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Not Their Daughter
Twenty-nine years ago, a newborn baby named Isabelle was taken from her cot by her mother’s side. Am I the missing girl?
As the tears roll down my cheeks, I’m shaking as I stare at the faded newspaper photograph of my beloved father. In one moment, my world has been turned upside down. I’m already exhausted by grief, I’m not thinking straight, shattered by his death. But finding this old photograph could change everything I thought I knew about who I am…
A shiver runs through me as the idea that my life is not what it seems begins to take hold. My younger sisters are so different to me, so calm and perfect. I’ve never fitted into this family; I’ve never belonged.
My father’s dying words ring in my ears. The last thing he said to me ‘I stole you.’ But could the kind and gentle man who raised me really have done something so terrible?
I’m determined to unravel my family’s secrets because I have to know if I’m the child who was taken all those years ago. But will the truth have the power to heal me, or will it come at a devastating price?
A totally gripping, page-turning emotional suspense novel, Not Their Daughter is a book about the moments in our lives that have the power to change everything and the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Amanda Prowse and Diane Chamberlain.
What readers are saying about Not Their Daughter:
‘OH MY GOODNESS! 5 FULL stars!!... This book kept me hanging on with every word. Every chapter was one exciting thrill after another! Turns and shocking secrets kept my mouth on the floor!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘OMG… Wow! Couldn’t put it down at all! I’m shook! What an ending!... I didn't want it to end, just a fab book!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Fantastic… Heart-felt and emotional but also thrilling… Fabulous.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Wow! Gripping and immersive… Kept me hooked. I didn't want it to end.’ The Enchanted Emporium Bookshelf ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Absolutely gripping… I just couldn't put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As the tears roll down my cheeks, I’m shaking as I stare at the faded newspaper photograph of my beloved father. In one moment, my world has been turned upside down. I’m already exhausted by grief, I’m not thinking straight, shattered by his death. But finding this old photograph could change everything I thought I knew about who I am…
A shiver runs through me as the idea that my life is not what it seems begins to take hold. My younger sisters are so different to me, so calm and perfect. I’ve never fitted into this family; I’ve never belonged.
My father’s dying words ring in my ears. The last thing he said to me ‘I stole you.’ But could the kind and gentle man who raised me really have done something so terrible?
I’m determined to unravel my family’s secrets because I have to know if I’m the child who was taken all those years ago. But will the truth have the power to heal me, or will it come at a devastating price?
A totally gripping, page-turning emotional suspense novel, Not Their Daughter is a book about the moments in our lives that have the power to change everything and the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Amanda Prowse and Diane Chamberlain.
What readers are saying about Not Their Daughter:
‘OH MY GOODNESS! 5 FULL stars!!... This book kept me hanging on with every word. Every chapter was one exciting thrill after another! Turns and shocking secrets kept my mouth on the floor!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘OMG… Wow! Couldn’t put it down at all! I’m shook! What an ending!... I didn't want it to end, just a fab book!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Fantastic… Heart-felt and emotional but also thrilling… Fabulous.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Wow! Gripping and immersive… Kept me hooked. I didn't want it to end.’ The Enchanted Emporium Bookshelf ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Absolutely gripping… I just couldn't put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2024
3070 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Laura Elliot
27 books531 followersBiography
Laura Elliot, is an internationally known writer of psychological thrillers. She has written ten novels, which are published by Bookouture and Sphere in the UK and Ireland, and by Grand Central Publishing in the US.
Her novels have been widely translated and include The Wife Before Me, The Thorn Girl, Guilty and her latest, After the Wedding.
AKA June Considine has written twelve books for children and young adults, and has collaborated on a number of high-profile, non-fiction books. Her short stories for teenage readers have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio. She has also worked as a journalist and magazine editor.
She lives in Malahide, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Laura Elliot, is an internationally known writer of psychological thrillers. She has written ten novels, which are published by Bookouture and Sphere in the UK and Ireland, and by Grand Central Publishing in the US.
Her novels have been widely translated and include The Wife Before Me, The Thorn Girl, Guilty and her latest, After the Wedding.
AKA June Considine has written twelve books for children and young adults, and has collaborated on a number of high-profile, non-fiction books. Her short stories for teenage readers have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio. She has also worked as a journalist and magazine editor.
