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The Baby Group
A BRAND NEW totally addictive psychological thriller with one of the most astonishing twists you’ll listen to this year.
‘My baby’s been taken,’ I sob into the phone. Blood is everywhere.
My fiancé, Alex, is slumped beside the birthing pool, his head gashed open. The baby? Gone.
I cradle my empty stomach, my empty arms. And then Alex looks at me — not with love, but with blame.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. The move. The fresh start. The antenatal classes. The new friends. But nothing about this feels right.
And as the sirens wail closer, I realize something terrible — someone planned this. Someone in our new life wanted our baby.
And I think they’re in the baby group.
This addictive thriller full of twists is perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Sue Watson, Jane E. James, Shalini Boland, Sonya Bateman and Valerie Keogh.
‘My baby’s been taken,’ I sob into the phone. Blood is everywhere.
My fiancé, Alex, is slumped beside the birthing pool, his head gashed open. The baby? Gone.
I cradle my empty stomach, my empty arms. And then Alex looks at me — not with love, but with blame.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. The move. The fresh start. The antenatal classes. The new friends. But nothing about this feels right.
And as the sirens wail closer, I realize something terrible — someone planned this. Someone in our new life wanted our baby.
And I think they’re in the baby group.
This addictive thriller full of twists is perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Sue Watson, Jane E. James, Shalini Boland, Sonya Bateman and Valerie Keogh.
Audible Audio
First published July 25, 2025
About the author
Jade Lee Wright
15 books317 followersI’m Jade Lee Wright, psychological thriller author.
Although I first dipped my toe into the world of publishing with two self-published novels, I’ve spent the past few years fully immersing myself in the craft. I study English Literature and Creative Writing through the Open University and have since gone on to sign multiple publishing deals—including a two-book deal (and a brand-new follow-up two-book contract!) with Joffe Books.
My debut psychological thriller with them, The Baby Group, was released in July 2025, and my second, The Family Secret, is due out in January 2026. Both have been snapped up by Audible and will be coming to audio soon.
I was longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2025 and shortlisted for the 2024 Marlowe & Christie Novel Prize.
When I’m not writing (or daydreaming about the next twist), you’ll usually find me with my nose in a book or looking after my two baby boys.
Although I first dipped my toe into the world of publishing with two self-published novels, I’ve spent the past few years fully immersing myself in the craft. I study English Literature and Creative Writing through the Open University and have since gone on to sign multiple publishing deals—including a two-book deal (and a brand-new follow-up two-book contract!) with Joffe Books.
My debut psychological thriller with them, The Baby Group, was released in July 2025, and my second, The Family Secret, is due out in January 2026. Both have been snapped up by Audible and will be coming to audio soon.
I was longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2025 and shortlisted for the 2024 Marlowe & Christie Novel Prize.
When I’m not writing (or daydreaming about the next twist), you’ll usually find me with my nose in a book or looking after my two baby boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
March 16, 2026
I am amazed this book has so many good reviews, because I really couldn’t stand it. First of all, the main character was so annoying. Comparing herself to everyone else, naive and insecure. I just like my characters more powerful. Especially at the end I couldn’t believe how she didn’t realize what was going on. I know denial is a powerful thing, but still. Then comes the very far-fetched plot. I just didn’t buy it! Also there were things that just didn’t make sense: If the finance was still with Lucy, why did he have hidden condoms when Lucy couldn’t conceive ? And why did he just forgive her after she hit him in the head and could have killed him? And why would he even go to such extreme lengths anyway? And then, how was it possible that after being stabbed multiple times and having a very traumatic birth she could still talk clearly and be rational when the police came? There was so much more, but I’m done with this now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2025
Let the record show that I only finished this book so that I could properly & accurately verbally obliterate it at book club.
June 2, 2025
Not sure where to start! I’m so grateful to the wonderful team at Joffe Books for picking up my book and giving me the opportunity to share it with the world. Thank you to every reader, reviewer and person supporting me on my writing journey. It is so appreciated and I hope you enjoy my twisty thriller!
March 18, 2026
The level of ineptitude the author believes women must possess is beyond me.
March 21, 2026
Wow!! You can almost see it coming then hard twist right. This was great storytelling and what I loved the most is it didn’t do all that then now. We knew the past was coming for her and it came for her in real time as you put the pieces of the puzzle together. Even the main character was toxic so much so, she didn’t see all the other toxic people around her.
This was another train wreck of a story you just can’t look 🫣 away from. I had to know how it ended and to be honest for the poor main character it ain’t over yet!!! This story was neatly crafted, and I truly enjoyed the ride. Well done….thank you!
This was another train wreck of a story you just can’t look 🫣 away from. I had to know how it ended and to be honest for the poor main character it ain’t over yet!!! This story was neatly crafted, and I truly enjoyed the ride. Well done….thank you!
June 10, 2026
A slow burn thriller that reminded me of my time spent in Lamaze class.
