Where to begin? Alright, there's a Irish young woman, she's pregnant and wants to give away the baby. So she starts looking for couples and finds (a famous) one in the States. The couple flies her to New York and she signs away her life. Practically literally. It all seems great: good food, housing, money, etc, until things go bananas. Turns out the famous woman of the couple is bat-crap crazy and wants to pass of the baby as her own. She houses our heroine (or more like confines her) and as each day progress, she becomes crazier, more territorial, and even abusive.

To me, I could not wait to found out what was happening next. This is truly your typical thriller, page-turner. I was worried for Roz (our Irish lass) and also terrified of Sheridan (our lady of the house). And let's not forget the baby. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE BABY? Well, I guess to find out, you'll have to read.

Get The Perfect Mother when it comes out 1.14.2020.

5/5 Stars

#ThePerfectMother #NetGalley
A good psychological thriller.
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.
But soon her dream becomes a nightmare for her. Read this book to know more.
Each character has given equal importance in the book. All are superb.
Narration is simple.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for giving me an advance copy of this book.

Roz a penniless Irish girl suddenly pregnant
Sheridan, half of a Hollywood power couple, unable to have children and desperate to
Neither of them are a ‘perfect mother’ and neither of them would ever meet normally
But this is book world and they do via an anon ‘you have your baby, we keep it, heres a zillion dollars’ kind of web site

So, Roz goes over to NY and it all seems perfect, her life is going to be wonderful, money, clothes, the finest Dr’s.....all seems too good to be true, and, of course it is as she soon realises as she is led into her luxury quarters....in a windowless basement with only a lift for access

The story then takes off and Sheridan is a fab narcissistic psychopath character hideous yet fascinating, Roz a petrified kidnapee and no one knows she is there...

It’s a full on psychological story that was good, true its full of ‘well hang on if she had done this then she would be free’ and ‘ WOW how daft can you be to fall for that’ but then some of the best stories ( and films ) are like this and thats half what makes them so enjoyable

There’s the obligatory twists but then quite a raised eyebrow one at the end that was a shock

Its well written, exciting, fun even though at times horrifying and a book I can say am glad have read

Predicable at times maybe but then thats why we read the genres we do, we enjoy them

8/10
4 Stars

Caroline Mitchell is quickly becoming one of my favorite To-Read authors. The Perfect Mother is a stand alone psychological thriller and it is fabulous! The beginning grabs hold and the tension builds increasingly all the way to the end. It is realistically written and one could imagine this happening - now that is scary!

This is a gripping, fast-paced book that focuses on the naive, pregnant Roz who believes all her prayers are answered when a Hollywood couple offer to pay to adopt her unborn baby and care for her during her pregnancy. However, the adage that "if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is" means that Roz begins to regret her lack of suspicion and wishes that she had been as cynical as her friend Dymphna was about the situation.
There are some thoroughly enjoyable twists and turns in this book; the pressure of being a Hollywood power couple, the attitude towards 'ageing' women actors, the abuse of child stars and the corruptive influence of having power. However, the characterisation was disappointing. Sheridan was alternatively portrayed as an archvillain (I could almost imagine her 'mwa ha ha ing' as she led Roz to the basement) or as a victim in the mother-daughter and husband-wife relationships. Mike was straight out of the 'washed-up actor gone bad' school and even Roz was dimensional.
That being said, it is a fun, quick read, and kept me turning the pages.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

When I first started reading this, I was super excited because I loveeee thrillers. This one just wasn't for me. I'm not a fan of thrillers following cop/court proceedings and this one felt a lot like those. My rating seemed to fluctuate as I read the book and it was difficult to come to a decision on a star rating. I did enjoy the writing, but the plot was not for me.

I love Caroline's police procedurals and was excited to see a different style of book.
The characters bring out all of your emotions, pity, disgust, antipathy and amazement.
It has a few twists in the book, some I was expecting and some that were a shock.

Ideal for people who love domestic noir.

