Circle of Doubt

#CircleOfDoubt #NetGalley 
An excellent thriller. 
Emma and Dele’s dreams came true nine years ago when they adopted their daughter, Isla. It felt like fate, like they were meant to find each other, and now they’re living the life they always wanted. But then one day a new family moves into Forest Grove—and Emma can’t shake the chilling feeling that the wife looks just like Isla’s birth mother.
Emma tells herself that this sophisticated stranger can’t possibly be the troubled woman she remembers from the adoption. But as they get to know each other and it becomes clear that Tatjana has a special interest in Isla, her suspicions grow.
When small things start to go wrong and her parenting abilities are brought into question, Emma feels undermined, turning to her sister Harriet for support. But things only spiral further when secrets from her past suddenly resurface. 
Characters and narration were good. 
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me an advanced copy.

Having read Wall of Silence with enjoyment, I was looking forward to this read.
Emma and Dele adopted Isla when she was a baby and have moved to Forest Grove, where Emma is having a hard time fitting in with the Yummy Mummies.  She's shy and has no friends yet but being a mum to Isla is the thing that keeps her going...she loves her more than life itself.
A new family has moved in and the woman looks so much like Isla, that Emma wonders if she could be the birthmother.  Nasty incidents start to occur as things get worse and worse for Emma; what on earth is going on?
I was a bit disappointed, it wasn't as good as the previous book, but still a pleasant, although forgettable, read.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.

This is the second Tracy Buchanan book for me. While I do believe the first (Wall of Silence??) was a better book, this is still a good one. It touches on topics such as adoption, wild youths & abusive spouses while still being a solid suspense novel. And even after the “who” of the “whodunit” (or “who’s doing it, in this instance) is revealed, there are still more surprises to come. I’ll be looking for Ms Buchanan’s next one😊

Circle of Doubt, by Tracy Buchanan, was an enjoyable read. The storyline was fascinating, the characters were well developed, and the entire read I was entertained. The plot doesn’t have as many twists & turns as I like, but I’d still recommend this book.

📖Book Review 📖
Circle of Doubt - @tracybuchananauthor 
Publication date 5th January 2021.

Thank you to @amazonpublishing and @netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy. 

Amazing book!! This had me hooked from the start!! And thanks to not being able to sleep, I finished this in a few hours.

Such an interesting storyline and I think everyone can relate to some of the characters as we’ve all come across bitchy women 😂. 

This was a fast paced read and I raced through the end to see what happened.

I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of Circle of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan!!!  

Emma and Dele are busy raising their adoptive daughter Isla when a new family moved in and the mother looks like Isla’s birth mother. Small things start to happen to make it look like Emma is not a fit mother and she begins to wonder if the birth mother lookalike is trying to steal back her daughter. 

This is the first book I have read by Tracey Buchanan and I really like it!! The action starts taking pace almost immediately and never stops. Once you figure out what is happening, there are still more surprises to come and this book keeps you guessing until the very end.

Emma and Dele felt like they had created the perfect family when they adopted Isla. It’s not until several years later when they get new neighbors and Emma is creeped out by the fact that the wife is a dead ringer for Isla’s birth mother. She manages to convince herself that she’s overreacting, but as time goes by, it looks like Emma’s first assumptions may just be right. When dark secrets from Emma’s own past begin to surface, she wonders if she’s losing Isla, or her mind

i really enjoyed this book, it had a great mystery and the characters were really interesting. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on. I look forward to more from the author.

“Circle of Doubt” by Tracy Buchanan is a tightly woven family suspense. I really liked the characters and how they all interlocked with one another into the story.
Red herrings are thrown in to put the reader off the scent and it’s not clear who can be trusted until the moment it’s revealed!
This is the first book by this author that I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading more by her. A great, fast paced, highly enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Great book! I don't think I have read Tracy before but this was a great start. Man did I think i had it figured out until the loop she threw at the end. Great characters. Great suspense. I also enjoyed the different formats/voices coming out. Highly recommended!

Took me a little while to get into the story line but it was an excellent, well written thriller which did keep me interested once I had got into it.

The characters were good although for me, personally, it wasn't an edge of seat read but I can recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

May contain spoilers: Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC in return for a honest review.  I really enjoyed this book!  The book follows Emma and Dele who are a married couple with an adopted daughter.  They have moved to a new neighborhood and seem to be doing well until they get new neighbors who seem to be too interested in their daughter.  Emma starts to believe that the new neighbor is actually the biological mother of her child.  She becomes paranoid and as time goes on has good reason to believe something is array.  When the truth came out on who was actually the one gaslighting Emma it was a surprise!  In addition, Emma also has a secret that she has tried for many years to hide.  It was a quick read and enjoyable.  I would recommend.

Wow, this is one review that is hard to write. I really wanted to love this book as the plot line is right up my alley and I LOVE the cover too. I am sorry to say this just didn't do it for me. I found myself getting bored by the same thing happening over and over again. We have a female protagonist who is fooled by the most obvious things and seems more concerned with being popular than the safety of her daughter.

The book started out strong  and then quickly falls into mediocrity, nothing happened for a long time and the petty infighting, of the school moms, on FaceBook got on my nerves quite quickly...it was becoming absurd. Do women really treat each other that way nowadays? I thought mothers were worried about bullying?  I didn't connect with any of the characters, so didn't really care what happened to them except for ten year old Isla, she was so precocious...LOVED her! 

This was a very short read at 209 pages as a .PDF so it was easy to get through at least. I have now had three books in a row that were pretty bad so maybe it is me and not the book. I seem to be in the minority of reviewers, so please take my review with a grain of salt. You may enjoy this book, as did many other readers.

Set in the fictional town of Forest Grove, the story centers on Dele and Emma Okoru, the adoptive parents of ten-year old daughter, Isla.  As Emma struggles with insecurities about her personality and mothering abilities, especially as the white mother of a mixed race daughter, these are intensified when the rich, glamorous new couple, architect Lawrence and fashion designer Tatjana Belafonte, move to the village.  Emma is quick to notice that Tatjana, who is black, looks like a matured version of Jade Dixon, the seventeen year old, heroin-addicted girl who gave birth to Isla.  When Tatjana takes a particularly keen interest in Isla and mysterious events start happening that call into question Emma’s character and mothering skills, Emma is firmly convinced that Tatjana is actually Jade returned to take Isla away from her.

