Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
Too many details.
Very unlikable main character. In fact, all of them were.
Unrealistic and sophomoric writing.
The narrator had no emotion. It simply sounded like she was reading a book.

I loved the twists and turns of this book.


It’s definitely a book where it makes you question everyone. You can never know who people truly are… even if they are “family”. This was wildly amazing!

Thank you @netgalley for access to another great book. I really enjoyed this audiobook from @authorcareybaldwin Lots of twists, just how I like them! It kept me on my toes and the characters were genuinely likeable. A must for fans of psychological thrillers and writers like @lisajewelluk & @alicewriterland

3.5/5 stars, rounded up

i had a good time! the twists and turns get a little wild at times but I was always excited to read "just one more chapter".

some of the characters had unbelievable moments (both as in compared to reality and as in Ivy please you cannot believe this dude-- these were mostly as set ups for twists) and I didn't like how even the main character treated the idea of therapy. god forbid a girl get some help after her mom dies! some themes also seemed like they got harped on too many times; if I had to hear about how the MCs would do ANYTHING for family one more time I was gonna lose it

despite some personal writing nitpicks, I really am glad I took a chance on a quick fun read that had me truly wondering "whodunnit"

This was a bizarre book that I actually ended up liking. Ok feel like secrets were revealed a bit too soon but it kind of all fell together the further you got into it. Good narration and multiple points of view. It was not too hard to follow and a creative approach.

The end saves the book! But only mildly.
Audiobook narration was great. Narrator, Elise Roth, is clear and makes listening easy and enjoyable.
With that said Don’t Trust Mother was a slow and drawn out story. Characters are unlikable and unbelievable. Would have made a good short story.
The writing being easy to follow and the solid narration I was able to make it to the end. The ending helped the whole but not enough.

Release: July 22, 2025
Author: Carey Baldwin
Publisher: Bookoture Audio

Rating: 3.25 ★ 

Still grieving the recent death of her mother, the narrator is blindsided when a woman named Sandra shows up at her door claiming to be her biological mother. They share eerily similar features—same eyes, same hair—and Sandra insists she was adopted. This revelation shakes her to her core. Could everything she believed about her family be a lie?
The confusion grows as she recalls her mother’s last phone call, one filled with urgency and fear. They had planned to meet that evening, but her mother never showed. Now, she’s left alone and unsure of what to believe. As unsettling incidents begin to unfold and paranoia creeps in, she starts to question everyone around her—especially Sandra.
Determined to uncover the truth, she follows Sandra in secret, only to feel like someone might be watching her instead. With her sense of reality unraveling, she’s forced to confront one terrifying question: Is her life built on lies—and is she in danger because of it?
Don’t Trust Mother grabs your attention from the very first page with a chilling premise—a grieving woman, a stranger at the door, and a life-shattering claim. Carey Baldwin delivers a psychological thriller that’s packed with secrets, suspicions, and twists that just keep coming. There’s no shortage of drama here, and the plot is fast-paced enough that I finished it in a day.
There are definitely some jaw-dropping moments—I mean twists that genuinely made me stop and go, “Wait, what?!” Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story yanked the rug out from under me. The final twist was wild—unexpected, and in some ways a little over the top—but undeniably entertaining.
That said, the book isn’t without its flaws. The main character, Ivy, didn’t always click with me. She was a little too perfect in everyone’s eyes, which made her harder to relate to. And while the story moves quickly, some of the POV shifts felt abrupt or confusing, and parts of the plot required a big suspension of disbelief. I also would’ve preferred more voice variation in the audiobook narration, especially with such a large cast of characters.
If you’re into twisty, bingeable thrillers that feel like a Lifetime movie in the best (and occasionally cheesiest) way, this one delivers. It's not the most realistic story, but it is addictive and perfect for when you want a dramatic, fast-paced mystery that doesn’t let up. Think comfort thriller, with a slightly unhinged edge.

Favorite quote: 
When the woman at my door tells me I was adopted, that she’s my birth mother, I go cold all over. Was the woman who raised me lying all this time? I’m left shaken. I loved my mother so much. But then I think of the last phone call I had with her. I could hear in her voice that something was wrong..

Ivy is a sweet and naive young woman who lost her mother several months ago but has trouble letting go. Her husband and father are tiptoeing around her, treating her as if she was going to break at any moment. And that is when the fun begins, with a strange woman showing up on their doorstep claiming to be her real mother. A snowball rushing down a mountain to create an avalanche of craziness and wild times! It was fun to listen to as everything unraveled, from questions about her mother's accidental death, to the truth of Ivy being adopted but still not as it seems with Sandra and her father and husband and others are hiding their own secrets. Poor Ivy, sweet and hoping for the best in people but still doing her own investigations. This story has dead bodies, possible "accidents" that might be real threats, secrets, gaslighting, many twists, each crazier than the last till the very end with a big reveal that I did not expect but I loved how Ivy rose to the challenge (which I enjoyed because I felt sorry for her naivete) proving she belongs in the family. :)

The narrator, Elise Roth, did a wonderful job with this wild ride of a thriller and brought the characters nicely to life, even the nasty ones, though no one is perfect and this book proved that humans are complicated with good bits and bad and though they might try to protect their family, sometimes it all goes sideways.

*ARC review*

This was an intriguing and dramatic book that kept me interested until the end. It was an easy read and I liked all of the twists and turns. Complicated family dynamics, secrets and lies…this book has something for all thriller lovers!

