The Good Parents is an eerie and sometimes sinister psychological thriller about power and control and mental health. Though the build-up takes up more space than necessary, the rest of the story is well worth the time and energy that it takes to get through it.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

The Good Parents by Jessica Hutley. At the start we meet Brittany a pastry chef who is having a difficult time in life. She is mourning the loss of her twin and has now found out she is pregnant. She knows she can’t raise this baby and is trying to figure out what to do when she meets the Daltons. They offer Brittany a job and offer to adopt her baby. Brittany cannot believe her luck that she met this influential and well off couple. Brittany moves in with them and then things take a sharp turn. It had creepy undertones and left me unsettled but at the same time, needing to know what will happen next. This book was a quick read for me and I really enjoyed the on edge atmosphere. Thank you to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the arc.

I was accepted to read this book before official publication through NetGalley and below is my honest review.

Another 5 star read! This is a fast paced gripping psychological thriller. So I knew straight away this would be right up my street!

The story unfolds in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I found myself really invested by rooting for certain characters and angry with others. I really do love a book where you can become so involved 😂 it’s fast paced with snappy, shorter chapters!

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a psychological thriller. I would advise to check trigger warnings as some people may find the plot difficult.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars!

Jessica Huntley’s The Good Parents is a gripping, emotional rollercoaster that takes readers on a wild and unpredictable journey through desperation, deception, and the hope for a better life. At its center is Britney—a character whose resilience is tested at every turn as she faces one crushing blow after another, only to be presented with an irresistible offer that seems too good to be true.

What begins as a story rooted in hardship quickly spirals into something much darker and more complex. Huntley masterfully balances the emotional depth of Britney’s struggles with a rising sense of suspense, leading to a jaw-dropping twist that completely reframes everything the reader thought they knew. The chaos that unfolds is both heart-pounding and thought-provoking, making it impossible to look away.

The concept itself feels refreshingly original, blending raw human emotion with thriller elements in a way that sets it apart from more formulaic reads. Huntley doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of her protagonist’s situation, but she also builds in a sense of hope and momentum that keeps the pages turning. The pacing is tight, the tension well-maintained, and the ultimate revelations deeply satisfying.

The Good Parents is a must-read for fans of emotionally intense thrillers with a unique edge. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you long after the final page—unsettling, clever, and completely addictive.

The Good Parents by Jessica Huntley is a fast-paced thriller full of secrets and suspense!

Brittany Young is a pastry chef who is mourning the loss of her twin sister. When she discovers she is pregnant, she has no clue what to do. She has no way to take care of a baby and she is not maternal in the least. But Brittany's future seems to improve after meeting John and Angela Dalton, a wealthy couple who have offered Brittany a job at their extravagant villa. They also offer to adopt Brittany's baby and to raise it at their own. But soon Brittany notices strange things happening, John's behavior is more sinister than charming, and Angela is erratic and unstable. Brittany realizes that she is trapped in an increasingly dangerous game and she must find a way for her baby and her to escape.

An absolute roller coaster of a ride, this novel is so fast-paced I flew through it in a day! This is the third book by Huntley that I have read and I am already eagerly anticipating what she writes next! The characters were all well developed even if some were incredibly unstable and unlikable. With short punchy chapters this is a quick read but it is jam-packed and I highly recommend giving it a shot!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Huntley, and Inkubator Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 6th 2025.

The books starts with a seemingly perfect couple desperate baby and Brittany a pregnant woman not ready to raise her baby after the death of her twin... They strike up a deal to make it worthwhile for both parties involved, working in their villa with an amazing home throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. It seems too good to be true.... Because it is. The rest of the book is uncovering the lies and secrets these two seemingly perfect people have... And the ending??? You won't believe that trust! There were little parts that dragged on but it was an easy read overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator books for this chance to read this ARC. 3.5 Stars

The Good Parents started off a little slow and heartbreaking. But let me tell you, when this story picked up, man did it pick up. Brittany is grieving the loss of her twin sister and also loses her job at the same time. She takes a job as a pastry chef for the Dalton family and quickly realizes something is off about them. But when she finds that she is pregnant and not ready to become a parent, the Dalton's quickly find a solution to help her. They're willing to adopt the baby and give her enough money to open her own restaurant. To Brittany, this seems like an ideal opportunity and signs a contract with them. But she soon starts to learn about the Dalton's and what happened to their 2 previous children. Now she's fearing for her life and the life of her unborn child. This was such a fun, thrilling read with lots of twists. I was hooked and couldn't put it down until the end. I highly recommend giving this one a read.

3.5 stars
It was a quick read, finished it in a few hours. While I’ve read some thrillers before, I consider myself new to the genre.
While I didn’t exactly know what the big reveal would be, it wasn’t particularly a surprise or plot twist. It was quite obvious who the villain was, and who was a victim.
Although sometimes her actions or her thought process didn’t make sense to me, or aggravated me, the depiction of Brittney’s grief definitely pulled at my heartstrings and was, for me, one of the strongest aspects of the story.
I have to say that the ending wasn’t very satisfying. Some of Angela’s choices didn’t make much sense and to me it would have been more logical and better to have Brittany involved in the aftermath, as a witness. The idea that Brittney would go back to her life and pretend nothing happened didn’t sit right with me. And the epilogue felt a bit disjointed from the book; not her life and career, but specifically the very last scene.

I wanted to like this, but ended up DNFing this. The twists weren’t done well and I hated all the characters.

Dark, spooky and little extra but enjoyable nonetheless! It was a fun read - the story was great and the plot was interesting. Sometimes drug on a bit but the twists and turns would pull you back in!