The story is told in a dual narrative.  In one there’s the unreliable narrator Emma, who is sharing the daily unfolding of events, as she struggles to fit into the mean girl, catty mom culture of Forest Grove, where her every action is handled by the judge and jury panel of ladies who are members of the Mums of Forest Grove Facebook Group, which Emma doesn’t belong to.  We also find out she has a hidden, mysterious past that she fears could threaten her custody of Isla, were it to come to light.  In the other narrative, we have a series of inner monologue style “letters” to Isla, where someone clearly intent on getting Isla back unfolds their plan, while disparaging Isla’s “fake” parents.  Each effort to undermine Emma is explained in a birds-eye view by this person, creating the unsettling feeling of how far they might go to get what they want, as the story shows them upping the ante with each new action against her.

The story does an excellent job of creating the dynamic tension between characters and displaying the fickle allegiances of various members of the community, especially the ladies. Those women are simultaneously awful and awesome.  It was well-paced, suspenseful, and the main characters, at least, felt fully formed.  The plot was intriguing, and the story did a great job of showing Emma’s isolation in her increasing desperation to prove her theory to her loving, but skeptical husband and others, that Tatjana really is Jade and that she really is plotting against her.  There were two fantastic twists that I didn’t see coming at all - and both really elevated the story for me. 

One minor issue that was mildly irritating is Buchanan’s borderline comical overuse of exclamation points.  Really - the majority of them weren’t necessary and gave the writing a more amateurish feel than it should have had.  Oh … and this particular gem of writing:

“The large window looking towards the garden was smashed, glass shattered on the carpet, the blinds covering the window tangled and broken.  Lying among the glass was a boulder from the rockery outside.

Somebody must have thrown it through the window!”

Barring a rock sprouting wings, I’m fairly certain that could have been deduced without need of telling me, but hey … to each their own.

All in all, I had a lot of fun with this one and enjoyed it thoroughly!

★★★★ 

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.  #CircleofDoubt #NetGalley

Thought this started off slow and was repetitive. But as I got further into the book it had more oomph to it. Ended up having a great twist I didnt see coming. Overall was a good book.

Thanks to the Author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Already feeling like a bit of an outsider in her own community of Forest Grove, Emma begins to doubt herself more with the arrival of glamorous Tatjana and her family.  And even though it would be nearly impossible, she can't help thinking how much Tatjana looks like Emma's own adopted daughter, Isla, who she saved from a terrible home life as a young child.  Emma's husband, Dele, thinks it's just her self-consciousness causing her to make this comparison, but the more she gets to know Tatjana, the more she can't stop thinking about it.  

Why else would Tatjana gives Isla so much extra attention?  And all those subtle shots she takes at Emma - making her seem like an uncapable, forgetful mother who works too much.  Emma knows she's not imagining that!  And of course the gossipy school mom clique fawned over Tatjana from the get-go and take any opportunity they can to make Emma feel inferior.  Could Tatjana be setting the stage to move in and take Emma's place as Isla's true mother?   Emma's determined to dig into Tatjana's past, if only to alleviate her concerns and settle the matter once and for all.  At least, that was the plan...

Just when you think that you know where the story is going, it takes a turn you won't see coming.  I knew it couldn't be as straightforward as it seemed, and I wasn't disappointed!   The seemingly idyllic community of Forest Grove holds many secrets and you'll find yourself racing through the pages trying to uncover each one.

In the first chapter I though, Oh No!, and then I went along and enjoyed this intense journey.  I was definitely pulled into the story immediately.  This is the second book in the Forest Grove series taking place in a “picture perfect” village.  Of course everything is not what it seems, and that is true in this community.

Full of tension and doubt, this is a fantastic getaway from normal life.  The author talks about writing this book during the Covid pandemic.  I read it while the world is still in the pandemic and it definitely took my mind off what the world is facing.  I was focused on the Forest Grove village and what would be the outcome of the situation occurring there.  I think the author did an amazing job creating this plot.  The characters were believable and flawed, which makes them real to me.

I read the first book, Wall of Silence, in this series and do think it is good to have the background knowledge of the village before reading Circle of Doubt, but each book can be read independently and enjoyed fully.  In addition, I want to add that I love the book cover!

I want to thank NetGalley and  Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is done freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

To start, I love the cover of the book. The colour is pleasing and the circle of thorns is very fitting.

The title, Circle of Doubt, really describes my feelings about the book. As I was reading it I had my doubts that I would be able to give a positive review. 

The story is about a young biracial couple moving into a “perfect” community with their adopted daughter. Right from the beginning, the mother had trouble fitting in with all the “perfect” mothers. Then strange things started happening, making her doubt her sanity. She thought that someone was trying to make her look like a bad mother. They were.

In today's reading world, there is a glut on the market of psychological thrillers. In order to stand out from the others, there has to be a unique aspect to the characters or storyline. The story just did not have these aspects.

I could not identify with the main characters, they seemed very insipid. The “perfect” mothers of the community were just plain bitchy. They followed their leader all the way. I don't need characters or a storyline that is realistic because I read to be entertained. I can't even figure out if they were realistic or not, I found them annoying. This was just a struggle.

Then, around the 70% mark of the book, the twists and turns started and it really did get interesting. The things that happened really did surprise me and I found some redemption in the rest of the book. I finished reading the book on an up note but it took me too long to get there.

I see that there are many positive reviews for Circle of Doubt. Perhaps it was just the wrong time and place for me to read this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of the book.

Really enjoyed this book. It’s based on your own doubts and the way that you can take one thing one way and turn it into a spiral or circle or doubt which is the best way to describe this book.

A disclosure in the first chapter and I was convinced I knew where this was going. Nope, not even close.  This story was a plethora of strained situations: family dynamics, a 10 year old that was a little too sweet and understanding, neighborhood gossips (and how easily THOSE heads were turned), revenge, mental health, marriage issues, maternal love……..it had it all. The big “aha” moment in the book was then followed by another one making for a real page turner. My only letdown was that I felt the final chapter was wrapped up too tightly with a bow for all the excitement that preceded it.

