This book unfolds its mysteries throughout its pages. It’s starts out being one thing and by the closing page when all the ends have been tied it’s something all together more sinister and far reaching. The death of Mackenzie’s mum stats the beginning of a rollercoaster. Mackenzie was never close to her mum and after her death she begins receiving notes that take her back into her mother’s life from teenage onwards.

Along the way Mackenzie comes by her own tribe of people that are entwined one way or another the her mum Lizzy

Brilliantly told story highly recommend

This was an interesting read. A bit too slow for my liking though. I think the writing is too plain and the suspense could’ve been exposed better.

The first part of this book was a definite slow burner, interesting but nothing spectacular until suddenly the second part just took off and had me gripped. Such a clever twist, a bolt out of the blue at the end, certainly didn't see it coming.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

Brilliant. Proper roller coaster of a read. Plenty of twists, turns and suspense. Has to be the best I have read so far this year and in fact so good I am going back to read it again! Exceptionally well written with complex characters who are brought to life on the page & in your head with consummate skill.

As the novel begins, Mackenzie’s mother, a famous author, has passed away suddenly in an “accident”. Mackenzie’s not grieving. It’s as if she doesn’t care. How strange. That is until mysterious envelopes begin to arrive, each containing pages of her mother’s diary.

Love, Mom starts out very slowly, not really building pace until near the end. The slow start, with a lack of suspense, nearly put me off reading. I found the characters, such as the father and grandmother, to be basically just annoying. Her best friend EJ is written in such a way that he seems too good to be true. And their dialogue? Repetitive and unbelievably irritating.

There’s a jaw-dropping twist in the middle. But still, I found the plot too far-fetched. Perhaps this book should be categorised as a YA thriller. That might work.

Thank you to Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.. The way that the story unfolded was cleverly written to build tension as we learnt what had actually happened, as opposed to what we think happened. McKenzie knows that something is off, and with the help of her friend E.J.. sets out to learn the truth about her birth and her mother. This kept me reading eagerly as she untangled the web of lies and ambiguity. Who is the mysterious man at the funeral? Why are her Father and Grandmother behaving so strangely? Is she even safe?
Thank you so much to both the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a great book this was . The characters were amazing and really got you invested in the story . The plot came thick and fast with plenty of twists and turns . This book will be very popular and I would highly recommend it. I will be looking to read more from this author. 5 stars from me

Unfortunately, Love, Mom, just wasn't the book for me. The synopsis had me instantly intrigued, and the cover is especially eye catching, but personally, I found the whole thing just rather flat.

It's a reeeeeally slow paced tale, and everything is very slowly pieced together, which in the end just left my mind wandering to the mundane things, and I read to escape the little everyday things!

I know it's classed as a psychological thriller, but for me, I didn't get that vibe at all. It wasn't at all suspenseful, and the majority of twists and turns throughout had already been hinted at, so there were no real shocks or revelations.

I found the characters irritating and unrelatable, and whilst we all know stories need to bend the truth sometimes, the scenario of having a fit, going to the hospital, and being diagnosed with a genetic condition, all without adult supervision, just didn't sit right with me. It just wouldn't happen.

I honestly think this should be aimed at the YA market. It would be a great introduction to psychological thrillers for younger readers, just not for those older hard core readers, or it may just be me!

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random Books for the ARC.

When Mackenzie's mother dies in mysterious circumstances the nation mourns a best selling author. However Ben her husband just turns to drink and Mackenzie doesn't seem to bothered. A short while later she starts to get letters that seem to have been written by her mother and torn out of a scrap book. Determined to find out the truth she asks her friend EJ for help. Twist after twist keeps you guessing until the end. A dark story emerges that would equal one of mothers thillers, can the mystery be solved and a satisfactory end be achieved?

Thank you for the opportunity to read this new novel.
Love, Mom is an engaging psychological thriller that blends suspense with emotional depth. I found Mackenzie Casper a compelling protagonist—troubled, introspective, and on a journey to define herself beyond the shadow of her famous mother. Her struggle to form meaningful connections, particularly her cautious yet sincere friendship with EJ, was well-portrayed and added authenticity to her character.

The exploration of her relationship (or lack of relationship) with her parents was handled thoughtfully, offering some of the book’s more grounded emotional moments. However, I did feel the ending was somewhat rushed. The reveal of Mackenzie’s biological father lacked the same nuance and depth seen in earlier parts of the story.

One of the standout elements for me was the grandmother as a subtle yet chilling antagonist—she added a classic psychological thriller edge. The final twist, revealing the actual author of the “Love, Mom” letters, was unexpected and very well executed.

Overall, a strong debut with memorable characters, solid tension, and some excellent surprises, despite a slightly uneven conclusion.

'Love, Mom' is a solid psychological thriller that had everything you could want, short chapters, mini cliff hangers, mystery, intriguing plot and multiple twists - you will fly through those pages desperate for answers!

Mackenzie's mum who is a famous best selling author tragically dies and whilst in the grieving process Mackenzie starts to receive pages from her deceased mums diary...is everything as it seems?

Seasoned thriller readers may guess the twists early on but it's still a great read to find out the details of those twists.

I loved this. It was a decent read, original story and not too predictable. I really loved how the plot develops and how the characters reacted to each other. As an avid reader, some of the story is guessable but it didn’t take away from what was a very decent plot line. I devoured this. It was an easy read and I can’t wait to see more from the author.

