A Good Enough Mother

by Sheila Norton

Mia is telling me a story. It’s about a princess, who lives in a castle, on a street that bears a remarkable resemblance to ours. About a kind old lady who’s the queen. I’m distracted for a moment by her little hand softly slipping into mine. My daughter. My angel.

But then she says something that pulls me from my reverie. She says that the queen doesn’t treat the princess well. She punishes her and doesn’t let her eat anything…

Helen, my neighbour, has been so good to me. And more importantly, she’s so good with the children. Surely this is just another story of Mia’s, just make believe.

Because if it’s not, maybe my dad was right all I was never good enough to be a mother, and I’ve let my precious children down in the worst way possible.

A heartbreaking and uplifting story about the choices a mother makes for the sake of her children, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Emma Robinson and Kate Hewitt.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2024

About the author

Winner of the RoNAs 'Christmas and Winter Seasonal Award' novel, 2022, with 'Winter at Cliff's End Cottage'.

I live in Chelmsford, UK, with my husband Alan. We have three married daughters and six grandchildren. I've been writing ever since I was a little girl, and finally achieved my lifelong ambition to have a novel published, with the acceptance in 2002 of 'The Trouble With Ally'. Prior to this, I'd been having short stories published in women's magazines for about ten years.

My most recent books are stories set in the English county of Devon, and most include pets in the story! They are feel-good contemporary fiction.

I worked for most of my life as a medical secretary. I now write full-time. I like to relax by reading, walking,swimming, and seeing my family and friends.

I am passionate about my writing and love to hear from my readers. I am also happy to give talks to writers' groups and others, and book signings, in my local area.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this one even when I was frustrated with some of the characters throughout the story, we meet single Mum of two, Jess as she navigates life and work and doing the best for her beautiful children Mia and Archie.

Jess, lost her mum when she was fourteen and this was so hard for her, especially when her father was grieving so much and at seventeen Jess went off the rails and found herself falling for the wrong guy and pregnant this caused a big rift between father and daughter and when pregnant with her second child she knew she had to leave. A new address a new life and all seems well.

When new neighbours, Helen and Robert move into the building and Jess is struggling with work, school and nursey but when they offer to help mind the kids, Jess takes a chance but soon she is worried if she has made the right decision when Mia is telling stories about being punished and seeing her estranged father Jess gets even more worried, are Helen and Robert up to something are her kids safe and what’s more is she a good enough mother?

This is a very good story with lots of twists, I really liked Jess after all she had been through, worry about being a good mother to stay strong for her children, I do highly recommend this one it will have any reader turning the pages.

My thanks to the publisher Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of A Good Enough Mother by Sheila Norton. I enjoyed this book a lot. It is about the choices a mother makes when raising her children. She always tries to do what is best for the children but sometimes the choices she needs to make are not on a clear path. The story includes an estranged parent and an abusive relationship, and lies all around. The book shares realistic struggles of a single parent and there are many joyful moments as well. I would definitely recommend this book. I gave it a 5 star rating!

[Michele Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book based on the positive reviews I read, but ultimately, I found it disappointing and stopped halfway through and read more reviews to see if I was missing something. I found more positive reviews and decided to forge ahead. Despite the initial promise, the story never seemed to gain momentum.

The main character is portrayed as neurotic and constantly whining, struggling to handle life's challenges. While it's clear that parenting, especially as a single parent, is tough, the author overemphasizes this point. Instead of setting the stage and moving on, the character repeatedly dwells on it, filling the narrative with endless complaints and mundane details about everyday tasks.

The protagonist's insecurity is another major issue. The author delves into every minor decision she makes, resulting in an excessive amount of detail that detracts from the story's flow. The build-up to the supposed suspense is painfully slow, and by the time the big reveal comes, I was too disinterested to care.

Additionally, the resolution of the main character's fraught relationship with her father felt overly simplistic and unrealistic. One moment they are estranged, and the next, he is the perfect grandfather who miraculously resolves all her problems. This fairy tale ending did not ring true and only added to my overall disappointment.

None of the characters were well developed, nor was the storyline. If you are looking for a simple read, this might be it.

