She Took My Baby

by Steena Holmes

I look after her children. But I know she stole mine…

As a nanny for the wealthy Eatons, Trina watches every day as Rosalind Eaton cradles the baby close. Trina’s baby.

The sweet little boy won’t settle—he never does in Rosalind’s arms. It breaks Trina’s heart to see the tiny tears falling down his fat cheeks. His glossy hair is light auburn, and straight. Nothing like the Eaton family’s classic dark curls.

Trina has been watching the Eatons for years. And what she knows about their dark past could be their undoing.

Rosalind isn’t coping. She isn’t sleeping and she’s barely eating. It is Trina who rocks the baby in the dead of night, whispering soothing words of comfort. Surely Rosalind is just one step away from slipping up and revealing the truth Trina is so certain of…

Trina’s baby was stolen.

The Eatons seem perfect, but they can’t be trusted.

And she’ll do anything to get her baby back.

Fans of The Housemaid , The Perfect Marriage and John Marrs will be totally obsessed with this gripping psychological thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Steena Holmes!

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Psychological Thriller, Fiction

328 pages, ebook

Published January 5, 2026

About the author

Steena Holmes is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with nearly 3 million copies of her titles sold worldwide, including The Patient, The Forgotten Ones, and Sister Under the Stairs.

Named in the Top 20 Women Author to Read by Good Housekeeping, she won the National Indie Excellence Award for her breakout novel Finding Emma and the USA Book News Award for The Word Game. Steena has been featured in various newspapers and magazines, websites such as Goodreads, BookBub, RedBook, Glamour, Coastal Living and Goodhousekeeping.

One of Steena's passions is to travel with her readers, so she created her Sweet Tours, where she shares her love for the sweet life with her readers, whether in Paris, Italy, or exploring Christmas Markets.
To learn more about her books and join her on the next Sweet Tour, visit her website at http://www.steenaholmes.com.
You can also find Steena on the web at:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorsteenaholmes
Facebook: SteenaHolmes.author

LIST OF HER NOVELS STARTING FROM MOST RECENT:

SHE TOOK MY BABY

THE GIRLS IN THE BASEMENT (follow up to The Sister Under the Stairs)

THE TWIN

ENGAGED TO A SERIAL KILLER

THE SISTER UNDER THE STAIRS

THE PATIENT

THE FORGOTTEN ONES

SAVING ABBY & ABBY'S JOURNEY

THE WORD GAME

Stillwater Bay Series:
Stillwater Shores
Stillwater Rising
Stillwater Tides
Stillwater Deep

The Memory Child & The Memory Journal

FINDING EMMA series:
Finding Emma
Dear Jack
Emma's Secret
Dottie's Memories
Megan's Hope

Reviews

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of She Took My Baby by Steena Holmes. This was my first book by this author but definitely not my last. What a great way to start the New Year off. I loved this book. This book grabbed me from the start and kept me engaged the whole time. The chapters are short (which I like) and it flowed nicely. The beginning was a little confusing and I was worried. After I got past that issue it was smooth sailing for me. I would recommend this book to others. Stick with it and you'll be glad you did. I gave it a 4 star rating. #SteenaHolmes #Bookouture

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m unsure if this title lost me somewhere in the turning over of Christmas head space, but while I did enjoy it I found the story to be both over complicated and a bit predictable which is a funny combination to find.

The story itself was good, well thought out, and the writing was nice but I was bored and distracted at several points, I found my mind drifting far from the story and I had to keep going back and forward to familiarise myself with the characters, yet once I’d grasped them it was all too clear to see the what, the how and the why and obviously the conclusion.

I enjoyed the narration and I’m really grateful for the ALC 🎧

My thanks to Bookouture audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review the title.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My very first Steena Holmes book.
This is an ok thriller.
I found it unnecessarily over complicated and convoluted.
I didn’t think it needed to be like that.
Overall it was average but I can say I did finish it.

[Readwithri · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very beginning, Steena Holmes envelopes the reader into a gripping tale of mystery and suspense.
The premise of the story is every parents worse nightmare, and it has become the living reality of Trina Emmet, when she wakes post labour, to discover that her baby boy is missing.
As a mother myself, I was shocked and confused alongside the fmc.
Trina is a mother desperate for answers. There are no limitations as to how far she'll go to conceal truths and intentions - Trina will do whatever she must to get her boy back.