Emma and Dele’s dreams came true nine years ago when they adopted their daughter, Isla. It felt like fate, like they were meant to find each other, and now they’re living the life they always wanted. But then one day a new family moves into Forest Grove—and Emma can’t shake the chilling feeling that the wife looks just like Isla’s birth mother. Emma tells herself that this sophisticated stranger can’t possibly be the troubled woman she remembers from the adoption. But as they get to know each other and it becomes clear that Tatjana has a special interest in Isla, her suspicions grow. When small things start to go wrong and her parenting abilities are brought into question, Emma feels undermined, turning to her sister Harriet for support. But things only spiral further when secrets from her past suddenly resurface. With rumours swirling, Emma begins to doubt herself. Could Tatjana be Isla’s birth mother? And, with everything that’s happening, is Emma the right person to be raising her daughter at all? 

This is Buchanan's second book set in Forest Grove and was an aspect I was really excited about. Forest Grove is the perfect setting for a thriller; stunning from the outside but with deadly secrets lurking within its midst. Plus a returning setting means returning characters which is always a bonus. 

Back to this read and Buchanan has written a secretive, twisting read that will have you hooked. I was engrossed in this very early on and in particular I enjoyed how this was written. We have our regular chapters and then chapters set in another's perspective that slowly hints at the truth, plus chapters featuring Forest Grove's Facebook page which provides the reader with an insight to the characters mindset. This read is full of twists but more than this, it is a very secretive read. The book is all about the characters having secrets and Buchanan hints at these throughout and then slowly reveals them. Some are more shocking than others but all of them have a place and all inject more excitement to the read. 

I have touched on the characters already but I just love this set of characters. Buchanan has created an array of quirky characters and they all bring something to the read. They have their eccentricities but they have their secrets too and it is these secrets that will prove to be important. 

I just loved reading 'Circle of Doubt', the setting is perfect, the atmosphere intense and the characters are in possession of dark secrets that will soon out themselves causing shockwaves through this idyllic, claustrophobic setting. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy.

I'm a big fan of this author and have read all her books. This one was good too. I was a little confused as the setting and some characters are the same from Wall of Silence, not sure if that was intentional? But it doesn't matter. The plot was tense from the start, the connection between Emma, Dele and Isla was warming, and the mystery was exciting. I did figure out a couple of the twists early on, but they were pulled off in a way that was satisfying. A good read overall.

I enjoyed this book. Once the identify of the narration directed at Isla was revealed the story picked up. There were a lot of issues packed in one and they could have been better developed and revealed in the story. I thought that the ending was good.

Tracy Buchanan has crafted an outstanding domestic thriller that relies heavily on its characters. Focussed on interpersonal relationships, ‘Circle of Doubt,’ to be published January 5, 2021, explores the potential for evil in a seemingly perfect neighbourhood. It is a richly layered and utterly immersive read. 

Emma and Dele Okoru, a biracial couple, adopt a beautiful little girl and move to fictional Forest Grove to start family life in an idyllic location. This picturesque village is on the edge of a forest and the families who live there embrace nature, walk their children to school, have stay-at-home moms and are heavily involved in the community. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? That’s just on the surface. Just one look at Mums Of Forest Grove Facebook Group will confirm your doubts. Everyone looks perfect, but the snarky and petty comments left on the feed show the residents’ true colours. The Okorus have their share of skeletons in the closet, but they are united in their focus of providing their daughter Isla with the best childhood. As soon as Emma meets the other neighbours at school pick up, her insecurities about her capability of mothering Isla start to surface. These insecurities are compounded as soon as the new neighbours move in and the wife looks disturbingly similar to Isla’s birth mom. 

Tatiana and Lawrence Belafonte, another biracial couple, are the dream team of Forest Grove. Everyone envies and aspires to be the Belafontes. Not only do they have a to-die-for new home, luxury vehicles, fashion-forward apparel and a big bank account, but they also seem like the perfect match. In fact, it’s Tatiana’s ‘too perfect’ persona that repels Emma and ignites her deep dive into her neighbour’s past.  Tatiana’s perfection, both in-person and online, is just what struggling mothers don’t need - more strain to add to the already heavy load of community pressure. 

What a deliciously wicked read! I absolutely loved this gripping thriller and devoured it in one sitting. The idea of a perfect family fascinates us even when we know, at some level, that there’s no such thing. Tracy Buchanan explores this issue as she exposes the stresses society puts on mothers to be perfect. It was made ‘next level’ fantastic with the addition of the Facebook posts and the stalker’s perspective. They added to the characterization and plotline because readers could get a glimpse of each neighbour’s true character and they give readers a feel for the vibe of the community. One particular post had me giggling; Dele was described as “living in hipster-snowflake hell.” In addition to interpersonal relationships clouded by feelings of inadequacy, Buchanan also highlights how grief affects us and what coping mechanisms we employ to allow us to walk through the trauma. How refreshing for a five star read to have no guts, gore, sex or profanity! I love Buchanan’s writing style. She has the ability to insert unexpected twists and turns into her writing, producing a binge-worthy read. This may be my first introduction to Buchanan, but I’m definitely going to read book 1 in the Forest Grove series and put her on my ‘go-to’ list. 

Thank you Tracy Buchanan, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.  This book started out creepy and menacing. Then it switches to a normal family trying to get ready to start the day. The book alternated between the creepy, menacing chapters and the more "normal" chapters.  I felt Isla sounded to grown up for only being 10.   Dele was such a minor character I don't really know what to say about him.. The  book was well-written and  thought the "Facebook" transcripts  seemed very real and typically bitchy. There were so many characters it was hard for me to keep everyone straight. Emma to me was kind of pathetic. The reveal completely surprised me.  The ending/epilogue was a little to pat for me.

Emma, Dele, and their daughter Isla move to a small town.  Emma is already struggling to fit in when a new family moves in, and the wife, Tatjana, alienates Emma even further.  Isla is adopted and Emma feels that the Tatjana looks like Isla's birth mother and even scarier, seems to take a special interest in Isla while shutting Emma out.  The story is primarily narrated by Emma, with chapters thrown in from an unknown sinister voice.

This book seemed pretty straightforward to me for much of it and I was wondering if that was all there was.  However, the author starts throwing some interesting twists out in the 2nd half of the book and there are definitely some surprises.  I was completely caught off guard by one of the twists in the latter part of the book. 

