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Such a Nice Boy
Not yet published
Expected 8 Oct 26Your 15-year-old son stands accused of something terrible.
Who is to blame? His friends? Social media?
Or, as his mother, is it your fault?
When Amanda finds out her teenage son, Nathan, is accused of being among a group of boys sexually bullying a young woman and causing her to take her own life, she is devastated, and convinced she is to blame. She should have been there more, known more, done more.
As memories of another death, twenty-five years earlier, and the best friend who should still be alive, begin to resurface, Amanda finds herself questioning how much any woman can ever truly know her own son. Has her sweet, good boy really become a young man capable of something so brutal?
As a woman, she wants to see him face as a mother she wants to protect her son.
What would you do?
Who is to blame? His friends? Social media?
Or, as his mother, is it your fault?
When Amanda finds out her teenage son, Nathan, is accused of being among a group of boys sexually bullying a young woman and causing her to take her own life, she is devastated, and convinced she is to blame. She should have been there more, known more, done more.
As memories of another death, twenty-five years earlier, and the best friend who should still be alive, begin to resurface, Amanda finds herself questioning how much any woman can ever truly know her own son. Has her sweet, good boy really become a young man capable of something so brutal?
As a woman, she wants to see him face as a mother she wants to protect her son.
What would you do?
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 8, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Amanda learns that her neighbour's daughter Maisie, a schoolmate of her own teenage children, has taken her own life, she is immediately thrown back to the chapter of her life she has tried hardest to forget - the summer her best friend, Eloise, died. As more and more information comes out about Maisie's death, Amanda is horrified to discover that her son, Nathan, is rumoured to be part of a group of boys who bullied Maisie so badly that she couldn't see another way out. As she tries to parse how her child could be capable of such cruelty, Amanda is haunted by how her own behaviour contributed to Eloise's death twenty five years earlier.
In her author's note, Rebecca Spargo explains that she intended for Amanda to be an 'everywoman' - someone whom readers would be able to see themselves in and empathise with the awful situation she finds herself in. No parent would want to believe that they have raised a child who is capable of causing real harm to others, nor that they were too oblivious to see it coming. She battles with judgement from both sides: other parents can't believe that she was not aware of Nathan's behaviour, while her husband is outraged that she is reluctant to unequivocally take their son's side. We see countless examples of how Amanda has tried her best as a parent, and it is an uncomfortable truth that she has still come up short - she has tried to do all the right things but her child has still made bad choices. Amanda is a well-written character, flawed but self-aware, and I thought her arc was both interesting and realistic. We see her move from defensive and protective to questioning and angry and then to trying to understand what led Nathan to act the way he did.
Such a Nice Boy is a clarion call to parents to arm themselves appropriately against the harmful influences perpetually online teenagers are exposed to. On the 1997 timeline, there is a moment when Amanda's mum is shocked to learn that her clever, sensible daughter has been taking party drugs, which is a clear parallel to Amanda being blind-sided by her son's behaviour in the present day, but Spargo draws on comprehensive research to highlight the specific struggles of Gen X/Millennial parents trying to navigate an entirely new landscape with their children. They are completely unprepared for the different risks facing their children and, while many try their best to protect them, most teenagers have a far better understanding of how to use the various apps available and how to circumnavigate the controls installed by their naïve parents for their own safety. They want to trust their children but they are also (if they have any understanding of how social media works) terrified of how they might behave behind a screen and what they are being exposed to online. At one point, Amanda has a stark realisation: 'I hadn't been letting my son have access the internet; I had been letting the internet have access to my son.' In very topical social commentary, Spargo, through Amanda, highlights how children are often being exposed to violent, hardcore pornography from an early age, warping their understanding of what sex and relationships should entail, while boys are being radicalised by misogynistic 'Manosphere' content; Spargo points out that, while infamous woman-hater Andrew Tate has been banned from social media platforms, his videos are still reposted and his hate speech regurgitated by other accounts. Spargo notes that all of the posts Amanda sees on Nathan's social media were real posts she encountered while researching the book using a fake Instagram account; perhaps even more horrifyingly, the hardcore videos Amanda discovers in her son's internet search history all came up on the homepage of Porn Hub during Spargo's research. While eighteen-year-old Amanda is pressured by her friends to take pills on a night out, this does not compare to the way many modern teenagers are inundated with toxic messaging 24/7. (As a side note, I highly recommend Dr Kaitlyn Regehr's Smartphone Nation for an illuminating look at how algorithms exploit vulnerable users and how we can equip our children to protect themselves.)
