Absolutely thrilling! A stunning, brilliant story that I kept on reading late into the night. Just wow! Very highly recommend this one.

This is a fast paced story filled with tension while covering some very difficult subjects . Well worth a read
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review

FANTASTIC READ!!! This book was suspenseful and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put it down! Very well written!!

This book had me wanting to continue flipping pages to find out more and making my mind wander and guess. It definitely has some trigger warnings that should be considered if you are to read this book. However I really enjoyed this book and would read more from this author!
Not Spoilers, but TW: r*pe, abuse, DV, su*cide, bullying, death
There may be some others I am missing but these are def the top ones.

This novel was an intense and emotional read. Jen and Lia were once inseparable as teenagers, but their friendship fractured when Jen disapproved of Lia’s boyfriend. Years later, Lia is married to that same man and living next door to Jen, while their daughters, Alex and Willow are now best friends, just like their mom’s once were.

While navigating high school and their friendship, Alex and Willow struggled with finding their identities, social pressures, and bullying. In the midst of this, a tragedy occurs and their lives are changed forever. The families are desperate for answers, attempting to piece together the truth behind all of the secrets and lies.

This book had me on edge the entire time. There was so much happening behind closed doors, secrets lurking in every corner. There was so much tension and suspense the entire novel. felt the anxiety creeping in as I turned each page. An absolutely gripping read!

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the intertwined lives of two mothers, Jen and Lia, along with their daughters, Alex and Willow. The story commences with a tragedy: the untimely demise of Alex, which Jen suspects is not a suicide but rather a suspicious incident. This ignites a tense and emotionally charged journey as Jen endeavors to uncover the truth amidst the skepticism of those around her.

The intricacies of friendship and motherhood are examined in depth as Jen's resolve to unveil the truth places her in conflict with Lia and the seemingly flawless Higgins family. As Jen investigates, she uncovers unsettling secrets that dismantle the veneer of their picturesque lives, exposing dark themes such as bullying, domestic violence, and the burdens of parenting. The narrative transcends mere mystery; it serves as an exploration of the emotional upheaval stemming from betrayal and the pursuit of justice.

This book culminates in a surprising ending! I was thoroughly absorbed with the reading of this book and couldn’t put it down. It was a thought provoking and emotional read that I could relate to as a parent to teenage children. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Wow, okay. This book was so good. As a mother I know I would do anything for my children and a mother’s instincts are always on point. This book pulled an emotional punch that I was not prepared for. I could not put this down at all. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Wow! Just devoured this book and I was absolutely glued to every single page. Seriously, trying to put it down felt like a Herculean task! You did such an amazing job crafting a story that completely pulled me in.
The only things that kept swirling in my mind, in the best possible way, were the lingering questions surrounding Simon. I was dying to know the specifics of what went down there – it added such a compelling layer of mystery. And the whole dynamic between Jay and Liam? That had me completely intrigued from the get-go; I'd absolutely love to get the full backstory on that situation.
But seriously, let me reiterate: I loved it! I was so utterly hooked from the first page to the last. What a captivating read!

✨✨BOOK REVIEW✨✨
Imagine you have it all. A gorgeous, charismatic husband, an incredibly successful career, political office on the horizon, and provides unwavering love and support to his family. You are the mother to a set of twins, both smart and talented in their own way, with a close relationship. You have a beautiful house, a wardrobe one could only dream of, unlimited money at your disposal, and not a care in the world. There is nothing to want. But the perception of your fairytale life is a sham when the public is not around. The facade of what appears to be crumbles.

Meet Lia. The mom of twins, married to the love of her life. She is a dedicated wife, a mother of twins, and a valued community member. She gives so much of herself to her children’s school, her husband’s campaign, and her self-care. It appears she has it all. Her world is not as perfect as people believe.

Meet Jen, Lia’s best friend in high school until they had a falling out when Lia began to date Jay. Fast forward years ahead. They are now neighbors, with daughters of their own who are best friends. Their daughter’s, Willow and Alex, are always together, along with Willow’s brother Simon, who tags along.

Unlike the way Lia’s life appears, Jen’s is not so easy. She works long hours, keeping their family’s head floating above water to make ends meet. Jen has tremendous pressure on many levels. She feels like a rubber band being pulled to the point of breaking, until one day life just SNAPS. Jen’s family circle comes undone when the girls’ lifelong friendship spins completely out of control.