I thought Emma's lack of confidence and the extreme bitchiness of the other moms got pretty old, but both of these areas improved as the book continued.  I also thought that the ending tied things up just a little too neatly to seem plausible, though I appreciated the sentiment.

Overall, a decent read that mixes mystery with questions around family bonds.  I think it was worth the read even though it wasn't my favorite.  Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read, enjoyed it thoroughly, great storyline and loads of twists and turns , highly recommend this book x

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Circle of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan.

Emma and Dele have everything they could ask for after adopting their daughter Isla nine years before.  They knew she was coming from an unsafe parentage, but now they could give her all of the love and security she would ever need.  

But everything gets shaken up when a new family moves into the neighborhood, and while the mother of the family is posh, popular and well liked, Emma senses something familiar about her.  Not only that, but Emma has noticed small things going wrong in her life, mix ups in communication, and even her own daughter turning against her.  Is this Isla's birth mother, coming back from the past?  

Overall a decent story, it was just a bit over-the-top dramatics.  I struggle to think that after even a fraction of what had happened, would ever bring any of those families to share a similar space ever again.  The characters all felt like campy cartoon character versions of themselves, and the villain of the story was a bit too "mustache twirly" for me.

Intense from the beginning with someone lurking outside the home of a family and looking at their child through the window. The question is who is it? 
I enjoyed how the chaptwrs were split into the different character perspectives; one being from Isla's adoptive parent Emma and one being from her birth parent who wants her back. The ending was great- no loose ends and it didn't feel rushed as sometimes thrillers can be. Solid 4 stars from me. If you enjoyed Dorothy Koomson's novel 'The Friend' you will enjoy this.

Really enjoyed this book, plenty of twists and turns, had my gripped till the end. Definitely worth a read!

Circle of Doubt had everything I love about a mystery/thriller: a self-doubting heroine with a tragic secret, a creepy setting in the dark and stormy woods, an unlikely villain, and the perfect bombshell twists and turns I truly did not see coming!

Tracy Buchanan’s Circle of Doubt introduces us to Emma Okoro, a working mom who is struggling to fit in with the moms of their small, Stepford-esque community in English suburbia. When a new family moves into town, revealing strange connections to Emma’s adopted daughter, Isla, secrets from Emma’s past begin to surface, threatening her family and her identity as a mother. 

The book started off a little rocky and took a couple of chapters for me to become interested in the plot and characters, but I’m really glad I stuck with it because things started picking up and eventually I didn’t want to put it down!

As a mom myself, I loved the central theme of motherhood in this book and how the author shed light on the internal struggles and insecurities moms deal with on top of all the external judgements and scrutiny. It really helped me relate to Emma and appreciate her journey to motherhood and protectiveness over her family. 

I would have given this 5/5 stars, if not for a couple of plot holes and inconsistencies I picked up on. I also thought the single apostrophe quotations were a bit distracting (perhaps a British English grammar thing?), but that wasn’t a deal-breaker. Some parts of the conclusion also came off a little contrived, but I did enjoy the resolution nonetheless. 

Circle of Doubt is definitely one of the better thrillers/mysteries I’ve read this past year! I’d highly recommend it to fans of the genre or to anyone looking for a the next exciting, unputdownable read.

Great book! I was hooked from the start, thank you so much for providing me a copy of this book to read. This is something I would love to purchase.

This gave me chills, I can't imagine how Emma must be feeling knowing that Tatjana could be the birth mother of their adopted daughter. The fear and uncertainty would be devastating and playing mind games with Emma. The book was thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat. Tatjana definitely did have ulterior motives and it just shows you that you never truly know someone no matter what. Emma second guessing herself had my heart breaking for her - she was put in a truly awful position. 

This was an excellent read! Absolutely adored it and would highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Tracy for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an early copy of Circle of Doubt.  What an interesting plot for a book, a wild ride! I absolutely Loved this novel. The characters were so real and it kept my interest throughout the whole book. A nice twist close to the end, one that I did not see coming.  Happy reading, you will NOT be disappointed.

LOVED IT, thanks Sophie for telling me how good it was, you were right!
The only problem I am having is what to say as don’t want to give anything away really, it’s a good book to ‘go in blind’ 
But...what I will say is this...Emma and Dele have a near perfect life in the amazing wooded village of Forest Grove, it is as idyllic as it sounds, except for the playground Mum’s ( all nastily wonderful ) and the bitchy fest Watsapp group they run ( also nastily wonderful ), a new family arrive, they seem VERY OTT and are taking an interest, too much of an interest in Emma and her family, Emma is suspicious of them
but could her mind be playing tricks on her, again
The story is really well told and there are many faucets to it, it’s exciting, quick moving and horrifying yet keeps the dream like status of Forest Grove alive, it’s a clever tale of the past hurtling forward, manipulation and also has a nod to even baddies being redeemable
Once doubt arises, it grows..and grows 
Really, really good and will definitely be reading more from this author

10/10
5 Stars

Circle of Doubt is full of Red Herrings that will keep you guessing who is gaslighting Emma in the small town of Forest Grove.

Emma and her husband have an adopted daughter Isla and she is convinced that one of the Mum's on the school drop off is Isla's birth mother.  

No one believes her, that no one being her husband Dele. 

Strange things start happening and Emma is looking to be not so great a mum after all.

I don't want to say much more as it is better you follow the clues  and see just who Emma can trust if anyone. 

This is my first Tracy Buchanan book but it wont be my last.   Circle of Doubt was a roller coaster read.  

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing for a page turning read.

Circle Of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan is a fantastic book with many unexpected twists and turns. The storyline was fantastic and really appealed to me. I would highly recommend Circle Of Doubt and look forward to reading more by Tracy Buchanan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC.

This book was just ok for me, a 3.5.  It felt very repetitive, variations on the same theme over and over again, then the reveal came and i had figured it out, but managed to not care very much.  felt like formula writing, like so many of this genre, unfortunately since it is my favorite genre

5+ solid shining, glowing stars! Unputdownable and unforgettable! WOW! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time!

Tracy Buchanan certainly knows what readers want, and expertly delivers the best of the best! Once I started Circle of Doubt, I couldn’t put it down! It was so captivating that I held onto every word. I loved the story so much that I was sad when it ended. 

