A fast paced domestic thriller! This is my second book by Caroline Mitchell and I am really enjoying her stories! I didn't see some of the twists coming in this one and it kept me interested. Thank you NetGalley for my ARC copy!

I just finished The Perfect Mother by Caroline Mitchell and I could not stop reading it. This was a true gem and I loved it.
Roz is a young woman who finds herself pregnant and jobless. She is not sure how she is going to support herself let alone a baby. She considers talking talking to her mother but they have a very distant relationship. She lives with her best friend Dympna in Dublin and the two are inseparable. Roz does not want to raise her baby to be poor like she was and she will not have an abortion.
Sheridan Sinclair has grown up as a child television star until she was about 18 years old. Sometimes reality and fantasy are unclear in her world. Her husband is also an actor and the two of them are Hollywoods top hot couple. Sheridan has the perfect Instagram Family: Heartthrob husband, adorable son with perfect blonde curls and beautiful elegant wife. But Sheridan wants more she needs a perfect little girl to add to her story.
Roz and Sheridan meet on an elite website for people looking to adopt and the young woman looking for families for their unborn babies. Sheridan offers to fly Roz to America to meet in person before deciding if they will go forward with the adoption process.
Dympna is hardly an over achiever but when her best friend tells her about the baby and her upcoming trip to America she becomes very suspicious. Dympna's father is a cop and she grew up listening to his stories about the crime and criminals that he has encountered over the years. She tries to stop Roz but Roz will not listen to her.
This book is a great mix of mystery and thriller i might even go as far as to add Psychological thriller to its tag.
This was a wonderful book and I look forward to reading more from Caroline Mitchell.
I did read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful read. In this age of online contracts and so called "vetted" buyers and sellers, it is a cautionary tale.

When Roz takes off from Ireland to live with a celebrity couple who want to claim her baby as her own, she puts no precautions in place because she was embarrassed to let anyone know who the father was. Given her circumstances, having just been let go from her job, she thought she would be providing a secure future for her baby, as she is whisked off to New York to meet the prospective parents.

From the get go, she has a bad feeling, and gets a vibe that the driver sent for her is trying to warn her off somehow. Once she's in the couple's household, she senses everyone is afraid - afraid to talk to her, afraid for their jobs, afraid of the couple. Thank goodness her friend from Ireland provided her with a tiny lifeline. But it isn't enough. Roz soon finds herself with all of her options spent.

There was a bit of deus ex machina at the end of the story, but by then I was so immersed it didn't take away from my enjoyment. I'll be looking for other books by Caroline Mitchell.

Roz is in her mid-20s and working as a housekeeper for a hotel in Dublin. She shares a flat with her best friend of 20 years, Dympna. When Roz realizes she’s pregnant, she knows she cannot share the identity of the father, and as she’s barely scraping by, raising a child on her own would be a challenge. Roz didn’t have the best childhood. She wants better for her own child.

After finding a site online that pairs prospective parents with birth mothers, she thinks she’s found the solution. When she gets matched with a couple that are considered the “diamond” variety, she’s ecstatic. Her enthusiasm grows as she emails and talks to the woman over the phone. They arrange for her to travel to New York City to visit. For Dympna, warning bells go off about this couple, but Roz is blinded by the fact they are wealthy and famous.

The Perfect Mother is chilling at times. Roz’s newfound parents seem like the perfect couple on the surface, but underneath lies a frightening dark side. Mitchell has expertly created a novel that will keep you engrossed and awake past your bedtime. I enjoyed hearing the story from three different points of view. Sheridan, the adoptive mom-to-be, had such a wicked inner dialogue. A fabulous contrast to Roz’s wide-eyed enthusiasm. The dirty details of the story were very well written, owing to Mitchell’s previous life as a detective.

Definitely a nail biter. I was not expecting several of the twists and turns along the way. Loved this and look forward to reading other books by Caroline Mitchell.



4 stars on Goodreads


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 23 January 2020 .

