3.5 stars rounded to 4

The story was heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I've felt heavily for the MC. The writing is a bit repetitive and at times I wanted to give up, but I also wanted to find out how it all wraps up. The whole annoyance of a baby crying 24/7 must've been done on purpose, to rile up the reader and make us feel what the MC feels. The dual timeline was a subtle way to introduce MCs history, her home struggles with her abusive husband and her survival through it. Overall, it was a neat story that I am glad I had the opportunity to read as an ARC—many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley.

"Hush Little Baby" was an engrossing read. The numerous twists and turns captivated me from the start, and it concluded with an ending that was completely unforeseen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Melissa Crawford thinks her son and daughter-in-law are neglecting her only grandchild. She feels like she must do something, so she sets a plan in motion to take him for herself. The plan should have been simple to execute., as they leave him outside alone quite a bit. Grab him and go is all it should take. Then a nosey neighbor gets involved and her well devised plans go down the drain. In her haste, she runs over the elderly neighbor, not knowing the outcome to much later. She then begins her life on the run, and each step makes it worse and worse. She didn't think of everything she would need for a baby less than a year old. She is older herself and lacks the energy and patience she once had when she raised her son. To top it off, the baby gets sick and armed intruders force their way into her hideout. She can't call for help or take her grandson to the hospital for fear of being found out. All she can do is run....

I was tempted to give this book three stars until I got to the end. I was shocked by the ending of the book, and it was. GOOD ending, so I had to bump it up to a four. I understand that repetitiveness is often used as critical tool in writing to signify a mental breakdown. There was just a bit too much of that in here, in my honest opinion. However, I think it was interesting that as she went deeper into her spiral, the more kept happening to her. It worked well as a "personification" to her state of sanity. I did like the multi-POV from Melissa's childhood (not instantly known but easy to guess). It showed a lot as to why she is the way she is. Overall, this was a good book!

The first book I’ve read by this author

Written over 2 points of view
Twists and turns with an ending I did not expect

A good read

This book absolutely blew me away. I was hooked him start to finish and I am for sure certain that I will read anything by this author that I can get my hands on. Although heartbreaking, it was written beautifully, and had me on the edge of my seat.

Wow! This book was incredible! I was hooked from the beginning and totally did not see the ending coming! What a great read! Would definately recommend

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book - I have read many thrillers with this type of concept and sadly this wasn't giving anything new and unique. For me, it's just unfortunate timing, but for the right person who may not have read a thriller with this type of premise, I believe it will be perfect for them.

Book review 📚
Hush Little Baby by J.A Baker
⭐⭐

I feel really disappointed to be writing this review, as I absolutely love a thriller. As much as this had its moments of keeping me on my toes, it was also extremely predictable. I like to be kept guessing the whole way through and this unfortunately, didn’t.

I did finish the book, but I wish I hadn’t and just DNF. That was my error.

The book was very good, the duel time lines was done very good and the twists were good, I never saw that coming. Would totally recommend.

This book was brilliant. Told by 2 POV - Melissa and Nancy (Melissa's mother). So well written. Loved the characters. This was an emotional read at times . Loved the ending, didnt see that coming. It was great from start to finish. Highly recommend.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I got to 50 percent of this book and could not finish. The baby constantly crying and the constant use of the "f" word was just too much for me. Too far fetched also.

Took place in 2 timelines a generation apart.
I found it to be slow paced through much of the middle of the book. Had a nice twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. Well written!

A thrilling ride of emotions, and what can push you to the breaking point? I had mixed emotions on this story, it is all consuming love of child and what you will do to protect them, how far would you go? The story kept me engaged the whole time and ending that I did not see coming but made all sense, it was perfect.

Melissa hears a baby crying she decides the only thing she can do is save this child, she takes the baby from the seemly uncaring parents. She hides out in cabin, where her seemly plan starts to unravel. Suddenly the baby starts to remind her of her own loss all those years ago. Can she keep this baby safe or her will her played out plan fail and will she lose herself in the mix of it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for copy of this book for my honest review.

Cannot rate this one highly enough, starting off with a fantastic opening the whole story leads you to cheer for the main character and her actions, however as the story gets a bit darker you start to question her actions and then oh my god the twist at the end leaves you side swiped

Love this author and always enjoy and cannot wait for the next release

When Melissa kidnaps her own grandson, it becomes a whirlwind of a story leaving distraction in its wake. Told over two timelines one set in the 1970 where we have Nancy who seems to have a the perfect family life, a husband who is a respected Doctor and two children Melissa and George. Though behind closed doors the truth will out and Nancy is subjected to domestic abuse which Melissa see's first hand.

The second timeline is the present, in which Melissa - who believes her son and daughter-in-law are incapable of looking after baby Gabriel - kidnaps Gabriel and flees to a rented B&B in somewhere in Scotland. But not without their being casualties along the way.

There was a lot of emphasis on how much baby Gabriel cried all the time, which I understand babies cry, but it was just a constant repetition. For the most part it slow and boring then there was a flurry of activity, follow by more repetition of Melissa's past and the constant crying baby. 

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! Each chapter left me wanting to read more. It was a little bit of a slow build. Multiple chapters pointing toward something big coming but just kept dragging it out til the book was halfway done. However, I’d recommend it overall.

My thoughts: Melissa has taken her grandson, she believes he is being mistreated and knows that he will have a better life with her, we don’t know the specifics but we’re very quickly drawn into the story and led to believe that it’s for the best!

The book is told in 2 timelines, the present day and then back in 1970 when Melissa was a little girl. The chapters from the past are more compelling and had me turning the pages so much faster! They also helped to put the present day chapters into perspective more and left me as a reader thinking the worst as to the reasons Melissa has stolen Gabriel!

This wasn’t a particularly fast paced thriller, but I think that added to the overall atmosphere of the book and kept me turning the pages, don’t get me wrong there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat and found myself shouting at the kindle, but the most part this was a very subtle thriller that had me biting my nails in utter disbelief.

I will absolutely be reading from this author again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

I loved this. A gripping thriller and if life hadn't gotten in the way, I'd have finished it in one sitting!

Hush Little Baby is an interesting thriller told through some POVs we don't always see in thrillers. The story is told in two timelines through the POVs of Nancy and her daughter Melissa. The way the two timelines reveal the traumas of each woman's individual and shared past kept my attention throughout the book. There's depth and emotion to the story. Look forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy to read. All thoughts are my own.

Hush Little Baby has an interesting premise. It is told in dual timelines and points of view.

We flash between present day Melissa who has abducted her grandson and 1970s Nancy who is living in an abusive situation.

There are some dark themes of familial violence touched on throughout this book.

The story ultimately kept me reading because I wanted to see where it was going but I found myself skimming some parts as they felt repetitive. I preferred the 1970s storyline to the present day which was almost boring at times.

Overall if you like psychological thrillers Hush little Baby is a good one. It just didn’t blow me away.