Thriller/mystery readers will appreciate the way Holmes emotional drama and enigma into this cryptic conundrum that compells readers to stay locked in.

This was also my first Steena Holmes book and I was impressed with how much emotional and character depth you get, in this fast paced, easy-to-read novel. Steena combines every day domestication with suspense and dark elements making the story relatable and gripping.

I will definitely be reading more Steena Holmes in the near future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for an eARC.

[Michaela | bumblebeeslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

She Took My Baby is a mystery/thriller story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!!

Trina is convinced that her best friend, and the family she works for, has stolen her baby. But it seems that all the staff, and the doctor are in on the ruse, to convince Trina that she lost her baby and she is just dealing with post partum depression, you know, "women's issues"... I thought this story was written really well, not only is it a great mystery, but it also sheds light on and how even to this day women are very frequently gaslit when it comes to medical care, and their mental health, by doctors and men.

While I believed Trina the entire story, the author wrote well enough that there were times you were not sure what the truth really was. Then there was Rosalind, while she seems on the edge of a mental breakdown the entire story, she does have more up her sleeve than anyone gave her credit for, even her best friend Trina. Both Trina and Rosalind were dealing with very different forms of grief and anger, and had a hard time even trusting each other throughout this story. Wyatt, the third friend in the equation, also a bit mysterious, but seems to be on Trina and Rosalind's side. Each chapter the characters learn a little bit more about what is going on, and it made it nearly impossible to put down the book as I couldn't wait for each new reveal.

This story is heart wrenching, and shows how far a mother will go for her child. I loved the ending to this story, proving that no matter what these friends have gone through, how much they are gaslit and treated as inferior, messing with them will get you burned.

Some fav quotes:
"...how healing means the scrape stops bleeding, but the pink skin never looks the same. Healing doesn't erase the wound; it just covers it so you're not always aware of the pain anymore."

""Someone is dead because of what we did. Why isn't that happening now?""

"When I hold him, it's like every broken piece of me fuses back together."

"Years ago, Rosalind, Wyatt and myself made a pact with each other. We promised to always carry the shovel to dig the grave if it were ever needed. No questions asked. No answers needed."

"For that smile, I will burn down the world. I will destroy anything and everything in my path for that sweet smile."

"...and black was to burn it all down and start anew."

Thank you so much to Bookouture, Netgalley, and the author for a copy of this book!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a longtime Steena Holmes reader, so when I saw the premise of this book—missing baby, small-town secrets—I knew I needed to read it.

She Took My Baby is one of those emotional, slightly unsettling reads that pulled me in right from the start. I’ve read a majority of Steena Holmes’s books—with the exception of just three—and have thoroughly enjoyed them all, so I was especially excited to receive an advance copy and dive right into this intriguing story. The premise itself is every parent’s nightmare—a missing baby, a mother desperate for answers, and a town full of secrets—and Holmes leans into that tension in a really engaging way.

The story follows a mom who’s already been through trauma, so when her baby disappears, I immediately felt that panic and confusion right alongside her. I liked how the book blends mystery with emotional drama—it’s not just about what happened, but how everyone around her reacts, what they’re hiding, and how grief and guilt twist relationships. Holmes really taps into that “how far would you go?” feeling that keeps you turning the pages.

Holmes writes in a warm, emotional, and easy-to-read style. Her chapters are short and fast-moving, and she focuses on character feelings—especially the messy, human parts like fear, guilt, and love. She blends everyday family life with darker, suspenseful moments that make her stories feel both relatable and tense.

The pacing moves quickly, with short, punchy chapters that make it easy to keep reading “just one more.” And while some of the twists are more emotional than shocking, I appreciated that this one stays grounded instead of going over the top for surprise value.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for my opinion.

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trina and her best friend Rosalind are pregnant at the same time. But one night, everything changes. Suddenly, Trina is no longer pregnant and is told that her daughter died at birth. Except Trina was never pregnant with a girl—Rosalind was. And now Rosalind has a newborn baby boy who looks awfully like Trina. But what can she do?
This was yet another thriller built around making a new mother feel like she’s losing her mind, and I feel like this trope is getting seriously played out. Yes, we understand that new mothers can be hormonal and emotional, but I am so bloody bored of reading stories where a woman is made to doubt her sanity because someone said this or someone did that. It’s extremely frustrating—especially in this book.
Trina and Rosalind are supposed to be best friends, yet everything would have been cleared up if they had simply talked to each other instead of being so deliberately cryptic. The book also features a whole cast of unlikeable characters. The only ones who were remotely likeable were the children.
The story itself wasn’t terrible, but it somehow managed to feel both overly complicated and predictable at the same time. It’s hard to explain, but if you’ve read it, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.