She lives in Malahide, Co Dublin, Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 5, 2024
I hadn't read any books by Elliot but have heard great things so I was excited when Bookouture contacted me about a book tour for her latest Not Their Daughter!
Twenty-nine years ago, a newborn baby named Isabelle was taken from her cot by her mother's side. Is Gaby the missing girl?
This was a fun blend of domestic suspense and political drama. I liked the dual settings of Ireland and New York City and Gaby was a great protagonist. Her career as a shock jock was unique and really interesting. I also liked the undercurrents of romance in this otherwise suspenseful and dramatic novel! This book really had it all.
This is a quick read that you won't put down. If you're into family dramas, politics, and using genetic DNA testing to learn about your own history, this one is definitely for you.
Thank you to Bookouture for the copy.
Twenty-nine years ago, a newborn baby named Isabelle was taken from her cot by her mother's side. Is Gaby the missing girl?
This was a fun blend of domestic suspense and political drama. I liked the dual settings of Ireland and New York City and Gaby was a great protagonist. Her career as a shock jock was unique and really interesting. I also liked the undercurrents of romance in this otherwise suspenseful and dramatic novel! This book really had it all.
This is a quick read that you won't put down. If you're into family dramas, politics, and using genetic DNA testing to learn about your own history, this one is definitely for you.
Thank you to Bookouture for the copy.
Read
July 30, 2024This is a moving story about family secrets, blood ties, grief, and the real meaning of family.
Gaby has always felt that she doesn't quite fit in with the rest of her family, but it is only upon her father's death that she begins to realise that there may be more to this feeling of hers.
Why did her father say, "I stole you" on his deathbed? What on earth could he have meant? Nothing she knows about her loving parent fits with such an utterance.
Without informing her family, Gaby decides to go ahead with a DNA test. and what she discovers rocks her world, and splinters her sense of identity. So, the question is what she will do with this newfound knowledge...
This is a heartbreaking yet redeeming story that will tug at readers' emotions. The universal issues that it raises go to the core of what it means to love, to lose, and indeed, to be human. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Gaby has always felt that she doesn't quite fit in with the rest of her family, but it is only upon her father's death that she begins to realise that there may be more to this feeling of hers.
Why did her father say, "I stole you" on his deathbed? What on earth could he have meant? Nothing she knows about her loving parent fits with such an utterance.
Without informing her family, Gaby decides to go ahead with a DNA test. and what she discovers rocks her world, and splinters her sense of identity. So, the question is what she will do with this newfound knowledge...
This is a heartbreaking yet redeeming story that will tug at readers' emotions. The universal issues that it raises go to the core of what it means to love, to lose, and indeed, to be human. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
July 28, 2024
Three small words uttered by your father on his deathbed... You must have misheard, right? If not, they are about to turn your world upside down. But not only yours. Life will never be the same again for those involved. For some, it will be something they have been waiting for for years. For others it can have far reaching consequences.
You want to get to the bottom of it and when you realise what it all meant, you are in dubio. To tell or to remain silent? To be close to them or to stay away?
When push comes to shove, the decision is easy to make because it's the only way to bring the person responsible for all the heartache down, once and for all.
I thought I had figured out the why, but OMG I could not have been more wrong. I loved the fact some of the characters finally decided that enough was enough and they stood up for themselves.
Real love never dies even if you have not always been together. 5 stars
Thank you
You want to get to the bottom of it and when you realise what it all meant, you are in dubio. To tell or to remain silent? To be close to them or to stay away?
When push comes to shove, the decision is easy to make because it's the only way to bring the person responsible for all the heartache down, once and for all.
I thought I had figured out the why, but OMG I could not have been more wrong. I loved the fact some of the characters finally decided that enough was enough and they stood up for themselves.
Real love never dies even if you have not always been together. 5 stars
Thank you
August 1, 2024
Wow what a read. This book will break your heart a million times but also remind you that sometimes family isn’t just blood it can be more than that. When Gabby looses her dad to cancer she can’t get over his last words to her “I stole you” as she tries to make sense of his words her mother pulls further and further away from her and as she investigate further she ends up questioning everything in her life and the people around her. Was her father an evil man who snatched her away from her rightful home or was there more to it than that and should some secrets just stay buried!
January 21, 2025
enjoyed reading this book.
