The book had a bit of a slow start, but once the first twist happened, I could not put the book down! I had to finish it! The book got better and better as I kept going. One thing I really enjoyed about the book is there were no lose ends, everything was tied up nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and rate it 5 stars!

Love, Mom is the definition of a binge-worthy 6-star thriller. From the very first letter, I was hooked and could not stop reading. My eyeballs are red and tearing up, but I finished it in under a day and that's all that matters LOL.

Mackenzie Casper has always lived in the shadow of her mother, a bestselling author of thrillers. But, when her mother dies unexpectedly, Mackenzie starts receiving mysterious letters—with glimpses of diary pages that hint at a life built on lies, betrayal, and something sinister. The pacing is perfect: short, twisty chapters that pull you deeper, a steady flow of revelations that keep you turning the page. Just when I thought I knew where it was headed, the story twisted AGAIN and left me stunned.

10/10, 6 stars, loved it. No notes.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!

[This book was independently published in 2024, and is being re-released by Poisoned Pen Press on September 2, 2025]

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 is all my review. Wow wow wow. What do you do when your author mother passes and you receive a letter she wrote 20+ years ago containing a secret? There are so many twists and turns in every chapter of this book. I just kept being shocked. So good. This has been on my want to read for a few months and I’m mad I didn’t read it sooner. This is my new recommendation for a twisty thriller. I received this an an ARC book and I want to thank the author and publishing team.

Mackenzie Casper, daughter of a famous thriller writer, begins to suspect her mother’s so-called accidental death may not be what it seems. After the funeral, Mackenzie starts receiving cryptic letters signed “Love, Mom,” which turn out to be diary entries that unearth a hidden history of secrets. As Mackenzie digs into the past, she uncovers a chilling truth. The revelation upends everything she believed about her family and herself as she races to reclaim the truth and justice.

I tried to read Love, Mom a few months ago and got one page in and thought “nah” and considered it a DNF. Fast forward to now… the book is being republished, and I spotted an ARC on NetGalley, hit request without really knowing why, and I was approved. At that point, I knew I had no choice but to dive back in and see what this book is about.

And let me tell you…I am SO glad I did. This book turned out to be a dark, twisty, edge-of-your-seat ride that kept me guessing. I cannot for the life of me guess the twist- ever, but literally this one, WOW lol The blend of family secrets and betrayal that goes deep is what made this book really good. Super glad I gave this one a second chance!

If you love psychological thrillers with family drama and secrets, this one deserves a spot on your never-ending TBR.

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me at the edge of my seat! I could not put it down. I cannot wait to check out more from this author!

This book was so good and intriguing. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely enjoyed it and I highly recommend it. The audio is really good.

Love, Mom was my first read by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last. From the very first chapter, I was completely pulled in, the story is fast-paced, engaging, and a true page-turner. The writing had me hooked and kept me invested in the characters and their journey the whole way through.

If you’re looking for a book that keeps you fully engaged from start to finish, I highly recommend picking this one up.

I thought “Love, Mom” was an intense and gripping read. The story is filled with drama, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked throughout. The characters felt real, and the story kept me hooked from beginning to end. It’s definitely over the top in some parts, but that's part of what makes it so engaging—after all, it’s fiction! The characters are complex, and the plot is full of heart. If you're looking for a story that pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is definitely worth checking out.

I was so excited to read this!! I had been hearing really great things so I had high hopes. I have to say...this did not disappoint. I read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down! I would highly recommend!!! Easily a 5 star read.

This book is all about family secrets, interesting diary entries and amazing plot twists which keep you hooked from the first page to the last.

I love a good thriller with twists and this certainly did not disappoint!

Read it in one day!

My first book from this author but definitely won’t be the last!

This was such a fun read! I was pulled in from the very first page.

This is the type of thriller I love. Fast paced and enthralling.

I really appreciated the different POV's and the switch between present day and several years ago. I feel like it really added to the story.

The end of the book was unexpected, and I loved it!

I don't want to say too much because I don't want to ruin the book for anyone.

I definitely recommend reading this if you like psychological thrillers.

This one blew me away, a perfect book to crawl under the covers and read until 3am. Iliana has a new reader for life!