Circle of Doubt is a wickedly wonderful story of love, hate, betrayal and deceit fueled by rumors, revenge and redemption. I was addicted to the plot, hooked by the characters, shocked by the twists, and left speechless by the explosive ending! Circle of Doubt is a thrilling, gripping, suspenseful, and nail biting intense emotional roller coaster ride that you’ll never forget!

I LOVED the inclusion of the Welcome to the Mums of Forest Grove Facebook Group posts and discussion threads! I will never be able to look at any of my Facebook groups the same again! Tracy Buchanan brilliantly exposes the imperfections of the seemingly perfect residents of Forest Grove and proves how easily people can be influenced by their so called “friends” on social media. There are also anonymous thoughts interspersed throughout the book that are directed to the child, Isla. The mystery behind who is having these imaginary conversations with Isla heightens the intrigue and suggests that significant danger is creeping towards Isla and her family.

Emma, her husband Dele, and their daughter Isla have been living in Forest Grove for several months, but in a small town where everybody knows everybody else, Emma still feels like an outsider. Emma and Dele have been truthful with Isla about her being adopted, but since she was so young at the time, she has no memories of her biological parents. They are a close knit family, and even though Isla is happy and well rounded, Emma somewhat wishes that she had the luxury of being a stay at home mom. Not only do working mothers seemed to be looked down on for working in the Forest Grove community, but she loves spending time with Isla. Juggling the demands of work and family is hard!

Many residents of Forest Grove are initially appalled when Lawerence and Tatjana Belafonte and their two sons move into town because they have decided to build their monstrosity of a house in the forest area. Residents of Forest Grove are upset that part of the forest area will have to be cleared to accommodate the Belafonte’s dream home. While Emma is still struggling on the outskirts of the social circles, Tatjana smoothly and quickly fits in with the other mums effortlessly. That isn’t Emma’s only problem with Tatjana though. Tatjana stands out because of her poise, beauty, and elegance, but her strong resemblance to Isla’s birth mother is very disturbing. Tatjana’s immediate and overwhelming attention towards Isla is even more disconcerting, but Emma’s sister, Harriet, is the only person who seems to understand.

Is it possible that Tatjana is using a fake name to cover up her identity as Jade, Isla’s birth mother? Given the appearance of her perfect lifestyle and happy home life, is it possible she’s now in the process of trying to get Isla back? Worse yet, is it possible that a she knows about Emma’s secret? Emma has always known that if anyone found out about her secret that it would destroy her life and her family. The only person who genuinely understands Emma’s problems and fears is her sister, Harriet.

When knowledge of events from the past collide with the present, the results are catastrophic and none of their lives will ever be the same.

Thank you Tracy Buchanan, Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading Circle of Doubt. My feedback is voluntary and expresses my honest opinions. The links below are to my group and page, but I also added the links to the reviews that I posted in other groups where it specifies to add links.

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https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=147631640452009&id=101513968397110

https://m.facebook.com/mustreadfavorites/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/groups/376986410130265/?ref=group_browse

This is the first book I have read by this author but I am keen to read more.  I enjoyed the style of writing and the characterisations.  

It dealt with some very topical issues; adoption, abuse, relationships but not in a ‘preachy’ way.  The descriptions of the school playground parents and trying to fit in were so on point!  

A book which had me turning the pages quickly to discover what exactly was going on and keen to see if I was right.  An excellent read.

Circle of doubt

One word for Circle of Doubt, one word...Fantastic!
Family thriller but done is a totally new way. I’m obsessed with Circle of Doubt!

Was a fan of duel chapters of mother and mother until around halfway point then it starts giving too much of what’s coming up away. 

Great twist, didn’t see coming and left me reeling!

The second of Tracy Buchanan’s book set in the small fictional town of Forest Grove.
I must admit I didn’t click at first that it was set in the same town but I sensed it had the same feel about it. It’s definitely not a book that centres on the characters of the town, it’s solely on the main characters in the book. But she sets up the closed, clicky feel of some small communities very well.

Like the author’s previous novel set in Forest Grove, it did take me quite a while to get into it but once I did, I found it very engrossing and rollicked along to a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

3.5
This really would have been a 4 star read had the writing not really irritated me at the beginning. Maybe this is just my reading quirk but I really loathe the info dumps that you now tend to get at the beginning of these kinds of domestic noir thrillers. I don't need this whole scene-setting, info-dumpy, clumsy way of introducing characters and their backstory. I didn't need to know what Emma did for a job so early on, etc.
There were a couple of clangers in the novel, in my opinion. Why would the parents put an 18-month-old in a cot when they first adopted her? They'd surely buy a toddler bed. Also, Isla was apparently adopted at 18 months, but then that later became two years old. There was a scene where Isla was talking with her mouth full and this was described, for Emma to then say "don't eat with your mouth full." I presume this is a mistake?
And, to end the negatives, why, in these domestic noir thrillers, do people call each other darling all the damn time? I loathe the word. I never hear it in real life, it makes me cringe.
And for the positives ... I got into the novel after a few chapters. I liked the undercurrent of Emma having previously done something terrible, and was fairly surprised when that event was revealed (although I didn't like Harriet's inclusion **no spoilers**)
The Facebook exchanges felt true to life of a small, isolated village with parents all competing for the popular crown at the school gates.
Overall, I liked the suspense and the plot was an interesting one. I will seek out more by this author.
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book did not resonate with me at all. It is rife with red herrings and secrets revealed too late in the story to be useful. Hints are dropped throughout the book, something that became quite annoying.. The book looked like it would be a good read, but for me, it was not. 

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher and author for providing me the ARC. This review is based on my honest opinion only. 

Emma and her husband Dele moved to the Forest Grove with their adopted daughter, Isla. Emma is white and Dele is Black and they experienced a sort of racism when they moved into their house, starting with someone smashing their house window.. Then another rich family, Tatjana and Lawrence move into Forest Grove as well and Emma couldn't help but notice how similar Tatjana looks to Isla's biological mother, Jade. Then someone starts spreading vicious rumor about Emma and the whole mother's club turn against Emma--and one of them who seems to be Isla's biological parents would do anything to get Isla back by destroying Emma.

At first, the story sounded interesting. The writing was good and engaging. However, this was not a fast paced thriller as you would expect and also a bit predictable as who this mysterious person, who is targeting Emma could be. The ending was good though nothing new about the ending.

Overall, it was an OK thriller--worth four stars!