[reesejwear · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite reads of the year! She Took My Baby is exactly the kind of story I think of when I hear dark and twisty. This book gave me the creeps in the best possible way! The prologue was perfection. From the moment I started, I could not put it down. My heart was racing, and my mind was doing cartwheels trying to piece everything together. Having both girls’ POVs kept the pace quick and the tension high throughout the book. So many of the characters had my head spinning— Wyatt especially. He always kept me guessing. The emotion in this story made me want to burn down the world.

“Is that who we are now?” she asks. “People who burn and run?” —Rosalind Eaton

This is a must-read! Coming January 5, 2026. Thank you to the talented @authorsteenaholmes, @netgalley & @bookouture for this ARC! 🫶🏼

[Vicki Willis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. I don't know what happened with this book. I have read this author before and enjoyed her book. This one, however, is very slow, very dry and wasn't a cohesive story for me. I spent half the book trying to figure out when the characters were and how they were related to each other. They did not have individual aspects to help distinguish them. The story sounded interesting, but it was just some men gaslighting women and acting concerned. Once the plot was explained I was just over it already. The ending was predictable and not believable. I listened to this one on audio and the narration was very good.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. This one is hard to review. I loved the storyline but I felt like there were things left hanging when I got to the end of the book. I felt like the beginning of the book was a little confusing when introducing the characters, especially the three main men. I would have liked more information on the background of Rosalind and Trina. There was so much talk about a fire in the past but not much of a storyline on it. For me, that was definitely something I felt left me hanging.

[Gabrielle Connelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a gripping hold on me from the very first chapter! It had twists and turns, made me question every character to who was actually trustworthy , a high tension emotional roller coaster. This is my first time reading a Steena Holmes book and certainly will not be my last. A huge thanks to @authorsteenaholmes, @netgalley & @bookouture for providing me this ARC copy to entangle myself in.

[Kerrie Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge lover of Steena’s books, however unfortunately I really struggled with this one. I struggled to understand the characters and their behaviour and reaction to things that were happening. I struggled to understand how they had got into the position they were in. I almost felt like I had missed a previous book and this may be the second in a series.

Trina and Rosalind, have been friends for a long time. Trina is nanny to Rosalind’s twin daughters and they are both currently pregnant and due around the same time. Rosalind is expecting another baby girl and Trina a son.

When Rosalind suddenly goes into labour three weeks early Trina rushes from her cottage up to the main house to be with her however she awakes several hours later having given birth and hears the sound of two babies crying. However, she is told her baby boy died during the Caesarean section. She has no recollection of what happened other than a vague memory of falling or being pushed down the stairs. She is desperate to find out what has happened to to Rosalind and her baby? She makes her way out of the room and across the corridor and spots Rosalind cradling a baby wrapped in a blue blanket

She is later told that Rosalind in fact gave birth to her son and not the daughter she had been told. Trina does not believe this and believes that the baby is her son. We follow the story as Trina tries to prove this fact.

The story is told from both Rosalind and Trina’s perspective however I’ve really struggled with these characters their reactions their behaviours makes no sense and I just could not grow to like them and having been a fan of Steena’s for many years now I really wanted to like it the way I’d like to previous books, but I’m sorry it just didn’t work for me

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Booksparks for a copy of She Took My Baby. Here are my thoughts!

Trina and Rosalind are survivors. They got through foster care together and have become best friends through it all. Trina is now a nanny for Trina, and crazily enough they both were pregnant at the same time. They both have medical emergencies; one baby survives the other doesn’t and Trina believes Rosalind has taken her baby. Trina doesn’t know who to trust and how to convince people that her son has been taken.

This one wasn’t for me. I liked Trina’s fight to try to bring her son back to her but there were a lot of things that didn’t make sense to me. The background of the characters weren’t fleshed out enough for me and it left me feeling like “why don’t you just leave the ranch?” and no answers were really provided for this thought line, at least for Trina. I didn’t like the rest of the characters very much.

There was a lot of back and forth of Trina pleading her case, but the actual plot wasn’t really moved forward. Some extra characters are brought in to complicate the plot but that left me feeling a little lost as things weren’t resolved with those characters. I do admire the authors exploration of postpartum psychosis with Rosalind, and I thought it was a worthwhile angle and topic to explore for this novel.