Today could have been a bad day since I managed to break my toe tripping over my children's toys. But, it gave me a great excuse to sit and read most of this book.

Roz, a single woman barely making it living paycheck to paycheck in Ireland, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a "one night stand." She decides she wants to adopt out (sell) the baby, and finds a great online agency that will help make it possible. She is introduced to Julie -- part of a millionaire couple -- who wants Roz to move into the basement of her and her husband's home in NYC to have the baby and let Julie pass it off as her own. Roz's best friend, Dympna, tries to convince her it's a bad idea, but Roz doesn't listen. And nothing is what it seems.

Except of course it's exactly the opposite of what it seems or we wouldn't have much of a story here. However, even though you know what's coming, you still want to keep reading -- as quickly as you can turn the pages -- to see what will happen next. More of a thriller than a mystery, this book leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering whether or not it will work out for Roz and her baby, since in this genre, you never really know. While parts of this book are a bit too smooth and easy, I'd recommend it for a quick, suspenseful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

Another smasher of a book from Caroline Mitchell! I have read almost all of her books and The Perfect Mother doesn't let me down in any way shape or form!
Roz is single, Catholic and pregnant..everything your Catholic upbringing has taught you is sooo wrong! She does what she thinks is the best for everyone especially her baby.She joins an Elite Adoption Ageny and finds herself flying from her home country, Ireland, to America meeting a beautiful, powerful couple who want her baby! As the story advances Roz finds everything that glitters is definitely not gold! How does she save herself and her baby??
Caroline has written a very definite taut and psychological thriller that had me gasping and then holding my breath too! Fantastic job Caroline, Loved it!

Thanks to a Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer and Caroline Mitchell for this ARC.. This story was very unpredictable. I read about 50 % the first day and decided to take a cozy afternoon to finish the other half. . I was not disappointed in this story by any means, and I absolutely loved it! ME Mitchell is a new author to me, but will become a familiar one! 4 stars only because my first book by this author.

I read this book in one sitting. Once I started it I found it impossible to put down. There were a lot of twists and turns, most of which I didn't see coming. I can't wait to read more from Caroline Mitchell and definitely recommend this for thriller fans!

Review of eBook

When Rosalind Foley finds herself pregnant, she knows she needs to find a good adoptive family for her child. After all, the pregnancy is the result of a one-night stand, Roz has no money, and she’s just lost her job. She discusses her predicament with her best friend, Dympna, but does not identify the father.

When a “diamond couple” on the elite Miracle Moms website expresses an interest in adopting her child, Roz travels from her home in Dublin, Ireland to New York City [first class, courtesy of the hopeful adoptive parents] where she meets the couple. The Hollywood superstar couple, Roz realizes, are in a position to give her baby everything she herself cannot provide. But the young woman has no idea that, when she accepts the offer to live with Sheridan and Daniel until the baby is born, she’s stepping into a waking nightmare . . . .

Short chapters keep the pages turning in this entertaining, quick read that offers readers a strong sense of place and a promising opening premise. However, readers are likely to find Sheridan’s behavior too over-the-top, her outrageous antics causing her to more closely resemble a caricature than a real character. Daniel is more mysterious and, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that there are many, many secrets in this household. Dympna seems to have a better grasp of reality and urges caution while the supremely naïve Roz is a bit impetuous. But Dympna is the kind of friend that everyone wishes to have in his or her life.

Tension builds as the well-written story unfolds although there are times that the narrative seems to drag, reiterating the same behaviors and circumstances, causing the intriguing opening chapters to lose some of their sparkle. There are unexpected plot twists that readers are not likely to see coming, but the big soap opera-ish twist at the end comes out of nowhere and is likely to leave them shaking their heads in disbelief.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
#ThePerfectMother #NetGalley