This book grabbed me from page one and never let go. The short, sharp chapters made it so easy to keep saying “just one more,” and before I knew it, I had flown through half the story. The twists are constant. Some I saw coming, but many left me completely shocked. What I loved most was how it wasn’t just suspense for the sake of drama; there’s real emotion here, with themes of grief, identity, and family secrets that hit hard.

It’s dark, twisty, and emotional, with just enough heart to balance the tension. A binge worthy psychological thriller that thriller fans will eat up.

Mackenzie Casper’s mother is a bestselling thriller author… until a sudden accident claims her life. Fans are grieving, but investigators ask: was it really an accident? 👀

Soon, Mackenzie begins receiving letters—her mother’s diary pages—mysteriously delivered in envelopes signed: From #1 fan, XOXO. With the help of her friend, she dives into her own investigation… and uncovers some jaw-dropping secrets.

📖 My take: My jaw literally dropped at the end of Part 1. I was like—What the f**k just happened?! This is hands-down one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read. Short, twisty chapters, each ending with a hook that keeps you saying: just one more chapter…

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a complimentary early release copy of Love, Mom by Iliana Xander.

Love, Mom made me speechless! From the absolute first page of this book I was intrigued. It was fun trying to guess what direction the story was going to go in next! It took me a little while to route for the main character Mackenzie since I wasn’t the greatest fan of her in the beginning but as the story goes on I really started to enjoy her character more! I was intrigued with the friendship dynamic between Mackenzie and Ej, I thought their flirty banter was fun and enjoyable to read but it didn’t take away from the main mystery of the book! I think these two made a good pair together and I wouldn’t have minded getting some more romance type scenes between them!

My favorite part about Love, Mom is the letters! They did a really good job of making things suspenseful, I was always excited to read those chapters! I was very invested in the mystery of this book between the letters, investigation, and different perspectives everything tied into each other very nicely while also keeping me at the edge of my seat in suspense. There are plenty of suspenseful moments and unexpected twist in here that come out of nowhere! This thriller played with my emotions and I loved it, Love, Mom is a solid thriller with a great ending.

I can definitely see why this book is getting all the notice and hype it is, it’s VERY popcorn thriller vibes.

The plot follows our FMC who has been living under the shadow of her famous author mum her entire life, that is until her mum mysteriously and unexpectedly dies..

Now with free reign of the house and access to her office and files, with a side of her father / grandmother acting super sketchy and having whisper shout conversations, she decides to do her own investigation in attempts to find out more about her cold hearted distant mother.

I did enjoy all the twists and the surprises and I love a good amateur investigation. The plot was fun and I enjoyed the side characters helping her on her quest.

I will say that the FMC inner dialogue could be annoying at times, she is a 20 something year old, yet prone to the thought process and naïveté of a teenager which definitely got on my nerves a few times 😂😂 keep this in mind and go into this book with unserious expectations and I promise you’ll enjoy the ride for what it is.

I’d definitely read more from this author!

Wow, just wow!! The book started a little slow for me but holy cow when it picked up it flew!! I can’t express enough how well the twists and turns came together right up to the last chapter! What a shocking story. I have a high bar for thrillers but this one was incredible! This is one to recommend to EVERY thriller lover!

This was really good! I felt Mackenzie’s pain and frustration a few times throughout the story, it almost brought me to tears at one point.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the twists!! Yes, twists!

Having never read any of Iliana Xander’s books before, I will definitely be seeking out more in the future! This was a great introduction to this author’s storytelling.

Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Iliana Xander and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Love, Mom had everything you'd want in a thriller book. Mystery, family lies, romance, secrets, stalkers, etc etc. I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would have and felt like the ending was super rushed. The whole major plot and premise of the book was revealed in one chapter and I felt like we should of had more confrontation or at least communication about it. Absolutely would read more books from this author!

Love, Mom was previously independently published and limited but was thankfully picked up by a publishing house and being released world wide Sept 2, 2025!

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5

NetGalley ARC 4.5 stars

i was hooked from the beginning ,
the twists kept coming . i would recommend this book to everyone that enjoys a good thriller