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The Family Friend
THOUSANDS OF ONLINE FRIENDS. IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO DESTROY YOU.
Erin lives an idyllic life by the seaside with her baby boy and Australian fiancé. She's upbeat and happy - a natural mum.
At least that's what her thousands of followers on Instagram think.
In reality, Erin is struggling with anxiety and finding it difficult to connect with her screaming son. So, when an agent offers to make her the biggest Instamum out there, she can't refuse.
And when Amanda, a family friend who's visiting from Australia, says she'll move in and babysit to help make it happen, it seems like the stars have finally aligned for Erin's exciting new career.
But there's something Amanda isn't telling her.
Something that will destroy Erin's carefully curated persona online.
Erin lives an idyllic life by the seaside with her baby boy and Australian fiancé. She's upbeat and happy - a natural mum.
At least that's what her thousands of followers on Instagram think.
In reality, Erin is struggling with anxiety and finding it difficult to connect with her screaming son. So, when an agent offers to make her the biggest Instamum out there, she can't refuse.
And when Amanda, a family friend who's visiting from Australia, says she'll move in and babysit to help make it happen, it seems like the stars have finally aligned for Erin's exciting new career.
But there's something Amanda isn't telling her.
Something that will destroy Erin's carefully curated persona online.
384 pages, ebook
First published March 4, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 5, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
"The family friend" is described as "an unmissable psychological thriller about a famous insta-mum influencer and what happens when someone starts to stalk her every move". If this is a thriller, I'm Mother Teresa, and let me tell you, white and blue are not my colors! Where were the thrills? Cause I certainly didn't notice them! True, when she gets insta-famous she gets a troll, but from that description you would believe she had a full-on stalker and nothing further from the truth.
More than a thriller I would describe this as a cautionary tale about how social media and this influencer (fake) world can really fuck up your life.
I had many issues with this book and only forced myself to finish it cause it was an ARC. Besides the no thrills already mentioned, it moved so slow with nothing happening for so long that I would read a chapter and then leave my Kindle to go to Instagram and try to become insta-famous myself (you can check my Bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/diagnosisbo... ...wink, wink). Shame on me, advertising myself! 😂
But the two main problems I had were two. One, the plot was so predictable that my initial hypothesis, the one I made in the first chapters, proved to be the correct one, and two, Erin was dumb. Plain and simple, making it so much harder to connect with her. At first she came as selfish, self-absorbed, and some of her actions were truly ridiculous and questionable (the eye drops, the adultered baby bottle). It took her 80% of the story to wake up and realize the situation of dependency she was immersed in.
The ending was also a bit unrealistic. The sudden turn of thinking of THAT character with just a couple of words, and the forensic details (or lack of them rather) that allowed THAT ending were quite far-fetched.
On a positive note, it portrayed well the perils of social media and how what at first sight might look all perfect lives and glamour hides a much darker reality.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harvill Secker for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
"The family friend" is described as "an unmissable psychological thriller about a famous insta-mum influencer and what happens when someone starts to stalk her every move". If this is a thriller, I'm Mother Teresa, and let me tell you, white and blue are not my colors! Where were the thrills? Cause I certainly didn't notice them! True, when she gets insta-famous she gets a troll, but from that description you would believe she had a full-on stalker and nothing further from the truth.
More than a thriller I would describe this as a cautionary tale about how social media and this influencer (fake) world can really fuck up your life.
I had many issues with this book and only forced myself to finish it cause it was an ARC. Besides the no thrills already mentioned, it moved so slow with nothing happening for so long that I would read a chapter and then leave my Kindle to go to Instagram and try to become insta-famous myself (you can check my Bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/diagnosisbo... ...wink, wink). Shame on me, advertising myself! 😂
But the two main problems I had were two. One, the plot was so predictable that my initial hypothesis, the one I made in the first chapters, proved to be the correct one, and two, Erin was dumb. Plain and simple, making it so much harder to connect with her. At first she came as selfish, self-absorbed, and some of her actions were truly ridiculous and questionable (the eye drops, the adultered baby bottle). It took her 80% of the story to wake up and realize the situation of dependency she was immersed in.
The ending was also a bit unrealistic. The sudden turn of thinking of THAT character with just a couple of words, and the forensic details (or lack of them rather) that allowed THAT ending were quite far-fetched.
On a positive note, it portrayed well the perils of social media and how what at first sight might look all perfect lives and glamour hides a much darker reality.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harvill Secker for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2022
I was looking forward to this one. One of my anticipated reads.
However, it was slow paced and I struggled a bit.
I liked how it was based around the todays life on popular social media sites.
The Instagram kind of things that are governed by popularity, like and logarithms.
Everyone likes to be liked right?
But it’s a dream of unreality if you think you are going to be loved by everyone.
