book started out slow then improved pace as the book to end was suspenseful at the end plot line was interesting

Love, Mom hooked me from the very first page and didn’t let go. Mackenzie’s story is both chilling and heartbreaking. She is the daughter of a famous thriller writer who suddenly finds herself in the middle of a mystery that feels straight out of one of her mother’s books. The mysterious letters, the diary entries, and the unraveling of long-buried family secrets kept me on edge the entire time.

What I really enjoyed was how layered this book was. It is part psychological thriller, part family drama, and part coming-of-age story for Mackenzie as she navigates grief, betrayal, and danger all at once. The twists were clever, the suspense was intense, and the emotional depth gave the story so much more weight than your typical thriller.

An addictive, unsettling, and thought-provoking read. I could not put it down.

What a fun popcorn thriller! It’s a perfect recipe of family secrets, amateur investigation, and mysterious letters from the dead. When a thriller has more than one ‘part’ and short chapters, I know it’s going to be good! This didn’t disappoint. I won’t lie and say I didn’t see most of the twists coming but there were a couple of surprises and it was still fun to watch it all play out. I had a good time! If you enjoy popcorn thrillers then I’d absolutely recommend!