Also interesting are the reflections Amanda begins to have on how she has parented her two children differently. From her daughter's babyhood, she was conscious of the need to counteract pervasive patriarchal messaging - I was too with my own two daughters - but she was so busy raising her daughter to feel strong and capable that she neglected to think how best to parent her son, nor did she anticipate the feelings of exclusion he would feel as a white boy seeing measures to counter the underrepresentation of women and minorities in top jobs and universities; without an understanding of the need for this, many boys like Nathan feel persecuted. As author Adam Rutherford famously wrote, 'When all you've ever known is privilege, equality feels like opression.'
In 1997, Eloise's story unfolds gradually, the author keeping the reader guessing as to just how responsible Amanda was for what happened to her friend and exactly how events transpired until the final third of the book. Spargo captures the sparkle, tension and contradictions of teenage female friendship with warmth and accuracy; I fully believed that Amanda both loved Eloise and deeply resented her. The 1997 chapters are full of details that recall the time period vividly, from outfit descriptions to a firm conviction that Alex Garland's The Beach is the greatest novel ever written. We know that Amanda is still deeply affected by Eloise's death though - she routinely turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism and she will do anything to avoid returning to her hometown. The stories are told in parallel, strongly implying that, for Amanda to properly deal with her son's role in Maisie's death, she must first confront her own guilt over Eloise, but also that there is hope for Nathan to learn from his catastrophic mistakes and do something positive with his life, just as Amanda has through her work campaigning for women's issues and protections for victims of domestic violence. I also liked the thoughtful way in which Spargo develops the adult friendship between Amanda and the other two survivors of the fateful Ibiza holiday, Jen and Rachel.
Such a Nice Boy is a well-written, topical and thought-provoking novel which should be essential reading for all parents of pre-teens and teenagers. Hopefully it will prompt readers who can relate to Amanda to consider the conversations they need to have and the precautions they need to take in order to keep their children safe from harm and prevent them from causing it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In her author's note, Rebecca Spargo explains that she intended for Amanda to be an 'everywoman' - someone whom readers would be able to see themselves in and empathise with the awful situation she finds herself in. No parent would want to believe that they have raised a child who is capable of causing real harm to others, nor that they were too oblivious to see it coming. She battles with judgement from both sides: other parents can't believe that she was not aware of Nathan's behaviour, while her husband is outraged that she is reluctant to unequivocally take their son's side. We see countless examples of how Amanda has tried her best as a parent, and it is an uncomfortable truth that she has still come up short - she has tried to do all the right things but her child has still made bad choices. Amanda is a well-written character, flawed but self-aware, and I thought her arc was both interesting and realistic. We see her move from defensive and protective to questioning and angry and then to trying to understand what led Nathan to act the way he did.
Such a Nice Boy is a clarion call to parents to arm themselves appropriately against the harmful influences perpetually online teenagers are exposed to. On the 1997 timeline, there is a moment when Amanda's mum is shocked to learn that her clever, sensible daughter has been taking party drugs, which is a clear parallel to Amanda being blind-sided by her son's behaviour in the present day, but Spargo draws on comprehensive research to highlight the specific struggles of Gen X/Millennial parents trying to navigate an entirely new landscape with their children. They are completely unprepared for the different risks facing their children and, while many try their best to protect them, most teenagers have a far better understanding of how to use the various apps available and how to circumnavigate the controls installed by their naïve parents for their own safety. They want to trust their children but they are also (if they have any understanding of how social media works) terrified of how they might behave behind a screen and what they are being exposed to online. At one point, Amanda has a stark realisation: 'I hadn't been letting my son have access the internet; I had been letting the internet have access to my son.' In very topical social commentary, Spargo, through Amanda, highlights how children are often being exposed to violent, hardcore pornography from an early age, warping their understanding of what sex and relationships should entail, while boys are being radicalised by misogynistic 'Manosphere' content; Spargo points out that, while infamous woman-hater Andrew Tate has been banned from social media platforms, his videos are still reposted and his hate speech regurgitated by other accounts. Spargo notes that all of the posts Amanda sees on Nathan's social media were real posts she encountered while researching the book using a fake Instagram account; perhaps even more horrifyingly, the hardcore videos Amanda discovers in her son's internet search history all came up on the homepage of Porn Hub during Spargo's research. While eighteen-year-old Amanda is pressured by her friends to take pills on a night out, this does not compare to the way many modern teenagers are inundated with toxic messaging 24/7. (As a side note, I highly recommend Dr Kaitlyn Regehr's Smartphone Nation for an illuminating look at how algorithms exploit vulnerable users and how we can equip our children to protect themselves.)