Darcy & Alex are the protagonist. She’s expecting their first child and they moved to a small sea coast town five hours from London because he had an affair. She’s holding to a dark secret that keeps him distant. They’re not married but plan to wed after the birth of the child. Darcy joins an Antenatal group to make friends and for the necessary knowledge. The five other women in the group; Cora, Lucy, Violet, Carmen & Rachael along with their husbands make up the secondary characters.
There are few twist-and-turns and those are fairly predictable. There are some red flags in the narrative that make it hard to swallow the plot.
It still manages to be mildly entertaining.
Darcy & Alex are the protagonist. She’s expecting their first child and they moved to a small sea coast town five hours from London because he had an affair. She’s holding to a dark secret that keeps him distant. They’re not married but plan to wed after the birth of the child. Darcy joins an Antenatal group to make friends and for the necessary knowledge. The five other women in the group; Cora, Lucy, Violet, Carmen & Rachael along with their husbands make up the secondary characters.
There are few twist-and-turns and those are fairly predictable. There are some red flags in the narrative that make it hard to swallow the plot.
It still manages to be mildly entertaining.
June 18, 2025
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Darcy and her fiancé Alex are looking for a fresh start when they move to the seaside town of Rock, preparing to get ready for their first child together. Joining an antenatal class seems like a good way to make new local friends going through the same experience and while Darcy struggles to connect with the women, she can't help let past insecurities and paranoia get in the way.
This was a very fun, gripping and well-paced thriller that sucked me right in from the start! It definitely helped (in some ways) that I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant and very familiar with a lot of the things Darcy is going through in this book, and could empathise a lot with the way she second guessed her own mind at times and hormones as yes sometimes pregnancy can make you think some crazy things. Darcy is an insecure person and it really highlights the fractures in her relationships with people from Alex to Carmen and Lucy.It can be hard to read at times especially when Darcy's insecurities makes her internally judge the other women in different ways.
As the story progresses and the pregnancies get bigger (and babies begin to arrive) we see shifts in relationship dynamics and personalities and tensions really rise up. I would have loved even more in some of the ways we see Darcy spiraling about things from the wedding dress to the attempted break-in - would love for subtle things like this to have happened from the start of the book versus the last part.
As for the last part which included the birth and subsequent events, I was literally gripped - I told myself I was going to read only to a certain part and then I'd go to sleep but I could not put the book down until I'd finished it. The scenes were so visceral and written so well. I do think afterwards, maybe because this part was so tense, the pace slowed down a bit ahead of the story wrapping up but I still enjoyed the ending. And the epilogue left me like !!
Darcy and her fiancé Alex are looking for a fresh start when they move to the seaside town of Rock, preparing to get ready for their first child together. Joining an antenatal class seems like a good way to make new local friends going through the same experience and while Darcy struggles to connect with the women, she can't help let past insecurities and paranoia get in the way.
This was a very fun, gripping and well-paced thriller that sucked me right in from the start! It definitely helped (in some ways) that I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant and very familiar with a lot of the things Darcy is going through in this book, and could empathise a lot with the way she second guessed her own mind at times and hormones as yes sometimes pregnancy can make you think some crazy things. Darcy is an insecure person and it really highlights the fractures in her relationships with people from Alex to Carmen and Lucy.It can be hard to read at times especially when Darcy's insecurities makes her internally judge the other women in different ways.
As the story progresses and the pregnancies get bigger (and babies begin to arrive) we see shifts in relationship dynamics and personalities and tensions really rise up. I would have loved even more in some of the ways we see Darcy spiraling about things from the wedding dress to the attempted break-in - would love for subtle things like this to have happened from the start of the book versus the last part.
As for the last part which included the birth and subsequent events, I was literally gripped - I told myself I was going to read only to a certain part and then I'd go to sleep but I could not put the book down until I'd finished it. The scenes were so visceral and written so well. I do think afterwards, maybe because this part was so tense, the pace slowed down a bit ahead of the story wrapping up but I still enjoyed the ending. And the epilogue left me like !!
July 4, 2025
3 stars – A slow-burn domestic suspense
I received a copy of The Baby Group from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Darcy, who relocates from the London suburbs with her boyfriend just months before giving birth. Hoping to make new connections, she joins a local baby group. At first, things seem normal—until unsettling events begin to unfold.
The premise had potential, and the writing itself was solid. However, the suspense never fully hooked me the way I like my thrillers to. While there were a few intriguing moments, the pacing felt slow, and I found it hard to stay fully engaged. It was just okay for me overall.
I received a copy of The Baby Group from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Darcy, who relocates from the London suburbs with her boyfriend just months before giving birth. Hoping to make new connections, she joins a local baby group. At first, things seem normal—until unsettling events begin to unfold.
The premise had potential, and the writing itself was solid. However, the suspense never fully hooked me the way I like my thrillers to. While there were a few intriguing moments, the pacing felt slow, and I found it hard to stay fully engaged. It was just okay for me overall.
