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The Perfect Mother
Preorder a BRAND NEW psychological thriller from USA Today bestseller Claire Allan Praise for Claire
All I wanted was to help women become mothers. When I met Alice Monroe, we instantly connected. She was as passionate about motherhood as I was, and I couldn't wait to support her through this life-changing experience.
But the day that should have been Alice’s happiest, turned into a nightmare. And after Alice’s dreams were shattered, she blamed me. Even though there was nothing I could have done, she wanted to ruin me. I lost my business, my reputation. My world fell apart.
Then, I discovered I was pregnant. That’s why we moved hundreds of miles away to the remote Derry countryside. Now, with this beautiful baby, we can have a fresh start.
But then Alice sends me a message. She knows where we are. And I realise, it doesn’t matter how far we’ve moved, I am not safe from her. My baby is not safe.
She would have been the perfect mother. But if she can’t have her happy family, she's not going to let me have mine.
‘So skilfully and masterfully told, I was absolutely involved in these women's lives. It's just absolutely brilliant’ – JOHN MARRS
‘A lesson in story-telling... five stars from me’ – ANITA WALLER
'A brilliantly gripping, intense and highly addictive page turner that kept me guessing until the end. Loved it!' – DANIELLE RAMSAY
‘A story that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the very last word’ – DIANE SAXON
All I wanted was to help women become mothers. When I met Alice Monroe, we instantly connected. She was as passionate about motherhood as I was, and I couldn't wait to support her through this life-changing experience.
But the day that should have been Alice’s happiest, turned into a nightmare. And after Alice’s dreams were shattered, she blamed me. Even though there was nothing I could have done, she wanted to ruin me. I lost my business, my reputation. My world fell apart.
Then, I discovered I was pregnant. That’s why we moved hundreds of miles away to the remote Derry countryside. Now, with this beautiful baby, we can have a fresh start.
But then Alice sends me a message. She knows where we are. And I realise, it doesn’t matter how far we’ve moved, I am not safe from her. My baby is not safe.
She would have been the perfect mother. But if she can’t have her happy family, she's not going to let me have mine.
‘So skilfully and masterfully told, I was absolutely involved in these women's lives. It's just absolutely brilliant’ – JOHN MARRS
‘A lesson in story-telling... five stars from me’ – ANITA WALLER
'A brilliantly gripping, intense and highly addictive page turner that kept me guessing until the end. Loved it!' – DANIELLE RAMSAY
‘A story that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the very last word’ – DIANE SAXON
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 5, 2025
941 people are currently reading
657 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
January 27, 2025
A year ago, Mel is hired by Alice Monroe to be her doula but their close friendship becomes a tragic nightmare with a very damaging impact on Mel‘s business. To get away from the negativity of small town Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, Mel, her husband Ed and young daughter Tilly move close to Derry where they are renovating an old farmhouse. They hope this will be a fresh start as they await the arrival of a brother for Tilly. Will their future be bright as they hope or will the nightmare continue?
To be honest, I’ve always been somewhat dubious of the concept of a doula and this confirms it! I like the concept and the premise of the novel and enjoy the conundrums of figuring out who is the biggest liar amongst them, who is the wolf in sheep‘s clothing and who can be trusted. It’s not really a thriller nor is there a huge amount of mystery as it’s more emotional than that but it fits well into the domestic drama/noir category. There are some twists, there is intensity at times but there isn’t much suspense. Instead, there’s a lot of going round and round in Mel‘s mind which is very understandable in the circumstances as there’s suffering all round but it doesn’t always make for a riveting read.
The pace is good at the start, but then it slows down picking up again towards the end where there’s an unlucky coincidence and although the finale is good, it does end abruptly with a lack of resolution in a couple of areas.
My biggest issue is with the characters, especially Mel, who is clearly unhappy, miserable and not unnaturally obsessive. Some of her actions make me want to shake her but the lack of support from her family when she’s so clearly needs it seems so unfair. This is particularly true of her husband Ed whose determination to get the family to Australia seems to override the care he should be giving his wife.
Overall, it is an easy read and is probably a good one to take on holiday to read around the pool.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated epub in return for an honest review.
To be honest, I’ve always been somewhat dubious of the concept of a doula and this confirms it! I like the concept and the premise of the novel and enjoy the conundrums of figuring out who is the biggest liar amongst them, who is the wolf in sheep‘s clothing and who can be trusted. It’s not really a thriller nor is there a huge amount of mystery as it’s more emotional than that but it fits well into the domestic drama/noir category. There are some twists, there is intensity at times but there isn’t much suspense. Instead, there’s a lot of going round and round in Mel‘s mind which is very understandable in the circumstances as there’s suffering all round but it doesn’t always make for a riveting read.