It's a miss for me!

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

SHE TOOK MY BABY BY STEEMA HOLMES.
Release date set for the 5th of December 2025.
The blurb for this book sold me immediately and as soon as it landed on my kindle I started reading it.
The prologue instantly hooks you. It's a dark start and can see where it's going to go.
An absolute unputdownable and gripping psychological thriller.
This book kept me guessing. I thought it was going to go one way and it went another.
I also didn't trust nearly every single character.
This is my 2nd book by this author.

[McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a very intriguing plot - Trina wakes up after giving birth to be told her baby died, but she is sure her best friend (and who she works for) stole her baby. She is set on proving this and stumbles upon a bunch of secrets and drama within the rich and powerful family.

There is a lot of drama in this one. The chapters are short for the most part, which allowed for easier reading. And I enjoyed having both Trina and Rosalind’s POVs.

Most of it was predictable, but still was interested in seeing how it would all unfold. There are also some areas that were a bit underdeveloped and subplots not tied up. I was left feeling a little underwhelmed at the end.

Overall- it was an enjoyable enough read, but also missing a little something for me too.

Thank you @booksparks for this #gifted e-copy!🫶🏼

[Baje Bookclub - Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

I received the ARC She Took My Baby from NetGalley for an honest review.

This thriller started with an interesting story of two women who knew each other from childhood and were in the foster system together.

I enjoyed the story of how their life changed and how they are sisters for life. The author kept me in suspense from the start and as the story developed after both ladies had a baby.

Not enough was shared in the story about their past as it relates to how or why the fire started that left them with scars.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What lengths would YOU go to get your stolen baby back?

Trina wakes up after giving birth to see Rosalind Eaton, who she has spent years nannying for, holding her baby. Despite everyone telling her otherwise, Trina knows in her heart thats her son.

“There is a very fine line between love and hate” and Trina walks that tightrope while willing to do anything to get him back.

This story has:
* Dual POV between Trina & Rosalind
* Life on a ranch
* Unexpected twists
* Slow unraveling of everyone’s decades old deepest secrets

I LOVE a book that makes me question what is reality and if anyone can be trusted - this absolutely delivers

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

[Yinka Boudreaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be prepared to suspend belief with this one. It’s fast paced which makes it easy to get sucked in. I did struggle in the beginning keeping up with who was who and wasn’t really surprised by the twists, but if you’re looking for a quick popcorn thriller look no further!

[Connie Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like using your generational wealth to hire lawyers and fight outdated patriarchal demands would be easier than kidnapping all these babies and trying to gaslight two postpartum women. But that’s just me I guess.

I was hooked on the premise the moment I read the summary – a stolen baby, a family full of secrets, a betrayal like no other, and a mother who would do everything in her power to get her child back. I was super excited to read this.

The pace is perfect, with chapters and perspective shift just the right length to keep the reader flipping the pages (or listening to the next chapter in my case). The twists and turns aren’t anything ground breaking, but the clues are laid out well, and I found myself excited when I caught a line that helped further pieced it all together. There was one secret that I felt super clever for realizing so early, but was surprised when it turned out that secret was far deeper than originally expected. I have to applaud how well the mystery was designed.

However, a big counter to that, is that the resolution on things felt unearned. Having one of the women overhearing piece of a conversation is perfectly fine way of getting information, but it happens so often, and its the main way any information is learned. The masterminds to all of this straight up has a villain monologue behind a partially closed door and I found myself rolling my eyes that this was what we built up to. Like, seriously?

So many of the twists didn’t feel like the characters had to work to uncover them, or the reader had to pay attention to find them, they were just given away freely. It doesn’t feel like the women are uncovering things, more like we’re sitting there with the obvious information while waiting for them to catch up/be told what is happening. It just makes it annoying when they are still questioning things they were given answers to chapters ago.

And I’m being completely serious here, but where is the body!?!?!?!? If someone told me that my baby had died during trauma induced childbirth – especially a fetus just 3 weeks shy of their due date – I would be demanding to have the body in my arms. And that goes double if I’m in a house with people I don’t trust and the other woman who gave birth that night now has a bouncing baby boy in her arms. But at no point does Trina ask where her son’s (now supposed daughter’s) body is, and that ruined the entire sense of believe ability for me.