[Margaret John · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring and unrealistic

I couldn’t get through this book. It feels like it was written by AI.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess has a lot on her plate. The single mother of two young children she is often harried and overwhelmed. A godsend seems to have been delivered when her downstairs neighbors take an active interest in her and her children providing childcare and support.
Much of the novel is Jess second guessing herself and wondering if Mia’ stories are just tall tales. I thought it was admirable and correct of Jess to follow up on some of the stories but she also seemed very neurotic.
I liked how Jess grew in confidence and wasn’t surprised at the root of the all I’d the stories.
Jess has a much more forgiving heart than I do but I also think much of her magnanimous attitude rested in the fact she relied on Helen and Robert a great deal. However once trust is broken it is hard to restore.
I think Norton effectively captured the hardships of being on your own and the need for back up especially when rearing kids.
Thanks to old wood Books, NetGalley, and Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, Jess was such an endearing character.

I did become a bit frustrated that she was too trusting towards Robert and Helen, but understood why she was drawn to them. I found their actions to be so odd, I did think that there was an unknown relationship, being wrong made me feel that they were even worse!

The relationship between Jess and her dad were my favourite and that she finally had him back in her life. The ‘chats’ with her mum made me a tad emotional.

This is such a lovely read, add it to your TBR!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enough character background. The plot could have been better. Not a lot of depth to the book.

[Kim Willis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring - maybe if you are the single mother of young kids you'll relate but I got bored. The ending was so bland - I could think of all kinds of endings that would have been interesting. Basically this English mommy doubts herself and has childcare issues. She did leave an abusive baby daddy who shows up again but the way this is handled is just unbelievable- guess what? her neighbors who love her kids aren't his parents. She and her dad had a fight. They reconcile. The end.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Sheila Norton, Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Ohh how I was looking forward to reading A Good Enough Mother by Sheila Norton. The cover graphics and the title drew me in instantly. Never had I read from this author before however she was compared to one of my faves Emma Robinson. Needless to say, I just had to read this book.

I love books that hook you instantly and pull you in right away. Unfortunately, A Good Enough Mother did not do this for me. Infact, it was a while until I really got into it and it started getting good.

The kids in this book were adorable! I chuckled at the way they said certain things and the mother kept correcting them. I remember my Father doing that to me as a kid and sometimes even now as an adult.

There was a really cute storyline regarding a boy calling wolf. The conversation the little girl had with her Mom was just so adorable. However, this topic was repetitive in this book. At one point I found myself getting frustrated and said out loud ok we get the message loud and clear.

I often wondered within the book why the Mom was dead against having the kids see their Father. It was a story that slowly built up throughout the book. Never, in a million years did I see the reason why.

Honestly, I hate to say this was not my favorite book. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be yours. That being said I would give it a try.

[Kerrie Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book we meet young single mum Jess, who is raising 2 children alone after leaving her abusive partner. She has no family support as her mum died when she was younger and her dad disowned her when he fell pregnant at 17.

Jess is struggling as she juggles, childcare, work and mum life. She worries she’s not good enough amd wishes her mum was around to advise her.

One day she meets her new neighbours Helen and Robert, an older couple, who have 2 grown up children. They become friends very quickly and Jess begins to rely on them to help with childcare when her boss begins asking her to do more hours at work, worried she will lose her job and her home. She reluctantly agrees.
As time goes on, she begins to feel undermined by Helen and her doubts intensify.

I related to Jess as a younger mum myself, however I got frustrated with her at times.

As the story develops, are Helen and Robert who they say they are. Can they really be trusted to look after the children?


I did enjoy reading to this but I’ll be honest and say I found it a bit twee and predictable, at times it was boring and felt like it was going nowhere

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Good Enough Mother" is a story about a single mum with 2 kids that leaves her relationship and starts fresh in a small flat. She relies on the couple downstairs, who are the same age as her parents, to look after her kids while she works. It all seems too perfect to true, which of course it is as she uncovers things about the couple that send off alarm bells in her mind.
I found the book to be a quick read as the story was very easy to follow but in saying that is was very predictable and a little boring and it just didn't draw me in as there was no real element of suspense or twist that you didn't see coming.