The pace is good at the start, but then it slows down picking up again towards the end where there’s an unlucky coincidence and although the finale is good, it does end abruptly with a lack of resolution in a couple of areas.
My biggest issue is with the characters, especially Mel, who is clearly unhappy, miserable and not unnaturally obsessive. Some of her actions make me want to shake her but the lack of support from her family when she’s so clearly needs it seems so unfair. This is particularly true of her husband Ed whose determination to get the family to Australia seems to override the care he should be giving his wife.
Overall, it is an easy read and is probably a good one to take on holiday to read around the pool.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated epub in return for an honest review.
February 21, 2025
The premise of the book intrigued me, and based on the synopsis, I was expecting a psychological thriller. While there is quite a bit of manipulation toward Mel, with everyone treating her like a child (and yes, she’s definitely not the brightest), unfortunately, it ended up feeling more like an emotional drama than the thrilling experience I had hoped for.
One of the biggest drawbacks was the lack of engaging or likable characters, which made it hard to stay invested in the story. The pacing felt sluggish at first, with little happening, and then the ending arrived too abruptly, leaving me struggling to process what was happening. To make matters worse, the conclusion was predictable.
Additionally, the repetitive nature of the narrative added little value and seemed like an attempt to pad out the book’s length, ultimately detracting from the overall experience.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐
One of the biggest drawbacks was the lack of engaging or likable characters, which made it hard to stay invested in the story. The pacing felt sluggish at first, with little happening, and then the ending arrived too abruptly, leaving me struggling to process what was happening. To make matters worse, the conclusion was predictable.
Additionally, the repetitive nature of the narrative added little value and seemed like an attempt to pad out the book’s length, ultimately detracting from the overall experience.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐
January 7, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Perfect Mother, by Claire Allan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Mel had only wanted to help Alice, but things did not go as planned, and Alice blames Mel. This book is very intense.
January 4, 2025
This was a good read that I finished in less than a day. It centers on Mel, who changed careers to become a birth doula when the unthinkable happened to a client named Alice who she also considered a good friend. Alice’s vitriol caused Mel to give up her career and flee to another part of the country, but that doesn’t stop anonymous threats to continue to occur, making Mel fear for the safety of herself and her young family.
There were good twists in this book and I thought the author did a great job of creating realistic red herrings. I liked Mel as a character and I thought her parents were total jerks, but I’m not sure the author intended me to feel that way. While a lot of the narrative does take place in Mel’s head, I felt like her doubts and fears were realistic and I could empathize with her. I had an inkling of the big twist at the end but hadn’t entirely figured it out. The ending of the book was ok but I wish it would have tied up the loose ends a little more.
Overall, this was a suspenseful read and I couldn’t wait to see what happened. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were good twists in this book and I thought the author did a great job of creating realistic red herrings. I liked Mel as a character and I thought her parents were total jerks, but I’m not sure the author intended me to feel that way. While a lot of the narrative does take place in Mel’s head, I felt like her doubts and fears were realistic and I could empathize with her. I had an inkling of the big twist at the end but hadn’t entirely figured it out. The ending of the book was ok but I wish it would have tied up the loose ends a little more.
Overall, this was a suspenseful read and I couldn’t wait to see what happened. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Perfect Mother by Claire Allan. This book started out really strong and I was really enjoying it. Then at some point it started to slow down and became very repetitive. It was as though the author was trying to make the book longer. The storyline was a good one, but perhaps this should have been a novella, and left out the repetition. It was a 3 star read for me.
February 8, 2025
Mel has been hounded out of town. Her business is in tatters, she’s lost everything except her family so they’ve moved with no forwarding address. But the woman who destroyed has found her and Mel feels threatened understandably. Can she cope with another onslaught given she’s 8 months pregnant?
I really felt for Mel. All she wants to do is offer a different kind of support when someone is bringing a new life into the word. Not medical support, more alternative, hypnobirthing. I’m in awe anyone who can give birth without pain relief but my two weren’t small!
I really didn’t trust Alice – maybe I’ve read too many thrillers to not trust the person I expected not to trust. I could be wrong but there were little things that made me uneasy. Maybe it was the way she destroyed the one person who was trying to help her.
Allan has written a tense domestic based thriller with twists and turns aplenty. The emotions she packed in to the story for both Mel’s current predicament and Alice’s grief and hatred. Based on this, Allan’s back catalogue is going on my purchase list asap!
I really felt for Mel. All she wants to do is offer a different kind of support when someone is bringing a new life into the word. Not medical support, more alternative, hypnobirthing. I’m in awe anyone who can give birth without pain relief but my two weren’t small!
