This book started off strong and hooked me right away, but unfortunately, it eventually became irritating. If the goal was to make readers dislike most characters, then that mission was accomplished. Just when the story began to ramp up, it suddenly wrapped everything up, checking off all the boxes with a twist that most readers could see coming from a mile away. I did enjoy the writing style and will likely give Sheila Norton another chance, as I see she has a substantial backlog of titles.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC

“My Daugher’s Keeper” is by Sheila Norton. In some ways this book was well done - it explores family dynamics after a divorce (and processing all that) along with new family dynamics. I felt the mystery was well done, but there’s a bit of repeated information along with the last twist that made this, overall, a meh read for me. My recommendation is to read reviews by others - I think I’m an outlier in my opinion.

such a heart churning and head questioning book that made me sit down and read until the end. i needed to know how this would turn out. i couldn't put it down until i did so. and the writing meant that was an easy job to do!
this book follow Tasha after she has ended the relationship well, more like he left her for another woman, just like that.hes also the dad to her child so the ties are there forever and he promises to uphold that. hes got a new partner who has children of her own. and its a way away from how they used to love before and sadly how Tasha still finds herself living now. but her daughter is happy. right?
but then Daisy tells her mum that her new "step sister" isn't kind to her at all. that she is hurting her. what does she do now? what can she do? there is alot more to unpack for this story to unfold proper. and at first i thought "well what do you do what do you mean what do you do!" but then i read on and things got murky...
this is a book of so much relatable complexities and heart. its that protective all encompassing feeling of being a mother or even within someone you love with your whole soul and then some. and so what do you do to protect that, them? and how do you do so when it leaves you with the impossible?
i felt so bad for Daisy in this story. such a little innocent thing. right in the middle of it all, right in the middle of so much upheaval and angst.
there is dark and shade and grey areas to this story that makes books like this totally addictive from start to finish. at first reading the blurb like i said before i was left thinking, well cut and dry simple. but then we go deeper and nothing is quite that simple is it. not for these fab reads.
i had a fab time with this book. it had me gripped all the way through. the pacing and plot were perfectly in tune with each other and all the info and all the steady parts and building parts felt tight, smart and important pieces to putting this book together.
the relationship between that of a child is a true gift to be given and never a truer word felt or spoken.
spot on this book for me. the tension and thrills came from just how in there you were with this set of characters and what they were facing as a new type of "family" gets built or knocked to the ground.

My Daughter’s Keeper by Sheila Norton is a deeply emotional and beautifully told story about love, motherhood, and the bonds that hold us together even in the most challenging circumstances. This is a new author to me, and I was quickly drawn in by her warm, compassionate writing and the authenticity of her characters.

The story is heartfelt and engaging, with themes that you find relatable and moving. Sheila handles sensitive topics with care and emotional depth, creating a narrative that’s both touching and thought-provoking. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

A lovely, poignant read that lingers with you.

This was a shocker! The basic story was of a couple with a daughter who got divorced and their 6 year old daughter was having trouble adjusting to the change. She wouldn't speak in class, and that was interesting how that got solved. Amelia was an older child in the new girlfriend's house and was getting accused of hurting the 6 year old. How terrifying for the mother to not be able to protect her child.
The story had lots of drama, sadness, new friends and a very surprising ending.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

This book was something else. The author did a good job of telling a story with lots of intrigue and mystery.

BUT, it just didn't flow. There were lots of little things that broke up the story enough to make it more blah.

And the repetitiveness was off the charts. To a ridiculous degree.

I wouldn't recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, and the publisher, for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was everything that I wanted and expected from this type of book, it uses that heartbreaking element in a unique way and how the storyline worked together. Sheila Norton was able to weave a strong tale and was glad I got to go on this journey with the characters. The characters were so realistic and had that feel that I wanted and was glad I read this.

This book was a quick read domestic drama. The storyline keeps the readers attention. In addition, there were a few twists and turns towards the end of the book which added to the books enjoyment. This is a book which I would recommend to those who enjoy a domestic drama.

Tasha thought everything was fine with her and Craig until he comes home and announced he is leaving her and has fallen in love with his new boss Amelia. Amelia is recently widowed losing her husband to a tragic accidental death.
She has 2 children Amelia and Freya.
Freya loves having Daisy around and hates when she has to leave her and go back to her mom’s house.
Daisy loves going to Freya’s house and swimming and playing with her and then they get a new puppy but Daisy keeps having these little accidents and all hands point to Amelia. Tasha keeps telling Kristy something keeps happening and she blames Amelia for the little accidents and actually send her to live with her friend who they say she is very kind and considerate living in their house.
Tasha finds some very disturbing evidence that she takes to Kristy who says Amelia has to be sent away.
Amelia finds Tasha and tells her the truth about the whole situation and the rest becomes very clear.
Thank you for the ARC of this book

This one just wasn’t for me. Financial stress is a huge theme in this book and I don’t enjoy reading about money issues. I found all the adults pretty awful & there wasn’t anyone I connected with. That said, the writing itself was solid, so this star rating is a “Me” issue.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the gifted copy.