It’s popular to post the perfect photo, the “time of your life” that you are having, the winning dinning, expensive holidays, being the perfect wife, perfect husband, perfect couple and perfect family.
Most are facades and reality is behind the smokescreen or in this case, devices, laptops.
I liked that about the story as it made me think.
But it did drag a bit for me.
However, it was slow paced and I struggled a bit.
I liked how it was based around the todays life on popular social media sites.
The Instagram kind of things that are governed by popularity, like and logarithms.
Everyone likes to be liked right?
But it’s a dream of unreality if you think you are going to be loved by everyone.
It’s popular to post the perfect photo, the “time of your life” that you are having, the winning dinning, expensive holidays, being the perfect wife, perfect husband, perfect couple and perfect family.
Most are facades and reality is behind the smokescreen or in this case, devices, laptops.
I liked that about the story as it made me think.
But it did drag a bit for me.
March 10, 2021
Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Random House UK and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
The Family Friend by C. C. MacDonald is a psychological thriller focussed on the perils of social media. YES, we have all been there, I bet there are millions amongst us who are so tuned into instant fame thru any social media handles that smartphones have somehow become an extra hand instead of an electronic device. The change from wanting to check the phone to be so needful of it and addicted to it is surprisingly so real that all of a sudden tour companies have started tagging #digitaldetox as the new trend for vacation. Of course, the pandemic hasn’t helped matters at all, making an already bad condition worse.
Erin is an insta-mum who projects a happy cool façade to the world but is truthfully struggling with her 9-month-old son Bobby. Her partner Raf is trying to make ends meet and Erin is determined to make something out of her Instagram account and earn money out of it. The need for validation from strangers has Erin totally hooked into her social media but it is also her intense desire to give meaning to her life where she has always wanted to be an actor par excellence. But achieving fame comes with a price as troll videos of her less than happy moments surfaces. The arrival of Amanda, Raf’s friend from Australia is a god-send but paranoia grips Erin and things go downhill soon.
The Family Friend has a solid story showing the readers about the pain of social media fame, and the effort it takes to maintain the status quo especially with a child who knows only to scream his head off every single time. There’s also a journal of a young girl whose entries gives us the creeps. The story however fails to offer much in the ‘thrill’ element as the plot is honestly predictable for seasoned readers. It takes more than half of the book for some action to happen coz of which there’s not much heart-thumping ride that’s expected from a psychological thriller. So instead of the “OH, MY” moment, in the end, the climax fell a bit short for me.
Going with 3 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ for this one.
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India and Twitter.
The Family Friend by C. C. MacDonald is a psychological thriller focussed on the perils of social media. YES, we have all been there, I bet there are millions amongst us who are so tuned into instant fame thru any social media handles that smartphones have somehow become an extra hand instead of an electronic device. The change from wanting to check the phone to be so needful of it and addicted to it is surprisingly so real that all of a sudden tour companies have started tagging #digitaldetox as the new trend for vacation. Of course, the pandemic hasn’t helped matters at all, making an already bad condition worse.
Erin is an insta-mum who projects a happy cool façade to the world but is truthfully struggling with her 9-month-old son Bobby. Her partner Raf is trying to make ends meet and Erin is determined to make something out of her Instagram account and earn money out of it. The need for validation from strangers has Erin totally hooked into her social media but it is also her intense desire to give meaning to her life where she has always wanted to be an actor par excellence. But achieving fame comes with a price as troll videos of her less than happy moments surfaces. The arrival of Amanda, Raf’s friend from Australia is a god-send but paranoia grips Erin and things go downhill soon.
The Family Friend has a solid story showing the readers about the pain of social media fame, and the effort it takes to maintain the status quo especially with a child who knows only to scream his head off every single time. There’s also a journal of a young girl whose entries gives us the creeps. The story however fails to offer much in the ‘thrill’ element as the plot is honestly predictable for seasoned readers. It takes more than half of the book for some action to happen coz of which there’s not much heart-thumping ride that’s expected from a psychological thriller. So instead of the “OH, MY” moment, in the end, the climax fell a bit short for me.
Going with 3 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ for this one.
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India and Twitter.
March 4, 2021
The Family Friend is an intense and enthralling psychological thriller about the terror of having an internet stalker, the struggles of a young family and the impact of relentless online bullying. We all should really know by now that the representation of themselves and their lives people show in posts online are rarely ever close to the truth. Erin Braune, her fiancé Rafael ”Raf” Donadoni, a hunky Italian interior designer, and their nine-month-old son, Bobby live on the southern coast of England. Struggling to bond with the baby, Erin becomes frustrated at his almost constant screaming and bawling and doesn't appear to know how to calm the little man down as it's her firstborn and she is consumed by guilt as she cannot seem to feel love for him regardless of how hard she tries. Wishing she could escape for some alone time, Erin finds that Raf spends more quality time with the baby than she does; he even sleeps with him at night but Erin’s apathy and increasing hostility towards the child confuse Raf and he doesn't understand how a mother can act like that having been granted such a precious gift. Naturally, this puts a strain on their relationship and it becomes both awkward and uncomfortable at times. She relies on Raf to keep the money rolling in as she is an unemployed stay at home mum and up to her neck in student debt. Erin is a failed thespian who missed the opportunity of a lifetime by being on holiday at the time she was contacted about a role. She becomes interested in being an insta-mom and begins posting snippets, pictures and videos online to share with the world her seemingly perfect life but we all know it is merely a facade.
