I feel like I’ve read a lot of books on this thread before but I did really enjoy this read and feel like it kept me entertained right until the end

With thanks to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to review this book.

From the blurb Mother sounded like the type of book I would normally read, but sadly it wasn't to be. It was a bit too slow paced for me and didn't hold my attention.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

this read was certainly gripping!
this book follows dave and cath and their lives living with a daughter who suffers from cystic fybrosis. while the plot was interesting i struggled with this book because i didnt particularly like and of the characters and found cath especially pretty selfish.
while the story is sad and shows how an incurable diagnosis can effect a family i really struggled reading it

For 25 days Cath had the most perfect time with Mia, her first child. Then after a routine check, Mia is diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and life for Cath implodes.

We follow the story of a mother, who through desperation joins a local parental support group where she meets Richard, the father of Rachel. Rachel is in her teens and also has cystic fibrosis and he believes that a cure is literally on the horizon. Wanting to believe it is true, Cath finds herself turning to Richard and they embark upon an affair, but it is one with the most catastrophic consequences.

We follow the journey of Cath and Richard throughout the book, brought together through hope and despair but with Mia’s life in danger, can there be a happy ending?

Whilst I found the book quite fast paced in parts, there was an element of information about Cystic Fibrosis which I felt was important to be raised, not overly packed with medical jargon, it was a journey that was easy to follow and an anguish you can share with both main characters.

wow what can i say i was captivated from the onset, this was an emotional rollercoaster , very hard to put down, would highly recommend

The task of repopulating the senior library has been an exciting and daunting task aS in a boarding school our aim is to encourage all members of the community to read. Because of this, I have been searching down a wide and diverse range of books to read that will entice a wide cross-section of the school to come in, browse and find books that they love.
Books like this will ensure that the senior students in the school see the library as a diverse, modern and exciting place with books that speak to them and they want to recommend to their friends, classmates, teachers and tutors.
It is an engrossing and exciting read with fully-formed characters and a plot that ensures that it's hard to look away. It is as far from formulaic as it is possible to be and kept me up far too late in order to finish it. I immediately wanted to read all of this writer's other books as I loved their voice and found that it really drew me into the story and made me think about it even when I'd stepped away from this tale.
This is a thought-provoking read which I'm sure will be a popular and well-read addition to our new library; I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read it and I know that the students are going to absolutely love it too!

A good read, but unfortunately it did not capture my attention as much as I hoped it would.

The story itself is good, but I wonder if it was just the wrong book for me. Everyone else seems to have really enjoyed it. I blame the pandemic for lack of concentration.... :-)

This was a hard book to read. As a mother I could feel Cath and Dave’s pain, after learning of Mia’s diagnosis and at such a young age I don’t know how I would of coped. For any parent it must put a huge strain on not only your marriage but your whole life and I think Hannah Begbie did a fantastic job at capturing those raw emotions, dealing with them in a sensitive way.

Before this book I did not know a lot about cystic fibrosis and I enjoyed reading about the medical and science behind it. You often hear about these different illnesses and diseases but until you educate yourself or experience them you can not comprehend the day to day life of those affected.

I did struggle with this book, especially at the start. Everything seemed to be happening at quite a slow pace and seeing how both parent’s were reacting made it harder to like them. I would of liked to of had some chapters from Dave or Richard’s POV as I think that would of given this story a different edge.

Richard was a very unlikable character and I could sense from the start that something was off with him. His final chapters with Nancy were quite bizarre and I felt that Cath had been soldiered with all the blame when it does take two to tango. I actually thought her reaction to some of Richard’s revelations were reasonable and understandable.

Cath was at times likeable. You could see the struggle and be sympathetic to it but towards the end the misery just got too much and I felt it had overwhelmed the book. It was nice to see her putting her experience to good use at the end and everything seemed to have a well rounded feel to it, all that was missing was a little more punch.

Read Nov 19

I will start by saying that this book was remarkably well-researched, almost to a fault… After struggling with infertility Cath and Dave finally have a daughter, Mia. Things seem perfect but at 25 days old Mia is diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Their struggle with the news drives the parents apart. Dave goes to football and the pub; Cath goes to a support group where she meets Richard whose teenage daughter has CF. Naturally, an affair begins because unhappy couples in media never work out their issues together, also let’s add in the risk of CF cross infection!

There was a bit too much medical talk and jargon at times, it read like a scientific journal more than a novel sometimes. The characters are mostly unlikeable. Except Dave, we don’t really see enough of him. He should have co-narration or at least some chapters from his point of view.

Meticulously researched story about a mother whose daughter has cystic fibrosis and finds solace through a support group, moving further away from her husband. It didn’t capture my attention, sadly, I found it started very slowly. Perhaps this build up was crucial, but it wasn’t the book for me.

I was sucked into this book right from page 1 and couldn't put it down. Will definitely recommend to others.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Agreeing with another fellow reviewer, where was Dave's POV?? While Kath's POV certainly was intensely powerful to read, It would of been more interesting and sincere if we got both parent's perspectives.
I couldn't even begin to put myself in Kath or Dave's shoes. Just thinking about what this family (and any family!) has to go through every minute of every day and the implications of a teeny tiny mistake....... just heartbreaking!
The whole read was easy-to-follow, well-written and eye-opening; but it's not the thriller I had expected. A drama, perhaps, but not a thriller. There was no shocking twists, or dramatic events. And the ending was, for me, a little unsatisfying.
Overall, a book with it's faults but it still managed to bring tears to my eyes.

Cath and her husband are over the moon when their much longed for daughter arrives - but their hopes and dreams are shattered when it is discovered she has cystic fibrosis. The story follows Cath's journey of coming to terms (or not) with her daughter's illness. I have to say I found the main character to be very selfish and was frustrated with her throughout the book - but maybe this was the intention. An interesting read.

I appreciate the idea behind this book but it is not well executed. What started out about the actual disease which was the point of the book quickly went to too much in detail about the mothers affair. Will not read again.

I don't think anyone of us will ever know how we will deal with a situation until it hits us. Imagine then that your perfect little child is diagnosed with a debilitating disease. And a charming man convinces you that he knows of a cure for it all. Will you believe him in order to save your child? What a beautifully written book.

Oh Dave, where was your POV on this situation, how did you feel.

We have a couple who struggled with infertility for many years. Finally they have Mia.
After a few week with their beloved daughter they learn that she has medical complications. A condition CFS.

I fully get and understand the implications of how this would be. The strain and worry of it all.

The selfishness of the parents were beyond my comprehension. But then, not everyone reacts to situations in the same way, so I got over my judging anyone.

It’s well written and easy to follow.
Lots of research done on this subject matter, that goes without saying.
An OK read with lots of feeling.

Not what I was expecting, but very well researched book. Not my normal read, was sometimes hard to read but very informative & true to life about what life can be like living with cystic fibrosis.

I enjoyed Mother, it gripped me from the first few pages and I struggled to put it down. I loved it.
My first by this author but certainly not my last.