I really didn’t trust Alice – maybe I’ve read too many thrillers to not trust the person I expected not to trust. I could be wrong but there were little things that made me uneasy. Maybe it was the way she destroyed the one person who was trying to help her.
Allan has written a tense domestic based thriller with twists and turns aplenty. The emotions she packed in to the story for both Mel’s current predicament and Alice’s grief and hatred. Based on this, Allan’s back catalogue is going on my purchase list asap!
January 25, 2025
Oooh the more I got into this book the better it got.
Twist I never saw coming, well not all of it. Was such a fantastic drama filled read
Loved it.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
Twist I never saw coming, well not all of it. Was such a fantastic drama filled read
Loved it.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.
March 23, 2025
Special thank you to NetGalley, Claire Allan And Boldwood Books for an ARC of this twisty thriller! I loved the story line and the characters. The story itself is full of suspense and will keep the reader engaged. A definite page turner. I would recommend to others.
January 31, 2025
"Life doesn't always turn out the way we'd like, does it?"
The story delves into the life of a former teacher, Mel, who changes her career to become a lifetime doula. However, a tragic incident occurs during the birth of one of her clients, Alice Monroe, leading to the death of the overdue baby, which changes Mel's life completely.
The death of Monroe's son, Jacob, turns Mel's life upside down. She and her family face tremendous hatred from the public and receive all kinds of threats from Alice and her husband, Thomas, which ruin her life.
Due to this, Mel and her husband, Ed, decide to move away from the small town Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, to start a new life, as Mel is also expecting their second baby. Unfortunately, their relief is short-lived, as the threats continue. Will they have a bright future or will the nightmare continues?
The appearance of Sheila, who introduces herself as their neighbor up the hill, is very suspicious. Her nosy nature, frequent uninvited visits, and constant interrogations about their lives make me wonder how this character will shape the story.
Although it is a thriller, it has not many plot twists and for me, you will not find much suspense. The story starts at a good pace but drags somewhat with Mel's trauma. Yet, the ending feels quite rushed.
The story delves into the life of a former teacher, Mel, who changes her career to become a lifetime doula. However, a tragic incident occurs during the birth of one of her clients, Alice Monroe, leading to the death of the overdue baby, which changes Mel's life completely.
The death of Monroe's son, Jacob, turns Mel's life upside down. She and her family face tremendous hatred from the public and receive all kinds of threats from Alice and her husband, Thomas, which ruin her life.
Due to this, Mel and her husband, Ed, decide to move away from the small town Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, to start a new life, as Mel is also expecting their second baby. Unfortunately, their relief is short-lived, as the threats continue. Will they have a bright future or will the nightmare continues?
The appearance of Sheila, who introduces herself as their neighbor up the hill, is very suspicious. Her nosy nature, frequent uninvited visits, and constant interrogations about their lives make me wonder how this character will shape the story.
Although it is a thriller, it has not many plot twists and for me, you will not find much suspense. The story starts at a good pace but drags somewhat with Mel's trauma. Yet, the ending feels quite rushed.
January 5, 2025
Does Claire Allen write movies for the Lifetime Movie Network?
I swear I have seen this book on Lifetime before. I love a good Lifetime Movie, and this book did not disappoint. Mel was a doula; Alice was her client. Things didn't happen the way they should and now Mel has lost everything. Moved across the country and started over hoping things would just go away. But they don't.
Mel, I think you should have punched Shiela and kicked her out of your house girl.
What kind of secrets will come to fruition. I loved every part of this book until the ending.
It was great until it wasn't. Still a solid 4 star read from me.
Thank you Boldwood Books for providing me an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.
I swear I have seen this book on Lifetime before. I love a good Lifetime Movie, and this book did not disappoint. Mel was a doula; Alice was her client. Things didn't happen the way they should and now Mel has lost everything. Moved across the country and started over hoping things would just go away. But they don't.
Mel, I think you should have punched Shiela and kicked her out of your house girl.
What kind of secrets will come to fruition. I loved every part of this book until the ending.
It was great until it wasn't. Still a solid 4 star read from me.
Thank you Boldwood Books for providing me an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2025
The Perfect Mother
By: Claire Allan
Pub Date: February 5, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
This was my first by this author and love this thriller..
Alice Monroe hires Mel to be her doula and they begin a friendship. Sadly things turn tragic and Mel’s business is impacted. Mel and her family decide to move to another area for a fresh start while they await the birth of their next child.
Will they be able to have a fresh start or will her past come back to haunt them? I enjoyed this one and the characters are flawed.
Thank you Boldwood Books for the advanced e-ARC.
By: Claire Allan
Pub Date: February 5, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
This was my first by this author and love this thriller..