Gaby, has returned to Ireland from New York to be with her dying father. An emotional time, with all the family grieving. Gaby’s world is rocked when her father whispers his dying words “I stole You”
What did he mean? Was he delusional? Trying to talk with her mother Cassie, proves impossible. They’ve had a tricky relationship for several years now. Gaby feels her mother hates her and doesn’t understand why. Cassie struggles with alcohol and always seems to be worse when Gaby is around, this is the reason she moved to New York, many years ago.
After a slip with alcohol Gaby overhears Cassie asking her father why he told his secret. This leaves Gaby reeling even more.
What follows is Gaby trying to find out the truth. She then discovers the case of Isabelle Russell, who disappeared at 3 weeks old. Could she be missing Isabelle?
We follow Gaby as she battles with not wanting to hurt her families feeling but also wanting to discover the truth about who she is.
This is an emotional story and very well written, I felt for all the characters and could understand why they did what they did
Gaby, has returned to Ireland from New York to be with her dying father. An emotional time, with all the family grieving. Gaby’s world is rocked when her father whispers his dying words “I stole You”
What did he mean? Was he delusional? Trying to talk with her mother Cassie, proves impossible. They’ve had a tricky relationship for several years now. Gaby feels her mother hates her and doesn’t understand why. Cassie struggles with alcohol and always seems to be worse when Gaby is around, this is the reason she moved to New York, many years ago.
After a slip with alcohol Gaby overhears Cassie asking her father why he told his secret. This leaves Gaby reeling even more.
What follows is Gaby trying to find out the truth. She then discovers the case of Isabelle Russell, who disappeared at 3 weeks old. Could she be missing Isabelle?
We follow Gaby as she battles with not wanting to hurt her families feeling but also wanting to discover the truth about who she is.
This is an emotional story and very well written, I felt for all the characters and could understand why they did what they did
October 22, 2024
Such an amazing story that keeps you reading. I did not want to put this one down!
August 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, author Laura Elliot and Bookoture publishing for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.
In my opinion, it was an okay read. I didn’t find it gripping or suspenseful but an okay read nonetheless. The character development was well done and the book is very descriptive in details about the characters and their lives.
The plot was just too predictable. There really wasn’t anything ‘thrilling’ per se and sadly it reads just like all the other books about a stolen baby. It didn’t really contain any stand alone moments of suspense or page turning moments.
I would like to read other books by this author though and recommend this book if you are looking to read something with a predictable and overused plot and ending. I wish the author had taken the storyline a little further and added something not so overly saturated in the themes of stolen baby books.
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
In my opinion, it was an okay read. I didn’t find it gripping or suspenseful but an okay read nonetheless. The character development was well done and the book is very descriptive in details about the characters and their lives.
The plot was just too predictable. There really wasn’t anything ‘thrilling’ per se and sadly it reads just like all the other books about a stolen baby. It didn’t really contain any stand alone moments of suspense or page turning moments.
I would like to read other books by this author though and recommend this book if you are looking to read something with a predictable and overused plot and ending. I wish the author had taken the storyline a little further and added something not so overly saturated in the themes of stolen baby books.
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 18, 2024
If you’re mixed on the reviews like I was, read it.
The biggest criticism I saw was that this book has such a slow start, it’s hard to stick with it. That is true. But the more it picks up, the more you can’t put it down. And the end is gratifying.
I thought about this, and as a writer myself, I don’t know that there’s a way to speed up the action. I think it has to be layered the way it is. And really, isn’t life like that? We have a lot of ordinary moments between the exciting ones.
I enjoyed this book and I do recommend it.
The biggest criticism I saw was that this book has such a slow start, it’s hard to stick with it. That is true. But the more it picks up, the more you can’t put it down. And the end is gratifying.
I thought about this, and as a writer myself, I don’t know that there’s a way to speed up the action. I think it has to be layered the way it is. And really, isn’t life like that? We have a lot of ordinary moments between the exciting ones.
I enjoyed this book and I do recommend it.
December 19, 2024
I don't usually enjoy slow burns and politics centered books, but I did enjoy this book even if it was really slow at times. I specially loved how the book ended for almost all characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 29, 2024
lot of repeat
This book definitely not thriller was actually repeating same story just different words could’ve been shortened and had the same affect
This book definitely not thriller was actually repeating same story just different words could’ve been shortened and had the same affect
August 27, 2024
Not Their Daughter by Laura Elliot is a highly recommended domestic suspense novel following a woman's search for the truth about her family.
