Shiner shines again. Even though I had the plot figured out, I still loved the story. A widowed mother is having a hard time and when her late husbands sister shows up she offers to help. No question! She is exhausted. But.,,, they both have secrets they want to keep from each other.

I recently finished "What Every Mother Needs" by Emily Shiner, and I have to say, it was quite the gripping read! The story revolves around Charlotte, a mother trying to navigate life after the loss of her husband while caring for her adorable baby girl, Jordan. The arrival of Sophie, claiming to be Charlotte's late husband's sister, adds a twist that keeps you on your toes.

Shiner really does a great job of building suspense. I found myself wanting to know more about Sophie and her true intentions. As the plot unfolds, you can feel the tension grow, especially as Charlotte struggles with her own challenges. The emotional depth of both characters is profound, making it easy to empathize with their situations.

The pacing is solid, and there are plenty of twists to keep readers engaged. However, I felt some aspects could have been developed a bit more. For instance, I wanted a deeper exploration of Charlotte's backstory and her relationship with her husband. It would have added even more weight to the story.

Overall, I’d give this book a solid four stars. It’s an engaging thriller that highlights the complexities of motherhood and trust. If you're looking for a compelling page-turner that keeps you guessing, I'd definitely recommend picking it up!

Great book. I did not expect the twists and turns. There were some missed words that I noticed which is fine I was still able to read the book. Strong four stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC!

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but there were so many parts that made me feel like all the women of this story were weak-minded and very naive from the beginning. That being said, I didn’t mind that, as many women would do the same actions that took place in this book. The twists and turns felt a bit predictable but nonetheless, it still kept me on my toes! There were a few minor writing mistakes as well, like the story would be in Sophie’s point of view but then say something about what “Sophie” was doing when really, it was supposed to be Charlotte’s name. And there were a couple grammar mistakes, but not a lot for me to be confused, just enough for me to notice.


All in all, this book wasn’t bad! If you enjoy thrillers that keep you guessing, you’ll like this one!

You cannot go wrong with an Emily Shiner thriller, including her latest, What Every Mother Needs.

Charlotte's husband,. Lawrence, recently passed, leaving her to raise their baby girl Jordan. Charlotte has been having. difficult time managing on her own, until Sophie shows up at her door. Sophie says she is Lawrence's sister - but how come Charlotte has never heard of her? Sophie is immediately obsessed with Jordan. She knows that Charlotte doesn't deserve Jordan after what she did. And she will stop at nothing until Jordan is hers.,

The story provides POVs from Sophie and Charlotte, as well as an unknown "her" POV. Emily Shiner does a great job at creating disbelief. I was unsure who to trust and kept flipping back and forth throughout the novel. The book is fast paced and really hard to put down. Didn't find that there was any unnecessary filler, which often happens in thrillers. It is contrite and well written. Emily Shiner always manages to deliver a compelling read.

I docked a star as the ending felt a bit flat for me after the rollercoaster of a novel. I think way more could have been done. Left me feeling a bit dissatisfied.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book just as much as Emily Shiner's other books! I couldn't put it down, I needed to know what happened. And that ending??? I have so many questions I wanted more!

I wanted to shake Charlotte for letting a stranger in but once I put that aside I really enjoyed this novel. The twists and turns had be thinking and I constntly switched between who was "bad". A solid thriller.

I was hooked from page 1. I love a good, twisty story. The two main characters were very interesting women. Both liars indeed, but one of them had a good reason to lie, and the other didn’t.
I kept trying to decide who to side with and at the end I sided with the right person.
I wish the end would’ve been expanded on a bit more. I wanted more of the story.
But I’m glad to have discovered Emily Shiner through this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book!

Amazing book! I read this entire thing in less than 12 hours. It was so gripping, I had to finish it as quickly as possible! This book roped me in from the very beginning, and it had plenty of twists and turns that kept me hooked until the very end! I thought this book was fantastic, and I believe other readers will enjoy it as well!