This book was very good
It was refreshing and it was very well to explain things
I thought it was very thoroughly
I received an ARC

This was coasting for all the stars until something was revealed at the end that just didn't work for me. Yes, OK, it did explain something so could, at a push, be an integral plot point, but it also could have been different and still work. To me it came across a bit being added for shock tactic rather than wholly necessary and took the shine off the ending for me somewhat.
When we first meet Roz she is not having a great life. A bit on her uppers already she now finds out that she is pregnant and not in a steady relationship. Studying her options and discounting some straight away, she signs up to an online elite adoption agency, determined to give her baby the best start in life; something she feels she is unable to do herself. Meanwhile, across the pond, a celebrity A-list couple are desperate to adopt and, long story short, Roz soon finds herself jetting off to NY to continue her pregnancy with her baby's soon to be new parents, to be pampered and looked after every step of the way. Knowing that her baby will have the life it deserves, the one she didn't get. But it soon transpires that her version of "looked after" wildly differs from that of the couple who reveal themselves after the paperwork has been completed. Celebrity couple Sheridan and Daniel want to complete their family; they already have a son. But what lengths will they go to to achieve this goal?
Imagine this, a celebrity couple wants to adopt your child and promises you the world. Sounds a little too good to be true, doesn't it? Especially when you agree to meet them without knowing who they are, travelling across the pond, alone, pregnant, vulnerable... Meeting with PA and lawyers all before knowing who the couple are. What could possibly go wrong...!?
And so begins a rather harrowing tale, full of twists, turns, shocks and thrills that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Yes, it was a bit predictable along the way and has the one reveal too far at the end, but it was entertaining nonetheless.
Characterisation was, on the whole, good. There's quite a lot going on in the book and not all is what it appears on face value, not a spoiler, it's part of the genre, so the characters have to be good to pull it all together and they do this very well. To be honest, I didn't really like Roz, for reasons I couldn't put my finger on for most of the book and I thought she was so naive and silly doing what she did and wanted to slap her up something rotten at times for what she was doing. On the flip side, I loved her friend Dympna. Sheridan was barking and Daniel was just weird (and not fully developed in my opinion) and, when they were introduced the whole things degenerated into a bit of a farce with unrealistic undertones.
If you want your reads to be realistic and credible then this may not be the book for you. If you are looking for a thrill a minute, suspenseful, shocker of a tale, and are not too fussed about reality then this will hit the spot for you. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This book was seriously good. I liked how we followed different viewpoints while keeping Roz the main focus of the book.
As a mom it was kinda hard to see read some parts that involved the baby, but it just made me root for Roz even harder.
Daniel's character was done in such a way that he literally made my skin crawl.
Sheridan was a complex character for me. At first I despised her but as I kept reading and more things kept being revealed about her, i did start to pity her. Still a horrible character however.

Overall i did enjoy this book and it was a pretty fast read.
I knocked off a star because the ending felt a tad bit unbelievable and also the beginning had me just like huh?? In regards to some of the decisions Roz made and how fast and reckless she made them.

Also, i guessed one of the big twists super early on in the novel, but i dont know if that's just me or if it was an east plot twist to guess. Either way, i didnt knock off a star for that.




* I recieved this arc completely free from NetGalley in echange for an honest review*

I enjoyed The Perfect Mother by Caroline Mitchell very much. It kept me engaged and on my toes from beginning to end. I liked the premise of a young girl, pregnant and desperate to make a better life for her child and the choices she makes.

This book took me in a direction I did not anticipate and I LOVED IT. It’s very suspenseful and disturbing so maybe don’t read it on a dark and stormy night because it has the potential to give you nightmares!

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…

I will definitely be looking for this author’s name in the future, I am eager to see what kind of twisted and creepy story she writes next!

Due out on January 14, buy it here! Free for those with Kindle Unlimited.

I am a big fan of Caroline Mitchell and read several of her books. When I heard about The Perfect mother different to her other books, I was intrigued to read this and find out what it is all about.
Roz Foley struggles to make ends meets and lives with her friend Dympna in Ireland. When after a one-night stand, she discovers that she is pregnant, and she doesn’t know what to do, she is also a Catholic so she is against abortion and she can’t tell her friend who the father is, or it will blow their friendship apart.
After her own childhood without a dad and her mother an alcoholic, Roz wants to do the best for the child and when she comes across an adoption website that sells baby’s to the rich and famous she thinks that is the best solution for her baby. Give her baby the life that she will not possibly give her child. She decides on a ‘diamond’ couple. Who pays her all expenses paid to America, New York and up to when the baby is born?
When she gets there, she is so excited and at first can’t believe her luck when she thinks she has found the perfect couple for her baby. But when she arrives its not what she is expecting. She is hidden in the basement out of sight, away from prying eyes.
This is another gripping thriller from Caroline Mitchell that I didn’t want to put down. This had a great characters and story and emotional too. How desperate and what sacrifices a mother must make to give the best for her child? This is a very entertaining read. I highly recommend

I started reading this in the afternoon & couldn’t stop! What’s for supper? Not cooking, order pizza!!! I stayed up till 3am to finish it. I had to find out what happened to Arizona and her baby. Needless to say I believe Caroline Mitchell knocked it out of the park with this one!!!