Alice Monroe hires Mel to be her doula and they begin a friendship. Sadly things turn tragic and Mel’s business is impacted. Mel and her family decide to move to another area for a fresh start while they await the birth of their next child.
Will they be able to have a fresh start or will her past come back to haunt them? I enjoyed this one and the characters are flawed.
Thank you Boldwood Books for the advanced e-ARC.
December 31, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this psychological thriller.
The Perfect Mother is an intense exploration of guilt, obsession, and the lengths one will go to protect their family. Mel, a former teacher turned doula, was devoted to supporting women through the complexities of pregnancy and childbirth. But her life unravels after a tragic event during a client’s birth leaves her reputation in ruins. Harassed and ostracized, Mel moves to the countryside with her husband and young daughter, seeking a fresh start as she prepares for the arrival of her second child. However, the shadow of the past follows her, and the suspense builds as she discovers someone is determined to ensure she never forgets the tragedy.
Claire Allan’s atmospheric writing shines, creating a palpable tension as Mel struggles to hold her family together while confronting escalating threats. The narrative weaves between Mel’s experiences and the unsettling interactions with her new neighbors, adding layers to the mystery. While some twists were predictable, the gripping suspense and shocking conclusion make up for the occasional predictability.
Although the story effectively explores grief, guilt, and motherhood’s complexities, some aspects of Mel’s character felt underdeveloped, which made it harder to fully empathize with her at times. Additionally, the ending, while dramatic and satisfying, left a few threads untied, leaving me wishing for more closure.
The Perfect Mother is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers and psychological suspense. While some moments stretched plausibility, the novel’s twists and emotional depth keep the pages turning.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers with themes of motherhood and obsession. Be warned: the subject matter may be difficult for readers who have experienced loss.
The Perfect Mother is an intense exploration of guilt, obsession, and the lengths one will go to protect their family. Mel, a former teacher turned doula, was devoted to supporting women through the complexities of pregnancy and childbirth. But her life unravels after a tragic event during a client’s birth leaves her reputation in ruins. Harassed and ostracized, Mel moves to the countryside with her husband and young daughter, seeking a fresh start as she prepares for the arrival of her second child. However, the shadow of the past follows her, and the suspense builds as she discovers someone is determined to ensure she never forgets the tragedy.
Claire Allan’s atmospheric writing shines, creating a palpable tension as Mel struggles to hold her family together while confronting escalating threats. The narrative weaves between Mel’s experiences and the unsettling interactions with her new neighbors, adding layers to the mystery. While some twists were predictable, the gripping suspense and shocking conclusion make up for the occasional predictability.
Although the story effectively explores grief, guilt, and motherhood’s complexities, some aspects of Mel’s character felt underdeveloped, which made it harder to fully empathize with her at times. Additionally, the ending, while dramatic and satisfying, left a few threads untied, leaving me wishing for more closure.
The Perfect Mother is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers and psychological suspense. While some moments stretched plausibility, the novel’s twists and emotional depth keep the pages turning.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers with themes of motherhood and obsession. Be warned: the subject matter may be difficult for readers who have experienced loss.
January 10, 2025
3.75 stars!
i received this book as an arc
mel switched career paths from being a teacher to a doula. she took on alice as a client, but the birth went wrong and alice ruined mel's reputation and career, spreading false narratives. this led to mel receiving hate and harassment, both online and in person, to the point that her and her husband, with their young daughter, decide to move since mel is pregnant and can't deal with the harassment anymore.
the book was very suspenseful and i never wanted to put it down! there were lots of twists and turns and lots of people who could have been involved which helped to keep guessing. i had suspected who was behind the recent events but the plot twist ended up being even bigger than i had imagined. i liked how, even though the book was in third person, it still felt very personal and like i knew exactly how mel was feeling and what she thought about different situations. overall, i enjoyed the book and would 100% recommend it. this is the first book i have read from this author and i look forward to reading more.
i received this book as an arc
mel switched career paths from being a teacher to a doula. she took on alice as a client, but the birth went wrong and alice ruined mel's reputation and career, spreading false narratives. this led to mel receiving hate and harassment, both online and in person, to the point that her and her husband, with their young daughter, decide to move since mel is pregnant and can't deal with the harassment anymore.
the book was very suspenseful and i never wanted to put it down! there were lots of twists and turns and lots of people who could have been involved which helped to keep guessing. i had suspected who was behind the recent events but the plot twist ended up being even bigger than i had imagined. i liked how, even though the book was in third person, it still felt very personal and like i knew exactly how mel was feeling and what she thought about different situations. overall, i enjoyed the book and would 100% recommend it. this is the first book i have read from this author and i look forward to reading more.