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Circle Of Doubt’ by Tracy Buchanan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Emma and Dele live in Forest Grove with ten-year-old adopted daughter Isla.  When Tatjana and Laurence move into the new house nearby Emma’s surprised at how Tatjana resembles Isla.  The more she thinks about it the more convinced she becomes that Tatjana is in fact her daughter’s birth mother, especially as the woman seems obsessed with watching every move she makes.  When small things start going wrong Emma doubts her ability to be a good mother and worries that a secret she’s kept for years, not even telling Dele, could result in Isla being taken away from her.  

‘Circle Of Doubt’ is an engaging novel and the thoughtless comments made on the Mums of Forest Grove Facebook Group added to the story, but I found it a bit slow to get going and struggled to get involved until halfway through.  The plot was different, the characters interesting and despite wanting to like Emma I just wanted her yell at her to have faith in herself.  Although not the best novel I’ve come across it was okay and worth reading.

In Circle of Doubt we return to Forest Grove where we meet new family Dele and Emma Okuru and their adopted daughter Isla. 
Emma is a working mother, frowned upon by long standing Forest Grove residents and has struggled to settle in. 
We also meet another new family to the area, glamorous Tatjana and Lawrence Belafont, who are welcomed by everyone. 
Emma begins to feel as if everything she does is wrong and everyone hates her. Is this all in her head or is someone behind the things that keep happening.
Why is Tatjana so taken by Isla? What secrets is Emma hiding? Who is out to expose them?
Told from Emma’s perspective as things go wrong and her family seems to be falling apart and from a mysterious other who we soon discover is behind the things that are happening.
Also interjected with social media posts from residents of the Grove as they speculate on the things happening in their perfect village..
The tension between the characters, the fickle villagers and the development within the story is well paced, full of suspense and intrigue as the story reaches its conclusions and secrets are revealed..

Emma and dele live a happy family life in Forest Grove with their adopted daughter Isla. Emma is a busy working mum and sometimes can't believe her luck of having Isla in their life.
One morning there window is unexpectedly smashed by a brick. Shocked, they must put it down to random thugs. However Emmà becomes increasingly nervous after a new, apparently affluent family, move into the village. Tatjana, is a stay at home mum, but appears to be taking an unusual interest in Isla. Emma's concerns raise as she becomes increasingly concerned that Tatiana is in fact Jade, Isla s birth mother.

This book has many twists and turns and was an extremely easy read. Had me drawn in with twists along the way.

Highly recommend.

This is a story about mistaken identities and mistaken suspicions. The protagonist suspects that her adopted daughter's birth mother has moved into town with the purpose of gaining her child's affections and loyalty. The reader is also led to believe this through the use of journal entries, ostensibly written by the birth mother. The story takes a darker turn when the true identity of the writer is revealed to the reader but not the protagonist, and from there on I thought it felt like a long and torturous journey waiting for the protagonist to find out what I already knew. 

Subplots involved feeling unwelcome in a community of self-righteous stay-at-home moms, a past hidden trauma that isn't revealed until the very end of the book and looming mental breakdowns by several of the characters. 

It was well-written with good character development, just not one of my favorite stories.

I enjoyed this twisty book and want to thank Amazon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review it. Emma and Dele move into the idealic village with their adoptive daughter Isla whe they meet their neighbour who happens to look very like Isa's birth mother. Is Emma paranoid or is it true. Sub plots are very clever throughout the book and I found I enjoyed it. The book was a very good follow on from Wall of Silence.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I love this authors books and read her last one in lockdown which was set in the same place as this one.

I raced through this, its intriguing and unpredictable. I am adopted so i could relate to elements of the plot. A exploration of what makes a good parent and who gets to make that call?

Great mix of characters though who can be trusted?

Additive reading and compelling twists and turns. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend.

Published 5th January

Having loved Wall of Silence, Tracy Buchanan's book set in the town of Forest Grove, I was really looking forward to reading Circle of Doubt, especially when I found out it would be the second book set in the fictional town. Many thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Circle of Doubt centers on interracial couple, Dele and Emma Okuru, and their adopted daughter, Isla. They live in the town of Forest Grove, having moved there seven months ago. Working full time, Emma feels out of place next to all the other stay-at-home school "mums" in the tight knit community. 

When the new Belafont family moves to town everyone is in awe. Tatjana and Lawrence (another interracial couple) are wealthy and glamorous. When Emma first meets Tatjana, she's relieved and overjoyed that Tatjana seems to want to be her friend. Though she does find it a little odd how much attention she gives Emma's daughter Isla. 

Then things start to fall apart for Emma. She forgets about permission slips. She screws up at work. Tatjana starts giving her the cold shoulder, though she still spends a lot of time with Isla. So Emma begins to wonder... is Tatjana's resemblance to Isla's birth mother, Jade, more than just a resemblance? If she is Jade, does she know about Emma's past? If she does, Emma will surely lose Isla for good. 

I'll be honest. I didn't enjoy this book as much as Wall of Silence. The plot and characters seemed similar to so many other books. When I read something in this genre, I usually like it to be different or new or fresh in some way, because there's just too many psychological thrillers out there and not enough time to read them all unfortunately. I also just did not like the character of Emma. All she seemed to do was whine all the time! 

I did like the short Mums of Forest Grove Facebook Group chapters. I've seen this kinda thing in a few other books. I think it adds a lot in terms of backstory and character development. I also appreciated the fact that both couples were in interracial marriages. It shows real life to an extent. 

I would rate this book 2.5 - 3 stars. This one just wasn't for me. I would read another book from Tracy Buchanan. I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers and suspense.

When Emma and Dele and their daughter Isla move to bucolic Forest Grove, they plan to have a peaceful life in the country away from London. However Emma, shy by nature and haunted by her sister’s death, finds it difficult to make friends and is intimidated by the cliquey mothers she meets at Isla’s school. Enter Tatjana Belafonte. Tall, gorgeous, confidant, she’s a fashion designer and a former model. She and her architect husband Lawrence are building a mega mansion in Forest Grove. Everyone wants to be her friend but Tatjana singles Emma out.
Emma and Isla. Especially Isla. 

This becomes a problem for Emma. Isla is adopted and Emma is convinced Tatjana is really Jade, the birth mother. She retreats more into herself, afraid to share her worries even with Dele. As her obsession grows, she looks everywhere for proof. When she discovers the truth, it’s almost too late.