Rox is pregnant, broke and she has no idea how she can raise a baby. She finds a site for people wanting to adopt. After signing up she’s surprised that a wealthy couple is interested in her baby. Since she grew up poor in Ireland and the idea of her baby being adopted by a wealthy family from the USA seems like something she can’t turn down. The wealthy couple keep their identity secret until they meet. She travels to America to meet them & that’s where it all starts to unravel. The adoptive parents are controlling and Roz starts to fear for her and her baby’s life. Lots of twists and turns in this one. The ending will surprise you!

Thank you NetGalley & Amazon UK publishers for allowing me to read this ARC!

I am a sucker for suspense with a twist. This book delivers exactly that. I loved the setting of this boom and found myself hooked to it from page 1. And before I knew I finished reading it. I loved the glam, emotions and competition. I also loved the role of family and friends reminding me that whatever we do, family and friends will make your life full. This is one of the best books I have read in 2019.

What a story. Once I started, there was no way I could stop until I finished. Everyone should read it. Totally awesome.

A good and pretty threatening story. Kept me on the edge of my seat. I thought the premise would be a bit unbelievable but it worked well x

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon UK Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Roz is young, poor, pregnant and living in Dublin. She has decided to give the baby up for adoption via a website that matches up mothers with adoptive families. She decides on a very rich couple from New York City and she is soon on her way to NY. She finds out this couple is very famous and they plan to pass her baby off as their own. Roz winds up basically a hostage in their basement almost completely unable to make contact with the outside world.

This book was a pretty quick read. I started reading and before I knew it, I was halfway done. This was another one where I thought the main character, Roz, was a bit of an idiot. The potential adopter, Sheridan, took her phone and wouldn't give her the keycard needed to get out of the basement, but she didn't immediately see this as an issue. Sheridan was awful, but her actions seemed a bit out of character at the end. Typically I hate books where people are held hostage because I think they are boring, but this one was the exception, because I did find myself moving right along with it. Overall a good quick read.

Roz has been plodding away through life with not much to show for it. She lives with her best friend, of which both have cleaning jobs. When she finds out she is pregnant, being catholic, an abortion is something she can’t even consider.

Whilst I personally couldn’t give up a child, I can understand why someone would in the hope that they are offering their child a better life. Roz lands on her feet when she is picked by an elite couple who will be able to offer her child everything.

As soon as Roz lands in New York, alarm bells were ringing in my head. I found myself willing her to turn round and get back on the plane. As the story progresses whilst Roz is living in Daniel’s and Sheridan’s home, that uneasy feeling kept on growing, with very good reason.

The author sure knows how to keep her readers on guard, making them fear the worst. I could feel my heart beat getting faster and faster the closer to the end I got. There are some wonderful little twists and turns that you won’t see coming, well I didn’t that’s for sure.

The Perfect Mother, as a mother myself, made me want to hug my children that little bit tighter. This was such a dark read where the tension builds, sending me into a frenzy as to how it was all going to end. There are plenty of shocks, chills and thrills in store to satisfy any psychological thriller fan.

Overall, this was ok, had some decent twists

The premise was good and the writing and characters were quite decent. Roz made some pretty crazy choices and boy does she pay for them.

The story started out being somewhat believable (a bit over the top) but then it goes cuckoo crazy at the end. Had some of the crazier elements been left out (or toned down) then it probably would have been an even better story. It was entertaining for sure. I would read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

This was a really gripping and enthralling story. I felt claustrophobic while reading it as there truly didn’t seem to be an escape!
Roz has found herself in a bit of a predicament; she is pregnant but can’t afford to keep the baby. She decides the best course of action is to adopt the baby to a lovely couple that she meets online. They seem a perfect choice and can offer the baby everything she can’t. Roz is also a little starstruck as the couple that want her baby are very famous and live the perfect life.
However, once she has arrived in New York to meet them, things get scarier and scarier, and Roz is trapped with no one to turn to.
The story is really captivating and keeps you turning those pages. There are so many secrets and twists and turns, and they just keep on coming. It truly is an unputdownable book. The story is well-developed and brilliantly written.
I kept trying to think if there was anything Roz could have done differently not to have put herself in such a perilous situation, but there really wasn’t. The situation was genuinely thrilling.
This was a perfect read and another fantastic and brilliant book by Caroline Mitchell.