I loved A Good Mother! I could have devoured this in one sitting, if I had endless time to read. Dunne immersed me in the lives of the characters, feeling as though I was a silent character myself between the pages. Upon the completion of each chapter, I wanted to race to the next. Dunne crafted a fantastic story, one I hope you will read and experience the same need to page flip late into the night! If you have not read a book by Dunne, put this on your TBR!

Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for providing me with the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

How far will you go to protect your family?

Two mothers. Two daughters. One devastating truth.

Alex Blake was terrified of water since she nearly drowned at age five. So when police find her body in the river and rule it a suicide, her mother, Jen refuses to believe it.

The police dismiss her. Her husband thinks she's in denial. Even their neighbours, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the truth and move on. But something isn't right. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen's former best friend, the day she died?
•
It’s been a while since I read a really good psychological thriller! It’s fast paced, suspenseful and will keep you hooked. Although some of the topics can be difficult, it’s worth the read.. especially how realistic the author was able to make it.
If you’re in a reading slum, I would definitely recommend picking A Good Mother.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm publishing for the ARC.

Released on 29th April 2025 (am late in writing the review - was away on holiday 🫣).

‼️content warning: coercive control, rape, suicide, bullying, domestic abuse, eating disorders, violence.

This is a fascinating look at an emotionally-charged situation that gets out of hand easily. Jen and Lia used to be best friends and now live across the street from each other even though Jen's ex-husband is now married to Lia. But when Jen's daughter, Alex is found dead in the water, Jen is ure something is suspicious as Alex was deathly afraid of water. And so begins a tale of jealousy, greed, backstabbing, and political motives. Loved this novel!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This is an emotionally-charged thriller about what a good mother is and how far people will go for their loved ones. I love the neighborhood and family drama in this! I finished it in one afternoon - couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Will definitely review in my upcoming reading wrap-up and future recommendation videos!

This is the most heartbreaking book I’ve read in a while. Check triggers before starting. The storyline was good and kept my attention. Some parts got a little slow but it was to slowly build up emotion for the ending. The last 25% of the book I couldn’t put it down. I had to finally get answers. This story brings important issues to light and reminds parents to really get involved with their kids. It also reminds us that not everything you see is reality. People show you what they want you to see. Always look deeper.

This was different than other thrillers that I've read recently and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a twist that I did not see coming but thought was done very well, and not thrown in out of left field. The grieving mother had a lot of relatable thoughts to me as a mom of 2 and I found myself really drawn into her story.
Would recommend to many of my fellow readers!

Such a great thriller but with some heavy emotional topics! Two mothers with children who are great friends start seeing their children and their friendships breaking away. It seems all things are off limits when the mom’s get involved trying to help their daughters and figure out what’s going on with their friendship! This is one I definitely couldn’t put down until I finished it!! Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne was a very complex story between Two mothers. Two daughters. and One devastating truth that will shock you. This was a book was a very emotionally and you will need tissues or your sleeve as I did at the beginning! It was a very powerful read, I found hard to put it down especially as I wanted to find out what happened next.

Alex Blake was so terrified of water, and had been since she nearly drowned at the young age of five. So when police found her body in the river and rule it a suicide. Her mother Jen knows they’re wrong., she would never go near water! But no one will listen to a grieving mother.

The police dismiss her. Now, her husband thinks she’s in denial. Even their neighbours, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the truth and move on. But deep down she knows something isn’t right. . . . . . .

Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, the day she died?

Why is Lia now so desperate to shut down Jen’s questions?

Something is not sitting right!!!!!

Now, the more Jen digs into her perfect family next door, the more she realises Alex was keeping secrets, Big secrets! and these are Dangerous ones.
Someone knows what really happened to her daughter, the day she drowned! . They’re determined to keep Jen from uncovering the truth, and they will do anything to hide the truth of that day!

WoW this was so Good!

I highly recommend A Good Mother a great holiday read, make sure you are in the shade where no one can see you and you have waterproof mascara on!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my ARC.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne grabbed me from the very beginning and didn’t let go until the end.
I loved the tension of this book, and the author captured the creepy feel.
I was hooked from the very beginning and COULD NOT put it down. There was so much to learn as you kept reading to learn more, so many characters had secrets and you don't know who to trust.
The twists, they didn't stop...it was bombshell after bombshell followed by plenty of jaw dropping moments that I wasn't expecting!

As a mom, oh boy did this pull at my heart strings. The characters also made me SO MAD and frustrated. I felt all the feelings while reading this. 10000% recommend!

wow!!!! this was an amazing thriller and completely had me on the edge of my seat!!!! absolutely loved it!!!!