Like, seriously, be proactive and think for a second. How are you going to gaslight this woman that her baby died, and no one question where the baby’s corpse is???? That’s like, not a huge red flag for everyone? Maybe I just can’t suspend my disbelieve to enjoy a little thriller, but I can’t get passed the idea that an entire baby’s body disappeared and we are just supposed to not think about it. I’m not one to be like, ‘let’s go to the police’, but maybe we go to someone in a position of power. I don’t care how rich this family is, a missing baby’s body would raise questions – especially when the other couple now had a baby boy despite all the medical records of her being pregnant with a girl.

We’re supposed to believe that Trina and Rosalind are best friends – ones who have been by the others side for years, and have survived horrible things together – but both of them so easily fall for the manipulation of the men around them, and chalk the other up as just being crazy. They both know that there is something going on with the brothers – the brother-in-law in particular – but when the man says “ya she did this crazy thing, can you believe it” they just believe him and turn on each other. This doesn’t feel like an unbreakable sisterly dynamic. Other people falling for the ‘ya the postpartum women is crazy’ thing makes sense, but the two of them were still falling for it far too late into the novel.

My biggest problem with this book, is at the end. It seems to be a staple of these kinda thrillers – I don’t know if this is just not a genre for me, or if others have an issue with it – but the hand holding conclusion really pissed me off.

Having the two characters flat out restate the entire story at each other at the climax, or a character monologue about how they were secretly this mastermind the whole time, feels clunky to me, but its whatever, I can give or take it. However, when Rosalind straight up took the time to explain to us what each color of their code mean during her “I'm secretly so smart” monologue, I immediately found myself knocking this down to a 2.5 star.

It feels like talking down to the reader to be like, “you see in the code, green means B and red means D and black means A, so when I told her the color black, that’s why A happened, because black is code for A.” Like, ya, I got it, I pieced that together thank you, I didn’t need you to hold my hand and explain that multiple times.

I really hated this aspect – and having it be beaten over my head so straight forward at the end, just had me reflecting on all the other times the characters repeated things we had learned several times, like the author didn’t trust the reader to pick up and understand what had happened. Its not that complex.

At the end of the day, like if you’re a fan of thrillers, I do recommend it. I had a fun time with it, and at roughly 10 hours for the audio book, its a pretty quick and easy read. I can understand why people enjoy this genre and devour these books.

Honest review given for ARC audiobook, via Netgalley

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit I haven't read many of Steena Holmes's books, but I should get back to the ones I missed. With She Took My Baby, Steena delivered a gripping suspense thriller that kept me guessing and wondering what would happen next! I didn't know who to trust and I was so nervous for both Trina and Rosalind, as they had a lot at stake.

The dynamic in this story is interesting. Trina lives on a ranch with her best friend Rosalind and is a nanny to her daughters. It starts off with a nightmarish baby delivery for both women and then Trina is suddenly left without a baby. However, she believes that Rosalind's son is actually her own baby. Meanwhile, Rosalind is having difficulty bonding with baby Jack and her brother-in-law is making things worse. The level of gaslighting both women experience in this story goes beyond the pale. I got so angry every time I witnessed Trina and Rosalind being deceived and manipulated. 

I'm not going to say much more as to not spoil the story. I was definitely surprised by the outcome though! Everything was well-orchestrated but I feel like the ending could have been tightened up a bit more. I was also hoping for a romance between two of the characters but that was explained away later. 

This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you turning the pages rapidly! I usually have a few set times I read on my Kindle and I kept reading this one outside of those times as I just had to see if everything would get resolved. (One of my reading times is on the treadmill and I kept forgetting to change some settings because I was so absorbed!)

Movie casting suggestions:

Trina: Saoirse Ronan

Rosalind: Margaret Qualley
Trent/Marcus: Franco Lo Presti
Wyatt: Mitchell Slaggert
Mabel: Molly Hagan
Grace: Dylan Gelula

Dr. Harmon: Matthew Glave

Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.
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TW: Death of baby, difficult childbirth

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: She Took My Baby
Author: Steena Holmes
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Ellse Roth and Lauryn Allman
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Rating: 4.5 – Rounded up
Pub Date: January 5, 2026
Page: 328