Also interesting are the reflections Amanda begins to have on how she has parented her two children differently. From her daughter's babyhood, she was conscious of the need to counteract pervasive patriarchal messaging - I was too with my own two daughters - but she was so busy raising her daughter to feel strong and capable that she neglected to think how best to parent her son, nor did she anticipate the feelings of exclusion he would feel as a white boy seeing measures to counter the underrepresentation of women and minorities in top jobs and universities; without an understanding of the need for this, many boys like Nathan feel persecuted. As author Adam Rutherford famously wrote, 'When all you've ever known is privilege, equality feels like opression.'
In 1997, Eloise's story unfolds gradually, the author keeping the reader guessing as to just how responsible Amanda was for what happened to her friend and exactly how events transpired until the final third of the book. Spargo captures the sparkle, tension and contradictions of teenage female friendship with warmth and accuracy; I fully believed that Amanda both loved Eloise and deeply resented her. The 1997 chapters are full of details that recall the time period vividly, from outfit descriptions to a firm conviction that Alex Garland's The Beach is the greatest novel ever written. We know that Amanda is still deeply affected by Eloise's death though - she routinely turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism and she will do anything to avoid returning to her hometown. The stories are told in parallel, strongly implying that, for Amanda to properly deal with her son's role in Maisie's death, she must first confront her own guilt over Eloise, but also that there is hope for Nathan to learn from his catastrophic mistakes and do something positive with his life, just as Amanda has through her work campaigning for women's issues and protections for victims of domestic violence. I also liked the thoughtful way in which Spargo develops the adult friendship between Amanda and the other two survivors of the fateful Ibiza holiday, Jen and Rachel.
Such a Nice Boy is a well-written, topical and thought-provoking novel which should be essential reading for all parents of pre-teens and teenagers. Hopefully it will prompt readers who can relate to Amanda to consider the conversations they need to have and the precautions they need to take in order to keep their children safe from harm and prevent them from causing it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
2022.
Amanda is deeply shocked to learn of the suicide of 15 year-old Maisie, a near neighbour of their family. She’s even more shocked and stunned to discover her son Nathan is part of a group suspected of causing her death. It inevitably leads to her reflecting, not just on whether her parenting is to blame for Nathan‘s behaviour, or if it’s other factors such as social media. It also takes her back to 1997 to some very uncomfortable memories which prey on her conscience. How would you react/act if you were to find yourself in Amanda’s situation? What would you do?
Topical, timely, reflective, thoughtful, depressing, heartbreaking, anger, terrifying. Just some of the words that rattle through my head as I read this novel. I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read but I’d say it’s an important one as it’s very illuminating as well as thought-provoking. It’s very well written and witnessing the events through mother Amanda’s eyes is tough and makes me consider my own parenting. I admire her as digs and digs to try to understand the extent of what her son has done and doesn’t try to fudge or justify. The two timelines work well alongside each other as it forces her to reflect upon her own mistakes which she has never fully come to terms with and it forces her to fully confront those and be honest.
Inevitably, Amanda experiences the whole gamut of emotions. First of all there’s some naivety in thinking the best of him as he’s raised to be such a nice boy and so there are some assumptions being made there by Amanda and particularly her husband, Toby. Blinkered? Maybe. Too busy to notice that he’s changing?? The guilt she feels at times is palpable and she’s not alone as a parent feeling this.
