A beautifully written and heartbreaking tale of grief, loss, mental health and the difficulties of growing up.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

My three-word description of The Other Mother by Matthew Green is uplifting, heartbreaking and raw.

Book Synopsis:
The one he loves most, is the one he knows least.

Thirteen-year-old Michael Parsons is dealing with a lot. His father's sudden death; his mother's new husband, Glen, who he loathes; his two younger siblings, who he looks after more and more now his mother works extra shifts.

And then one day, Michael wakes up and his mother is gone. In her place is an exact, duplicate mother. The 'other mother'. No one else seems to notice the real version is missing. His brother, his sister and even Glen act as if everything's normal. But Michael knows in his heart that this mother is not his. And he begins to panic.

What follows is a big-hearted coming-of-age story of a boy struggling with an unusual disorder that poses unparalleled challenges - but also, as he discovers, offers him unique opportunities.

My Musings:
I found this to be a compelling and hugely emotional story. Thirteen-year-old Michael Parsons faces enormous challenges, every single day of his life. This amazing story charts his progress as he comes-of-age. It is about growing up, not fitting in and trying to cope with loss and grief and Michael was a character whom it was impossible not to love. Never having heard of the psychological condition described in the book before, I found those parts absolutely fascinating. Beautifully written, Matthew Green's characterisation was first-class, making The Other Mother a delight to read. Key details were reserved and then slowly revealed at optimum times, for maximum impact. Although the book's focus was on challenge and adversity, there were several uplifting scenes sprinkled here and there, which helped to prevent the story from becoming too dark. I had no issues with The Other Mother, and for me it was a really enjoyable read.

Verdict:
Very highly recommended, with confidence.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Little, Brown Book Group UK/ Corsair via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Interesting read covering many topics such as mental health and coming of age. Well developed main character and this certainly tugged on my heartstrings

A beautifully written and heartbreaking tale of grief, loss, mental health and the difficulties of growing up.

Without giving away too much, I will simply say this is a brilliant and emotional read.

5 stars

This was, for me, a beautiful, heart-rending, uplifting book. Michael is 13 and lives with his two siblings, mother and step-father, Glen; his father having died a while back, quite suddenly. With wastrel Glen not contributing much to the household, it falls to his mother to pull double nursing shifts just to get by so Michael is left looking after his two younger siblings.
Then, one day, Michael wakes up, goes downstairs and is shocked to see that his mother has disappeared. In her place is a replica, she looks like his mother, sounds like her, exactly. But it isn't her. Michael is convinced of this. But no one else has noticed, not even Glen. But what can a 13 year old do about it. Especially one who faces the challenges that Michael does, every single day.
Oh, my heart went out to Michael, right from the very first page. As he was explaining his situation, his challenges, his coping mechanisms, all at the same time as trying to survive home and school, and the girl next door. All at the same time as keeping a secret. One that he can't tell. And then his mother is replaced. Talk about a kick in the teeth for him. It really is too much for any 13 year old to cope with. But he has his allies, people he trusts. But does he trust them enough to explain what has happened. Spoilers obviously prevent me from going further but I can go on to wax lyrical about how wonderful this book was for me. Characterisation was wonderful and made the book a delight to read. Enough information was held back and released at exactly the right time for maximum impact and, although the book was centred around challenge and adversity, there were some wonderfully uplifting scenes scattered throughout to keep the book from getting too dark and remain balanced overall. It was also an extremely readable book; effortless in fact. At times it was almost like it was reading itself to me! It was definitely hard to put down.
And emotional, I cried, I laughed, I gasped, and pretty much everything in between. And the ending was perfect. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A heart-wrenching and warming story about growing up, not fitting in and coping with grief and loss. Michael is a character you can't help but love. I had never heard of the psychological condition referenced in the book before so found that really interesting. A really enjoyable read.

A interesting read that sadly left me feeling a bit flat and unfulfilled.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Littlebrownbookgroupuk for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

Interesting book.
I enjoyed the character of Michael,and all the descriptions of how he felt,and how he handled his feelings.
He had a lot to deal with.. not just being a primary carer for his younger siblings,but carrying around a secret trying to protect his mum.
It was all done well.
I was a bit unsure of Sarah,who just arrives from nowhere and expects a lot of our character I think.
Overall a good read.

Note: I can't find a listing for this on goodreads so can't provide a link.

I read Green's debut a few years back and loved it, so was delighted to be approved 'The Other Mother.' Once again, this author captures a truly unique voice, telling the story in a way that is endearing and exciting.
Cleverly done, and intriguing from the off. Recommend.