Story is told from the POV of best friends Trina and Rosalind.
Trina Emmet has always been there for Rosalind Easton – they share a past as well as secrets.
Rosalind and Trina met Trent Easton in college and Rosalind and Trent immediately connected and the next thing Rosalind was married to one of the wealthy Easton twins. Rosalind now lives on the Easton estate but has arranged for Trina to also live there in a small guest cottage. Later Rosalind has twin daughter and Trina is the loving nanny.
Now ironically they are both pregnant and give birth on the same night—although Trina delivers three weeks early. Trina fell down the steps when she went to help Rosalind who was giving birth. The fall caused her to go into labor. The delivery was very difficult for both but Trina senses something some serious is going on. Although she is in a haze, she is happy when she hears two babies crying. Yet when she wakes, she is told her baby girl died. But wait she was told her baby was a boy and Rosalind’s was having another daughter. So how could Rosalind have a son?
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Trina is sure something is going regarding her son.
Sure enough Rosalind isn’t coping as a new mother and not bonding with her new baby. It seems she is suffering from Postpartum Psychosis. Trina comforts baby Jack and he immediately responds. Trina knows this is her baby.
Story kept me glued. Trent’ and his twin brother Marcus work together only Marcus seems to be the evil twin as he controls not only their business but their lives- additionally has a connection to both women.
I read a lot of psychological thriller and know to be suspicious that there will be twists and secrets.

Story sure had me curious and the ending was not what I expected. - But the story was good.
Additionally the audiobook narrators were great !!

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date is schedule for January 5, 2026.

This is a review of the audiobook.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty Mind Bender Will Put You In The Minds Of Its Main Characters. This is one of those books that works best when you don't try to fight it. Take yourself out of the story and just flow with what is presented here and what you get is one hell of a trippy mind bender where not everything is as it seems... and yet some things may be *exactly* as they seem.

Now, for the child free and particularly the childless... well, the title of the damn book has the word "Baby" in it. Yes, this is focused on post-partum issues and, well, babies and motherhood. So just to make it explicitly clear: this book may not be the best thing for you, for any number of reasons. And to be even more clear: I myself am childfree and proud of this. Thus, I readily admit that this book is not one I would normally pick up myself if I did not already know and trust the author from previous books (and, admittedly, working with her in her (along with a few colleagues) Readers Coffeehouse group on Facebook).

AND YET... again, this book for what it actually is really is so good that *even for the childfree/ childless*... you should maybe at least consider it. I totally get if someone - maybe even a new mother herself, not just someone in the CF crowd - just finds the topic in general too difficult for their current situation. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do. Always. But when you're in a space that maybe you can handle a book like this... Holmes really does do a great job here. It is one of those that will have you reading deep into the night and have your pulse pounding almost until literally the last word.

But if you want to build some trust in Holmes before you come to this book, I get it. I very much recommend literally every other book I've read from her, and I've read most of them at this point. So go into her back catalog, build that level of trust in her skills as a storyteller, then come here. You won't be disappointed.

Very much recommended.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a wild ride. It was definitely different from anything I’ve read before, yet somehow still a bit predictable—and honestly, I was fine with that. I enjoyed the journey from start to finish and appreciated how the author slowly untangled the mess of a situation at the center of the story.

One area that felt underdeveloped was the backstory between Trina and Rosalind. It’s repeatedly hinted that something really bad happened, but that thread never gets true resolution. In fact, there are several smaller subplots that are left dangling, which I found interesting but also slightly frustrating.

That said, the swift pacing helped smooth over the lack of smaller resolutions. I also liked that the book dove headfirst into the chaos without much hand-holding. It can leave the reader a bit disoriented at first, but for me, it worked—it hooked me immediately and kept me reading nonstop in search of answers.

I consumed this via audiobook, narrated by Elise Roth and Lauryn Allman, and both were outstanding. They fully embodied their characters, and despite recording separately, there was a real sense of chemistry that carried across chapters. Major kudos to the sound engineer as well—the production was seamless.

This is my third book by this author, and she’s officially becoming a must-read for me. Her thrillers are consistently unique, emotionally layered, and deliver the suspense I’m always looking for.


I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Bookouture Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Steena Holmes, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

OMG!! Steena Holmes She Took My Baby is so twisted it will have everyone talking!! Seriously, Steena is a brilliant creative genius writing this one. This is my first time reading anything of hers and I would read/review from her again. This storyline was so totally out of the box to anything that I have read prior…and if you know me you know my obsession with psychological thrillers!! If I were you I would add it to my TBR list for the new year! You can thank me later.