February 25, 2025
4.5 ⭐️I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Whilst I predicted a few of the twists, I didn’t all of them, this book definitely kept you on tenterhooks and the characters were developed well. I felt it ended a bit abruptly I would have maybe liked to see an epilogue to see where Alice and Mel ended up relationship wise.
January 14, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ - not the most memorable psychological thriller, but loved the ending! I wish the beginning was a bit of a faster burn, but definitely a quick read.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
February 3, 2025
The first thing I noticed in the opening pages of this book is that it is partially set in Carrickfergus, a town just out of Belfast I had not heard of before befriending a lovely Irish couple who emigrated here over 40 years ago (to Sydney not Melbourne as in the book) from which they also hail. It's not a place that is often mentioned but I did catch it referred to in the very first episode of "Grantchester" some years ago. I was quite chuffed to see it mentioned and find it peppered throughout the book that I can't wait to tell my friends when I see them next.
So...a year ago, Mel Davison had a thriving business as a doula who practiced hypnobirthing (I'm with Mel's mum on this one) which all came crashing down after the tragic loss of a child for which she was blamed. Mel had left her job as a teacher to follow her dream of becoming a doula and hypnobirthing after the traumatic birth of her daughter Tilly. She wanted to relieve other women of the trauma she'd endured.
Alice Munroe approached Mel and hired her to be her doula as the two women formed a close friendship which was then threatened after Alice's labour went wrong and Mel was left without her friend and ultimately her business. What ensued was a hate campaign directed at Mel both in person and online. She became a shadow of her former self, jumping at shadows and scared to let Tilly out of her sight. When her daughter's safety is threatened once again, she and her husband Ed move a hundred miles to Derry where they undertake the mammoth task of renovating a period farmhouse whilst living in an onsite caravan in the interim.
But Mel is heavily pregnant again and she hopes much of the renovating will be complete for them to move into the farmhouse before the baby arrives. And then strange things start to happen again. A funeral wreath designed for the loss of a baby is delivered to her parent's door and a memorial is erected on their own gatepost, all designed to unsettle Mel. And it's working. Is Alice behind this new hate campaign? Or is it one of her many followers?
This book showed real promise and started off steady but then slowed down to a mud crawl. It picks up again but it's like being stuck behind a slow driver - pace picks up then slows then picks up then slows. And there is quite a bit of repetition. To be honest, I skimmed a lot of the repetition and wordiness, finding more answers in dialogue. I didn't warm to Mel at all and found it difficult to sympathise with her. She constantly complained about what was happening and yet continued to make things worse for herself. I did suspect who was behind it from early on but didn't work out the entire endgame until just before it happened.
At 291 pages, this is a relatively quick read, though slow in parts, making it a slow quick read...or a quick slow read? The premise was promising but I'm not sure it completely delivered though the ending was satisfactory. Not one of Allan's best but still OK.
I would like to thank #ClaireAllan, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ThePerfectMother in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
So...a year ago, Mel Davison had a thriving business as a doula who practiced hypnobirthing (I'm with Mel's mum on this one) which all came crashing down after the tragic loss of a child for which she was blamed. Mel had left her job as a teacher to follow her dream of becoming a doula and hypnobirthing after the traumatic birth of her daughter Tilly. She wanted to relieve other women of the trauma she'd endured.
Alice Munroe approached Mel and hired her to be her doula as the two women formed a close friendship which was then threatened after Alice's labour went wrong and Mel was left without her friend and ultimately her business. What ensued was a hate campaign directed at Mel both in person and online. She became a shadow of her former self, jumping at shadows and scared to let Tilly out of her sight. When her daughter's safety is threatened once again, she and her husband Ed move a hundred miles to Derry where they undertake the mammoth task of renovating a period farmhouse whilst living in an onsite caravan in the interim.
But Mel is heavily pregnant again and she hopes much of the renovating will be complete for them to move into the farmhouse before the baby arrives. And then strange things start to happen again. A funeral wreath designed for the loss of a baby is delivered to her parent's door and a memorial is erected on their own gatepost, all designed to unsettle Mel. And it's working. Is Alice behind this new hate campaign? Or is it one of her many followers?
This book showed real promise and started off steady but then slowed down to a mud crawl. It picks up again but it's like being stuck behind a slow driver - pace picks up then slows then picks up then slows. And there is quite a bit of repetition. To be honest, I skimmed a lot of the repetition and wordiness, finding more answers in dialogue. I didn't warm to Mel at all and found it difficult to sympathise with her. She constantly complained about what was happening and yet continued to make things worse for herself. I did suspect who was behind it from early on but didn't work out the entire endgame until just before it happened.
