Baby Moon

by Sara Lea

Jess has always dreamed of being a mom. Now that her sweet baby boy is here, it's everything she ever dreamed of. Until one day when she wakes up from a nap and Toby is missing. Not only is he missing- but so are all traces of him. Her husband Luke tries to convince her that there was no baby, one never existed. But a mother always knows- and Jess knows Luke is hiding something about Toby. She's desperate to get her son back, and will stop at nothing to achieve that. When the truth comes tumbling down on her, she has a life changing decision to make. Will she do what she has to do to get Toby back?
*For fans of speculative thrillers*

69 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2026

Reviews

[Madame Strange · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Baby Moon” - The Tarot Card cover was enough to pull me in.

★★★★★

Like I said, show me a Tarot Card cover and my inner Witch is in (That and the fact that Sara Leah is a brilliant author and I’ve enjoyed every novel she wrote). Getting to read this as an ARC has been a pleasure.

This story may be short but packs one hell of a punch of emotions and delivers a tale that will resonate with you on a deeper level. It’s about so much more than loss and grief, it’s about control, love, the freedom to choose and make your own decisions. About autonomy and fear and by the end I had a lump in my throat. “Baby Moon” is scary in more ways than one and I can only recommend it!

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Baby Moon” by Sara Lea is a short, intense read that pulled me in from the start. What begins as an ordinary moment quickly turns into every parent’s nightmare when a mother wakes from a nap to find her son missing. Dark, fast paced, and full of tension, this story had me hooked the whole way through. A quick but gripping addition to the In The Cards series.

[Candy Turk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Sara Lea’s novellas! Several times I caught myself backing up a few pages to figure out where I was and what was going on. All signs of a great book! if you’re looking for a short, quick read… Pick this one up!

[Chapters_with_VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all, Baby Moon is a short story that took me on a wild, emotional ride. Jess finally gets the baby she’s always dreamed of… then wakes up and he’s just gone—and her husband insists he never existed. Yeah, no. 🚩

The plot is twisty, eerie, and full of that “what is actually happening?!” tension I love. Jess is such a strong, believable character—you feel her desperation and KNOW she’s not wrong. A mother always knows.

The writing is sharp, fast-paced, and packs a serious punch for a short story. And that ending? Whew. 😶

For my fellow speculative thriller lovers—don’t skip this one.

And don’t forget to check out the other 21 stories… because you never know what’s In The Cards.

[Crystal O · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC sent by Sara Lea and I couldn't be more proud or happier for her to step out of her usual story telling and tell a story that resonates so deeply with her and a lot of other women.
Jess is a woman who notices her baby, Toby is missing. Her Husband doesn't act on it but instead sits her down calmly and explains there never was a baby. How does poor Jess deal with this? In a short but very pactful story, you will read about how a mother goes on a personal and sacrificial journey for her memories, life, baby, and love.

[Country · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but emotional read that takes a sensitive topic to many with such grace and shines a light on what so many go through with so much care to the topic. Truly a touching and heart string pulling read that show's many emotions that so many go through from grief to acceptance and many more in between to refinding who you were before everything was changed with a new outlook on life.

[Annette Cates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this plot because I've never read anything like it. I honestly could see this happening in our Techie future. I thought the narrator was good. I can put myself in Jess's shoes, I have been through similar. Great job Sara, what a story.

[Katlin Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. Wow this short story in this series was absolutely heart wrenching! Definitely shows the issues with technology of today!

[Heather Chauvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one gave me chills! Such a unique concept for a short story and it was written so well.

[Stacey Persin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story by Sara Lea kept me guessing until the last page. It is an incredible emotional story with enough twists and turns that you never quite know what to expect next. A haunting fast-paced read will linger in your mind along after the final chapter.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this 57-page thriller, Sara Lea delivers an emotional punch that centers on every mother’s nightmare: a missing baby. Written from Jess’s perspective, the story is fast-paced and leans into the concepts of the protective love of a mother and the raw, desperate grief of a woman longing for a child. Jess is a very easy protagonist to empathize with, and the sharp writing keeps the tension high as the mystery unfolds. The story is gripping and well-executed, and while the plot leans into sci-fi elements that aren't to my personal taste, I still really enjoyed it. The emotional journey and high-stakes suspense make this a compelling, one-sitting read from the In The Cards collection.

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