May 8, 2026
First of all if you are not a woman or specifically a mother you will find a lot of the talk about birthing in this book to be painfully dull and detailed on this matter. I am a mom of 3 so the large part of the book blabbing about giving birth was fine to me. Moving on, this book was painful to read because the main character Darcy is just dumb. As always they make her out to be paranoid but she’s not. She is hanging out with some catty women (I’ve never met adults like this) but who knows they could be out there. One turns on her and, she does nothing to defend herself against the scrutiny. All of this drama going on while her alcoholic cheating husband sits around and does what. Then without giving anything away I’m so mad with the ending. Not only was she just a helpless damsel in distress while her fiancé is the biggest piece of trash she is putting faith into all of these people. Yikes this book was written as rage bait, I’m convinced.
June 6, 2025
4.5 stars for sure!!!! I don’t even know where to start with this book… it was actually insane. It was the fastest book I have ever read in my life I didn’t put it down all day!! This story had me hooked from the start and I was so lucky to get to read it as an ARC. The FMC Darcy and her not so beloved fiancé Alex are in the pregnancy journey, having made some mistakes in the past they have moved away from home to a brand new place. Here they make new friends at an antenatal class and find out they know less about eachother then they thought 👀 the twists were so unpredictable and they just keep coming one after the other. There’s one piece of advice I’d give to Darcy if I could and that is to trust NOONE. (The only reason I didn’t give this book a 5 stars is because I was genuinely so infuriated with Darcy for being such a naive Ning Nong- that’s my trust issues coming out to play though poor Darcy just thinks the best of everyone)
June 15, 2026
4/5 • I don’t know why I saw so many low ratings and reviews - I enjoyed this. Is it a literary masterpiece ? Absolutely not. It was entertaining, it kept me hooked and I actually really liked the main character. Where there twists? Yes ! Where they easy to guess? Some would say yes, but very enjoyable read. (IMO)
August 4, 2025
4.5* rounded up:)
So firstly, WHAT THE HECK?!?!
This was SUCH a good book! The pacing felt perfect, fast enough to stay interesting, but not so fast that I felt completely lost. This one had some good twists too, one or two felt a lil predictable but others I was like what just happened?!
I loved Jade’s writing style, and felt easily engaged throughout. Honestly the tension was SO real.
I still don’t know if I liked Darcy or not, but I really did feel for her throughout. As a girly with an anxious attachment style, I GET IT yk. But also girl, maybe don’t be so judgemental x
Definitely a read I recommend, and I can’t wait for more books from Jade!!
So firstly, WHAT THE HECK?!?!
This was SUCH a good book! The pacing felt perfect, fast enough to stay interesting, but not so fast that I felt completely lost. This one had some good twists too, one or two felt a lil predictable but others I was like what just happened?!
I loved Jade’s writing style, and felt easily engaged throughout. Honestly the tension was SO real.
I still don’t know if I liked Darcy or not, but I really did feel for her throughout. As a girly with an anxious attachment style, I GET IT yk. But also girl, maybe don’t be so judgemental x
Definitely a read I recommend, and I can’t wait for more books from Jade!!
March 31, 2026
Oh did this one have me rolling my eyes ! I, like a few other readers wondered how this book got 4 🌟!! There were so many inconsistencies in the storyline and a plot that turned out to be one of the most far fetched I’ve ever read 😬 unfortunately I can’t quote the unbelievable storyline as this will give away the whole plot but struggled with this one !
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffee books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffee books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
August 9, 2025
Atrocious
Boring, repetitive. Disgusting unnecessary descriptions of birthing. Woo woo. Mental illness as the reason for murder. Ick all the way around.
Boring, repetitive. Disgusting unnecessary descriptions of birthing. Woo woo. Mental illness as the reason for murder. Ick all the way around.
August 13, 2025
Thriller isn't my preferred genre, but I really enjoyed this one!
The story starts at the end, with Darcy having just given birth but someone has taken her baby.
The story then jumps back a few months, and we follow Darcy and Alex on their pregnancy journey, as they join an antenatal class. The prologue sets a sinister undertone which remains throughout the book, with little seeds of information planted regularly, casting doubt on everyone involved (and rightly so!!).
Jade's descriptive writing really brought the characters and setting to life, and I could feel everything Darcy was feeling. I even, for a brief moment, felt huge sympathy for the perpetrator (although as more was revealed that didn't last!!).
I connected to this story as it is about pregnancy and motherhood, which is a journey I've been on myself in recent years, and that side of the story is relatable and raw. But this book also ticks all the boxes of things that thriller fans will love - suspense, plot twists, high stakes and more. It's gripping, emotional and shocking - including the epilogue! I was so engrossed reading the end of the book that I missed my stop on the train to work 😅.
If you love thrillers I recommend this! If you're a mother, I recommend this! If you're pregnant... maybe wait for a little while... but I recommend this in a year or so 😂. I look forward to future books from Jade!
The story starts at the end, with Darcy having just given birth but someone has taken her baby.
The story then jumps back a few months, and we follow Darcy and Alex on their pregnancy journey, as they join an antenatal class. The prologue sets a sinister undertone which remains throughout the book, with little seeds of information planted regularly, casting doubt on everyone involved (and rightly so!!).