Gabrielle (Gaby) Grace lives in NYC is an AM shock jock for NY Eyz with a call-in show called "Gaby's Good Morning Wake-up." She returned home to Trabawn, Ireland, just sixteen hours before her father's death from cancer. At his death bed the last words Gaby's father Dominick said to her was "I stole you."
When Gaby asks her mother, Cassie, why she delayed informing her about her father's health until the end and what his last words were, she became angry and then deflected the inquiry. Gaby has had a contentious relationship with her mother, Cassie, for years and left home as quickly as possible when she turned eighteen. Her younger twin sisters, Jessica and Susanne, love her, but are so different from her and know nothing about the comment made. At the wake she reconnects with a long time friend, Killian Osmond, who came to support her. Cassie is an alcoholic and after drinking heavily that night, yells at Dominick for leaving her to clean up his mess. What mess, Gaby wonders.
Later, Gaby finds a newspaper clipping that she believes is a photo of her father, who has traditionally tried to stay out of all photos. She asks Killian about it as he works for the Bayview Dispatch paper. The man's name is Cormac Gallagher, a detective, and he is next to prominent politician Aloysius Russell. While researching these names, Gaby comes across the story of a baby girl, Isabelle, who was stolen from her crib as a newborn infant twenty-nine years ago. Could Gaby be the baby?
All of this and much more happens early on in the novel, grabbing your attention and increasing the desire to keep reading as Gaby tries to untangle the mounting number of secrets and get answers to her questions. There are plenty of twists along the way and the search becomes even more convoluted as answers don't come quickly and even more questions arise. Readers will have to set disbelief aside several times, but interest in reaching the final denouement will make that easy.
Gaby is a fully realized, sympathetic character and you will want her to find closure and move on with her life. There is a whole lot of drama that needs to take place before she even comes close to some semblance of the truth. The action unfolds like a soap opera, with twists and new information that keep the pages turning and the melodrama going until the final twist. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
Gabrielle (Gaby) Grace lives in NYC is an AM shock jock for NY Eyz with a call-in show called "Gaby's Good Morning Wake-up." She returned home to Trabawn, Ireland, just sixteen hours before her father's death from cancer. At his death bed the last words Gaby's father Dominick said to her was "I stole you."
When Gaby asks her mother, Cassie, why she delayed informing her about her father's health until the end and what his last words were, she became angry and then deflected the inquiry. Gaby has had a contentious relationship with her mother, Cassie, for years and left home as quickly as possible when she turned eighteen. Her younger twin sisters, Jessica and Susanne, love her, but are so different from her and know nothing about the comment made. At the wake she reconnects with a long time friend, Killian Osmond, who came to support her. Cassie is an alcoholic and after drinking heavily that night, yells at Dominick for leaving her to clean up his mess. What mess, Gaby wonders.
Later, Gaby finds a newspaper clipping that she believes is a photo of her father, who has traditionally tried to stay out of all photos. She asks Killian about it as he works for the Bayview Dispatch paper. The man's name is Cormac Gallagher, a detective, and he is next to prominent politician Aloysius Russell. While researching these names, Gaby comes across the story of a baby girl, Isabelle, who was stolen from her crib as a newborn infant twenty-nine years ago. Could Gaby be the baby?
All of this and much more happens early on in the novel, grabbing your attention and increasing the desire to keep reading as Gaby tries to untangle the mounting number of secrets and get answers to her questions. There are plenty of twists along the way and the search becomes even more convoluted as answers don't come quickly and even more questions arise. Readers will have to set disbelief aside several times, but interest in reaching the final denouement will make that easy.
Gaby is a fully realized, sympathetic character and you will want her to find closure and move on with her life. There is a whole lot of drama that needs to take place before she even comes close to some semblance of the truth. The action unfolds like a soap opera, with twists and new information that keep the pages turning and the melodrama going until the final twist. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
October 2, 2024
Imagine learning when you’re 29 years old that your entire life was built on a lie. This is what happens to Gabrielle Grace when her father’s last words are “I stole you.” As an adoptee, I could relate a lot to what Gabrielle goes through in Not Their Daughter, except most adopted people learn very young that they were adopted, rather than having it dropped on them as adults. Laura Elliot does a terrific job detailing the pain and confusion that these types of lies have on people.