At 291 pages, this is a relatively quick read, though slow in parts, making it a slow quick read...or a quick slow read? The premise was promising but I'm not sure it completely delivered though the ending was satisfactory. Not one of Allan's best but still OK.
I would like to thank #ClaireAllan, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ThePerfectMother in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
June 7, 2025
The Perfect Mother by Claire Allan
♥️♥️♥️♥️ / ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
A dark, emotionally-charged thriller that grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the final, twisted breath. 😵💫📖🩸
Where do I even begin?! This book starts as a slow simmer, luring you into a false sense of calm with talk of babies, grief, and support groups… and then BAM 💥 — it throws you off a cliff without a parachute. The Perfect Mother is less about what it means to be a “good” parent and more about how far people will go when they believe they’ve been wronged. 😮💨💔
Let’s talk characters:
• Mel — My heart broke for her 😔💔. She’s grieving the loss of a child while trying to rebuild her life and protect the daughter she has. But the way she kept giving Alice second (and third and fourth) chances? GIRL. 🚩🚩🚩
• Alice — Honestly?! Sociopath. Manipulator. Mastermind. 🧠👀 I knew from early on something about her was off, but the depth of her deception? I was not ready. She had me fooled, just like she fooled everyone else.
• Thomas — OH. MY. GOD. 😱 The way this man turned from grieving father to knife-wielding nightmare had me screaming internally. And to find out he was in on it all along?? The audacity. The villain arc. The betrayal. 🗡️😤
• Sheila — I knew this woman was shady. The whole time I was thinking “why is she even here?” and THEN — turns out she’s connected to it all?! WHAT IS GOING ON 😵♀️🧩
Let’s be real: the last 20% of this book was absolute madness 🤯. Thomas, the knife, the caravan, the threats, the baby… it was a full-blown horror show at that point and I could not look away. Claire Allan really said, “you want drama? Buckle up.” 🩸🚐👶
Thematically, the book hits hard:
• It explores grief as a weapon, not just an emotion.
• It digs into how trauma fractures trust, even in ourselves.
• And it asks: who is really the victim, and who is playing the long game?
Some pacing in the middle was a little slow 🐢, and a few side characters felt underdeveloped until suddenly crucial. But honestly? That final payoff made up for it in blood, drama, and shocking revelations. 💥💀
🍪 Shout-out to the chocolate digestives though — iconic choice. Even in psychological warfare, snacks matter.
Final thoughts 💭
If you’re looking for a thriller where you can feel the unraveling of sanity thread by thread, where secrets come out like daggers, and where literally no one can be trusted — this is it. 😬👶🗡️ A rollercoaster of trauma, vengeance, motherhood, and manipulation that’ll leave you gasping.
💥10/10 recommend for fans of thrillers with dark maternal themes and layered female characters💥
♥️♥️♥️♥️ / ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
A dark, emotionally-charged thriller that grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the final, twisted breath. 😵💫📖🩸
Where do I even begin?! This book starts as a slow simmer, luring you into a false sense of calm with talk of babies, grief, and support groups… and then BAM 💥 — it throws you off a cliff without a parachute. The Perfect Mother is less about what it means to be a “good” parent and more about how far people will go when they believe they’ve been wronged. 😮💨💔
Let’s talk characters:
• Mel — My heart broke for her 😔💔. She’s grieving the loss of a child while trying to rebuild her life and protect the daughter she has. But the way she kept giving Alice second (and third and fourth) chances? GIRL. 🚩🚩🚩
• Alice — Honestly?! Sociopath. Manipulator. Mastermind. 🧠👀 I knew from early on something about her was off, but the depth of her deception? I was not ready. She had me fooled, just like she fooled everyone else.
• Thomas — OH. MY. GOD. 😱 The way this man turned from grieving father to knife-wielding nightmare had me screaming internally. And to find out he was in on it all along?? The audacity. The villain arc. The betrayal. 🗡️😤
• Sheila — I knew this woman was shady. The whole time I was thinking “why is she even here?” and THEN — turns out she’s connected to it all?! WHAT IS GOING ON 😵♀️🧩
Let’s be real: the last 20% of this book was absolute madness 🤯. Thomas, the knife, the caravan, the threats, the baby… it was a full-blown horror show at that point and I could not look away. Claire Allan really said, “you want drama? Buckle up.” 🩸🚐👶
Thematically, the book hits hard:
• It explores grief as a weapon, not just an emotion.
• It digs into how trauma fractures trust, even in ourselves.
• And it asks: who is really the victim, and who is playing the long game?
Some pacing in the middle was a little slow 🐢, and a few side characters felt underdeveloped until suddenly crucial. But honestly? That final payoff made up for it in blood, drama, and shocking revelations. 💥💀
🍪 Shout-out to the chocolate digestives though — iconic choice. Even in psychological warfare, snacks matter.