I really liked this book! First of all, the writing was great and Caroline Mitchell reels you in from the beginning. It doesn’t wander…blather on…etc and I was drawn in on every page. Roz is a young girl living in Ireland. She has a good life and good friends but a dead-end job and now she’s pregnant. Deciding to give the child up for adoption, she joins a website that facilitates high-end adoptions. That’s where she meets Sheridan and Daniel — a power couple that will give her baby everything she can’t. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, isn’t it? Sworn to secrecy of their identity, Roz is flown to America, first-class, and brought by chauffeur to their beautiful home. But (no surprise here!!) this celebrity couple isn’t what they seem; everyone working for them is either scared or non-communicative, and none of her friends and family know where Roz is. This is fast-paced and creepy, as intended. And what I really appreciated is that I did, in fact, like Roz, as Mitchell did a great job in making her relatable and believable. Too many times in these types of novels I am so annoyed by the stupidity of the heroine that I’m ready to snuff her off myself by the end. Not so here; so kudos to the author. Good, fun, creepy read. Disclaimer — I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!!! #NetGalley 🤩🤩🤩🤩

A thriller with a twist,quite an original storyline. Good characters,who seemed very real.Set between Ireland and America.

Wow what a read! As soon as I started reading this book I was literally hooked. It had my heart pounding in places. In my opinion anything that can cause my heart to race in a book is amazing. Its not often a book can cause such a reaction in me these days but this one blew me away. I loved roz and dympna and even though I kind of guessed how the story would end, that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a book I'd definitely read again and have already recommended it to friends and family. I've also published my review on amazon as soon as I finished reading it.

The Perfect Mother was a book that I could not put down. Roz put her trust in complete strangers and from the moment she arrived in her bedroom things started to go badly. Her freedoms were taken away and she lived like a prisoner, but that wasn't even the worst part of what happened while Roz was held captive in the famous celebrity couple's house. This was a great and believable story.

This is the first book I’ve read by Caroline Mitchell and it won’t be the last. Can I start by saying you do need to suspend reality a little if you are going to enjoy this book as it is a little far fetched. Go with it and don’t try to pick holes in the plot and it will sweep you away. It had me gripped most of the time though there were a couple of dips in the pacing of the story. Also I thought the reveal of the father of the baby was a bit rushed at the end and the response from Dympna at finding out her best friend had slept with her dad and he had fathered a child was frankly unbelievable - you just wouldn’t be that cool about it! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy in exnanfe for an honest review.

Realistic, frightening and very readable. the story centres round Roz, who finding herself pregnant decides to take a big step and contact a high-end Adoption online site. It all sounds too good to be true.
Sheridan and Daniel, a man with little backbone, are the prospective parents. Billionaires, their life is run as secretively as possible, and Roz has no idea what is in store for her.
It's a gripping read. I found Sheridan maybe a little too highly strung, (well, actually quite mad) Daniel a little too detached, but felt sorry for Roz.
thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.

This is the story of single,pregnant Roz and her journey through the pregnancy and choosing an adoptive family for her bub, whilst keeping the identity of the father from everyone.

Right from the first page i could tell i was going to enjoy the book and I was not disappointed. The characters were all believable and well described, the writing drew the characters in your mind - I pictured George as the little man in Fantasy Island with the white suit. I even found myself reading (in my head thankfully!) In an Irish brogue.

I don't want to give any more details because I think this needs reading with no preconceived ideas or knowing any clues - just read and enjoy.

I look forward to Caroles next book, so far i have enjoyed each one I have read. My thanks goes to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing and the author Carol Mitchell for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book.

Yes! One of my Favourite authors has a new book out!!! The Perfect Mother by Caroline Mitchell was Just brilliant.
A hard book for me as this subject is very personal to me. But, I can't say no to Caroline's books. If you want to read a book thats full of twists and turns with a brilliant ending this is a book for you! I highly recommend it.

Roz is young, single lives in Ireland but she finds herself pregnant from a one night stand! She's penniless and abortion is a no no...........She has no job and lives with her best friend in a small flat.
Roz only wants the best for her unborn child and decides to have it adopted......