Jade's descriptive writing really brought the characters and setting to life, and I could feel everything Darcy was feeling. I even, for a brief moment, felt huge sympathy for the perpetrator (although as more was revealed that didn't last!!).
I connected to this story as it is about pregnancy and motherhood, which is a journey I've been on myself in recent years, and that side of the story is relatable and raw. But this book also ticks all the boxes of things that thriller fans will love - suspense, plot twists, high stakes and more. It's gripping, emotional and shocking - including the epilogue! I was so engrossed reading the end of the book that I missed my stop on the train to work 😅.
If you love thrillers I recommend this! If you're a mother, I recommend this! If you're pregnant... maybe wait for a little while... but I recommend this in a year or so 😂. I look forward to future books from Jade!
March 14, 2026
quick read, plot had me hooked.
if I had to describe this book :
Revenge
Secrets / betrayal
lies
if I had to describe this book :
Revenge
Secrets / betrayal
lies
July 27, 2025
[NetGalley Read #41]
4.5 ⭐️
"The past is the past. It's not going to get in the way of things here."
Brilliant psychological thriller with a wild third act.
The story builds slowly and steadily, sometimes at the risk of becoming repetitive (which I thought was a great way to show just how repetitive arguments can be), but it picks up speed. There are four parts (titled April, May, June, and July). The first two are more or less build up with little seeds thrown about here and there. The third part is where the wheels start turning and the fourth is where the writer just floored it. It's incredible. Zooming past at incredible speed before coming to a somewhat open ending destination where you can decide whether, in your mind, you want the characters to be happy or let that Epilogue take effect in your brain.
As far as characters go, Darcy can be a superhero if there was a way to harness anxiety into some kind of superpower. She's pregnant. She has anxiety. She has trouble making friends. She has a tragic backstory that can almost rival Peter Parker or Batman (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but still). She's a mess. She has secrets, fears, insecurities, nightmares, and flaws. The whole package. But most important of all, she is resilient. She goes through it all. Literal blood, sweat, and tears. She does it alone, mostly, and comes out the other side. Supporting characters are good. The couples at the antenatal class, Alex, even Debbie, and the late introduction of Rob. The policewoman who gave two fucks about the whole wedding dress scenario and the attempted break-in.
This gave me similar vibes to Verity and Gone Girl. The main character losing their fucking mind to the point where even you start questioning yourself whether this is a Shutter Island scenario. The writer kept the central secret pretty close to the chest, dropping a hint or two in the first half. While I questioned it a little when it was revealed, I ended up liking it more than I thought. Maybe because it was revealed in one of the most batshit crazy scenes in the book. As for that Epilogue, I'm going to pretend I didn't read that. I liked it. It has a very horror film quality to it where the evil hasn't gone away completely. I want to and don't want to read more of this story at the same time. Mainly because I don't want the main character to go through any more shit and yet, the villain intrigues me and I want them to suffer.
Easy to read with a few British idiosyncrasies you can probably Google (although there is a glossary at the end for US Readers which I found amusing). Short-ish (230+ pages). Dark and serious subject matter. Gets gory towards the end. Very tense; both in its third act and the conversations between the characters.
Recommended. 👍
Title: The Baby Group
Writer: Jade Lee Wright
Publisher: Joffe Books
ISBN: 9781805731382
4.5 ⭐️
"The past is the past. It's not going to get in the way of things here."
Brilliant psychological thriller with a wild third act.
The story builds slowly and steadily, sometimes at the risk of becoming repetitive (which I thought was a great way to show just how repetitive arguments can be), but it picks up speed. There are four parts (titled April, May, June, and July). The first two are more or less build up with little seeds thrown about here and there. The third part is where the wheels start turning and the fourth is where the writer just floored it. It's incredible. Zooming past at incredible speed before coming to a somewhat open ending destination where you can decide whether, in your mind, you want the characters to be happy or let that Epilogue take effect in your brain.
As far as characters go, Darcy can be a superhero if there was a way to harness anxiety into some kind of superpower. She's pregnant. She has anxiety. She has trouble making friends. She has a tragic backstory that can almost rival Peter Parker or Batman (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but still). She's a mess. She has secrets, fears, insecurities, nightmares, and flaws. The whole package. But most important of all, she is resilient. She goes through it all. Literal blood, sweat, and tears. She does it alone, mostly, and comes out the other side. Supporting characters are good. The couples at the antenatal class, Alex, even Debbie, and the late introduction of Rob. The policewoman who gave two fucks about the whole wedding dress scenario and the attempted break-in.
This gave me similar vibes to Verity and Gone Girl. The main character losing their fucking mind to the point where even you start questioning yourself whether this is a Shutter Island scenario. The writer kept the central secret pretty close to the chest, dropping a hint or two in the first half. While I questioned it a little when it was revealed, I ended up liking it more than I thought. Maybe because it was revealed in one of the most batshit crazy scenes in the book. As for that Epilogue, I'm going to pretend I didn't read that. I liked it. It has a very horror film quality to it where the evil hasn't gone away completely. I want to and don't want to read more of this story at the same time. Mainly because I don't want the main character to go through any more shit and yet, the villain intrigues me and I want them to suffer.