However, I think it’s very hard in today’s world but parents know exactly what their children are doing online. They are tech savvy and able to hide things if they need to with hidden apps, disappearing messages and so on. It’s a minefield as Amanda discovers. I don’t envy parents in today’s online world as it makes parenting even harder.
The novel covers many issues such as the obvious ones like bullying and peer pressure, social media as well as parenting and relationships. There’s accountability as well as guilt and forgiveness. There’s a strong feminism element versus toxic masculinity that is a hard to read as a woman. There’s a strong female friendship element too with Amanda’s long-term friends who she realises are her rocks and this is important in the developing story both in the earlier timeline and in 2022.
Overall, the author does a really good job of all of this as it could’ve been a mess and it isn’t. I like Amanda‘s character, she feels authentic with her rollercoaster emotions. It’s a very thought-provoking read and if I’m honest, it’s rather scary. It’s tense and intense as relationships fracture and hopefully mend. A highly recommended novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hera Books for very much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
2022.
Amanda is deeply shocked to learn of the suicide of 15 year-old Maisie, a near neighbour of their family. She’s even more shocked and stunned to discover her son Nathan is part of a group suspected of causing her death. It inevitably leads to her reflecting, not just on whether her parenting is to blame for Nathan‘s behaviour, or if it’s other factors such as social media. It also takes her back to 1997 to some very uncomfortable memories which prey on her conscience. How would you react/act if you were to find yourself in Amanda’s situation? What would you do?
Topical, timely, reflective, thoughtful, depressing, heartbreaking, anger, terrifying. Just some of the words that rattle through my head as I read this novel. I’m not going to pretend it’s an easy read but I’d say it’s an important one as it’s very illuminating as well as thought-provoking. It’s very well written and witnessing the events through mother Amanda’s eyes is tough and makes me consider my own parenting. I admire her as digs and digs to try to understand the extent of what her son has done and doesn’t try to fudge or justify. The two timelines work well alongside each other as it forces her to reflect upon her own mistakes which she has never fully come to terms with and it forces her to fully confront those and be honest.
Inevitably, Amanda experiences the whole gamut of emotions. First of all there’s some naivety in thinking the best of him as he’s raised to be such a nice boy and so there are some assumptions being made there by Amanda and particularly her husband, Toby. Blinkered? Maybe. Too busy to notice that he’s changing?? The guilt she feels at times is palpable and she’s not alone as a parent feeling this.
However, I think it’s very hard in today’s world but parents know exactly what their children are doing online. They are tech savvy and able to hide things if they need to with hidden apps, disappearing messages and so on. It’s a minefield as Amanda discovers. I don’t envy parents in today’s online world as it makes parenting even harder.
The novel covers many issues such as the obvious ones like bullying and peer pressure, social media as well as parenting and relationships. There’s accountability as well as guilt and forgiveness. There’s a strong feminism element versus toxic masculinity that is a hard to read as a woman. There’s a strong female friendship element too with Amanda’s long-term friends who she realises are her rocks and this is important in the developing story both in the earlier timeline and in 2022.
Overall, the author does a really good job of all of this as it could’ve been a mess and it isn’t. I like Amanda‘s character, she feels authentic with her rollercoaster emotions. It’s a very thought-provoking read and if I’m honest, it’s rather scary. It’s tense and intense as relationships fracture and hopefully mend. A highly recommended novel.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hera Books for very much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a Nice Boy is a gripping psychological thriller with a contemporary edge, tackling some very serious issues around bullying, social media, parenting and the hidden online world teenagers can find themselves in.
There is so much to pick out and discuss in this book. It’s incredibly well thought out and thought-provoking, and I really enjoyed how it looks at what can happen both online and away from the screen.
The story centres around Maisie Edwards, a Year 11 pupil who takes her own life after being constantly bullied, both at school and online. A letter is sent to the parents informing them of what has happened, and Amanda, mum to one of the boys accused of bullying Maisie, is understandably horrified. At first, she simply cannot believe her son could be involved. He’s her boy, and she believes she knows him.
