I hadn't heard of this book before and read it on a recommendation I saw and I'm glad I did it kept my interest throughout and all tied up nicely at the end

A dizzying number of twists power 'Love, Mom' – just when you think you’ve got a handle on the story, another revelation knocks the ground out from under you. Iliana Xander doesn’t let up for a second, delivering a page-turner that kept me zipping through at speed.

The premise is chilling: Mackenzie Casper, daughter of a bestselling thriller writer, begins to uncover dark secrets following her mother’s sudden death. Mysterious letters, diary pages, and growing suspicions of murder pull her into a tangled web of family lies and disturbing truths. It’s creepy, unsettling, and just believable enough to give you that prickle of discomfort – could people like this really be walking around unnoticed?

Yes, some twists are a bit over-the-top, but that’s part of the fun. This is a book to enjoy for the ride – it’s pulpy and pacey and sometimes gloriously outrageous. I really liked Mackenzie’s evolving friendship with EJ too – it’s a grounding relationship amid the chaos, and their loyalty to each other adds a layer of warmth to all the dark drama.

The shifting perspectives work well, giving readers insight that Mackenzie doesn’t yet have – which only adds to the tension. You’re constantly waiting for everything to collide. This might not be the most grounded thriller I’ve read, but it’s certainly compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph/Penguin Random House for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Love, Mom had me hooked from the opening chapter, not just because of the mystery, but because of the emotional complexity at its core. Mackenzie Casper is a protagonist you really sit with—flawed, guarded, and craving connection, yet not entirely sure how to let people in. Her friendship with EJ was one of my favourite parts of the book—there’s something so real about how it slowly unfolds, messy and tentative but deeply sincere.

The family dynamics were equally absorbing. Mackenzie’s strained relationship with her parents is written with care, especially the subtle ways it affects her sense of identity. I just wish the ending had slowed down a little. The final twist around her biological father didn’t quite carry the same weight as the rest of the story and felt a bit too neat for how nuanced the build-up had been.

That said, the grandmother? Easily one of the most unsettling characters I’ve read in a while. She’s not over-the-top, just cold and quietly menacing—exactly what I want in a psychological thriller. And the reveal of who wrote the “Love, Mom” letters? Brilliant. Didn’t see that coming at all.

This is a sharp, thoughtful thriller that balances suspense with emotional resonance. A strong debut—and one I’ll be recommending to anyone who loves their thrillers character-driven and quietly sinister.

Wow what a wild ride. I read this in 2 sittings as I was desperate to know what happened. This book really packs a punch full of intrigue, mystery and family secrets. I honestly had no idea where this was going to happen it kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well written and the letters Mckenzie received really added to the intrigue. Thank you netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this.

The writing felt a bit childish and I could barely get through it as a result. The mystery was interesting but the writing made it difficult for me to want to find out what happened

Love, Mom has such a good concept and Iliana executes it well. It is a story that you will devour in a rush to get to the finish line and unravel it all. It’s a great read!

What a fantastic book. Grabbed me from the first page.
Famous author dies but noone is grieving. Switching between the present and college years.
Talent, relationships and dark secrets are explored.
Teenage daughter starts receiving letters from beyond the grave. Writing is confirmed but what do these letters actually mean ?
The narrative of relationships starts to unravel.
Enjoy I did it will amaze and astound you with it's brilliance

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is an enjoyable mystery with quite a few surprises. It did take me longer than I expected to read it although I am not sure why because it is readable. I suppose it is far fetched but then a lot of these types of books are and the main twist relies on a very fortunate coincidence (no spoilers)..

I liked the main character and found the story fairly intriguing and the final few pages tie up the loose ends.

It is an easy read, almost YA, but that didn't bother me.

The premise of this book immediately grabbed my attention—a young woman uncovering shocking truths about her famous mother through a series of mysterious letters sounded like the perfect setup for a dark, twisty thriller. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t deliver.

The writing lacked the polish and nuance I expect, especially from a novel with such an ambitious plot. Characters felt one-dimensional, the dialogue often came across as unnatural, and many of the twists were either predictable or implausible. The pacing dragged in some areas and rushed through others, making it hard to stay immersed in the story.