Gabrielle tries to write off her father’s words as a side-effect of the medications he was on, but it nags at her. She tries to open a dialogue with her mother, Cassie. The two have a fractured relationship, which is one of the reasons Gabrielle built a life in New York, rather than back in Ireland where she was raised. Her younger twin sisters get along fine with Cassie, it’s only Gabrielle who seems to have a certain effect on her. Gabrielle’s questions about her past disturb Cassie, who has spent a lifetime battling alcoholism.
After stealing DNA from her father’s and mother’s hairbrushes, Gabrielle is reassured when she learns her father is definitely her father. The second test comes back that Cassie is not her mother. Gabrielle returns to Ireland, determined to find out who she really is.
Not Their Daughter is not just about Gabrielle’s search for her identity, but a thriller as well. Someone doesn’t want her getting close to the truth. Gabrielle is angry with her father for denying her 29 years with her mother, but it soon becomes obvious there is more to it than that. The story unravels into a thriller as slowly the truth begins to get out. Gabrielle figures out that it’s likely that she is a famous missing child from many years before who is believed to be deceased. Why would her father have stolen her out of the cradle next to the woman he loved?
To read my full review please go to Not Their Daughter by Laura Elliot – Thrilling Quest for Identity
Gabrielle tries to write off her father’s words as a side-effect of the medications he was on, but it nags at her. She tries to open a dialogue with her mother, Cassie. The two have a fractured relationship, which is one of the reasons Gabrielle built a life in New York, rather than back in Ireland where she was raised. Her younger twin sisters get along fine with Cassie, it’s only Gabrielle who seems to have a certain effect on her. Gabrielle’s questions about her past disturb Cassie, who has spent a lifetime battling alcoholism.
After stealing DNA from her father’s and mother’s hairbrushes, Gabrielle is reassured when she learns her father is definitely her father. The second test comes back that Cassie is not her mother. Gabrielle returns to Ireland, determined to find out who she really is.
Not Their Daughter is not just about Gabrielle’s search for her identity, but a thriller as well. Someone doesn’t want her getting close to the truth. Gabrielle is angry with her father for denying her 29 years with her mother, but it soon becomes obvious there is more to it than that. The story unravels into a thriller as slowly the truth begins to get out. Gabrielle figures out that it’s likely that she is a famous missing child from many years before who is believed to be deceased. Why would her father have stolen her out of the cradle next to the woman he loved?
To read my full review please go to Not Their Daughter by Laura Elliot – Thrilling Quest for Identity
July 31, 2024
Not Their Daughter by L. Elliot, published by Bookouture is a n absolutely gripping domestic thriller.
I started reading and soon I was that intrigued, I read the book cover to cover in one single sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
Blurb: Twenty-nine years ago, a newborn baby named Isabelle was taken from her cot by her mother’s side. Am I the missing girl?
As the tears roll down my cheeks, I’m shaking as I stare at the faded newspaper photograph of my beloved father. In one moment, my world has been turned upside down. I’m already exhausted by grief, I’m not thinking straight, shattered by his death. But finding this old photograph could change everything I thought I knew about who I am…
A shiver runs through me as the idea that my life is not what it seems begins to take hold. My younger sisters are so different to me, so calm and perfect. I’ve never fitted into this family; I’ve never belonged.
My father’s dying words ring in my ears. The last thing he said to me ‘I stole you.’ But could the kind and gentle man who raised me really have done something so terrible?
I’m determined to unravel my family’s secrets because I have to know if I’m the child who was taken all those years ago.
I started reading and soon I was that intrigued, I read the book cover to cover in one single sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
Blurb: Twenty-nine years ago, a newborn baby named Isabelle was taken from her cot by her mother’s side. Am I the missing girl?
As the tears roll down my cheeks, I’m shaking as I stare at the faded newspaper photograph of my beloved father. In one moment, my world has been turned upside down. I’m already exhausted by grief, I’m not thinking straight, shattered by his death. But finding this old photograph could change everything I thought I knew about who I am…
A shiver runs through me as the idea that my life is not what it seems begins to take hold. My younger sisters are so different to me, so calm and perfect. I’ve never fitted into this family; I’ve never belonged.