Easy to read with a few British idiosyncrasies you can probably Google (although there is a glossary at the end for US Readers which I found amusing). Short-ish (230+ pages). Dark and serious subject matter. Gets gory towards the end. Very tense; both in its third act and the conversations between the characters.
Recommended. 👍
Title: The Baby Group
Writer: Jade Lee Wright
Publisher: Joffe Books
ISBN: 9781805731382
August 11, 2025
Really enjoyable and scary enough that I stopped reading when I was home alone for the night 🤣 a couple of surprises I wasn’t expecting, too!
August 3, 2025
This book starts off with an explosive prologue, making me want to swipe the pages of my kindle faster. Darcy has just given birth and her baby has been taken, leaving her and her fiance Alex lifeless beside the birthing pool.
"My baby's been taken," Darcy sobs into the phone. And before she can digest all that has just happened, she slumps into unconsciousness.
Darcy and Alex have been together just under a year when Darcy fell pregnant just a couple of months into their relationship. But this was what she had always dreamed of - being a mum. OK, so it wasn't planned and it was unexpected but it could work. And so they are looking for a fresh start when they decide to move from the busyness of London to the quiet Cornish seaside village of Rock and preparing for the arrival of their baby together.
Darcy decides to join an antenatal class, figuring it might be a good way to make new friends. They could share their experiences together whilst forming firm friendships. But Darcy has always struggled to make friends and she finds it difficult to connect with the women in the group, her past insecurities looming heavily. Add to those along with pregnancy hormones, her paranoia flares.
At first, she connects with Cora and feels an affiliation with her but soon her insecurities cloud her judgement as she begins to feel shut out from the rest of the group. This is highlighted even further as one by one the women begin giving birth and each becomes a mother. The dynamics of each begin to shift as tensions rise and their little group becomes smaller, shutting Darcy out completely.
Stupidly, Darcy confides in no one about her fears but then how could she? Who could she really trust? It was clear from the outset that there are insecurities around her relationships and for the most part it is completely understandable why she in turn shut everyone out. But did she really have no one? It seems so.
Of all the women in the antenatal class, Carmen and Lucy are the ones Darcy trusts the least. But when Cora, Rachel and Violet all start to shut her out, Darcy wonders what she has done to upset them. Why are they meeting up in cosy little gatherings in cafes, some of them with their bundles while others still awaiting the arrival of theirs? Even Lucy, with whom she had grown much closer to in recent weeks, has ghosted her while gathered with the others laughing away - most likely at her. Again, her paranoia flares. She can't confide in Alex her insecurities - he doesn't even know the half of it, let alone will he understand. He's her rock, her security; if he didn't believe her she doesn't know what she'd do. So she kept her fears, her paranoia and her insecurities to herself.
As her due date approaches, despite the women shutting her out of the group entirely, Darcy has noticed Lucy sidling up to Alex. Is something going on there that she isn't aware of? Darcy is sure something is going on but Alex will only deny it and throw familiar accusations at her. And he wouldn't be entirely wrong. Needless to say, a ton of drama ensues.
After most of the book detailing Darcy and her insecurities, constantly whining about having no friends and being left out to be being jealous of all the women for a variety of reasons and berating Alex for a previous infidelity, we get to the culmination of events that precede the penultimate climatic conclusion. And boy, does it get interesting! Up till now I found myself skimming pages with a dragging realisation that Darcy was infinitely annoying and Alex was a complete knob. But now the tension mounts as Darcy goes into labour and things get hairy to say the least. She changes her mind about birthing plans but no one seems to be listening to her. She is terrified and scared and tries calling for help but to no avail. And then secrets burst to the surface as Darcy realises the dreaded reality of her situation. And in the end, her baby is gone. Darcy is inconsolable.
The final twists were revealing in themselves, although it was the very l ast one in the epilogue that I didn't see coming, as I predicted everything else that unfolded with ease. But that was a nice a touch to leave readers dangling.
This is a fairly quick read though it took me longer due to personal reasons and time being a factor. But I raced through over half of the book this afternoon to its thrilling end. Darcy was hard to like because of her constant whining. I could relate to her with not making friends as I too find it hard to make friends but she just constantly moaned on an on about it. I didn't like Lucy either. She was completely transparently fickle and bitchy. The other women were OK but most of the focus was on Lucy and sometimes Carmen and Cora. So it was up to us as readers to work out which one we couldn't trust. Alex was a complete twat. He could have at least tried to be a little more understanding but he didn't even try. Instead he shoved Darcy in the direction of Lucy when it was clear she wasn't comfortable with her. Instead of taking her concerns seriously, he waved them away and told her to get a grip basically. I would have liked to get a grip on him - firmly around his neck!
A quick read, it was intriguing enough but the pacing was a little sluggish in parts and I found it hard to stay fully engaged. I loved the ending though. Everything from where Darcy goes into labour to the birth and the aftermath was nail-biting and I raced through those pages till the final conclusion.
