My Daughter’s Keeper by Sheila Norton is a compelling family thriller that delves deep into the emotional bonds and buried secrets of a fractured family. With well-developed characters and heartfelt storytelling, Norton pulls you into the lives of her protagonists, making you genuinely care about their struggles and triumphs. The character development is a standout, leaving you invested in their outcomes and eager for the truth to finally come to light. It’s a relatively quick read, ideal for readers looking for a story that balances suspense with emotional depth. That said, the pacing does lag in a few spots, but the tension and stakes build steadily, pulling you back in just when things begin to slow.

What would you do if your child told you they were been hurt by someone you trusted.
When Craig Tash's partner tells her he leaving her and their daughter Daisy for another woman the day after her birthday, she has no idea especially as it's his boss Kirsty.
His promise is to always be a part of his daughters life and wants to spend as much time with her as he can. He's got it all worked out.
With Tash having to move house to be near him and her job.
But trusting Kirstys family felt right till her daughter Daisy begs her not too.
This book is very emotional and upturning.
The blaim lies with so many characters playing the part that makes it such a harrowing read.
I enjoyed every chapter to the very end that was so good.

Review of ‘My Daughter’s Keeper’ by Sheila Norton, due to be published on 21 August 2025 by Boldwood Books.

Tasha’s world is rocked on her 40th birthday by the revelation by her partner Craig, that he is leaving her for his boss, Kirsty, and moving in with her and her children, 12 year old Ameila and 7 year old Freya.

With no choice but to accept their new blended family life, Tasha is forced to take on more work to pay the bills, and rely on Craig’s new partner Kirsty for free childcare.

When Tasha’s daughter Daisy starts having little ‘accidents’ when over at Kirsty’s house, Tasha is anxious to get to the root of the problem and protect her little girl.

The story leads you in a certain direction and you feel sure you know what the outcome will be, however there are many twists and turns along the way that raises more questions about what is happening behind closed doors.

A great family thriller, with good character development that leaves you invested in the outcomes for the family, and urging the truth to be discovered.

I really enjoyed this family drama, a story of wanting to protect your child against another older child, even if that child is now part of your daughters blended family. Tasha was trying the best she could after her lover left her, but welcomed the childcare from his new partner Kirsty, until her daughter Daisy announced that Kirsty's oldest daughter Amelia could be cruel in her actions.
I found Craig's character slightly annoying, his actions and weak behaviour left a lot to be desired, especially where the care of Daisy was involved.
This was a gripping read, fairly fast paced with a few shocking moments.

3⭐️: This story follows Tasha after a breakup with her long term boyfriend and father of her child, Craig. Craig’s glamours new girlfriend Kirsty has daughters of her own—Amelia (12) and Freya (7). Their lavish lifestyle could not be more different than Tashas who struggles to make ends meet and resorts to online Bingo to find a solution, leading to a gambling addiction and severe debt. Tasha finds a solution to one problem and asks Kirsty to watch Daisy after school to avoid paying for childcare. After Daisy settles in to life between two homes, she begrudgingly confesses Amelia isn’t kind and can be violent at times. Tasha can’t shake the feeling her daughter is not safe around her new step sister, but she cannot afford to find childcare for Daisy. When secrets are revealed and lies are uncovered, Tasha begins to think things may be worse than she imagined.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be MOTHERHOOD. The writing allowed me to feel the emotional hardships, compassion, and tension through the pages. Though the story felt slow at times, I still enjoyed uncovering the truth of what was happening at Whitegate House. A heartfelt psychological family drama that will grasp your attention from the beginning.
I would recommend to those who enjoy suspense, family drama, and Jojo Moyes.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the digital arc!

This book was a relatively quick read, though it did drag in places. That said, I was compelled to keep reading to uncover what was really going on with Kirsty. I truly felt for Tasha—Craig leaving her for Kirsty made my blood boil, and to be honest, I wanted to shake some sense into him for most of the story. While the pacing was uneven, I did appreciate how everything wrapped up in the end. Still, I’m on the fence about recommending this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I was so emotionally invested in this family drama. Recommend!

This was a great book. It’s a psychological thriller full of family drama. Maybe domestic thriller? The twists were great and unpredictable. Definitely making my friends read this when it’s released so we can talk about it!

Daisy is spending time with her father and stepmother and her new stepsisters, she tells her mother her new stepsister Amelia is hurting her. Her Mother begins to suspect there is more to it.

Wow!! What a fantastic book, one which really has the children as centre stage. I read it all in one day, I haven't been so captivated by a book in a very long time. It's beautifully written, and has a lovely ending which I kind of saw coming but didn't detract from the narrative. 5/5*

All the factors that make for a brilliant read are beautifully amalgamated in ‘My Daughter’s keeper’ by Sheila Norton.

To frame this novel into one genre doesn’t do it justice. It’s a family drama and a psychological thriller at its finest. On a related note, I was especially blown away by the twists that I never saw coming.

The realistic struggles, the intricate emotions, and the complexity of the family ties all added such depth and rawness to the storyline.

I, hereby, quote the author ,“Because a relationship between a man and a woman can be fraught with problems - it can be long term or it can be transient - but a relationship with a child is the greatest gift we can be given.”

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC of this captivating novel.