This thriller had me questioning every character... and every motive. This story had me hooked from the very first page. Two women. Two sets of secrets. And a baby caught in the middle.
The tension builds with every chapter as the lines between truth and lies blur, and you’re left wondering who you can trust.
I loved the slow unravel of hidden pasts and the creeping sense of dread that made it impossible to stop reading.
If you love psychological thrillers full of twists, betrayals, and jaw-dropping reveals, this is a must-read!

Charlotte's husband has psssed and she left with her baby alone. Sophie shows up her door, the sister-in-law she never knew existed. I enjoyed this book but felt the ending was too rushed and just stopped abruptly. This could be an opening for a second book. Thank you Netgalley and Bookoutre for ARC.

What Every Mother Needs by Emily Shiner is an intense page-turner that had me hooked from the very first chapter. Shiner masterfully blends the emotional complexities of motherhood with gripping psychological suspense. The characters feel real and their fears and doubts are palpable, making it impossible not to get invested in their story.
The tension builds steadily, with twists that kept me guessing and turning pages late into the night. This book isn’t just thrilling — it’s a deeply emotional exploration of trust, protection, and maternal instinct. Emily Shiner’s writing is sharp, heartfelt, and incredibly compelling.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful read that grabs you emotionally and won’t let go, What Every Mother Needs is an absolute must-read. Highly recommended!

What a great read!
It can be a bad thing when you are reading a thriller and you like Charlotted (whose husband Lawerence just died and left her alone as a single mother) and Sophie (his sister).
This book had every angle of suspense that you want in a thriller and shows that skeletons in the closet may come out when you least expect it.
The ending.. WOW just wow. Emily Shiner does it again.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this book, with my honest review below.

What Every Mother Needs is a well done thriller that has you completely shocked by the end (actually shocked vs. Amazon description of book ‘shocked’.

Charlotte is a new mother to baby Jordan who recently lost her husband Lawrence and desperately needs some help at home. Sophie is Lawrence’s sister who comes to help - though Charlotte has never met her before. Interspersed are recollections from ‘her’, a woman (maybe Charlotte) who had a relationship with Lawrence. The tension in this book ramps up because neither Charlotte nor Sophie seem quite right, but the reason why is the big twist as is the ‘oh no you didn’t’ ending. Definitely a solid thriller for all the lovers of that genre, unique in the idea it explores if not wholly unique for the genre.

Some stranger just shows up and says they know your dead husband. Says she's his sister that he never mentioned and you're just like heck yes move in sis. Such a great book. Thank you for letting me read this in advance. I was hooked from the start and couldn't stop reading it.

This author never fails to deliver a thrilling, suspenseful journey. Loved everything about this book. Amazing character building and I hope that there will be a follow up book on this.

ARC REVIEW: This was so much fun and just what i needed to read! A quick binge worthy thriller with plenty of twists and turns - a combination of things I guessed and things that were total surprises making a great suspense thriller.

This was the first book i’ve read by Emily Skinner, and it was creepily enjoyable in a lovely warped way! Scandal, shock, murder. surprise and more … thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this truly depraved and enjoyable story.

Due to be published May 30th - and recommended for fans of Daniel Hurst and Freida McFadden.

What Every Mother Needs

5⭐️

Any book by Emily Shiner is an automatic read for me. I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller! Charlotte is mourning the recent death of her husband while dealing with anxiety of being a new mom when Sophie shows up unannounced. Sophie is her deceased husbands sister Charlottes never heard of but accept the help as she has no one else. Soon she will wish she never let Sophie in the door.

From the very beginning this book had my attention. The twists and turns are crazy up until the very last word in the epilogue. I loved every minute of it. A very fast paced intense read!

First, as always, I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Emily Shiner really starts to become one of my auto-buy writers at this point, not gonna lie! The story itself though, I have to admit, makes me feel glad I do have no baby. I am not sure if I could handle all the stress and the lack of sleep myself....

Anyway, this twisty story is told in the POV of both Charlotte - our mother who recently lost her husband Lawrence and now has to raise her daughter alone - and Sophie, Lawrence' sister. She said she came to help Charlotte. But we know what kind of story this is, so it is safe to assume that Sophie surely did not only come to help... There is also a thir POV only named 'her, which tells what has happened in the past. No spoilers here, though. If you want to find out who is this, you will have to go and read the book yourself!