Final thoughts 💭
If you’re looking for a thriller where you can feel the unraveling of sanity thread by thread, where secrets come out like daggers, and where literally no one can be trusted — this is it. 😬👶🗡️ A rollercoaster of trauma, vengeance, motherhood, and manipulation that’ll leave you gasping.
💥10/10 recommend for fans of thrillers with dark maternal themes and layered female characters💥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2025
Thriller about starting over and a woman who is fighting for her family and her own sanity. Mel was a doula who practiced hypnotherapy as a way to make childbirth less stressful for her patients. When she was approached by Alice she was reluctant to work with her since Alice was a 'freebirther" and declined any prepartum care; but she liked Alice and wanted to help her. When Alice went over two weeks past her due date and her baby was stillborn she made it her mission to ruin Mel's life.
Mel, her husband Ed and daughter Tilly are in the process of remodeling a. house in the country, far away from the city where she was hounded and blamed for the baby's death. Alice started a social media campaign against Mel and she received all kinds of threats. Ed wants to move far away to Australia where his sister lives, but Mel doesn't want to leave her aging parents. She is also expecting a baby herself and wants to live a peaceful life.
However her new start doesn't last and before she knows it there are new media posts about her and she receives threatening mail and calls. Is Alice behind this or is someone else involved? This was a tense thriller and I get tense myself when I read about women who are being gaslighted. I did wonder why so many people would blame a doula especially if information came out about Alice refusing medical care. As things get worse in Mel's life her own parents and husband don't believe her and she has to rely on her own strength to save her daughter and unborn baby. I liked this one and didn't guess some of the twists. Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.
Mel, her husband Ed and daughter Tilly are in the process of remodeling a. house in the country, far away from the city where she was hounded and blamed for the baby's death. Alice started a social media campaign against Mel and she received all kinds of threats. Ed wants to move far away to Australia where his sister lives, but Mel doesn't want to leave her aging parents. She is also expecting a baby herself and wants to live a peaceful life.
However her new start doesn't last and before she knows it there are new media posts about her and she receives threatening mail and calls. Is Alice behind this or is someone else involved? This was a tense thriller and I get tense myself when I read about women who are being gaslighted. I did wonder why so many people would blame a doula especially if information came out about Alice refusing medical care. As things get worse in Mel's life her own parents and husband don't believe her and she has to rely on her own strength to save her daughter and unborn baby. I liked this one and didn't guess some of the twists. Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.
February 6, 2025
3.5 stars
The Perfect Mother follws Mel as she is nearing the end of her second pregnancy. She is a doula who had a birth go horribly wrong and is dealing with the angry mother who has been smearing her online.
The premise is interesting and engaging. The plot moves along somewhat slowly with a large part of what is happening taking place in Mel's head.
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Though I understood what Mel was grappling with I still found she made questionable decisions and choices. Her husband seemed manipulative rather than the loving husband he was portrayed to be.
There is no true mystery involved because I do think you can figure out quickly who is involved but it is interesting watching how it will unfold.
Overall, if you enjoy thrillers and women's fiction then you will likely enjoy this story.
The Perfect Mother follws Mel as she is nearing the end of her second pregnancy. She is a doula who had a birth go horribly wrong and is dealing with the angry mother who has been smearing her online.
The premise is interesting and engaging. The plot moves along somewhat slowly with a large part of what is happening taking place in Mel's head.
None of the characters were particularly likeable. Though I understood what Mel was grappling with I still found she made questionable decisions and choices. Her husband seemed manipulative rather than the loving husband he was portrayed to be.
There is no true mystery involved because I do think you can figure out quickly who is involved but it is interesting watching how it will unfold.
Overall, if you enjoy thrillers and women's fiction then you will likely enjoy this story.
March 19, 2025
The Perfect Mother by Claire Allen is a page turning psychological thriller.
The problem with being a doula is that not everyone gets their happily ever after. What happens when it's your job to bring life into the world and through no fault of your own that doesn't happen. The parents needs someone to blame, and their target is set on you.
Mel has been a doula in Carrickfergus. Her and her client Alice became more than clients, more like best friends. When Alice's birth doesn't go as expected she needs someone to blame, so she starts slandering Mel's name. But Alice realizes that slandering Mel's name isn't enough, but just how far is she willing to go?
Thank you to Claire Allen for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The problem with being a doula is that not everyone gets their happily ever after. What happens when it's your job to bring life into the world and through no fault of your own that doesn't happen. The parents needs someone to blame, and their target is set on you.