I had the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of Don't Trust Mother by Carey Baldwin, thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio. This psychological thriller pulled me in right away with its layered storytelling and chilling tension.

The novel follows a daughter whose life is upended when her biological mother unexpectedly reappears after the death of her adoptive mother. From there, the story unfolds with secrets, deception, and emotional struggles that keep you guessing. It’s a story within a story, giving the listener just enough information to feel involved while still keeping plenty of twists and turns hidden until the right moment.

This was a quick listen that kept me fully engaged, with great pacing and a jaw-dropping twist that tied everything together. If you enjoy psychological thrillers where you're given part of the truth and have to piece together the rest, this book is definitely for you. A gripping and satisfying read.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing an eaudio ALC.

I think this was my first book by the author, but I have read several by Bookouture (they do all seem to be very similar). I'm not sure how to review this book without giving away details, as there are lots of twists that are also spoilers. The family drama, dynamics and lies in this story are non stop, and with varying POV's, it can be tough to keep all of the lies and story lines straight. I didn't really like any of the characters, they all felt silly and weak. The ending was rather far fetched. This is not a cozy mystery, but hardly is a suspense or thriller since it is so slow going.

I have to add, I really dislike the characters that are too perfect and everyone just falls at their feet, and I felt that was the case here.

2.5 stars, rounded down.

Don't Trust Mother by Carey Baldwin
Narrated by Elise Roth
Publication Date 22nd July 2025
Thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for this advanced listening copy.
Ok, where to start. The narrator was good, but not very emotional (is that the right word? voice animated?) at certain scenes, just kinda spoke the same, which didn't give, the dramatic effect that it should have had.
This psychological thriller itself was wild, so much going on, I could never have predicted that ending. It lead me down so many paths of who, why, whaaaat lol. (No spoilers here) 4 stars!

Wow! The twists and turns just kept coming! Just when you think you know something, you really don’t, and it just gets twistier! I truly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I really enjoyed the writing and how the story unfolds. There’s so many reasons to distrust every character. I really liked the way the author let you feel and hear the characters’ thoughts, almost like you know them. While it is a pretty complex story, it is told brilliantly, and the narrator does a wonderful job. I highly recommend this book.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Don’t Trust Mother starts with a gripping premise—a woman shows up claiming to be the MCr’s real mother just after her adoptive mom dies mysteriously. The setup is gripping and the suspense builds well at first.

I liked the idea of the story. I found it interesting and it kept me listening. I found some parts kind of predictable.

Don’t Trust Mother kept me hooked from the very first page. Carey Baldwin delivers a psychological thriller packed with secrets, shocking twists, and emotional depth. The unreliable narration and layered characters had me second-guessing everything and everyone. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, BAM, another jaw-dropping reveal. If you love thrillers that mess with your head and keep your heart racing, this one’s a must-read!

I cannot stand when any type of story has a fictional character that is perfect and everyone is in love with. Every character in this book talked about Ivy like she was the greatest human being to ever walk the planet; I was honestly rooting against her just because she could do no wrong and everyone loved her so much.

I found the mystery to be really predictable and I wasn't a fan of the way a chapter in one character's POV would end abruptly and then switch to a different character's POV. There's also a third POV? that comes into it and it's a little confusing (I walked up to you, I saw you, you saw me).

The ending before the epilogue came out of left field and made no sense at all. If I'm being honest, I barely even remember the epilogue and I read it twelve hours ago.

This audio book was pretty good, I wanted to and I had to finish so much so that I listened to the entire book in one day! It was engaging and kept me glued to my AirPods all day!!! The twists and turns made me dizzy.

As far as the narrators I could’ve done without Ivy but other than that it wasn’t too bad.

Absolutely amazing, most def recommend reading or listening to this book!

This was a solid low stakes thriller that I enjoyed whilst getting household chores completed.
It is narrated by Elise Roth and while she spoke on the very slow side she did a fine job. It was easily fixed by bumping up the speed. 1.25x was sufficient for a typical speaking rate and made it comfortable to listen too . I however listened at 2x speed making it only take just over 4 hours to complete.

I enjoyed that there were twists and turns throughout the length of the book. It kept the reader on their toes to figure out what was next. There was a fair amount of predictability throughout but it was still a fun ride.

So if you’re looking for a more of a comfort thriller, this is the book for you. It comes out July 22nd so it’s right around the corner!

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Bookouture Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as so don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

Ivy knew something was off about her mother’s “accident,” she just didn’t expect the truth to unravel her entire life.

Ivy is still having a hard time dealing with her mom’s death six months ago. Her husband is hovering and pushing medication on her. Her father is very wealthy, and while seemingly supportive, he’s the type to try to fix everything with money. Then one day, a woman named Sandra shows up at her door claiming to be her biological mother, news to Ivy, who didn’t even know she was adopted.

I listened to the audio version of this, and it felt like a Lifetime movie. I was drawn in immediately, but the story was completely implausible and a little cheesy. The narrator really added to that vibe, too.

There are quite a few twists and turns throughout. I found it a little predictable overall, but the story still kept my attention.

If you’re looking for a fast paced story that will keep you guessing, I think you’ll like this one. I just didn’t find it all that captivating.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the chance to listen early.

1 star ⭐️
Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for providing this audiobook in regards for a honest review.
I honestly couldn't get past the 50 percent mark of this book. The story felt completely obnoxious to me, and i couldn't care less about everything that was going on.
I see other people liking this book though, it was just not my type of a story or something i usually like.