Rose was bullied at school. Her father was a con man & trust did not come easily. She has a respectable job at the bank, a lovely husband Pete- even if she wishes he had more 'get up & go'! Pete's sister Jacqui is her best friend & she adores her son Charlie. The Woolf school is THE place to get into & even through it seems like their family will be a fish out of water she is determined to try. She looks at the charismatic Head, Amina & those within the inner circle & she knows where she wants to be. But be careful what you wish for!

I find it difficult to review this book. I nearly abandoned it on a couple of occasions because I got so cross with Rose but had to see it through to the end. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this boo

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher & Helen for the ARC.

A fast paced thriller, difficult to tear yourself away from. Well written and expertly crafted.

What a fantastic book! It sucked me right in and kept me guessing throughout.
Rose is a mother who wants only the best for her child. She grew up poor, without a mother, with a con-artist father and she never felt loved or wanted. She doesn’t want that for Charlie. As he approaches school age, Rose only wants the best school possible for her son. That school happens to be the one right across the street from her flat.
The Wolff School though may not be as perfect as it appears.
This story had me sitting here with my hand on my mouth, my heart beating fast and sometimes with tears in my eyes. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with twists and turns. You won’t regret choosing this one.

Firstly, thank you to the publishers for sending me a gifted copy of this book and inviting me to be part of the book tour.
Secondly, a huge thank you to Claire, my buddy read. We had such a fun time reading this.
I read Precious You in lockdown and absolutely flew through it, so I was very happy to see that the author was releasing a new book and even more excited to be invited onto the book tour.

In this book, we follow a group of mums, who will do literally anything to keep in with the "inner circle" at school. Protecting their popularity and that of their childs But at what cost?

The first thing I will say about this book is I hated every single character. The author's writing style is one to be admired and so truly fantastic, that she can make you have pure hatrid, but such love for the book at one time. The author delivered a perfect revenge novel.

Throughout the book I had Desperate Housewives vibes, although the housewives are no where near as mean and toxic as the school mothers!!

Although the book was slightly far fetched at points, it was an absolute delight to read. It is a hard book to review, so as to not give too many spoilers away, but if you love domestic revenge thrillers, then this is a book for you.

I enjoyed the book. The storyline was captivating which kept my interest until the end. Sometimes I found the storyline to wordy but that’s the same with many books nowadays. I would thoroughly recommend this book .

What makes a good mother? Love, care, support,.. a mother would do anything for their child, but how far does that actually go? This is a dark exploration of just how far a mother can go to provide for her child. Rose signs her son up to join the elite free school, The Woolf Academy, despite her feeling that they are extremely out of place among the families there, and by some stroke of luck is welcomed into ‘the circle’. Amala, the beauty and the brains behind the academy, sees a value in Rose that others miss, but there is a darkness behind those who shine so golden. This book truly gives you ‘more and more’, as is the Woolf Academy’s motto, and was impossible to put down. This was so so incredibly close to earning 5 stars from me, but even though this was an incredible read, I felt as if there was something missing that juuuust made it fall short of 5 stars - but I did truly love reading this. It had my heart racing, it took me through so many turns, I was excited, enthralled, terrified, and it had me on the edge of my seat without feeling over-the-top. Any fan of a good thriller should absolutely pick this book up, you won’t regret it.

A very slow story full of unlikeable characters of very bitchy mums, I just couldn`t get into it though tried numerous times it just wasn`t for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

The ending is handled a little awkwardly and it does veer a little into the unbelievable at times, but overall, "Such a Good Mother" is an intriguing thriller with plenty of twists to keep you guessing along the way. As a parent myself, I know that mum politics can be killer and that's an understatement when it comes to this book.

Suspend disbelief and you'll have a great time reading this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.

I enjoyed this book.