WOW!! Steena captured my interest fast as I felt like I was reading a scene from a movie. The prologue was incredibly emotionally intense! From then on it was fast paced, intense, gripping, shocking, twisted, totally addicting, a bingeworthy clear your calendar read.

I wanted to jump into the book and give these Doctors a piece of my mind!!! They were obviously lying to her about her babies! The question is why were they? While I was in the book I wanted to console her too. What she was going through was a nightmare!!

I loved this in the beginning of the book when Steena said to all those who hold secrets close to their hearts, remember this: Secrets that destroy can also be refined. Choose your secrets, and choose them wisely. That was so true for this story!

I love how Steena keeps the readers in mind when writing every book she writes. However, I love how she has one special reader in mind who has been with her from Finding Emma to now (and yet this is my first book I am reading from her..I need to catch up) and that is Sherri Gall. She is always honest about her thoughts about her books.

Congrats to Steena who will soon be a grandma for the first time right around the time this book is released!

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is very wrong/misleading. Which one of them took my baby or why did they take my baby would be more appropriate.

This book was much longer than it needed to be and was quite frustrating at times. Very over complicated but also very predictable. Odd. I was frequently bored and distracted.

Many of the characters also acted in spineless ways I could not understand. For example, a doctor prescribed a medication MC doesn’t want to take (she worried it’s poison). Instead of saying no she takes it. In her own home. Under no duress. When she’s a strong 30-ish and he’s a weak elder man she could overpower. Baffling.

I also couldn’t understand why police weren’t called or a lawyer or why the MC didn’t take the baby and run, as a few examples.

I think the author was trying to make it seem like the MC was in a cult-like situation or under others control but laid no foundation for it.

Finally, I absolutely detest one-hit wonder pregnancies in a storyline. Talk about lazy writing. This story had 2? 3? Of them. I had to knock a star off for that.

I did finish because I wanted to know if she would get her baby back but feel very tired from that long road full of potholes.

SUMMARY: MC is the nanny for her best friend on a farm in the Canadian countryside. They are not pregnant and due with in weeks of each other. The MC is having a boy, the friend a girl. The fathers are identical twin brothers.

Troubles occur during their delivery (at the same time) and they wake up to learn MC had a girl and it died and MC best friend had a boy. All those ultrasounds were wrong, see.

MC is convinced everyone is lying to her and her baby is alive and being passed off as her best friends kid.

So begins her search for the truth which only opens up many more cans of worms. In the end, the reader knows whose baby was whose and what happened and why.

Thanks netgalley

[Shelly Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. It took me just a little while to get into it and a lot of the time I swore I read it before but I didn't and I don't think I read anything all that much like it. There was just something that felt familiar the entire time. It was semi-easy to figure most things out but there were still twists and turns throughout that weren't easy to guess!
In this story, Trina is the nanny for the ultra rich Eatons. She's been with them for a very long time. She and Rosalind Eaton grew up together in foster care and have always been close as they have been to others in the Eaton household. Now, she watches day in and day out as Rosalind cradles her new baby boy. The baby with the light straight auburn hair. Hair just like hers. Nothing at all like the classic dark curly hair of the Eaton family. Trina knows that this is her baby, With Rosalind not coping at all, Trina is the one rocking the baby to sleep at night and comforting him as Rosalind slips further and further away. Trina is sure that if she just pushes a little bit Rosalind will tell her what she already knows, that the baby is hers. Trina will do anything to get her baby back no matter what.
This was pretty good. I think I would have wanted to go to a hospital to give birth personally but in this one it's a double home birth. Things happen in this book that are really unexpected when it comes to the Eaton boys and the secrets that follow everyone around. This is a good book and one that I think a lot of domestic thriller type readers will enjoy.
I was lucky enough to get the chance to listen to an audio version of this book. It was really very good. There are two narrators. One for Trina and one for Rosalind. They are both fantastic and work perfectly for the characters. They have the perfect voices for narration. If you like audio, you'll enjoy this one.

[Thebiblioholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This psychological thriller does something quietly powerful by shining a light on postpartum experiences. Told through a dual POV, both narrators are deeply unreliable—but the real question is why. Are they unreliable because they truly are, or because society has already decided that postpartum women can’t be trusted with their own perceptions?

What really struck me was how vulnerable these women were and how much control they relinquished to the men in the family, and the isolation these mothers experienced while living on a fully incorporated ranch. It definitely added to the unsettling vibe that made the story feel heavier and more thought-provoking.