A complex family story with well described characters. Twists that I wasnt expecting but what a brilliant story it turned out to be . Five stars from me
Thanks to Netgalley for the oppoRtunity to read this ARC

On the day after her Fortieth birthday party, Tasha's partner of many years, Craig announces he is leaving her for his wealthy boss, a very glamourous slightly older woman. Tasha is totally blind sided and the split means that their home has to be sold and whilst Tasha and their daughter, 6 year old Daisy, move to a cheaper area and into a tired, run down, small ex council home, Craig moves into "Whitegate House" complete with a large heated indoor swimming pool. Kirsty, the woman Craig has left Tasha for has two daughters, the surly unhappy 12 year old, Amelia and a younger daughter, Freya who is a year older than Daisy who attend a private school, whilst Daisy has to move from the primary school she was happy in to a new one. Tasha also has to move from part time to full time work as a hairdresser and needs to rely on Kirsty and Craig for school pick ups and after school childcare if she has to make ends meet.

This book started really well, I read avidly about how Tasha and Kirsty and their children would navigate the new reality. However, I felt the narrative became a bit bogged down as ever new elements were added into the mix and Tasha's days and musings became quite repetetive. There were interesting elements such as how Daisy manifested her distress at the situation and her treatment and whether Kirsty was all she seemed and if Amelia was really a "bad kid." However, some really "what are the chances!!" coincedences were introduced that beggared belief and the final denoument was frankly, totally unbelievable. There was a lot to like about the story but I felt it needed to be edited and refined and needed to decide if it was a thriller or a frank exploration of the challenges of single parenthood.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Boldwood books for approving my request to read this book.

I enjoyed this book which sees Tasha and her young daughter Daisy begin to navigate life together after Tasha's husband Craig leaves her for his wealthy boss. Daisy has to split her time between her mum and dad whilst also getting used to a new school as well as having to share her dad with his new partner and her children.

This book is emotionally charged with a hint of mystery. I'd recommend for fans of Jodi Picoult and JoJo Moyes.

This is a relatively new author to be that I have only recently discovered. This was a slow burning family/domestic psychological thriller which at times was also very emotional and heartbreaking to read and I was invested from the very first page as I wanted to see what happened and for the truth to be discovered. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Daisy who is six is finally getting a life in two homes
She’s getting some time with her father and his wealthy Kirsty
She is more relaxed and seem to be happier
But Kirsty has got two daughters called Amelia and Freya
But Amelia is not so good
What can she do
I had an ARC

When Craig unexpectedly leaves Tasha for what one would say to be an upgrade due to her money and leadership role, one has to find sympathy that Tasha needs to strike out on her own and deal solely as she struggles with money and Daisy's perpetual shyness that renders her mute. However, Tasha often denies her circumstances as to why she has little to no money due to her gambling addiction and why Daisy refused to speak with anyone at school claiming that they all hated her. That is why she felt such relief that Kristy and Craig welcomed Daisy into their home and she made friends with Freya immediately. She was the little girl that Tasha knew she could be with her incessant chatter and happiness. As a result, Tasha grew close to Kristy and believed her when she said that Amelia was capable of physical and emotional abuse and at some point in time, she would be sent away. She just couldn't overcome the sudden death of her father. The ending is absolutely shocking starting with the diary on "Amelia's" laptop and Kristy's confession. It was she who behind a facade of perfection, was capable of actions of pure malicious intent .

My daughters keeper is an absolute belter from Sheila Norton. I was hooked from the start. Its very well written and has an ending that I wasn't expecting, that said I do feel the last few chapters were a bit rushed!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the Advanced Reader Copy of My Daughter's Keeper.
While this book started out a little slow, it picked up about halfway through. I liked the story, although none of the characters were particularly likable to me.

This is a deeply emotional family drama. It's a poignant exploration of motherhood and the lengths a parent will go to protect their child, even when facing disbelief and difficult choices within a blended family. A good story, total rating 3.5 stars

When a couple, Tasha and Craig, break up — and it’s done in an especially crude way by the partner who is leaving — it’s only natural that the other partner feels the hurt even more intensely. It can break a person, and coping with it isn’t always easy. But what makes it all even sadder is when a child is involved — in this case, Daisy, a six-year-old daughter.

It’s never easy to no longer see one of your parents every day, but for such a young child, it must feel like the world has stopped turning.

Fortunately, a solution is found that supposedly works best for everyone — but is that really the case…?

My heart broke immediately for Daisy. She was the most innocent party in the entire story and also the one who took the hardest blows. On the other hand, I have to admire her for the way she handles certain things.

As for the parents who take center stage in this book, I found them to be incredibly selfish — with just one exception. But even he does things I find completely unacceptable. Their behavior would be entirely inappropriate in real life, but in a book, these characters are perfect for creating a compelling story.

It’s shocking to see how far some people are willing to go, who they’re willing to use to get what they want — and they show no shame about it either.

This is a story that held my attention 100% from start to finish. Even though I had some ideas about how things would unfold, that didn’t bother me in the slightest. I found it exceptionally well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was my first time reading something by this author, and I regret not having done so sooner. I can assure you that’s going to change, because she’s gained a new fan. 5 stars.

Thank you