My father’s dying words ring in my ears. The last thing he said to me ‘I stole you.’ But could the kind and gentle man who raised me really have done something so terrible?
I’m determined to unravel my family’s secrets because I have to know if I’m the child who was taken all those years ago.
September 6, 2024
Reading Between the Wines book review #86/130 for 2024:
Book Tour!!
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: Not Their Daughter
Author: Laura Elliot
Available now!! Released on August 30, 2024!
Sipping thoughts: Can you imagine if someone told you they “stole you.” Your whole life would feel like a lie? Who could you trust? What would your old life look like. This is what Gabi is going through after her dying father tells her this. This book takes you through DNA testing, political issues, mistrusts, lies, secrets, alcoholism, and a little bit of the one who got away love. This is my first Elliot book, and I really enjoyed it and will be looking for more of her books in the future.
Cheers and thank you to @Bookouture and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @NotTheirDaughter.
#NotTheirDaughter #LauraElliot #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult
Book Tour!!
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: Not Their Daughter
Author: Laura Elliot
Available now!! Released on August 30, 2024!
Sipping thoughts: Can you imagine if someone told you they “stole you.” Your whole life would feel like a lie? Who could you trust? What would your old life look like. This is what Gabi is going through after her dying father tells her this. This book takes you through DNA testing, political issues, mistrusts, lies, secrets, alcoholism, and a little bit of the one who got away love. This is my first Elliot book, and I really enjoyed it and will be looking for more of her books in the future.
Cheers and thank you to @Bookouture and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @NotTheirDaughter.
#NotTheirDaughter #LauraElliot #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult
October 25, 2024
Lost me with all the politics
This would have been a good book had it not been for 3/4 of it all on unnecessary politics that had absolutely nothing at all to do with the story. I think all that useless political stuff ruined this book. It should have been more about the characters and their emotions dealing with everything. The characters were not well developed either. So many things wrong with it. Ie. Gaby was attacked twice by the same man. She discovers who it was and who it was tied to but never, ever notified the police that he had put a hit on her. Maria was a wimp of a mother. Siding with her evil husband on the terrible treatment of her own sons. No mother in her right mind would allow the father to treat her children in that way. And Maria was an idiot for taking the physical abuse from her husband. It was like she wanted to be in the spotlight, she thrived on the game rather than exposing him for the monster he was. Cassie was a selfish witch for the way she treated Gabby her whole life. The idea was good, but the story that was written wasn’t. I’m sorry I wasted my time reading this book.
This would have been a good book had it not been for 3/4 of it all on unnecessary politics that had absolutely nothing at all to do with the story. I think all that useless political stuff ruined this book. It should have been more about the characters and their emotions dealing with everything. The characters were not well developed either. So many things wrong with it. Ie. Gaby was attacked twice by the same man. She discovers who it was and who it was tied to but never, ever notified the police that he had put a hit on her. Maria was a wimp of a mother. Siding with her evil husband on the terrible treatment of her own sons. No mother in her right mind would allow the father to treat her children in that way. And Maria was an idiot for taking the physical abuse from her husband. It was like she wanted to be in the spotlight, she thrived on the game rather than exposing him for the monster he was. Cassie was a selfish witch for the way she treated Gabby her whole life. The idea was good, but the story that was written wasn’t. I’m sorry I wasted my time reading this book.
August 6, 2024
I enjoyed the pace of this thriller & the story/character development so much! Multiple times throughout I felt a connection to a few characters which made the book that much more enjoyable. Not your typical thriller either - which was awesome.
Gaby is back home in Ireland after getting news her father is sick with cancer with not much time left. She gets home and gets 16 hours with him before his death. His last words to her were not “I love you” but “I stole you”.
Throughout the story Gaby is trying to come to terms with what might be the truth about her real identity, the loss of her father, a horrible break up in NY, and the dynamic of her family.
The ending of the story was not what I thought or expected at all- it was a wild twist I would never had expected!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Gaby is back home in Ireland after getting news her father is sick with cancer with not much time left. She gets home and gets 16 hours with him before his death. His last words to her were not “I love you” but “I stole you”.
Throughout the story Gaby is trying to come to terms with what might be the truth about her real identity, the loss of her father, a horrible break up in NY, and the dynamic of her family.