I would like to thank #JadeLeeWright, #JoffeBooks and #ZooloosBookTours for an ARC of #TheBabyGroup in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
"My baby's been taken," Darcy sobs into the phone. And before she can digest all that has just happened, she slumps into unconsciousness.
Darcy and Alex have been together just under a year when Darcy fell pregnant just a couple of months into their relationship. But this was what she had always dreamed of - being a mum. OK, so it wasn't planned and it was unexpected but it could work. And so they are looking for a fresh start when they decide to move from the busyness of London to the quiet Cornish seaside village of Rock and preparing for the arrival of their baby together.
Darcy decides to join an antenatal class, figuring it might be a good way to make new friends. They could share their experiences together whilst forming firm friendships. But Darcy has always struggled to make friends and she finds it difficult to connect with the women in the group, her past insecurities looming heavily. Add to those along with pregnancy hormones, her paranoia flares.
At first, she connects with Cora and feels an affiliation with her but soon her insecurities cloud her judgement as she begins to feel shut out from the rest of the group. This is highlighted even further as one by one the women begin giving birth and each becomes a mother. The dynamics of each begin to shift as tensions rise and their little group becomes smaller, shutting Darcy out completely.
Stupidly, Darcy confides in no one about her fears but then how could she? Who could she really trust? It was clear from the outset that there are insecurities around her relationships and for the most part it is completely understandable why she in turn shut everyone out. But did she really have no one? It seems so.
Of all the women in the antenatal class, Carmen and Lucy are the ones Darcy trusts the least. But when Cora, Rachel and Violet all start to shut her out, Darcy wonders what she has done to upset them. Why are they meeting up in cosy little gatherings in cafes, some of them with their bundles while others still awaiting the arrival of theirs? Even Lucy, with whom she had grown much closer to in recent weeks, has ghosted her while gathered with the others laughing away - most likely at her. Again, her paranoia flares. She can't confide in Alex her insecurities - he doesn't even know the half of it, let alone will he understand. He's her rock, her security; if he didn't believe her she doesn't know what she'd do. So she kept her fears, her paranoia and her insecurities to herself.
As her due date approaches, despite the women shutting her out of the group entirely, Darcy has noticed Lucy sidling up to Alex. Is something going on there that she isn't aware of? Darcy is sure something is going on but Alex will only deny it and throw familiar accusations at her. And he wouldn't be entirely wrong. Needless to say, a ton of drama ensues.
After most of the book detailing Darcy and her insecurities, constantly whining about having no friends and being left out to be being jealous of all the women for a variety of reasons and berating Alex for a previous infidelity, we get to the culmination of events that precede the penultimate climatic conclusion. And boy, does it get interesting! Up till now I found myself skimming pages with a dragging realisation that Darcy was infinitely annoying and Alex was a complete knob. But now the tension mounts as Darcy goes into labour and things get hairy to say the least. She changes her mind about birthing plans but no one seems to be listening to her. She is terrified and scared and tries calling for help but to no avail. And then secrets burst to the surface as Darcy realises the dreaded reality of her situation. And in the end, her baby is gone. Darcy is inconsolable.
The final twists were revealing in themselves, although it was the very l ast one in the epilogue that I didn't see coming, as I predicted everything else that unfolded with ease. But that was a nice a touch to leave readers dangling.
This is a fairly quick read though it took me longer due to personal reasons and time being a factor. But I raced through over half of the book this afternoon to its thrilling end. Darcy was hard to like because of her constant whining. I could relate to her with not making friends as I too find it hard to make friends but she just constantly moaned on an on about it. I didn't like Lucy either. She was completely transparently fickle and bitchy. The other women were OK but most of the focus was on Lucy and sometimes Carmen and Cora. So it was up to us as readers to work out which one we couldn't trust. Alex was a complete twat. He could have at least tried to be a little more understanding but he didn't even try. Instead he shoved Darcy in the direction of Lucy when it was clear she wasn't comfortable with her. Instead of taking her concerns seriously, he waved them away and told her to get a grip basically. I would have liked to get a grip on him - firmly around his neck!
A quick read, it was intriguing enough but the pacing was a little sluggish in parts and I found it hard to stay fully engaged. I loved the ending though. Everything from where Darcy goes into labour to the birth and the aftermath was nail-biting and I raced through those pages till the final conclusion.
I would like to thank #JadeLeeWright, #JoffeBooks and #ZooloosBookTours for an ARC of #TheBabyGroup in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 9, 2025
I thought I'd read the "shocking final twist" and then there was another one!
This was just what I needed, a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing and surprises you just when you think you've got everything figured out.
The set up is brilliant, the characters are believable (and frustrating in some cases!) and the storyline is packed full of twists and turns and that disconcerting uncertainty that plagues the main character. She's paranoid because she's been cheated on before, and as readers, we become paranoid too.
I read this book over a few (working) days, picking it up every chance I got, and I highly recommend it! This is an author to keep an eye on. I can't wait to read more from her.
This was just what I needed, a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing and surprises you just when you think you've got everything figured out.