But Amanda starts looking deeper. She goes through his phone and discovers his Finsta account, a fake Instagram account where teenagers can have another online identity away from what parents and others see. She also discovers that his calculator app is actually being used as a vault to store nude pictures. As Amanda digs further, more secrets begin to unravel, and the truth becomes harder and harder to ignore.
What really stood out to me was how much this book makes you think about the hidden world teenagers can have online. The disappearing messages, secret accounts and hidden apps are genuinely worrying, and it made me wonder just how much parents actually know about what their children are doing behind their screens.
I really liked Amanda as a character because we see her go from completely believing her son couldn’t possibly be involved, to having to face some very uncomfortable truths. That must be an incredibly difficult thing for any parent to deal with, and I thought her character was handled really well.
Rebecca Spargo’s writing is incredible. The plot is gripping, but it’s the serious issues underneath the story that really stood out to me. This isn’t just a book about bullying; it looks at parenting, peer pressure, social media and the frightening ways young people can hide things online.
I really enjoyed this book and there is plenty here to discuss. It certainly made me think about how easily things can be hidden online and how difficult it can be for parents to know what their children are really getting up to.
Thank you NetGalley, Canelo publishers and author Rebecca Spargo for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date: October 8th 2026
There is so much to pick out and discuss in this book. It’s incredibly well thought out and thought-provoking, and I really enjoyed how it looks at what can happen both online and away from the screen.
The story centres around Maisie Edwards, a Year 11 pupil who takes her own life after being constantly bullied, both at school and online. A letter is sent to the parents informing them of what has happened, and Amanda, mum to one of the boys accused of bullying Maisie, is understandably horrified. At first, she simply cannot believe her son could be involved. He’s her boy, and she believes she knows him.
But Amanda starts looking deeper. She goes through his phone and discovers his Finsta account, a fake Instagram account where teenagers can have another online identity away from what parents and others see. She also discovers that his calculator app is actually being used as a vault to store nude pictures. As Amanda digs further, more secrets begin to unravel, and the truth becomes harder and harder to ignore.
What really stood out to me was how much this book makes you think about the hidden world teenagers can have online. The disappearing messages, secret accounts and hidden apps are genuinely worrying, and it made me wonder just how much parents actually know about what their children are doing behind their screens.
I really liked Amanda as a character because we see her go from completely believing her son couldn’t possibly be involved, to having to face some very uncomfortable truths. That must be an incredibly difficult thing for any parent to deal with, and I thought her character was handled really well.
Rebecca Spargo’s writing is incredible. The plot is gripping, but it’s the serious issues underneath the story that really stood out to me. This isn’t just a book about bullying; it looks at parenting, peer pressure, social media and the frightening ways young people can hide things online.
I really enjoyed this book and there is plenty here to discuss. It certainly made me think about how easily things can be hidden online and how difficult it can be for parents to know what their children are really getting up to.
Thank you NetGalley, Canelo publishers and author Rebecca Spargo for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date: October 8th 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a Nice Boy follows Amanda as she comes to terms with the suicide of her 15-year-old neighbour and the possibility that her own son played a role in the online bullying that may have played a contributing factor. The story explores how these events impact Amanda, her relationships with her son, her family and the wider community. In parallel, we are taken back to Amanda at 17, on holiday in Ibiza with her three friends. It’s clear from the outset that something awful has happened to one of them, and the story gradually reveals the events leading up to it.
Spargo fits a lot into this story! Alongside key themes of misogyny, the pushback against feminism (‘not all men’) and image-based abuse, Spargo also covers the toxicity of online platforms, schooling institutions' treatment of ‘scandals’, rape culture, and even touches on alcohol abuse and marital woes.
For me, the 1997 timeline was more compelling. I think I connected with it more because the story felt more contained.
I did find myself conflicted by some of the messaging. There is a really strong focus on misogynistic online culture, with explicit reference to discourse surrounding Andrew Tate. I wasn’t sure how to sit with this alongside the portrayal of the two female victims who I did feel were a little one-note. This was particularly noticeable to me with Eloise who comes across as bratty and self centred. This also fed into my feelings about the ending more generally. Given how many complex issues the story had explored, I wasn't expecting as neat a resolution. I think I would have preferred some of the tension remaining ambiguous or unresolved – it didn’t quite match the weight of what we’d just experienced for me personally.