[Linda Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As mothers we all ask ourselves at times if we are good enough, are we doing the right thing, could I have done it another way and so on, But for most of us, we have supportive families, friends who can and do help us get through the tough times. Single mothers have it worse than those that have a spouse, partner or whatever, that they can bounce things off of. In this case, seventeen-year-old. pregnant Jess moves in with her boyfriend, because she is estranged from her father. As time goes on, he beats and belittles her, now pregnant with her second child, she receives a severe beating and taking her older daughter, she goes to a shelter. There they give her some help, emotionally, physically and financially. They help her get some child support from her ex through the courts, helps her get a flat and with monthly stipend from the council, she is on her own.
t Jess' dad with whom she has been estranged for five years his fund on thoe floor with lots of blood and he is not responding, so a neighbor called her and although they were not on speaking terms, she quickly asked her neighbors to watch her kids and hurried to his side. When she arrived, the paramedics had him awake, said he smelled of alcohol and his knee hurt, but they were taking him to the hospital and jess went with him in the ambulance. Checked out, because of the head injury, he had to have someone 24/7 for the next day. The neighbors agreed to keep the kids overnight, and she had her dad worked on being together after not even speaking since she left home at 17. Slowly, some apologizes were made on both sides and a tentative truce was called and when it came time to leave, he thanked her and said he wanted to see her and the kids. The next week she visited alone and when that went well, she agreed to bring the kids the following week.
After that , he becomes the dad she has needed and is a wonderful granddad. Love abounds in Jess' home, she laughs, dances, sings and reads with her kids. she might raise her voice too often or let them watch too much TV or let them come to her bed for cuddle time or when they are scared or let her little boy continue to use a pacifier when he naps or sleeps Jess is not only a "good-enough" mother for these two lucky little ones, she has had to learn how to do all of these things alone and has done a terrific job with a full time job, arrangements for her children at all times. is still a work in progress,as we all are, but in my opinion she in PERFECT,

[Linda McCutcheon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...they know how much I love them...I do the best I can...And I think...that makes me. if not a great mother...at least good enough."

We all go through it. The self doubts. The fear of getting it wrong...of doing unintentional harm. As a single Mom to now two grown sons there was so much I related to in the thought provoking A Good Enough Mother by domestic drama author Sheila Norton.

Jess has it hard as a single Mom with no support system. She bravely divorced her abusive husband and got full custody of her precocious 4 year old Mia and adorable 18 month old Archie. Some days juggling work, preschool and day care with public transportation takes all her strength. So when retired couple Helen and Robert move in downstairs and offer to help with the kids it's a beautiful thing...until...

Mia starts to not want to go to Auntie Helen, then tells stories of the queen being mean to the princess. But perhaps the most disturbing moment is when Mia insists she saw her father when she was with Helen and Robert. Jess knows Mia makes up stories but as Mia stories get more frequent and upsetting Jess can't help having "a lingering feeling" that the generous couple downstairs are setting her up to steal her children away.

The writer takes her time letting us understand Jess, losing her Mom young, then falling out with her Dad and second guessing every decision. It isn't until the end of the book that the truth is revealed and, honestly, my thriller brain had a much more nefarious theory about everything lol. In the end Jess has a more forgiving heart than me but then again as a good enough mother, when protecting my kids, I may forgive but never forget.

I received a free copy of this book from #boldwoodbooks via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Enough Mother by Sheila Norton is a breathtaking novel about motherhood, family and various other relationships. Not only does a very young single mother do her level best under difficult circumstances in her personal/family life but also tries to find a healthy balance with her demanding job. In the process, she learns about herself and grows more confident as a mom, neighbour, daughter and friend.

After leaving an abusive man, Jess struggles financially to get a footing. Her mom has died and she is virtually estranged from her father. She values her job at a book shop but unreliable transportation and juggling her kids' schedules is stressful. When middle-aged neighbours Helen and Robert move downstairs and quickly offer to help with babysitting, she is touched by their kindness and compassion, yet remains skeptical. Why the intense interest in her children? Her reluctance to accept their offer of childcare soon shifts to gratitude once she realizes she has been given a gift. Mia, four, has always enjoying weaving tales but when they begin to involve Auntie Helen, Jess feels something is amiss. Toddler Archie is too young to understand but seems content enough. But there is so much more. I felt angst, tension, compassion, empathy, surprise and suspicion.