Mel has been a doula in Carrickfergus. Her and her client Alice became more than clients, more like best friends. When Alice's birth doesn't go as expected she needs someone to blame, so she starts slandering Mel's name. But Alice realizes that slandering Mel's name isn't enough, but just how far is she willing to go?
Thank you to Claire Allen for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
February 25, 2025
When a situation doesn’t go the way it should have, Alice and her young family move away where she feels that life can be better. But Alice still gets threatening things happening and she is unsure of how and why it is happening when no one knew where she went.
Social media has a lot to answer for when Alice gets injured and is put under a lot of stress.
This story is a gripping thriller type story that keeps you on your toes on what will happen next.
Social media has a lot to answer for when Alice gets injured and is put under a lot of stress.
This story is a gripping thriller type story that keeps you on your toes on what will happen next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2025
I would say that this was 3.75⭐️ for me.
It was more of a slow burn. Faster pacing at the beginning and, of course, at the end, but middle is calmer, keeping this slower, smoother pacing, although my mind drifted few times away from the story cause it got too slow or a little repetitive.
Characters were well written altogether (some more, some less but as the story goes on we see more of a glimpse of who they are).
It was an easy read with a few surprises. I lacked a little more explanation about the tragedy that was a catalisator to all of this story but overall it was ok.
I would recommend this for people who are more interested in domestic thrillers and paranoias and have nothing against slow burns.
Thank you Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was more of a slow burn. Faster pacing at the beginning and, of course, at the end, but middle is calmer, keeping this slower, smoother pacing, although my mind drifted few times away from the story cause it got too slow or a little repetitive.
Characters were well written altogether (some more, some less but as the story goes on we see more of a glimpse of who they are).
It was an easy read with a few surprises. I lacked a little more explanation about the tragedy that was a catalisator to all of this story but overall it was ok.
I would recommend this for people who are more interested in domestic thrillers and paranoias and have nothing against slow burns.
Thank you Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2025
The power of grief
a riveting novel showing the power of emotions, grief, blame, guilt and motherhood. chilling, exciting, horrific and yet so real.... the power of words and imagination on the reader. this book contains it all.
a riveting novel showing the power of emotions, grief, blame, guilt and motherhood. chilling, exciting, horrific and yet so real.... the power of words and imagination on the reader. this book contains it all.
May 29, 2025
Truly Disturbing
A fast-paced twisted read. I enjoyed it. A bit fantastical, but grief makes people do truly inexplicable things.
Do feel the actual villians of the story were fairly obvious though, as they so often are.
A fast-paced twisted read. I enjoyed it. A bit fantastical, but grief makes people do truly inexplicable things.
Do feel the actual villians of the story were fairly obvious though, as they so often are.
February 26, 2025
I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley. It definitely has a twist at the end!!
January 25, 2025
Chilling novel about a couple--Mel and Ed who move into a new house Ed has built as he's a construction manager. They have a 3-year-old, Tilly and Mel is pregnant with their 2nd. Mel is a doula and years ago she helped best friend, Alice give birth but baby Jacob died and now she's worried that Alice is back to haunt her as weird things begin happening and few people even know where they live. It's a crazy, convoluted story of revenge that will haunt you long into the night.
January 28, 2025
Absolutely gripping. Full of twists and turns.
Thank you Claire Allan, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC
Thank you Claire Allan, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC
January 6, 2026
Mel turned out to be highly unlikable and the ending was predictable but it was a fun read
October 16, 2025
Totally predictable. I don’t think that I will read other books by this author.
February 3, 2025
Mel works as a doula, guiding women during childbirth but when Alice ends up losing her baby during the birth, her and her husband hold the blame against Mel. Mel and her family move far away to escape it all but realise that they are not safe where ever they go.
I found the premise around the doula intriguing, as this is not something I’ve read a lot about and I enjoyed the intense atmosphere that the author creates. I’ll have to admit that this is not what I was expecting when I first picked it up, I expected more of a psychological thriller, however I would put it more general fiction, as there isn’t much suspense and the pacing is quite slow, however it does hold a lot of emotional value.
Unfortunately, due to the pacing I struggled to connect to the story and to carry on reading, therefore although certainly not a bad story, it wasn’t for me at the time of reading. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
I found the premise around the doula intriguing, as this is not something I’ve read a lot about and I enjoyed the intense atmosphere that the author creates. I’ll have to admit that this is not what I was expecting when I first picked it up, I expected more of a psychological thriller, however I would put it more general fiction, as there isn’t much suspense and the pacing is quite slow, however it does hold a lot of emotional value.
Unfortunately, due to the pacing I struggled to connect to the story and to carry on reading, therefore although certainly not a bad story, it wasn’t for me at the time of reading. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
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