I didn’t know what to expect but got into it straight away there were lots of twists and turns that kept me engrossed

Rose O’Connell is desperate to be in the ‘circle’ - the group of the most elite mothers at The Woolfe Academy.
The only issue being, that Rose doesn’t really fit in. But she must become one of them, the stakes are too high. Financial security, protection, opportunities for her son. She needs to get in if it’s the last thing she does.
Luckily for her, a spot opens up as one of the members of the circle is found dead….

I was really enjoying this book at first, being a mum myself I could really understand the mindset rose had when wanting the best of the best for her son. But after a short while I just became bored, I felt nothing much was happening and the motives of the characters where mediocre. It is definitely a story which exhibits the lengths people will go to be in a position of power, and also the lengths they will go to to keep that power. The writer threw a little bit of revenge in there too which I enjoyed. Overall it just missed the mark for me.

What a story, this will have you reading late into the night
A school the Woolf, anyone would inspire to send their children, the background setting for this novel. The two main characters one dominant the other clinging and crawling to be accepted into the aspirational society circles.
The story not as clear cut as the characters first seen. Deceit, blackmail, infidelity just to start with
A long desperate journey to be better, richer, more popular. Will it all come crashing to the ground or will the heroine come out on top.
Not reading this-is not an option and criticising this would be a step into the abbyss
All I can say is
Pre order now you won't be disappointed
Thank you to the publisher and net galley for proof copy This review is entirely my own viewpoint.

I could not put this down... it was absolutely thrilling and the twists and turns couldn't come fast enough. Absolutely devoured this within 24 hours. Some of the characters in this book are so clearly seen at school gates around the country that it felt incredibly familiar. Brilliant.

I absolutely loved this book. It is incredibly dark, gripping and full of twists . I couldn't put it down and cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to lose several hours...
A dark and sinister, completely believable story of how far a Mother will lower her own standards, beliefs, morals and those of her own family, to ensure that her child has the "perceived" very best education.
Lots of wonderful characterisation; lots of situations that you can clearly envisage happening and a few wry smiles as you recognise that person from the playground.
Mum didn't have the best start in life but her Father taught her some life lessons that she'll carry with her forever. Dad desperately wants Mum to feel safe and secure, but also wants her to be happy with what they can achieve together instead of forever wanting to walk through the highly protected and revered gates of the school opposite. A book that can be devoured regardless of being on a sun lounger, or in front of a warm fire..
A superb book by Helen Monks Takhar and I thank you for sharing it with me.

A dark thrilling portrayal of motherhood and how far you would go to get to what you believe you deserve. I could not put this book down after the first page, I needed to know what happened so desperately. Every single character had a motive for revenge The amount/speed of the twists felt like I could genuinely get whiplash. I think the manipulation and deceit are on a whole new level, it also shows how toxic the need for perfection can truly be. I am really glad I was sent this book, the ending took my breath away I was left wishing there was so much more. #netgalley #SuchAGoodMother

Helen Monks Takhar knows how to write addictive fiction, full of plot twists (one more twisted than the other, literally) and morally grey characters. A page turner that made me happy that my girls are not of school age yet!

Three words to describe it. Twisted. Dark. Captivating.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s delicious!

Have I read any other books by the same author? Yes, I’ve read the highly addictive Precious You, now published with the title That Woman.

I couldn't get into this book. It sounded good and I had just read something with a similar plot. The characters were not that likeable. I couldn't even finish it. I realize I felt the same way about Helen's previous book. Looked and sounded good, but fell flat for me.

Such A Good Mother is psychological suspense that delves into motherhood and school mum cliques producing a dark, disturbing story with many unlikeable characters and cleverly crafted twists that keep you reading. It's also a social biography of bullying, shaming and gentrification of inner cities. Explored in an impactful way, it shows many aspects of modern society in an unfavourable light.

I like the vivid characterisation and the vibrant setting that gives the story authenticity. The shocking twists are well written but equally thought-provoking, the socio-political issues the story explores.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It centres around Rose, a mum wanting to give her son the best chance in life but the family has little cash, are struggling to make ends meet and live in a tiny flat.