While the conclusion became predictable and sometimes the pacing was a bit slower between the middle and end, I still very much enjoyed the journey. The author does a great job slowly unraveling the story, not only by using unreliable narrators to press on that nerve that only psychological thrillers can really hit, but also by setting the reader up to judge these mothers harshly—only to then flip that narrative and force you to confront how women are often treated and dismissed during postpartum.

One thing I wished had been included was an interwoven past plotline. I would have loved to see parts of the past play out directly, rather than only being told through the present perspective. I think it could have added even more emotional impact and helped with the pacing of the book.

Overall, this is a very thought-provoking read. While it doesn’t have a jaw-dropping thriller twist, it succeeds in delivering psychological tension and social commentary.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if you suspected that someone very close to your heart had stolen your baby from you? Would you believe what others tell you when they insist you’re wrong and that it’s impossible, or would you trust what you see and feel—just like Trina does?

She knows very well that this isn’t enough and that she needs solid proof to back up her claim, which is why she does everything she can to find evidence in black and white and finally get justice. Of course, it’s not made easy for her, as she’s going up against a powerful family willing to spend whatever it takes to get what they want.

Luckily, Trina does have one person who stands firmly by her side, supporting her through thick and thin. She can only hope that the other person she considers a sister will eventually come around and choose her side too…

Several times, I found it incredibly difficult to pinpoint the real culprit. Who was the mastermind behind the plot and who were the victims? I kept turning like a weather vane on a church tower during a storm, unable to settle on a direction. At one moment I was convinced it was character A, and shortly after I was sure it had to be character B. Pff, some serious brain gymnastics—but that’s exactly what makes it so much fun. :)

I had an idea about one piece of the plot, but I would never have guessed all the revelations, and that was a very welcome surprise!

What I would have found particularly interesting is more background information on Trina, Rosalind, and Wyatt. Maybe an idea for a prequel, because I’m sure it could be just as much of a gem as this story.

Nevertheless, I’m happy to give this book 4 stars.

Thank you

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had some trouble getting into this book. There was so little background/set-up information given that I wondered if the book was part of a series where their dynamic was already explained- that does not seem to be the case. I also went in blind but when I read the synopsis after, I didn't think it described the book that well. The story centers primarily on Trina, who is pregnant at the same time as her best friend Rosalind for whom she also nannies. When Trina wakes up after a fall, she is told her baby died but Rosalind, who was supposed to have a girl, had a healthy baby boy that looks like Trina. Rosalind's family is rich and powerful and she knows she has to tread lightly to figure out what is really going on.

I had a hard time understanding the dynamics between characters, and even who was who in some cases. There is a shared background between the main characters that is alluded to but also not fully explained in detail. Thus, the characters all fell flat for me. There were also various places in the book where a character was pretending to act a certain way for various reasons and I found that just confusing because I didn't feel like I knew them well enough to determine if they were in character or not. There were a couple twists and turns but I mostly felt like Trina was just finding proof of what she (and the reader) already knew versus being surprised by anything. I thought the ending worked for the rest of the story but I walked away underwhelmed.

Overall, it seems that I am in the minority but I didn't feel the book worked well for me. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[حالم Haalim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every mother knows the cry of their child and who their child is from the moment they are born

💭 REVIEW:
This was a frustrating read. All the characters in it weren't likeable, especially 2 male characters, one who is easily manipulated and one who easily manipulates. These 2 characters drove me crazy and they are twins 🤦🏻‍♀️. I guess 1 character and children were the exceptions. The reason why I chose to read this book because it revolves around "Motherhood" and if you know me by now, you know I end up reading almost everything that involves motherhood.

The best thing about the story was how it started. Definitely put me on edge and I had to find out what happened to her baby. Did she really lose her baby? Or did they took her baby from her? A mother knows her baby and she knew hers. So why did they take her baby if he was hers? Afterall they were one big happy family. WERE THEY THO? So many questions and that too right at the beginning made me binge read the entire storty😂

I love that she not only showed detailed postpartum but also the contrast between 2 mothers. One believing she is going insane (is she though?) while the other believing she isn't going insane

The plot was a mix of being complicated and predictable, plus some insights on the background story was missing. Despite all this, I did enjoy the story, I did enjoy the plot and the writing was good, and therefore 4 star rating. There are books you enjoy with all its flaws and this was one of them. ❤️

Thankyou @netgallery @bookouture and Steena Holms for sharing this book with me, in exchange for an honest review