Do not miss this novel, especially if you enjoy reading about families and their realistic struggles and moments of joy. The story grabbed my heart and the day after reading it, I'm still mulling it over in my mind. Bits continue to niggle in the best way.

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this phenomenally emotive novel. If the cover alone doesn't melt your heart, what will? The story is every bit as lovely as you would expect.

[Gwen Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...you have to read this book. I LOVED it and I was hooked from page one. I had been wanting to read it for ages and finally found the time, and I am so glad that I did. I highly recommend this book to you all and I know you are going to love it, I sure did. This book has a lot of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

Here we have a single mother Jessica and her two young children, Mia is four years old and Archie is a one year old. She had met Callum at a very young age after her mother had died and she was looking for love. Her dad had kicked her out when he found out she was pregnant with Mia. What she found was a man with a lot of physical and verbal abuse that he used to make him feel big. Finally Jessica got the courage to leave him when she was pregnant with Archie.

It is very hard to get alone with two young children and work so Jessica was often late picking the kids up from school and nursery for Archie. They always had to watch their money and Jess was always wondering if she was raising the kids right. Was she a good mother? And then she got new neighbors that had moved into the apartment below her and they seemed to love the kids. They often volunteered to baby sit her kids as theirs were grown and her daughter lived in Scotland and her son was in college in the United States. Then Mia comes home and tells her mother of things happening at Helen and Robert's. Jess confronts them and Helen always has an excuse or says that Mia is at the age where she makes things up. This goes on for a while and finally Jessica starts to question if she is doing the right thing with the children and leaving them there. Are the good babysitters or are the trying to take her kids?

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia is telling me a story. It's about a princess, who lives in a castle, on a street that bears a resemblance to ours. About a kind of old lady who's the queen. I'm distracted for a moment by her little hand softly slipping into mine. My daughter. My angel. But then she says something that pulls me from my reverie. She says that the queen doesn't treat the princess well. She punishes her and doesn't her eat anything.

Helen, my neighbour, has been so good to me. And more importantly, she is good with my children. Surely this must be another story of Mia's, just make believe. Because if it's not, maybe my dad was right, I was never good enough to be a mother, and I've let my children down in the worst possible way.

Jess is a young mother with two children. She struggles to make ends meet and find affordable childcare. Her ex'husband was abusive. Her new neighbours, Helen and Robert, offer to help her. They look after her children while she goes to work. But Jess feels they are hiding something.

I loved the part of the story with Jess's father. The characters are well-developed. I did predict the truth about Helen and Robert, but that did not spoil this story for me.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #SheilaNorton for my ARC of #AGoodEnoughMother in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Enough Mother taps into the angst and insecurities that plague mothers everywhere. The universal questions of are we doing enough? Are we getting it right? How do we balance time with our children with work and other responsibilities? Are our choices being judged? How can we do it all? What does being a good mother look like? It's an endless stream of doubt and fear.

Jess is a character that nearly every mother can relate to. She's overwhelmed, insecure, exhausted, and striving to do her best. She loves her children intensely and is willing to sacrifice her own needs for their happiness and safety. Having escaped an abusive relationship, she is on her own with two young children; trying to do it all and struggling. She finds respite when an older couple moves into her building and they volunteer to help her with childcare to relieve some of the stress. Everything is wonderful until it's not; until the help raises more questions and new insecurities surface.

This is a slow paced book that gets under your skin and draws you in. We are all Jess and Jess is all of us.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess is a young mother of two, struggling to make ends meet and find affordable childcare. She has split from her brutal husband and is estranged from her father, so she really is on her own.
Jess lost her mum as a teenager and none of her friends is in the same situation, so she has no network of fellow mums. This leaves her vulnerable because she can't ask anyone for parenting advice. When Helen and Robert move in, middle aged parents of grown up children, she's thrilled when they take an interest in the children. They start picking the children up, and then looking after them. But things turn a bit sinister. Jess feels her decisions are being questioned and undermined. Theyre buying vast amounts of toys. Meanwhile her daughter's sightings of "Daddy" in the vicinity cause more alarm.
The situation seems very real. Jess comes across as a caring and determined mum trying to do her best while juggling 101 things. The children are adorable, particularly 4 year old Mia and her sayings.
Norton keeps the story going with just enough twists and turns to force us to carry on reading.
An excellent contemporary read.