At first I wondered if I was reading the correct story. It all begins with a young pastry chef and her identical twin. Almost 20% of the book was their story of battling kidney cancer. I kept wondering, how does this title fit?

We finally get into the main plot, with said chef getting preggers and the couple she is working for wanting her baby. Things aren’t all that they seem though. The wife seems great one day, and then like a completely different person the next. The husband is giving off unsettling vibes, and the chef just knows she doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body.

I enjoyed this, and was curious what the whole shady back story with the rich married couple was. I found the ending to be satisfying and would recommend this if you don’t mind so much of the beginning being the chef’s back story. I think I would have preferred being given bits and pieces throughout, like we got with the married couple. But overall I liked it!

Dive headfirst into the drama-filled whirlpool of The Good Parents, where life for Brittany—a pastry chef with a talent for sweet creations becomes a whirlwind of chaos. Brittany gets tangled up with the Daltons, the seemingly perfect couple who offer her a deal that feels too good to be true—a job in another country as head pastry chef. Then Brittany discovers she's pregnant. This becomes the spark that ignites a wildfire of lies, and deceit dragging Brittany into the Daltons’ dark schemes.

Jessica’s writing keeps you teetering between gasping at the audacity of the lies and screaming, “No, Brittany, don’t trust them!” The twists come sharp and fast, like a knife through butter, and the characters are crafted so well that you can’t decide whether to be charmed or completely creeped out.

Jessica’s sharp dialogue and talent for suspense mean you’ll be flipping pages faster than Brittany can bake a batch of croissants.

So, buckle up—it’s a wild, darkly entertaining ride that’ll stick with you long after that delicious and jaw-dropping twist!

The Good Parents by Jessica Huntley is a captivating psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats with its mix of suspense, deception, and hidden dangers. Brittany Young, a grieving pastry chef still mourning the loss of her twin, finds herself pregnant and unsure of how to cope. In a twist of fate, she is offered an escape by the wealthy Dalton couple, who promise to adopt her baby and provide her with a luxurious new life working in their villa during her pregnancy. What seems like a lifeline soon becomes a nightmare.

As Brittany becomes more entangled in the Daltons' world, she begins to notice unsettling things about them. John’s seemingly gentle nature hides something more sinister, and Angela’s erratic behavior only escalates as time goes on. When a series of strange accidents begins to occur, Brittany starts to suspect that someone might be trying to harm her and her unborn child.

Huntley masterfully builds tension as Brittany’s world unravels, taking readers on a rollercoaster ride of suspense and fear. The Daltons' dark secrets come to light slowly, and with each revelation, the stakes grow higher. Brittany’s growing realization that she’s trapped in a deadly game keeps the narrative compelling and intense.

The Good Parents is a psychological thriller full of twists, well-developed characters, and an atmosphere thick with dread. It explores the terrifying lengths people will go to in pursuit of their desires and the cost of trusting the wrong people. Fans of dark, twisty thrillers will be riveted by this fast-paced, chilling tale.

A fast-paced, tension-filled thriller with a sinister edge.

From the moment Brittany steps into the Daltons' luxurious villa, The Good Parents wastes no time in ramping up the suspense. What starts as the perfect solution to her impossible situation quickly spirals into a nightmare as the seemingly perfect couple reveals cracks beneath their polished surface.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers where nothing is quite as it seems, The Good Parents delivers an entertaining ride. While seasoned thriller readers may find the plot predictable, the story’s sharp pacing and escalating tension keep the pages turning. It's a solid pick for fans of domestic suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy. The Good Parents follows Pastry Chef Brittany Young as her life drastically changes. Brittany ends up pregnant after the death of her twin, and knows that she is not the correct person to raise the baby. She meets John and Angela, a couple who offers both a job opportunity and to raise Brittany’s child as their own. It seems like the perfect solution, but not all is right. I enjoyed the story. It was fast paced thriller that kept me entertained. It was predictable, but I wanted to continue to know the ending.

This book was very well written and entertaining. It kept me engaged and the twists were everything you could want and more in a thriller! This has me wanting to read other books by this author!

I could not put this book down! Started off a little slow but got very interesting with a shocking twist at the end. All I gotta say is THIS IS WHY YOU DON"T SIGN NDAs. And just because someone is rich, doesn't mean they are happy.

What a good opening of the month!
The Good Parents by Jessica Huntley is a suspenseful, gripping and action-packed psychological thriller with some shocking twists!
This was just something! It started steady. Part 1 let us know pastry chef Brittany on a deep level so it was easy to connect with the character. Part 2 starts to put up speed where the confusion comes in, nothing is how it looks like, people lying and for the first time, Brittany doesn't have any idea of what is going on. Part 3 comes like a bomb and blows your mind by giving the most craving answers.
Some parts are so emotional and cutting you deeply. Trigger warnings around grief.

Brittany is a young pastry chef who has a clear idea of her future goals but an unexpected tragedy turns her life upside down and her only chance is to accept John and Angela Dalton's generous offer to relocate to France to become one of the private chefs in their luxurious villa. Unfortunitelly things go terribly wrong when she realises that she is pregnant... This is where the rollercoaster starts to speed up...

I absolutely loved it! And so grateful for the copy of this book!

As always with Jessica Huntley's books I felt drawn into the secrets and danger and couldn't put it down as the the twists kept me hooked.

The Good Parents is a very intriguing story. I almost gave up on this one, but I am glad I persevered. It was a bit slow in the beginning but it gradually became more interesting when Brittany moved on with her job, and met her new coworkers and new Bosses. I did not see the twists and turns coming, and they kept me on my toes! I am hoping there will be a sequel to this book in the future! I’d love to follow up with their adventure!