Overall, I found this book very readable, and it was engaging. It opens up difficult conversations and encourages us to think about issues that are uncomfortable and complicated. It may not have always worked for me, but I can admire the ambition to cover so many difficult issues.
Spargo fits a lot into this story! Alongside key themes of misogyny, the pushback against feminism (‘not all men’) and image-based abuse, Spargo also covers the toxicity of online platforms, schooling institutions' treatment of ‘scandals’, rape culture, and even touches on alcohol abuse and marital woes.
For me, the 1997 timeline was more compelling. I think I connected with it more because the story felt more contained.
I did find myself conflicted by some of the messaging. There is a really strong focus on misogynistic online culture, with explicit reference to discourse surrounding Andrew Tate. I wasn’t sure how to sit with this alongside the portrayal of the two female victims who I did feel were a little one-note. This was particularly noticeable to me with Eloise who comes across as bratty and self centred. This also fed into my feelings about the ending more generally. Given how many complex issues the story had explored, I wasn't expecting as neat a resolution. I think I would have preferred some of the tension remaining ambiguous or unresolved – it didn’t quite match the weight of what we’d just experienced for me personally.
Overall, I found this book very readable, and it was engaging. It opens up difficult conversations and encourages us to think about issues that are uncomfortable and complicated. It may not have always worked for me, but I can admire the ambition to cover so many difficult issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*4.5 stars*
It’s 2022, and Amanda’s 15 year old son, Nathan, is part of a group accused of sexual bullying - that’s bad enough in itself, but the victim, Maisie, took her own life because of it. Amanda is devastated, she wants Nathan to face the consequences, but he’s still her son, so she wants to protect him at the same time.
Memories come flooding back from 1997, to a holiday in Ibiza that Amanda took with her friends. She’s always felt guilt about the fact that one of those friends never returned from that holiday. Could she have done more? Now she’s asking herself that very same question!
Nathan has always been “such a nice boy “ and Amanda begins to contemplate where she and husband Toby went wrong. However, as she becomes more aware of things she had no knowledge of, such as hidden apps, private group chats, disappearing messages, and also bringing toxic masculinity very much to the fore, she realises what a minefield the Internet really is, and how impossible it is to know what your teens are up to.
Powerful, eye opening, extremely disturbing, and ultimately thought provoking. Much as I was horrified, I couldn’t put it down. It sends a very powerful and important message, and it’s something that every parent should read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hera Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
It’s 2022, and Amanda’s 15 year old son, Nathan, is part of a group accused of sexual bullying - that’s bad enough in itself, but the victim, Maisie, took her own life because of it. Amanda is devastated, she wants Nathan to face the consequences, but he’s still her son, so she wants to protect him at the same time.
Memories come flooding back from 1997, to a holiday in Ibiza that Amanda took with her friends. She’s always felt guilt about the fact that one of those friends never returned from that holiday. Could she have done more? Now she’s asking herself that very same question!
Nathan has always been “such a nice boy “ and Amanda begins to contemplate where she and husband Toby went wrong. However, as she becomes more aware of things she had no knowledge of, such as hidden apps, private group chats, disappearing messages, and also bringing toxic masculinity very much to the fore, she realises what a minefield the Internet really is, and how impossible it is to know what your teens are up to.
Powerful, eye opening, extremely disturbing, and ultimately thought provoking. Much as I was horrified, I couldn’t put it down. It sends a very powerful and important message, and it’s something that every parent should read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hera Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
August 22, 2026
Amanda thinks she knows her 15-year-old son, until she discovers a whole side of his life she knew nothing about. And honestly, that was the part of this book that got me. Kids now live in a world of hidden accounts, private group chats, disappearing messages and conversations parents may never see. How much can you realistically know? How much should you be checking? And what happens when you realize your child may be very different with his friends than he is with you?