The set up is brilliant, the characters are believable (and frustrating in some cases!) and the storyline is packed full of twists and turns and that disconcerting uncertainty that plagues the main character. She's paranoid because she's been cheated on before, and as readers, we become paranoid too.
I read this book over a few (working) days, picking it up every chance I got, and I highly recommend it! This is an author to keep an eye on. I can't wait to read more from her.
April 12, 2026
Far too predictable 🤷🏻♀️
July 12, 2025
Darcie and Alex have been together less than a year, now they're just weeks away from the birth of their baby. They've moved from London to a lovely seaside town, and decide to join the local antenatal class in order to make new friends. Everyone seems lovely except from Lucy. She seems to take a disliking to Darcie, and yet somehow is getting very close to Alex.
As due dates get nearer, Darcie is sure something is going on. She just isn't sure what.
Okay, so this one was a little difficult for me to get into at first. It was mostly Darcie constantly whining that she had no friends, and how she felt left out of groups when she did make friends, and feeling jealous and constantly freaking out on Alex about his previous infidelity. Then it was her going to the antenatal classes, meeting other women who all made her feel jealous about the way she looks, and attempting to become friends while desperately clinging on to Alex. Most of this time was spent talking about birthing plans and pain relief and babies in general. I get it, it's a story about a group of pregnant women. But having been a pregnant woman, we do have other things to talk about. It would have been nice for there to be some kind of break in the baby talk.
However, once we get into the last third of the book, things start getting interesting. One by one, the women start having their babies, and Lucy is trying to be friendly with Darcie. Things all seem great until Darcie starts being snubbed by the group and realises they're all meeting up without her. Drama unfolds and she's left with no one around her but Alex who is a dick. Then Darcie has her baby. What happens is terrible and scary, and we finally start getting to the "thrilling" part. Secrets come out, and it's filled with tension. The final twists in the epilogue are what made me round my rating from a 3.5 to a 4*. It took me the better part of 2 days to read this purely because it just wasn't gripping me to start with.
As due dates get nearer, Darcie is sure something is going on. She just isn't sure what.
Okay, so this one was a little difficult for me to get into at first. It was mostly Darcie constantly whining that she had no friends, and how she felt left out of groups when she did make friends, and feeling jealous and constantly freaking out on Alex about his previous infidelity. Then it was her going to the antenatal classes, meeting other women who all made her feel jealous about the way she looks, and attempting to become friends while desperately clinging on to Alex. Most of this time was spent talking about birthing plans and pain relief and babies in general. I get it, it's a story about a group of pregnant women. But having been a pregnant woman, we do have other things to talk about. It would have been nice for there to be some kind of break in the baby talk.
However, once we get into the last third of the book, things start getting interesting. One by one, the women start having their babies, and Lucy is trying to be friendly with Darcie. Things all seem great until Darcie starts being snubbed by the group and realises they're all meeting up without her. Drama unfolds and she's left with no one around her but Alex who is a dick. Then Darcie has her baby. What happens is terrible and scary, and we finally start getting to the "thrilling" part. Secrets come out, and it's filled with tension. The final twists in the epilogue are what made me round my rating from a 3.5 to a 4*. It took me the better part of 2 days to read this purely because it just wasn't gripping me to start with.
July 19, 2025
I've been so excited to read this book and it certainly didn't disappoint. Beautiful, engaging writing and fully developed characters who you love to hate. I won't lie. I didn't particularly like any of them but I think that was the point!
It's certainly a slow burn. Not a huge amount happens until well past the half way point so I did find things a little slow which is my reason for 4 stars. Personally, I didn't feel the usual tension at the start either as I already knew what was going to happen from reading the blurb.
But boy, when things kick off, it's an all out rollercoaster! Did I see the twists coming? One of them, yes. The other? Heck no! A brilliantly executed twist!
I can't wait to read more from this author. Possibly a future sequel? We shall see! Highly recommended for readers who love their thrillers on the slow burn side.
P.S. I had mental flashbacks to my own pregnancy and giving birth! 🤣🤣 that was traumatic enough!
It's certainly a slow burn. Not a huge amount happens until well past the half way point so I did find things a little slow which is my reason for 4 stars. Personally, I didn't feel the usual tension at the start either as I already knew what was going to happen from reading the blurb.
But boy, when things kick off, it's an all out rollercoaster! Did I see the twists coming? One of them, yes. The other? Heck no! A brilliantly executed twist!
I can't wait to read more from this author. Possibly a future sequel? We shall see! Highly recommended for readers who love their thrillers on the slow burn side.
P.S. I had mental flashbacks to my own pregnancy and giving birth! 🤣🤣 that was traumatic enough!
November 3, 2025
I do love a good thriller, particularly thrillers like this one that keep the reader enthralled and unable to tear themselves away from the story.
in Jade Lee Wright's terrific debut, we're introduced to Darcy and Alex who have just moved to Rock, Cornwall. Their relationship is still fairly new, but Darcy is pregnant and decides to join antenatal classes to help her make friends.