What a thriller! Circle of Doubt is full of suspense and surprises! The added narration by the Mums of Forest Grove Facebook Group is especially entertaining. This is a quick, exciting read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Tracy Buchanan for this ARC.

Circle of Doubt by Tracy Buchanan is a thriller with a couple of shocking twists.  Emma and Dele adopted their daughter Isla nine years ago.  Everything was great until they moved to Forest Grove and strange things started happening.  Is Isla's birth mother their new neighbor?  Emma starts questioning everything, even herself.  This book was well-written, but I guessed the twists pretty early on.  Also, I found some of the talk about Isla to be rather creepy and over-the-top at times.  Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy.  All opinions are my own.

This is a good read with a few shocks in the plot. I didn’t warm to any of the characters. I don’t know if the author did this deliberately or not. I also feel that it was predictable in a few places. 

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

Last year, with everything else going on, my reading suffered. I struggled to get into a lot of the books I picked up, even by authors I love and genres that had previously drawn me in left me cold. It was, then, with some trepidation that I started Circle of Doubt, even though I had really enjoyed my last Tracy Buchanan book, Wall of Silence.

Turns out I needn’t have worried. In fact, Tracy Buchanan may just be my lucky charm because, for the first time in forever (sorry for those now signing songs from Frozen), I found myself really enjoying what I was reading – so much so, I basically didn’t put it down until I had finished it. I really couldn’t have asked for a better way to end 2020 (and hopefully start 2021!).

Why did I like it so much? The story mainly, which is actually liked to one of my biggest fears as an adoptive parent, that somehow I will be challenged in my role as a parent. It’s a fear many adoptive parents have and, while the tension is ramped up here to a point I don’t think I’d ever face, there is a realism to it that suggests Buchanan did her research, which I appreciate as a reader.

I also liked the characters, especially Emma (and not just because of her name 😄). She is just the right side of stressed and anxious. The school moms are a bit more stereotypical but I have to say that – having moved to a new area myself – still believable. The only slight downside I’d Dele who I couldn’t get a handle on and I didn’t like how he didn’t side with Emma from the start. That, though, is a slight niggle in what is a great book and one I would highly recommend.

Circle of Doubt is the first book I have read by Tracy Buchanan and she had me glued to my Kindle with all the tension and twists and turns in Forest Grove. As soon as I realised there was another book which was set in the same place (Wall of Silence), I had to buy it as from the first chapter of this book I was fully engrossed and made every excuse to sit and read all day. Forest Grove is home to a bitchy community with plenty of animosity and backstabbing and where rumours spread like wildfire. This made for such a fun read with plenty of drama and unpredictability. 

Emma, Dele and their adopted ten-year-old daughter Isla are on surface the perfect little family. But the arrival of a new family in Forest Grove sends Emma’s suspicions into overdrive. There is just something about Tatjana Belafonte that unsettles Emma. From the way she looks just like Isla’s birth mother to the uncomfortable pace she seems to grow attached to Isla at, Emma simply cannot trust her and does her best to find out just who Tatjana really is. 

Along the way, Emma’s obsession sees her doubting herself and as Tatjana grows ever-present in her life, cracks soon begin to form within Emma’s perfect little family. I loved the intrigue behind many of the characters in this book. From the main characters to the mean girl vibes the school mums gave off, there were so many people I had my doubts about and couldn’t trust and this contributed perfectly to the unease throughout. I’d love to see Tracy Buchanan explore more of these characters in future books as there were hints at their lives and personalities during this book but there is obviously room for much more development in future books I hope. 

Circle of Doubt is definitely a book much better to be read than discussed in a review, as its fast pace means there is too much to spoil by talking about it and the book is really worth reading for yourself. I will say that the way Emma narrates her side of the story is so believable that I felt like I had it all figured out very early on but the story became more suspenseful with every chapter and later on in the book I was second guessing myself and enjoying every little revelation because for the most part I didn’t see them coming. 

I obsessed over this book and raced through it, only stopping for the odd what just happened break to take it all in. It was truly gripping and I am definitely looking forward to going back and reading the first book so I can continue my fix of Forest Grove.

The book was good, but at the same time, it was the same rehashed plot. A small happy family with Emma, Dele and daughter Isla, then new neighbors moved in. The only issue was the woman looked like her adopted daughter’s mother. This raised Emma’s suspicions, especially when strange things too started happening. Sounded familiar?

I went into this book with low expectations as I knew author Tracy Buchanan’s books could go either way for me. The story was exciting in the beginning, then slowly dragged on. I never understood why the husbands of the main characters never believe them when they present their fears. Everything is shoved as paranoia with some past mental illness quoted. Grow up. There is something known as a woman’s instincts.

Here too, I wanted to whack Dele when he refused to believe his wife even when she presented him with proof. I liked Emma in places when she became proactive with the support of her sister.

Facebook groups and messages were highlighted as there were many catty and bitchy neighbors of the two-legged kind who wrote awful things about Emma based on rumors. I knew these things existed as I had been on the other end of the bias. Those felt realistic.

The story had the POV of a silent hidden spectator who spoke about Isla’s past before she was adopted, and it was absolute fun to try to guess that person. As the story progressed, there were a couple of twists that were different than the other thrillers. That made the book interesting.

Overall, I would say it was a good book.

The second novel from Tracy Buchanan set in the fictional Forest Grove. This time the storyline is about adoption. Dele and Emma move with their ten year old daughter Isla to Forest Grove from London for a safer lifestyle but Emma has a hard time settling in and making friends with the other mothers at the local school. When another couple Lawrence and Tatjana move into the village strange things begin to happen to Emma. Also Emma notices that Tatjana looks like Islas birth mother Jade which doesn’t help her feelings of inadequacy. As in the first book the local Facebook group is quick to gossip about Emma and tension builds between the main characters with some very surprising turns along the way. There were some situations throughout that I found hard to believe but on balance I did enjoy the book and it did keep me guessing to the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my reviews. I enjoyed reading Wall of Silence and this was also a good read. There are many twists and turns throughout the book. It was very clever how the writer steered you in one direction and it was a completely different direction.