Amanda is also carrying something painful from her own past involving a friend who was roofied, so everything happening with Nathan hits even harder. He is definitely not the sweet innocent boy she wants him to be, and the book does a good job with that conflict between wanting to protect your child and knowing they still have to be accountable for what they do. Sad, uncomfortable and very current.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for the Arc
Amanda is also carrying something painful from her own past involving a friend who was roofied, so everything happening with Nathan hits even harder. He is definitely not the sweet innocent boy she wants him to be, and the book does a good job with that conflict between wanting to protect your child and knowing they still have to be accountable for what they do. Sad, uncomfortable and very current.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for the Arc
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankful to receive an ARC from NetGalley. As a mom of 3 young adult sons, this one was an emotional read. It was a little slow to start, but I stayed up late to finish it. I feel like this is not only a good, thought-provoking book, but an eye-opener that really should be read by all parents of preteens, teens, and young adults. It sheds light on the realities of rape culture and violent pornography that is readily accessible by our kids. It also speaks to the issues of sexualized social media. The main character, Amanda, is a feminist who has fought for women her entire career, and must face the gut-wrenching realization that her son has done unthinkable things. The range of emotions she experiences is relatable. She is in a position that no mother of sons wants to find herself in. Highly recommend this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a Nice Boy follows Amanda as she delves into the life of her teenage son after a horrible incident at his school.
I enjoyed reading the story and found myself wanting to read more. The sense of dread builds early as you, the reader, seem more aware than Amanda of how naive she possibly is.
I liked the duel aspect, though admittedly wasn’t sure about why it was there, but the story does tie it all together.
It is an interesting commentary on toxic masculinity and the impact on children/teenagers growing up within a social media age. I am not a parent, but this book highlights many issues that must be concerning for parents currently and I do wonder how many will read this book and instantly want to check their children’s phones.
I enjoyed reading the story and found myself wanting to read more. The sense of dread builds early as you, the reader, seem more aware than Amanda of how naive she possibly is.
I liked the duel aspect, though admittedly wasn’t sure about why it was there, but the story does tie it all together.
It is an interesting commentary on toxic masculinity and the impact on children/teenagers growing up within a social media age. I am not a parent, but this book highlights many issues that must be concerning for parents currently and I do wonder how many will read this book and instantly want to check their children’s phones.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book 😵💫. I only started reading it a day & a half ago, I literally couldn’t put it down.
I’m so so grateful that I got to read it, thank you Rebecca Spargo.
This book has made me really think, because we’re raising children in a world that didn’t exist when we were their age.
A world of smartphones, group chats, social media, disappearing messages, apps we’ve never heard of and conversations happening behind screens that we may never see. It’s uncomfortable. It’s thought-provoking. And, I think every parent should read it.
I absolutely devoured it. It’s due to be released later this year - you need to add this to your TBR.
I’m so so grateful that I got to read it, thank you Rebecca Spargo.
This book has made me really think, because we’re raising children in a world that didn’t exist when we were their age.
A world of smartphones, group chats, social media, disappearing messages, apps we’ve never heard of and conversations happening behind screens that we may never see. It’s uncomfortable. It’s thought-provoking. And, I think every parent should read it.
I absolutely devoured it. It’s due to be released later this year - you need to add this to your TBR.
August 28, 2026
I dont think i am going to be able to put in to words and do this book the justice i feel it truly deserves through review!!
WOW. is that enough??
I seen a "bookstagramer" on Instagram review this book and knew straight away i wanted to read it, and my delight when i came across it on Netgalley and was kindly accepted to read this ARC.
As a mother of a son who just started high school this summer, i read this at a time where i genuinely think it couldn't have resonated more with me.
A thought provoking thriller read which covers many topics within the dual timed story line between mother and son, there is some really difficult topics including suicide, toxic masculinity, murder, drugs, sexual assault - a hard read at times, but one i simply could not put down,
For me personally, it was also an education throughout - a book that will stay with me forever!!
It has also helped spark some healthy conversations between me and my son as he begins his secondary school journey in a world of social media and pressures we simply did not experience in the same way when we were teenagers growing up!!
I have recommended this book already to so many people in my work and social circle and will continue to do so - ive not felt a book in that way for some time and i am genuinely so pleased i came across it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for the ARC and Rebecca Spargo; take a bow!!!