Despite all odds amazingly Rose's son gets a place at the most prestigious school 'The Woolfe' which is when the real problems start. Rose has her own insecurities and is desperate to fit in with the other rich and glamorous mothers and in doing so makes some really quite dumb choices. Things escalate when she is offered a place into 'The Circle' an elite group of school mums who give extra help to The Woolfe which leads her to risk everything she holds dear.

I'm still not quite sure who Rose was making all these stupid decisions for, were they to benefit her son and husband or ultimately herself?

Wow, what an amazing read! Rose O’Connell’s son Charlie will be starting school next year and so when her old high school, now turned into an elite free primary school, has an open evening, Rose goes along with her best friend and sister-in-law to check the place out. Haunted by her past in the building though, Rose isn’t sure whether the place is right for her son, especially when she discovers there’s a special clique of people who help run the school. But Rose is determined that her son will have a better education than she did and is determined to get her son into The Woolf, but is it really the best place for Charlie and her?

This is such a brilliant and gripping story that had me turning the pages from the very beginning! Rose is nervous about the school, especially when she finds out that there is a class divide between the elite parents at the open evening and everyone else. However Rose is soon swept into the room with the elite looking parents and soon finds a place is ready for her son at The Woolf. Rose take her time deciding whether it’s the right place for her son though and as she wonders whether she should accept the place, we start to get an insight into Rose’s life with son and husband.

I like Rose as a character, she comes across as quite nervous and shy which I can definitely relate to when I think of the school I used to go to. Rose is an easy character to like and the life she has with her son and husband isn’t the richest in money, but is a good one. However, when Rose ends up taking Charlie to The Woolf, it’s soon obvious that things aren’t going well Charlie or Rose herself. The elite school, singles out her son as troubled and he has all sorts of problems, as does Rose, with fitting in. However when Rose finds out about The Circle, a special group of mothers who help to run the school, and is later invited in, she finds her and Charlie’s lives transformed with neither of them having any more problems fitting in and Charlie enjoying himself at the school.

The story is interesting andI like how creepy and weird the school is from the start. Rose’s home life is interesting too with her coming from a poorer background and showing all the problems that go with a life like that. I like how the main character’s life isn’t perfect but the relationship with her family at home is so lovely to see, and how Rose’s joining of the Circle affects her home life as well as her life with the school. The story is split into three parts, each part beginning with an interesting third person view of a death/murder before Rose begins narrating her story, prior to each death taking place. I have to say I like the way this was done, the initial death is intriguing and I like how we later see who it is and what happened.

The whole story is gripping from the start, and I found myself unable to put this book down. As the story goes on there are some very interesting twists and shocking moments too. A lot of things are revealed in certain chapters and I like how this book kept me guessing throughout. There are things I thought I knew but then shock moments I just didn’t expect, especially the ending of the second part of the book! The overall ending has a particularly dark twist and I found the build up to what happens at the end really brilliant. I’m not sure I enjoyed that very last scene so much though, it felt good until that last mention of something which gave it a bit of a dark vibe, but I did like how the story plays out for Rose and the others in general and how there’s a brilliant twist of what happens to one character right near the end which I wasn’t expecting.

Overall this is a great story and one which will be on my mind for some time. There are so many shocking moments and twists that it kept me guessing and glued throughout. Although there was one twist I managed to guess before it was revealed, it was only a page before the reveal and everything else was a huge surprise. There are some author’s notes at the end of the book which are interesting as it gives you an insight into how some characters came about, and I can totally sympathise with the author’s mention of what happened with the free lunch tickets as it happened to me too! There are mentions of some deaths, murders, and also the occasional use of the s or f swear words but nothing else too upsetting in this book, other than the shocking twists which happen throughout!

This book has definitely made me interested in reading more of the author’s work in future and indeed the hardback even has an extract of her previous novel which I’ve enjoyed reading and will want to now read fully. Overall this really is a great book for anyone who enjoys a thriller with interesting characters, a likeable main character and some brilliant and dark twists. I’m just not sure about that final one, which seemed a bit too dark and weird for me if I’m honest.