[Jeanniehay64 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a gentle read which pulled at the heartstrings. I felt for Jess who was being up her two children singlehanded after leaving her abusive ex partner.

Helen and Robert are her new neighbours and they offer to help her out, looking after the children so she can work longer hours. This seems the perfect solution at first but doubts seem to creep in as Jess feels they are hiding something from her.

Jess has no family support, her mum died when she was young and she has been estranged from her father for many years but when he becomes sick they start to reconnect and this really warmed my heart.

As the story comes together we learn the truth about Helen and Robert and although it was the main twist in the story I did guess what was coming.

This book explored how we all make mistakes but how we deal with them after is what is most important. The importance of family and friends and the unconditional love of a mother was beautifully written.

Although I felt this book was a bit predictable that somehow added to its charm . As I turned the last page I was hoping Jess would continue to grow and find even more well deserved happiness in the future.

[Ade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This highlights the plight of single mothers without a good support system. Throw in a vengeful ex plus a child with an ‘overactive imagination’ and you have the plot of a good enough mother.

The book follows the story of Jess, a mum of two, who is increasingly having to rely on her neighbours for help with childcare.

Jess is in a precarious position- torn between a child who is telling tales and a helpful neighbour with her own idea of child raising.

This was told in a most candid way. I love the way the author has raised some valid points on child care- old versus new school of parenting.

I enjoyed the suspense- the feeling of not knowing what was happening next. I loved how relatable the story and characters were. I was expecting something more sinister but I’m glad everything worked out well.

I love that Jess’ had very valid feelings and was able to trust her instincts and reconcile with her dad.

If you enjoy women’s fiction with some bits of suspense then you will like this.

I received an advanced copy but read this via Kindle Unlimited and the review is mine and voluntary.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess is a single mother with 2 small children, who works part-time, and tries to stay on top of getting her daughter to school and her son to nursery on time and picking them up on time. She struggles but doesn't think she has other alternatives and when her job wants her to work more hours, she accepts her downstairs neighbor's offer of helping her.
The neighbors send off mixed signals, which will keep you reading. Jess's instinct seems to be telling her to not be so trusting, but she needs their help, She doesn't have anything for sure that something is going on, but one day when she was at the neighbors, their phone rand, and she decided to pick it up, and caller ID saw it was her ex-husband.
She and the neighbors had a long discussion, and she learned a lot, and they learned a lot. Jess also reconnected with her father, who she hadn't talked to in years. I liked the title because everyone makes mistakes, and one thing she learned was she was a good enough mother and that is what mattered.
I received an ARC from Boldwood Books through NetGalley.

[Melanie McGrade Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking and uplifting story about the choices a mother makes for the sake of her children, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Emma Robinson and Kate Hewitt.

I got sucked into this one right from page one and couldn’t wait to be able to pick it up again to read more. I am a sucker for books about families, children, and some kind of trouble or drama, and this one had it all. As much as I disliked some of the characters, or choices that some characters made, I wouldn’t have wanted any of it to change because it worked! I got a big kick out of Mia, she was my favorite character of all. My heart ached for her when she was feeling sad or frustrated, and I felt so emotional when she was so happy about the smallest things and when she was feeling safe and loved. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Jess as she struggled with trying to do the right thing for her two kids while being a full time working single mom. I enjoyed this book, it had just enough going on to keep you drawn in and interested to the end.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Enough Mother by Sheila Norton marks my introduction to this author, and I must say it is a well written novel with compelling characters.

In the story, Jess, a single mother of two young children, faces the challenges of managing her family while working part-time in town. Balancing her responsibilities becomes even tougher when she is offered additional work hours but struggles with childcare. Her new neighbours prove to be kind and trustworthy, leading her to make a crucial decision regarding her children.