Circle of Doubt is about a young biracial couple who move to a small, "perfect," forest town with their elementary-aged daughter, who they adopted as a baby. The mother, Emma, has a hard time making friends + fitting in with the "perfect" stay-at-home moms at her daughter's school, and her world is rocked when a new family moves to town and the mother looks eerily familiar.

A solid read with twists and turns I didn't see coming! It seemed predictable until the 70% point, but then things got very interesting and I liked the end of the book.

Such a great book!  Circle of Doubt turned out to be, truly, a circle of doubt.   Just when you thought you new what was going on, there was a twist that pulled you in another direction!   A young family living in a new town has their lives rattled when another young family moves in down the road and a connection is sensed.  It turns out it is not at all what you expect.  

Despite the various twists and turns, the book flowed well.  The surprises didn't feel forced like they sometimes can--I was genuinely surprised several times during reading, which doesn't often happen to me.  

I definitely recommend this book if you like twisty psychological thrillers.    Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Publication Week! ( Jan. 5th) 

This book was phenomenal! I think my thriller-loving heart will keep this one with me for a long time. 

I read this in one day, because I just couldn’t put it down. I HAD to know what was going on!

“ ...I can’t tell you how frustrating it’s been to only be able to grasp at small pieces of you, when I ought to have you as a whole.”

Emma and Dele Okoro adopted Isla when she was almost two years old. She had a rough start at life after spending her first year with her mother who was addicted to drugs, followed by 6 months in foster care. 

Emma, a social media consultant and Adele, a book store manager were able to give young Isla the comfortable and loving home that she so desperately needed in Forest Grove. A place that is “Home to Strong Branches and Deep Roots” and known as the “ Utopia of the woods.” 

The people in this town, mothers especially, can be a bit snobby and Emma has found it hard to fit in , that is until she meets the new girl in town, a fashionista named TatJana “Tat” who extends an olive branch. A fashion designer is all Isla has ever wanted to be when she grows up, so she immediately takes a liking to her as well.

Tat and her architect husband,Lawrence Belafonte, are the ones that everyone’s been gossiping about. They are the family employing the gigantic red crane that is tearing apart the forest to lay down their newly constructed mansion. 

The only problem with the friendship is that Tat looks JUST like Isla’s birth mother Jade Dixon and Emma begins to panic. How can’t her husband see this uncanny resemblance? TatJana is everything that Jade could have been if she had gotten her act together, and nine years later she very well could have.

This novel contains dual perspectives, one person who desperately wants Isla back, and another who is determined to keep her...and some of the threats get GOOD.

“What if i strode over to her right now and picked that log up by her feet and smashed her head in?”

“ ...Game over for your pretend parents.”

But, Emma’s past isn’t as perfect as it may seem, for she’s holding onto a debilitating secret— one that could cause her to lose her daughter.

A jaw-dropping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This one had a twist that I didn’t see coming at all, and one that I figured out only minutes before, and that’s really saying something!

Tracy Buchanan—You got me! I can’t wait to read more of your work.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing & Tracy Buchanan for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5 for Goodreads.

Spoilers below—BEWARE:

I didn’t give this book a full five stars because there were a few circumstances that I thought were a bit far-fetched, such as Emma not knowing that the drink was spiked at the Halloween party—she definitely would’ve tasted rum and vodka. Also, Emma not even using the bathroom after claiming to have been looking for it when she was caught in the Belafonte’s bedroom. It also bothered me that it mentioned that black people were hard to tell apart a few times in the story.

I love domestic thrillers and this one is as good as they get!  Emma and Dele thought their world was complete when they adopted their beautiful daughter. Isla.  When a new family moves into the neighborhood and Emma thinks the lady looks  like Isla's birth mother she tells herself that she is just being paranoid.  But when odd things start happening she doesn't know what to believe.  This is a great story with realistic characters and lots of twists and turns throughout.  The ending is a big surprise and one you won't see coming.  

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this incredible arc for my honest review.

Thank you @ netgalley and @amazonpublishing UK for the early copy in exchange for my honest review. This was such an entertaining read!

Emma and Dele form a lovely little family with their adopted daughter Isla. She is their everything. 
When they move from London to the small and scenic town of Forest Grove, it doesn't take Isla long to make friends at school. Unfortunately that doesn't count for her mother Emma. The fact that she is a working mother does not fit well with the other mums at the school yard who love to gossip and judge. Emma has always been insecure and is struggling to cope with all the prejudice around her. When a new family moves into town, Emma is startled to see that the woman shows a great resemblance to Isla's birth mother. And when the family shows a huge interest in Isla as well, Emma feels she's getting paranoid. But is she really or is something more sinister going on...

Loved the storyline. It's surprising and kept me guessing throughout. I flew through the pages and sympathized with the main character. 
Looking forward to read more from this author.

This was my first thriller of the year and it was a great one! For the first 60% of the book, I thought I had it figured out and was starting to feel disappointed that it was so obvious...and then I was shocked at a twist that I had not seen coming. That to me is what makes a great thriller.

The book is told in dual perspectives, that of the main character, Emma, with snippets told from an unknown and dark perspective. The focus of the book is on a mother's insecurities - highlighted by the awful and tedious "mommy circle" of a small community. Personally, I could relate to Emma's feelings of dealing with the feelings of not quite fitting in to the "mommy circle" at school drop offs and pick ups, as I was that mom myself. 

The judgments and pressures placed on young moms is something that just struck a chord for me, and the resulting second-guessing of ourselves that can come with that. 

This is the story of a mom of an adopted daughter, juggling her love for her child and her fears that the child's biological parents may try to use her past against her. I won't say any more about the plot itself, as I do not want to give anything away, but trust me when I say that you may think you have it figured out but you probably don't. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I will definitely be reading more of this author's works.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Emma and her husband, Dele move to a new neighborhood with their daughter, Isla. When a new neighbor moves in who looks exactly like Isla's birth mother, things get creepy. I just didn't enjoy and did not finish it. I thought the Facebook conversations were annoying and didn't need to be in the book at all.

This is a very good story with lots of twists, some of them being totally unexpected. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it

Isla is the adopted child of Emma and Dele. They live together in an wonderful small town. Emma struggles to fit in with the other moms at Isla’s school, while Isla has no troubles making friends.  When a new family moves to the town, it turns their lives upside down. There are several twists to this story. It was a good read!