Mackenzie Casper's mum is a famous author, so when she dies Mackenzie is left reeling. Then the letters start to arrive, all signed 'Love, Mom'. Mackenzie is then thrown into a web of deceit and realises that a lot of her life was not what she thought it was. As more and more lies are revealed she goes back to her mother's hometown to try and unravel what is going on.

A twisty psychological thriller that reminded me a lot of Freida McFadden so if you are a fan I think you will enjoy this. There are a lot of surprises that spring up and it was cleverly done. I loved the relationship Kenzie had with her male bestie, EJ, when he is enlisted with helping her find out the truth. I found the ending a bit rushed and a lot going on all at once but apart from that it is a perfect summer read and one that can be read easily as it is a page turner!

Thanks to all involved for sending me the advance copy. Recommended!

Love, Mom is a twist-filled psychological story that’s perfect for a relaxing holiday read. Iliana Xander creates vivid, relatable characters that draw you in from the very first page. The writing style is wonderfully easy to read, making it ideal for lazy afternoons or beachside lounging.

The story follows Mackenzie, who begins receiving anonymous letters—pages from her late mother’s diary—leading her into a chilling web of secrets and obsession. Just when you think you know where the story’s going, Xander throws in a surprising twist that keeps the pages turning.
With its mix of emotion, drama, and suspense, this is an intriguing page-turner that’s easy to dive into and hard to put down. A delightful read I’d happily recommend!

I really enjoyed this. A compelling and entertaining psychological thriller. Mackenzie Casper isn’t sad when her famous best selling author mother, Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Casper pen name E.V. Renge, dies in an accident, and neither is her father. Mackenzie could never remember being close to her mother, no affection, no love, it seemed that all of that was kept for her fans.

Briefly, not long after her mother’s death Mackenzie received a letter, seemingly written by her mother and marked From #1 fan. XOXO. The first page just says “Want to know a secret? Love, Mom” the rest goes on to tell Mackenzie about her early life, before she had her daughter. Her interest peeked Mackenzie starts to look into the content of the letter, with help from her friend EJ who is a bit of a tech wizard and knows people who can help. But that wasn’t the end as the letters keep on coming, just a few pages at a time…

So many hidden secrets in one family and some really great characters, good and bad, but I loved EJ, he was someone you would want on your side, kind, supportive and super caring, we need more EJ’s in this world. The plot was good, I did guess one big reveal about halfway through the book and some of the smaller ones, but not the nuances of it all; there were little hints so I don’t think the author would be disappointed at the readers successful guesses. A fast paced and very entertaining read.

4.5⭐️

This gripping novel pulled me in from the very first page — though I’ll admit, the start was a little slow. It took a few chapters to really find its footing, but once it did, I was completely hooked. The pace picked up fast, and the twists came one after another, each more shocking than the last.

Mackenzie Casper has always lived in the shadow of her mother — a famous, bestselling author known for her dark, twisted tales. But after her mother’s sudden and suspicious death, Mackenzie finds herself not just grieving, but piecing together cryptic letters and diary pages that suggest her mother’s death might not have been an accident… but murder.

The slow build-up pays off in spades. Once the story hits its stride, it’s a whirlwind — sharp, suspenseful, and emotionally intense. I loved watching Mackenzie’s investigation unfold and seeing how each letter peeled back another layer of her family’s secrets. The diary entries were especially effective — eerie, poetic, and filled with unsettling truths.

If I had one critique, it’s that the ending came a bit too quickly. After such a strong build-up, I would’ve loved just a bit more time in the final act — to really sit with the revelations and feel the full weight of everything Mackenzie uncovered. Another 30 pages or so could have made the conclusion even more powerful.

Still, this is a fantastic read — especially for fans of domestic suspense and twisty thrillers with a literary edge. Think Alice Feeney, Megan Miranda, or Lisa Jewell.

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

At the start, I thought this story was fairly predictable. The twist halfway through changed all that as I had to reevaluate everything I’d read before. It then becomes clear that every character has a part in moving the story along both now and in the past. Clever unraveling at the end that put an end to any thought of it being predictable.

What a great book. I enjoyed it from start to end. McKenzie’s mother passes away in strange circumstances and this starts a whole raft of events. After the shock the family return to their lives although difficult. Then the drama begins. McKenzie receives a letter supposedly from her mom which she cannot understand especially as it was left in her locked car. What is going on. The letters continue to be hand delivered and she decides to get her best friend EJ who is a tech wizard to help her unravel the story behind these. The plot begins to thicken and is quick paced. EJ’s knowledge of the internet works wonders and very slowly the story is pieced together and gets better as you read on. The characters were all interesting in their own right and I felt they were all needed in the story to make it all make sense. As I neared the end I was quite disappointed that the book was almost finished and what an ending – loved it

What a rollercoaster! Amazing characters with subtle hints so you think you might know what is coming, or do you? Loved the diary entries giving little breadcrumbs throughout. Just brilliant.

Wow!! I honestly couldn't put this down. So many twists and turns and some really caught me off guard. I love the way everything tied together and everybody had a vivid, clear role to play in the storyline. 100% would recommend this book to anybody who loves a thriller but just as a warning you will stay up all night reading because it's so engrossing.