This book pulled me in at the beginning, and overall, I enjoyed the story. It did feel like it was a little long towards the end, though. Overall, it was a great read, and I liked the main characters.

I would recommend this story to all thriller lovers .This book took me by surprise. It kept me interested throughout the story and I needed to see what was going to happen. I truly enjoyed the pacing of the story and the well written characters.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

My 5* review for The Good Mother, an absolutely gripping story by Karen Osman, a new Author for me, but one I will now read more of.

The story is about 3 women : "Catherine is a good mother and a good wife, but when she starts writing to Michael, a prisoner convicted of murder, she finds herself obsessing about his crime and whether he can ever truly be forgiven…

Kate has no time for herself, bringing up two young children with no money, and an out of work husband, she longs to escape the and she soon starts taking dangerous risks to feel alive…

Alison has flown the nest. But university life is not what she had hoped for, until the day her professor takes a sudden interest in her. Then everything changes…"

The book swaps between chapters concerning each of the 3 women and I was totally engrossed in each of their lives and their personal struggles and it was easy for me to empathise with them and understand their choices in life, which ultimately led to the unexpected "gasp with shock" ending.

I wasn’t prepared for the twist that revealed what the whole book was leading up to, I had to re-read the last few chapters just to enjoy that moment again. This is the moment when the 3 women, their lives, the locations of the book and the ending all dovetail together and make you realise the clues were there all along, but I didn't guess the ending and loved the book even more for that.

Told from three different POV's. Allison a college freshman studying law. Kate a married mother of two trying to find something more in her life. Catherine a married volunteer looking to make someone's life easier.
It was one of those books that would've benefitted from less words. It went on a little too long. I skimmed through a few chapters but i still wanted to finish the book.

I received my ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I was given this book by NetgLley in return for an honest review. The book got off to a slow start but picked up quickly then had a great ending! I loved all the characters. Definitely a book I would recommend. I rate this book a 3.8.

I'll be honest when I say, I started reading the book, and at chapter two decided its not for me.
I then read some reviews on goodreads, and everybody said - just hang on, it gets better. I am so so happy that I did, otherwise I would have lost out on one of the best books I've read so far in 2018. I read a lot, so that is saying something!!
The book was a slow starter, and there was some things that I did not understand, until the end, and then everything came together spectacularly!!
I really did not see the ending coming - blood hell! Well done!!!!!!!

I don't even know where to start with this review. I have only read two books in my life that have had a twist so incredible to make me gasp out loud but now I have read a third. The structure of the book made it hard to even guess at the ending although I read this from cover to cover in 5 hours so perhaps I was too enthralled in the story to step back and realise what was going on.

The characters were enjoyable and at times very relatable despite there being moments where I felt they lacked realism and were rather plot driven. I 'm still too shocked to comprehend how well the characters were written in terms of having three separate narratives which I have too often seen go wrong but this handles it fairly well. There are really so many great things here but it is so hard to talk about them without ruining the plot which would be such an injustice.

The criticism I have is complicated because at the end of the book most things are revealed and resolved however there are a few things that struck me whilst reading this: each character is in a different time and it is not explicitly noted what year it is apart from Catherine's letters instead it is left to mentions by the character's which did leave me confused at points. I also felt there were some continuity errors that were made due to need for the plot which were noticeable but in the grander scheme could possibly be overlooked. I am just used to picking up all fine details so this may only be an issue I had.

But, really those negatives do not attract from the plot and the message of the entire book that even now reflecting on it as I'm writing this 10 minutes or so after putting it down, is really compelling and thought-provoking and takes a popular concept and has given in a new gripping angle.


I would definitely recommend this to readers. Most recommended readers would be thriller enthusiasts and any mothers. I will 100% be reading again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and despite the fact that it was written from the narrative of three different women, I found it easy to follow given that they are all such different personalities. Each of the women has a secret, and you learn more and more about them as the story progresses. Each of their stories is equally as gripping as the others, so I found myself in the mindset of 'just one more chapter!' over and over again. I was invested in each of their stories and wondering how it would all end. I feel there's a very minimal amount that I can say without giving anything away, but I will say that this is so cleverly written that it's worthy of 5*. The only thing that knocked it down to 4* for me, was the fact that the ending seemed a little too far-fetched and off the scale for me to get my head round. It was certainly a fantastic twist, but just a little too heavy for me to get on board with.

This is a good modern thriller. I found the story a bit complicated. It took me a wee while to work out the connection between the three storytellers who were Kate, Alison and Catherine. However the story all came together with a great ending.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. However I managed to read 75% of it but then gave up. I just couldn't really work out where the book was going and didn't care enough to work out the connection between the 3 women. A shame it wasn't my cup of tea.

Three women at different stages of their lives find themselves keeping secrets from their friends and families. For once they feel like they are in control and are living out their lives but their actions will have serious consequences.

The story opens with Catherine who has decided to volunteer by corresponding with a man incarcerated for murder. She’s supposed to help him adjust to what life will be like once he’s back out but what would her family think of her actions?

Another woman is Kate who finds herself at her wits end with young children and a husband who works long hours and is never home. She longs for the days when they were dating and everything seemed possible. When she decides to take a writing course at a local college, she finds herself basking in the glow of the attention and thinking she could actually be on to a new direction in her life.

Finally there is Alison who is a first year law student and living away from home. Classes all of a sudden seem much harder than what she was used to and she questions if she’s really made the right career choice but with the help of one of her charming professors she may just be ok.