Her relationship with Alex isn't perfect as Darcy is still battling insecurities from finding messages with another woman on Alex's phone. Cornwall should be a happy new start for them, but Darcy often feels lonely, and even in her new group of expectant mothers, she feels left out and alone.
There were so many twists in the plot, while I guessed a couple, I was hit by the final one right at the end; expect most readers will be.
It's a really well-written debut and I can't wait to read Wright's next book, due out next year.
in Jade Lee Wright's terrific debut, we're introduced to Darcy and Alex who have just moved to Rock, Cornwall. Their relationship is still fairly new, but Darcy is pregnant and decides to join antenatal classes to help her make friends.
Her relationship with Alex isn't perfect as Darcy is still battling insecurities from finding messages with another woman on Alex's phone. Cornwall should be a happy new start for them, but Darcy often feels lonely, and even in her new group of expectant mothers, she feels left out and alone.
There were so many twists in the plot, while I guessed a couple, I was hit by the final one right at the end; expect most readers will be.
It's a really well-written debut and I can't wait to read Wright's next book, due out next year.
July 18, 2025
This gripping domestic thriller delivers a tense ride from start to finish.
We have Darcy and Alex, whose fresh start in Cornwall following Alex's infidelity, quickly goes downhill after they join an ante-natal group.
Darcy's desperation for acceptance clashes with her growing unease about certain members, building atmospheric tension.
Jade Lee Wright crafts a fast-paced narrative, skillfully building Darcy's suspicion and paranoia.
I felt a couple of the characters were unnecessary, while some characters' issues weren't really explored, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
While the ending might be predictable for seasoned thriller readers, the journey there was enjoyable, making it a good choice for fans of psychological suspense.
My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC.
We have Darcy and Alex, whose fresh start in Cornwall following Alex's infidelity, quickly goes downhill after they join an ante-natal group.
Darcy's desperation for acceptance clashes with her growing unease about certain members, building atmospheric tension.
Jade Lee Wright crafts a fast-paced narrative, skillfully building Darcy's suspicion and paranoia.
I felt a couple of the characters were unnecessary, while some characters' issues weren't really explored, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
While the ending might be predictable for seasoned thriller readers, the journey there was enjoyable, making it a good choice for fans of psychological suspense.
My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC.
August 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Jade Lee Wright, and Joffe Books for the eARC. This gripping psychological thriller was full of unexpected twists and turns—I never saw them coming!
April 3, 2026
**finishes Baby Group and looks up everything by this author.
dont wait. Just go read it!
dont wait. Just go read it!
May 26, 2026
Overall I felt like I couldn’t put it down- had to know how it ended! But the main character was mildly frustrating and somewhat underdeveloped
April 3, 2026
4.5
The Baby Group is every new mother’s worst nightmare. It’s such a stressful read, a tension-filled rollercoaster of a book in so many ways, but one I was so addicted to from start to finish. The audio narration was perfect and I could not get enough!
Darcy has just moved from London to Cornwall with her fiancé, Alex. She’s pregnant, and she cannot wait for their baby to arrive. After joining an antenatal class and meeting a group of soon-to-be mothers, she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to make some friends in the area. But all is not what it seems. Someone from this group is plotting to steal her baby…
I bloody loved this book. It’s so easy to lose yourself in and so hard to put down. Jade’s writing is gorgeous; she writes emotion with such depth and care, yet effortlessly switches the suspense off and on when it matters. And the characters. You probably won’t like any of them, but most are the kind of characters you love to hate. And just wait until you meet Lucy; I have never hated a character as much as I hated her, but my god she has been written so well!
This book has the kind of plot to keep you up at night. It’s terrifying, it’s anxiety-inducing, it’s twisty as hell, especially near the end. I did guess a couple of the twists but this didn’t take away any enjoyment for me. It’s just a bloody good book and the definition of a binge read. Just what I needed!
The Baby Group is every new mother’s worst nightmare. It’s such a stressful read, a tension-filled rollercoaster of a book in so many ways, but one I was so addicted to from start to finish. The audio narration was perfect and I could not get enough!
Darcy has just moved from London to Cornwall with her fiancé, Alex. She’s pregnant, and she cannot wait for their baby to arrive. After joining an antenatal class and meeting a group of soon-to-be mothers, she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to make some friends in the area. But all is not what it seems. Someone from this group is plotting to steal her baby…
I bloody loved this book. It’s so easy to lose yourself in and so hard to put down. Jade’s writing is gorgeous; she writes emotion with such depth and care, yet effortlessly switches the suspense off and on when it matters. And the characters. You probably won’t like any of them, but most are the kind of characters you love to hate. And just wait until you meet Lucy; I have never hated a character as much as I hated her, but my god she has been written so well!
This book has the kind of plot to keep you up at night. It’s terrifying, it’s anxiety-inducing, it’s twisty as hell, especially near the end. I did guess a couple of the twists but this didn’t take away any enjoyment for me. It’s just a bloody good book and the definition of a binge read. Just what I needed!
March 18, 2026
it was a little ridiculous but I had fun
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