I received an advanced copy of this book and am giving a review because I am recommending this book to others! I loved this novel. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen! Just when I thought one thing, something else would happen. The mother, Laura, wants more than anything to protect her baby and does everything she can. Laura goes through everything imaginable to make sure her baby will not have to be around Steven. Intense story, especially if you have ever been involved in a custody battle.

This book takes a very real concern when it comes to custody issues and makes it into a real white knuckle story. Presenting the different points of view is a master stroke in story telling in this case, as the plot is potentially so one sided. The perspectives make the conclusion harder to draw and, consequently, the plot is all the more worrying and enthralling. I loved it,

In the novel, “To Keep her from Harm”, the narrative centers on Laura Ballard, a devoted mother, who seeks refuge to protect her young daughter, Amanda after a court awards partial custody to her potentially abusive ex-fiance, Steven. Laura was previously engaged to Steven, but his unpredictable, explosive behaviors prompts her return to her parents house. Steven is awarded visitation with their daughter, Amanda, and Laura flees to Canada in order to protect her young daughter. The story unfolds through alternative viewpoints of Laura and Steven, revealing the intricacies of their characters. Their characters are well developed and portrayed, with both their shortcomings and redeeming qualities. The inclusion of other family members (Laura’s parents) add depth to the character development and depth to the narrative. The novel delves into complex issues such as custody, judicial system, and parent alienation. Laura was desperate to save her child, but was she actually saving Amanda from something that she needed to be saved from? This narrative is very emotional and I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend this family drama! It is a relatable, multifaceted exploration of family dynamics. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review. I highly recommend this novel.

This was such a great concept and worked well in this universe, it had that atmosphere and was hooked from the first page. The characters were everything that I was expecting and thought worked in this universe and were realistic and enjoyed going on this journey with them. I was glad that I got to read this and loved the way Diana Krantz wrote this.

This was a fascinating novel. At first I thought I knew the direction it would go in but then when things unraveled I was able to understand the bigger picture. A mother is desperate to keep her daughter safe but at what cost? This book looks at custody issues, the court system, anger, assumptions, and more. I was so eager to see how the entire situation would play out in the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review will be posted on Instagram and Amazon on pub day and links added to NetGalley.

Diana Krantz's new book is a nuanced story about divorce and the effects it has on the adults, but especially what separation does to a child. Laura Ballard begins having difficulty with her boyfriend, Steven. He demonstrates a nasty short temper. Given the warning signs, Laura decides to marry him. Laura quickly becomes pregnant and the escalating tension affects the relationship in a serious way. The steps Laura takes to end her relationship with Steven become increasingly extreme. The novel is a tense story with a beautiful daughter, Amanda, at the center. DK framed the plot of this story in clever and thoughtful ways. The novel made me think about all the ways individuals hurt themselves and their family when drastic decisions are made. I enjoyed reading this interesting story. It is high on my list of books to recommend.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on October 17, 2025.

Solid and gripping. A hard story to read, especially knowing it was inspired by real events that happened to someone the author knows.

Follows Laura as she wrestles with how to protect her child after a questionable incident happens and Stephen, the child's father as he figures out how to be a father and cope with Laura's actions.
I'm not a mother and I don't know how'd I'd react in a similar situation, but I found Laura not very likeable - I don't know if this intentional or not but man did she frustrate me. I didn't like Stephen much at the beginning either (think that was the point) but as the story continued, I found myself empathising with him more.

Anyway, solid book and I'm thankful for the ARC

To Keep Her From Harm by Diana Krantz is a compelling and emotionally layered story that explores the fallout of divorce, the strain it places on relationships, and the devastating impact it has on a child caught in the middle. Laura Ballard begins to see troubling signs in her relationship with her boyfriend, Steven—his short temper, his controlling behaviour—yet she still marries him. When she quickly becomes pregnant, the tension between them only intensifies, and Laura starts making increasingly desperate decisions to protect herself and her daughter, Amanda.

What begins as a story about a fractured relationship evolves into a tense and thought-provoking narrative about custody battles, the family court system, and the lengths a mother will go to in the name of protection. The deeper Laura is pulled into conflict with Steven, the more complicated—and morally complex—the situation becomes. It raises difficult questions: At what point does protection turn into harm? And when the system fails, how far is a parent justified in going?

Krantz handles these themes with nuance, allowing space for emotional depth while keeping the plot tightly paced. Watching events escalate is both unsettling and gripping—I constantly found myself wondering how far things would go and how it would all unfold in the end. The story lingers in the grey areas of love, fear, and obsession, making it a powerful and memorable read.

A thoughtful, tension-filled novel that challenges assumptions and keeps you engaged from start to finish. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate emotional suspense with moral complexity at its core.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The characters in this book, particularly those of the two exes, are very well drawn. Although they often engage in questionable behavior, it mostly makes sense in terms of character and their frame of reference that they behave the way they do. The characters also show impressive growth throughout the course of the story, particularly the father. However, the ending seems a little unbelievable; it feels like there's a little bit too much water under that bridge for them to end up in the place where they do.

This is a gripping read but a heavy read to

It is definitely a book you need a light read waiting straight after

I feel once I am over the book I could write a better review
The characters were written so well you felt you knew everyone in the book

This book was a gripping read, telling the story of how one person‘s perception can drastically change multiple people‘s lives. Laura comes across as very unlikable, she seems very pretentious and snobbish. Steven showed interesting character growth however the ending seemed too far-fetched based on everything that had happened between the two of them. International child kidnapping, FBI involvement, jail, it all seemed to be too much to get over in such a short span of time. Otherwise a solid book I would recommend it, but it is a heavy read.

This touches some real world topics that most parents go through and with these characters, it really brought out the battles that are faced for the child in this matter. I liked it and it was some good reflection to look at. #NetgalleyRead

When Laura thinks she's got her life sorted - great guy, expecting a child, a home and a job she loves - she suddenly finds her world upended by her partner's explosive moods and violence. She leaves him but when their daughter, Amanda, is born she finds herself fighting an even more important battle- to keep her child safe.

Her efforts culminated in fleeing across the border to Canada where she is cut off from family, friends and all she knows and although she makes a new home it may only be a matter of time until the law catches up with her.

I have to say I was a little disappointed by the book. It certainly morphed from one type of book to another as Laura is forced to re-think her actions. It certainly doesn't end where I expected it to with a lot of flourishes at the end which felt particularly forced.

I really wanted to like the book giving, as it does in the beginning, an important message. But by the end it felt like it lost its way somewhat.

Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

As a mother, I connected with Laura and could only imagine her desperation to keep her child safe. I also liked the counterbalance of Steven’s POV, even though I wasn’t a fan of his behavior. The story touched on the realities of the court system and how frustrating they can be, which added another real-world element to the story. Fans of family drama fiction will enjoy this book.