Despite the change in narrator every chapter it was easy to keep track of the action as every woman faces some very different situations but the closer we get to the middle, it is clear that all are in over their heads with their relationships. This was a fast and addictive read. I sort of had it figured out but it was still an “aha” moment when all the pieces fell into place.

Source: Advance review copy

As soon as I heard about this book, I could not wait to read it. It sounded fascinating and my curiosity was certainly piqued. This stayed with me as the book continued as Karen Osman has done a very good job at only giving away a few details without letting the reader put everything together. I loved the way the book jumped back and forth between the three woman and the different timescales and trying to work out where everything was leading. Needless to say, I did not see the ending coming at all – which is an absolute treat when it comes to books like this!

I found all of the characters incredibly intriguing to read about, allowing myself to become fully absorbed in their stories. My favourite character was Kate. I thought she was so strong and intriguing. There was one thing that happened further along that I really didn’t like but we’re all human. I found Alison to also be a character I could semi-relate to. I, again, struggled with her actions but I also felt for her all at the same time. Catherine was my least favourite character. She just didn’t quite settle in my head and I could not understand why she started her new volunteering job. But she definitely added something exciting to the novel so that’s okay.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will suck you in with curiosity but is actually character-based and fairly slow-paced (despite feeling like you have to keep turning the page!) then this is definitely a book you’re going to want to read. With a fascinating end as well, this book is well worth the read and I would definitely recommend it. I really liked devouring the words in this book and feel that Karen has created a strong and entertaining read that I’m sure will be enjoyed by many.

*Please Note: This book may be triggering as there is mention of rape, domestic abuse and manipulative/controlling behaviour*

Really enjoyed this - a thrilling rollercoaster of a plot with twists and turns a plenty and certainly keeps you hooked to the end.

WOW! Did this one really make me sit up & gasp! This is another book that joins the list of books I can't quite get out of my head.

From the start we know something dreadful has happened. We don't know who and that is something to reflect on as the book progresses.

This book is told from three points of view. There is Catherine; middle aged woman with a grown up family. She spends her days volunteering for various good causes. She becomes involved with a charity that writes to prisoners and she starts to write to Michael; a convicted killer, who having served nearly ten years of his sentence for murder is coming up for parole. His letters begin to take over her life.

Kate is a rather harassed young mother. She has two small daughters and an overworked husband who has stopped noticing her. When there is a local night class for creative writing she goes along and soon discovers she has a talent for writing as well as for attracting the attention of the young tutor.

Alison was always a high achiever so she did not expect her first term at Uni to be so tough. As she struggles to understand her course and make some progress with her course she attracts the attention of the rather charismatic 'professor. However he is not all he seems.

As the story switches from one character to another, the reader is left to form their own opinions of them. I found Catherine a rather self satisfied snob. She was not a character I would want to spend time with. I felt sorry for Alison. It was easy to see from the outside that this relationship was toxic but also easy to see how she had drifted into it because of her self doubts and insecurities. Kate was the character I liked most.

I did not see the ending coming. I had worked out one bit of the puzzle early on but wouldn't have guessed the finale! Well done Karen Osman for a brilliant read; thanks also go to Netgalley & the publisher.

YES!!! this is my kind of book all day every day. There seems to be lots of books with "MOMS" in the title lately and this stands out.

The good mother by Karen Osman.
Catherine is a good mother and a good wife. The family home is immaculate, her husband's supper is cooked on time, but when she starts writing to Michael, a prisoner convicted of murder, she finds herself obsessing about his crime and whether he can ever truly be forgiven...   Kate has time for herself. Caught in maelstrom of bringing up young children with no money, and an out-of-work husband, she longs to escape the drudgery of being a wife and a mother. And she soon starts taking dangerous risks to feel alive...  
A very enjoyable read. This was a shocker of a read. I really didn't expect that. Wow. 5*. Netgalley and aria.

Book blurb...

How far would you go to protect your children?
A gripping psychological suspense, with a shocking twist that will leave you reeling...
Catherine is a good mother and a good wife. The family home is immaculate, her husband's supper is cooked on time, but when she starts writing to Michael, a prisoner convicted of murder, she finds herself obsessing about his crime and whether he can ever truly be forgiven... Kate has no time for herself. Caught in the maelstrom of bringing up two young children with no money, and an out-of-work husband, she longs to escape the drudgery of being a wife and a mother. And she soon starts taking dangerous risks to feel alive... Alison has flown the nest. But university life is not what she had hoped for, and she finds herself alone and unhappy. Until the day her professor takes a sudden interest in her. Then everything changes... Three women – all with secrets. And as the days tick down to Michael's release, those secrets can no longer be ignored.

My thoughts…
I found the structure of The Good Mother intriguing, but I can't tell you why because this is a story you need to read for yourself to see just how clever the author is.
Catherine, Kate and Alison are all interesting characters who find themselves entangled in their own desires and wondering if there is a way out for them.
A story well worth reading as it touches on some interesting areas of life and love.

This review will be short and sweet. I read this book twice and was blown away both times. Three women, one man, one explosive ending. You cannot go wrong with this book. Writing is excellent. Draws you in and will have you rushing to get back to it. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for an early read of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I struggled to get into this book at the beginning as I tried to figure out how the story fits in with the title of the book and also how the three women's stories bind together. There was a LOT of build-up that annoyed me at first but from finishing the book, I realised that it was necessary for the story to be able to conclude the way it did.
However the more I read, the more of a page-turner it turned out to be as I was anxious to read more and know what was gonna happen next.
I wouldn't say that this book was jaw-dropping as the twist was yes unpredictable but not completely shocking - as I had already guessed half of the twist. Not a fantastic read but certainly a book worth reading.