Initially, I found the beginning of the book to be a slow build-up, but as the story progressed, I realised it was laying the foundation for what was to come. The plot kept me guessing, and not all my imagined scenarios turned out as expected. The characters felt authentic, resonating with my past experiences and those of my daughter as a young adult. I recommend reading this book, and I eagerly anticipate Sheila's future releases.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Enough Mother is a breathtaking novel of a single mother just trying her hardest to be the best mother and making sure that her children are happy and safe. Jess is a single working mother and is struggling trying to keep her job and bring up her kids on her own with no help. A thought provoking story that I loved from the start to the end. I think what made it so endearing for me was Mia, Jess's four year old daughter as the author did a great job articulating how a four year old talks and I also liked how sassy she could be and her protectiveness over her baby brother melted my heart. A story of family, love, neighbours, drama and domestic violence. I held my breath through the tough times and giggled with joy through the happiness. I am going to say that this is going to be in my top three reads for this year as I instantly adored everything about this book!

[Emma book blogger Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @rararesoucrs and @NortonSheilaann for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. A Good enough is a coming of age genre. This story is an emotional read and heart-wrenching. I was hooked, and could not put the book down. I need to found out if Mia the little girl who's 5 years old was telling the truth about Helen the neighbour who looks after her and brother when Mum at work. There were some great twists in the book that made me keep guessing through the book. I liked the characters' lot, especially the little girl Mia and her mum. I was not sure on Helen and her husband, there was something I could not just put my finger on. The story is written very well that will hook you to the end. A great read. Can't wait to read more by Shelia Norton in the future. 5 stars. Strongly recommend.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheila Norton is an author whose books I have always loved. The Vets at Hope Green and The Pets at Primrose Cottage were books I just loved and the village setting with animals of these books and so when I was invited onto the blog tour for A Good Enough Mother, I was immediately interested.

I was missing Sheila’s books, and I was curious as to what a change of genre would bring for her. A Good Enough Mother is as outstanding as the other books I’ve reviewed by her.

I was immediately hooked on the emotions in this book, and the family. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Jess, Mia and Archie and was glad they had Helen and Robert as neighbours. Then, I didn’t like Helen so much.

Is what Mia says is happening the truth?

Thanks to Sheila Norton, Boldwood and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars

[Eleanor Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad but in the end........🙁"Blessings come in all shapes and forms😕

I really enjoyed this book! I was a single mom myself and what Jesse went through, I went through the same thing. The abuse, the lies, the mistrust, the manipulations, and trying very hard to keep your kids safe was a challenge for her. It had to take an accident with her dad, getting the truth behind Helen and her husband's manipulation story regarding Callum, Jesse then realized, that before jumping to conclusions, Take time To listen to both sides of the stories! I'm glad Her thoughts of Being a not Good Enough Mother turned How to be Positive for her! Can't wait to read more of Sharon Norton's books!!!!

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess left her abusive husband with her two children and lives in a council flat and has a part time job, when her employers ask her to work full time or loose her job, her elderly neighbours offer to childmind and everything seems to go ok until her daughter starts telling story's that the neighbours dispute and now everything seems too good to be true and Jess finds it difficult to believe and trust people.
You know something is wrong but you don`t know what so you have to read quick to find out.
A good read with a good twist loved the storyline with her father.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. I was so drawn in by the weird dynamics between Jess and the neighbours. I had a few ideas of how it could turn out but this book certainly is not predictable! It had hints of psychological thriller without any truly scary moments, so it kept me hanging all the way through without worrying about something really bad happening to any of the characters. I also really enjoyed seeing the children grow up, especially Archie as he goes from not talking and barely toddling along to talking and getting into things! I will definitely have to keep my eyes open for future books from this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Enough Mother is an excellent domestic drama that had me completely captivated right from the very start. I loved all the characters, especially four year old Mia, she just melted my heart and I loved the way she pronounced certain words. As I was reading this book it was so obvious how much Mia cared for her children and just wanted what was best for them. I’m not going to go into details about the actual story as I think it’s hard to avoid spoilers. About half way through I was certain I knew the path this read was going to go but I was in fact proven wrong. For me this was an emotional read in parts and one that I would definitely recommend.