The ending of the story was not what I thought or expected at all- it was a wild twist I would never had expected!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 27, 2024
“I stole you” Gaby’s father’s unexpected last words impact will echo through her mind even as she tries to dismiss them as a simple mix up of words by a dying man. But his last words haunt her, and upon reflection might explain why her mother hates her. Determined to get to the truth she begins to dig into the past with no idea how far her journey will take her.
This was intriguing and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. It is a suspense/mystery book so I won’t go into too many details as I really enjoyed the pacing of the reveals of information. Thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture and for letting me have an advanced copy for review. Look for Not Their Daughter on release August 30 2024.
This was intriguing and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. It is a suspense/mystery book so I won’t go into too many details as I really enjoyed the pacing of the reveals of information. Thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture and for letting me have an advanced copy for review. Look for Not Their Daughter on release August 30 2024.
July 29, 2024
Gaby travels from New York when her father is dying. His last words were "I stole you". She is puzzled, and does a DNA test without her mother's knowledge and is surpised at the results.
This is a novel with a lot of impact.
Gaby has always felt like she never really belonged in the family, but had no idea why.
There are twists and reveals, and only in the final part of the book, does the reader find out the whole truth.
I recommend, it is a book that pulls at the heartstrings.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a novel with a lot of impact.
Gaby has always felt like she never really belonged in the family, but had no idea why.
There are twists and reveals, and only in the final part of the book, does the reader find out the whole truth.
I recommend, it is a book that pulls at the heartstrings.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.
September 2, 2024
Gaby doesn’t know why her mother, Cassie, seems to despise her. But when her father utters a death bed confession it sends her life into a tailspin.
A trilogy of voices are unveiled in the novel: Gabrielle’s, Maria, and Cassie. One will be silenced while another will have the chance to speak out finally.
I didn’t quite know where the story would take me or what would be revealed but it was quite the story.
Certain characters actions and decisions became more understanding the deeper I delved into the story.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early copy.
A trilogy of voices are unveiled in the novel: Gabrielle’s, Maria, and Cassie. One will be silenced while another will have the chance to speak out finally.
I didn’t quite know where the story would take me or what would be revealed but it was quite the story.
Certain characters actions and decisions became more understanding the deeper I delved into the story.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early copy.
September 13, 2024
My eyes are crossed and I am seeing double.
I am not sure how I found this book, but I'm glad I did. This isn't my"normal" choice of reading material. Something drew me to the book, I picked it up and couldn't put it down.
I felt Gaby's pain, her uncertainty and her guilt. None of it was her doing. I was feeling her struggles, wanting for her to find the courage to move forward.
The just when we thought it was all getting tied up in a cute little bow, BAM !!! You hit us with that last chapter. Well done.
I am not sure how I found this book, but I'm glad I did. This isn't my"normal" choice of reading material. Something drew me to the book, I picked it up and couldn't put it down.
I felt Gaby's pain, her uncertainty and her guilt. None of it was her doing. I was feeling her struggles, wanting for her to find the courage to move forward.
The just when we thought it was all getting tied up in a cute little bow, BAM !!! You hit us with that last chapter. Well done.
September 21, 2024
Gabby is holding her Dad’s hand as he is taking his final few breaths from his deathbed. Her heart is shattering. He looks to her and says, I Stole You and takes his last breath. Surely he meant to say I Love You, Right?
Get your Kleenex ready. This is an emotional and gripping story told of the journey to find the true story of what happened all of these years ago.
This is the first book I have read of this author and I am very impressed with her style and story telling. I will be reading more from her in the coming months.
Get your Kleenex ready. This is an emotional and gripping story told of the journey to find the true story of what happened all of these years ago.
This is the first book I have read of this author and I am very impressed with her style and story telling. I will be reading more from her in the coming months.
March 12, 2025
Will Gaby's truth be told? Who's truth is real?
A compelling story of love and family that stems decades of lives lived in Ireland with a beloved father that has an explosive secret to tell his daughter Gabby before he dies. Her mother Cassie struggles with a burden she must keep with her dying breath. The weight of it forces her to bouts of drinking and a tumultuous relationship with Gabby. Gabby is drawn into a truth that is beyond belief but will not be denied. Follow the trail of stolen dreams that take decades to become reality.