While the idea was strong, the overall delivery felt unrefined, as though it needed more development and editorial guidance. I'm surprised by some of the overwhelmingly positive reviews and found myself questioning if I was reading the same book.

Although every book has its audience, this one just wasn’t for me.

An intriguing and unusual novel with many twists and turns. It’s about a girl - Mackenzie - who, when her mum dies, starts to receive letters signed from her mum, leading her to think that her death wasn’t as innocent as she thought and nor are the rest of her family,

As I say, this is an intriguing novel that keeps you guessing until the end. My one complaint is that some of the twists felt a little too far-fetched. Otherwise, a good read.

This was a very complicated story. Lots of bits to remember. I enjoyed it even though I worked out what the major twist was likely to be. Great pace, I will look for more from this author.

This was marketed for fans of Freida McFadden and it was exactly that! A refreshing new voice breaking through the mystery thriller genre that keeps you guessing and unprepared for whatever twist comes next.

Love, Mom is a mystery thriller that unveils it's mystery through flashbacks and diary entries leading the main character Mackenzie, a grieving daughter, to uncover the truth of her family's success and history. Filled with layers of lies, secrets and deceit, the narrative was originally slow paced but eventually I was unable to put it down, desperate to uncover the secrets of the Casper family. Although it was arguably not the most eloquently written, there was so much potential that was still reached within the plot, the characters I found hard to like and yet I feel that was the beauty of them, they were each flawed making them more authentic.

Love, Mom completely hooked me, so much so that I didn’t mind being kept 45 minutes for my doctors appointment as it meant I didn’t have to put book down 🤣
Initially I was worried as I thought I figured it out so early on and I would have been annoyed if that was the case. But there were so many twists and turns it kept me from feeling confident in my theories. It was a nice quick read with the short chapters and the end of each chapter wanting you to go straight into the next. I would definitely happily read more thrillers from Iliana.

This is one of the best thrillers I've read in a very long time! Its extremely well written. I loved the character of mackenzie and quickly became invested in finding out her families secret!

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this arc.

I honestly loved this one - I’ve already recommended it to a few people. It’s the kind of book you want to read in one sitting because it immediately throws you into the twists and turns of a psychological thriller as opposed to everything building up to a dramatic ending.

At the start I thought I’d dislike the FMC and, even though it’s not a romance in any way, loved the progression of her relationship with the MMC. With that being said, the only reason it’s not a 5 star is I felt like it was predictable in places and I personally felt like the ending was quite rushed. I wish I had had a bit more from the ending but that’s my only negative spin.

If you’re fans of ‘The Silent Patient’ you 100% need to pick this one up. It is out on 17th July and is the perfect summer holiday psychological thriller read!

After a bit of a slow start this book takes off at a good gripping pace . Nice twists and turns . Kept me entertained until the ending.

I don't know what to make of this book. A very slow start, the narrative just gets going and then the narrative voice changes for a twist. Easy to read when it gets going, some fairly obvious twists in the middle but was disappointed by the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to read this book.

The premise of this book is excellent…letters from beyond the grave unfold mysteries that the protagonist didn’t even know existed. There are a few huge twists in this one so it keeps you guessing throughout.
The characters are reasonably well rounded, interesting and believable as real.
This book is well thought out and well plotted, but a little slow in places. For me it’s a solid 4/4.5 out of 5.

I did not expect this book to be quite so gripping and thrilling but I am SO glad that I was pleasantly surprised!

If you’re looking for a suspenseful thriller full of twists you can’t seeing coming from a mile off, this book is definitely for you!

I don’t want to comment too much as I always end up spoiling something so please go and read it!!

Love, Mom by Iliana Xander is a gripping thriller that combines dark family secrets, emotional twists, and nonstop suspense.
The story follows Mackenzie, a young woman who starts receiving strange letters after her famous thriller-writer mother dies—letters that hint about her Mothers past.
The mystery is fast-paced and full of surprises. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the author throws in another twist. Mackenzie is a smart, determined main character, and her emotional journey adds real depth to the plot.
It kept me turning the pages late into the night!
If you enjoy thrillers with secrets, strong female leads, and shocking reveals, this one’s worth reading.

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.