Roz looks online, only to find that childless people will pay a lot of money for a child and she joins a up market group online who will help her find the best family for her unborn baby.......But, at what cost!?
They find her a very rich family for her unborn baby in New York, with all expenses paid for. Roz decides to go to New York and meet them and the family! But, they have very strict guidelines - it all has to be done in secret.

Why?

Roz thinks very hard and decides to go to New York. All packed with little clothes Roz's says her goodbyes and travels to New York till the baby is born!

Landed and all alone in New York...............will Roz about the regret her big decision she has made when she meets them?

Big Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

Roz is pregnant and desperate to keep the fathers identity a secret from her best friend Dymphna. She cannot keep the baby and joins a website which will help her find her baby a new family. She cannot believe her luck when a celebrity couple show interest although she has no idea who they are. She travels to New York to find out more and signs a non disclosure agreement after which she goes to their home. Things suddenly change and she feels trapped and threatened. Nobody knows where she is and she has no communication with the outside world. How can she escape and protect her baby?
An entertaining thriller, a little extreme at times making it somewhat unbearable. Worth the read though.

Wow. This book was definitely more of a slow burn but once you get to the climax - WOW.

Roz is an Irish girl with little money to her name, living with her best friend. She decides to give up her baby so she can give it a life she had only dreamed of. In doing so she finds her in America, living with a famous couple and caught in an unspeakable situation.

The twists and the characters in this book had me shocked. Just when I thought I had things figured out there was another shock!

Definitely a slow burn but I really enjoyed this book.

Publisher's Description: She thought they wanted her baby. But they won’t stop there.

Roz is young, penniless and pregnant. All she wants is to be the perfect mother to her child, but the more she thinks about her own chaotic upbringing, the more certain she is that the best life for her baby is as far away as possible from her hometown in Ireland.

Determined to do the right thing, Roz joins an elite adoption service and can’t believe her luck. Within days she is jetting to New York to meet a celebrity power couple desperate for a child of their own. Sheridan and Daniel are wealthy and glamorous—everything Roz isn’t. Her baby will never go hungry, and will have every opportunity for the perfect life. But soon after Roz moves into their plush basement suite, she starts to suspect that something darker lurks beneath the glossy surface of their home.

When Roz discovers she isn’t the first person to move in with the couple, and that the previous woman has never been seen since, alarm bells start ringing. As the clock ticks down to her due date, Roz realises her unborn baby may be the only thing keeping her alive, and that despite her best intentions, she has walked them both into the perfect nightmare…

************
Caroline Mitchell will definitely be a new add to my favorite authors list! "The Perfect Mother" is perfectly dark and twisted, just the way I like it!! As a huge fan of police procedurals (think "Law & Order SVU," "Criminal Minds"), I find it easy to get engrossed in a book like this one. I can also totally see it as a movie similar to "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" or "Fatal Attraction."

Roz is the perfect victim -- naive, easily impressed, and desperately looking for an easy way out. The old adage "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is" should have been pounded into her head because she falls for Sheridan's offer hook, line, and sinker...and pays the price. What she doesn't know is will she pay the ultimate price?

I will not give anything away here because I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone. A couple spoilers below to explain why 4 stars instead of 5. All in all, this was a great thriller that kept me reading and wanting to see if Roz would be able to get out of her mess!

***SPOILERS***

There are two reasons I knocked this down to 4 stars from 5. The first I'm hoping was cleaned up in the final version since this was an advance edition that I received. In the Prologue, Roz hears people coming down the lift to her basement suite and she's preparing herself to fight them off. When the book catches up to that point in the story, Roz is waiting to hear the lift but then realizes the man and woman came down some stairs instead. I was so confused that I actually went back to the Prologue to reread it to see if I missed something.

The second thing I don't like is that Sheridan's friend Monica, who is actually a journalist chasing a story, doesn't go to the police with her suspicions when she realizes that Roz is in Sheridan's house. She has long suspected that Sheridan had something to do with another girl's disappearance but she lets months go by and then crashes onto the scene to save the day? I just found it hard to believe that she would take the chance of waiting that long if she suspects that Roz will end up missing or dead.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.