A compelling story of love and family that stems decades of lives lived in Ireland with a beloved father that has an explosive secret to tell his daughter Gabby before he dies. Her mother Cassie struggles with a burden she must keep with her dying breath. The weight of it forces her to bouts of drinking and a tumultuous relationship with Gabby. Gabby is drawn into a truth that is beyond belief but will not be denied. Follow the trail of stolen dreams that take decades to become reality.
September 3, 2024
Blimey, that was an opener and a half wasn't it? Your father's on his deathbed and he utters three words that are going to change your life irrevocably.
I've previously read The Marriage Retreat by Elliot, so knew I wouldnt be disappointed by Not Their Daughter.
It's a pacey read, that takes us through webs of lies, secrets and the true meaning of family.
The characters, especially Gaby were so easy to become emotionally invested in.
A highly enjoyable, heartfelt domestic drama.
I've previously read The Marriage Retreat by Elliot, so knew I wouldnt be disappointed by Not Their Daughter.
It's a pacey read, that takes us through webs of lies, secrets and the true meaning of family.
The characters, especially Gaby were so easy to become emotionally invested in.
A highly enjoyable, heartfelt domestic drama.
September 25, 2024
I struggled hard with this book! It jumped all over the timeline, sometimes without much description so it was hard to follow. I’m not much into politics, especially foreign politics, and the crossover between politics, a radio jockey, and an abused wife just didn’t flow for me. It took me until almost 85% in to be hooked into the story. Calling this a psychological thriller is an insult to actual psychological thrillers.
January 3, 2025
3 1/2 stars for me
“An emotional and gripping domestic suspense novel’” is what the title suggests, but sadly it is not. This is a very slow book that took forever to even get to a point of slightly suspenseful, if you can even say that.
There was no character development whatsoever and the conclusion left me as flat as the beginning.
This could have been a great story if the time had been taken to develop the characters and the plot, but it fell well short.
“An emotional and gripping domestic suspense novel’” is what the title suggests, but sadly it is not. This is a very slow book that took forever to even get to a point of slightly suspenseful, if you can even say that.
There was no character development whatsoever and the conclusion left me as flat as the beginning.
This could have been a great story if the time had been taken to develop the characters and the plot, but it fell well short.
September 2, 2024
Excellent book
I love Laura Elliot books. All her stories take you through a journey and she manages to engulf you into the world as you live the characters and what is endured.
Another excellent story of secrets which grow arms and legs throughout a lifetime, and the consequences of the decisions made at key moments which shape the future.
Totally loved this book
I love Laura Elliot books. All her stories take you through a journey and she manages to engulf you into the world as you live the characters and what is endured.
Another excellent story of secrets which grow arms and legs throughout a lifetime, and the consequences of the decisions made at key moments which shape the future.
Totally loved this book
October 16, 2024
I enjoyed this book and felt torn throughout the whole thing. Her “mom” really frustrated me and I felt she was very selfish and crappy. It made me think a lot. I’m glad her memory of her father wasn’t ruined and she was able to find out about the evil abusive husband of her birth mother got what he deserved in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2024
quite an emotional rollercoaster
At her dying father’s bedside, she hears his last declaration, “I stole you” - but what could that possibly mean?
The answer to that question bounces the protagonist between the Ireland of her birth, to the New York of her present, and back again as a devastating and life-shattering secret.
At her dying father’s bedside, she hears his last declaration, “I stole you” - but what could that possibly mean?
The answer to that question bounces the protagonist between the Ireland of her birth, to the New York of her present, and back again as a devastating and life-shattering secret.
March 5, 2025
A very dark story
I couldn't finish this long drawn out story of pain, guilt, cruel, evil filled people. It was hard to get close to any of the characters because they were all filled with pain of one kind or another. It's hard to imagine how many ways one human being can hurt another, especially family.
I skipped to the end just to "rinse my mind out"
I couldn't finish this long drawn out story of pain, guilt, cruel, evil filled people. It was hard to get close to any of the characters because they were all filled with pain of one kind or another. It's hard to imagine how many ways one human being can hurt another, especially family.
I skipped to the end just to "rinse my mind out"
August 25, 2024
Heartfelt family drama with some danger sprinkled along the way. Across two continents, a long-ago secret is about to be exposed and will rock the families as well as their communities. Well told and very descriptive.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
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