WOW. is that enough??
I seen a "bookstagramer" on Instagram review this book and knew straight away i wanted to read it, and my delight when i came across it on Netgalley and was kindly accepted to read this ARC.
As a mother of a son who just started high school this summer, i read this at a time where i genuinely think it couldn't have resonated more with me.
A thought provoking thriller read which covers many topics within the dual timed story line between mother and son, there is some really difficult topics including suicide, toxic masculinity, murder, drugs, sexual assault - a hard read at times, but one i simply could not put down,
For me personally, it was also an education throughout - a book that will stay with me forever!!
It has also helped spark some healthy conversations between me and my son as he begins his secondary school journey in a world of social media and pressures we simply did not experience in the same way when we were teenagers growing up!!
I have recommended this book already to so many people in my work and social circle and will continue to do so - ive not felt a book in that way for some time and i am genuinely so pleased i came across it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for the ARC and Rebecca Spargo; take a bow!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Very topical and timely with so much misogyny and toxic masculinity in the news. Amanda is shocked when her neighbour's daughter takes her own life and rumours begin that she was being bullied by a group of boys at her school in an online group. Amanda has a teenage son and teenage daughter, so both contribute to the ongoing fall out. Amanda struggles with her feelings towards her son, due to an incident in her past and her employment which adds interest to the book. There are some stereotypes used but the author does at least try to challenge them through the main character's responses.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a Nice Boy tackles some really important themes around toxic social media, public image, and the pressure to fit in. I loved the core message—at its heart, it feels like a story about self-forgiveness and finally owning up to your past mistakes instead of hiding behind a polished facade.
That said, it didn't fully grip me. The dual storylines felt a bit disconnected, and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the two halves were meant to fit together.
A super relevant, thoughtful read with a crucial message, even if the pacing and structure didn't completely click for me!
That said, it didn't fully grip me. The dual storylines felt a bit disconnected, and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the two halves were meant to fit together.
A super relevant, thoughtful read with a crucial message, even if the pacing and structure didn't completely click for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a good story and it took me a while to understand that back n forth between 1997 and 2022 was for a reason and to set the scene.
It was amazing to see what happened to Amanda when she was younger was playing out in some way with her son some 25 years on.
I found the story good overall and I did appreciate how the author pulled it all together at the end.
Great to see Amanda go back and make things right and I enjoyed how she stepped up with Nathan and he did the right thing.
A good read 7/10 from me
It was amazing to see what happened to Amanda when she was younger was playing out in some way with her son some 25 years on.
I found the story good overall and I did appreciate how the author pulled it all together at the end.
Great to see Amanda go back and make things right and I enjoyed how she stepped up with Nathan and he did the right thing.
A good read 7/10 from me
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An extremely insightful book that every parent needs to read. This book is written from the point of view of a Mum whose teenage son has been involved in cyber bullying that lead to the suicide of another young person. This really resonated with me as I have teenage children and I was the same age as the main character meaning I could completely relate. I loved that it went back in time to the late 90s and a girls holiday, I could totally put myself in her shoes and I loved that aspect.
This book tackles a serious subject that 100% needs exploring and raising awareness of.
This book tackles a serious subject that 100% needs exploring and raising awareness of.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. Although this covers a difficult subject it was so well written I couldn't put it down, I am fortunate that my children are grown up as I am sure I would be worrying about the topics in this book and how to deal with them. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As the grandmother of a 17 year old boy and 15 year old girl whose phones rarely leave their hands, I found this book a difficult and somewhat frightening read. Despite that the subject matter was so well handled I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will recommend it to my book club.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Such a Nice Boy" has an interesting subject matter, but the writing was rather preachy and in your face about the message.
I also understand that the dual timeline was supposed to show the parallels between the son's and mother's story, but, while both made mistakes, I feel like the two actions are hardly comparable and it rubbed me the wrong way somehow.
I also understand that the dual timeline was supposed to show the parallels between the son's and mother's story, but, while both made mistakes, I feel like the two actions are hardly comparable and it rubbed me the wrong way somehow.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reading this as a mother and a teacher? Ouch.
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