She rapidly builds a following who adore her for her wholesome, funny and life-affirming posts and soon reaches 100k likes resulting in some lucrative offers. She's offered representation from an agent and also corporate sponsorships which give her the opportunity to start earning money again. @BRAUNEoverBRAINS is her handle where she claims to be a sunny mummy to Bobby. Salty sea-dweller. Reformed thespian. But her online persona is very different from that in reality. However, being in the spotlight isn't always a positive thing; Erin is targeted by an internet troll who also seems to stalk her in real life taking photographs of her that will damage the perfect, relatable portrayal of herself and spreading them online. Then there was the video. One day when Erin arrives home having attended a mummy bloggers weekend retreat she finds Amanda, an old friend of Raf's from Australia, has called in and appears to have already bonded with Bobby. Who is she and why is she here? This thought soon goes out the window when Amanda offers to babysit so Erin can attend networking events, a crucial part of growing your insta brand. But Amanda seems to be taking an unhealthy interest in her family and Erin begins to wonder if she is the stalker? This is a riveting, compulsive and drama-filled domestic thriller with a wickedly twisty narrative featuring issues of social media addiction, obsession, jealousy, secrets, abuse, mental health issues and toxic behaviour. It's a dark and unsettling cautionary tale highlighting the disturbed people who prowl the internet. A superbly woven, captivating and engrossing read. Highly recommended.
She rapidly builds a following who adore her for her wholesome, funny and life-affirming posts and soon reaches 100k likes resulting in some lucrative offers. She's offered representation from an agent and also corporate sponsorships which give her the opportunity to start earning money again. @BRAUNEoverBRAINS is her handle where she claims to be a sunny mummy to Bobby. Salty sea-dweller. Reformed thespian. But her online persona is very different from that in reality. However, being in the spotlight isn't always a positive thing; Erin is targeted by an internet troll who also seems to stalk her in real life taking photographs of her that will damage the perfect, relatable portrayal of herself and spreading them online. Then there was the video. One day when Erin arrives home having attended a mummy bloggers weekend retreat she finds Amanda, an old friend of Raf's from Australia, has called in and appears to have already bonded with Bobby. Who is she and why is she here? This thought soon goes out the window when Amanda offers to babysit so Erin can attend networking events, a crucial part of growing your insta brand. But Amanda seems to be taking an unhealthy interest in her family and Erin begins to wonder if she is the stalker? This is a riveting, compulsive and drama-filled domestic thriller with a wickedly twisty narrative featuring issues of social media addiction, obsession, jealousy, secrets, abuse, mental health issues and toxic behaviour. It's a dark and unsettling cautionary tale highlighting the disturbed people who prowl the internet. A superbly woven, captivating and engrossing read. Highly recommended.
February 14, 2021
Erin comes home to her fiancee Raf and meets a stranger, Amanda, who he claims to be an old family friend. Follow Erin as she copes with this new visitor.
I enjoyed reading The Family Friend which is a psychological drama highlighting problems around relationships and social media. It is very current in it’s outlook and I liked how it explored people’s engagement with social media. Erin is an Instamum and has become an influencer on Instagram. She is successful on Instagram and has lots of #gifted items for her and her baby Bobby. I liked how the business model of Instagram was explored in this novel and how it affected Erin and her followers. A nice discussion was made about how people can so easily become addicted to Smartphones and social media. I enjoyed reading about the psychology behind the creation and following of Instagram stories.
I liked how this story developed and how suspicions of Amanda and Raf grew. Okay the plot was not brilliant but the character development was wonderful. The Family Friend is a character driven novel and the reader very quickly develops an empathy for Erin with her screaming baby Bobby.
I loved how many social issues were featured in this novel. Although the author is a man, he puts the world along the Kent coast purely from a young mother’s perspective. I found it very easy to enter and engage with Erin’s world as she struggled with her screaming baby, mother and toddler groups, strolling along the coastline and managing an Instagram account with negative comments and trolls.
I think The Family Friend would make for a typical British television drama which are popular at the 21:00 broadcast slot. Reading this novel was engaging and had a nice steady flow. I consider The Family Friend to be a GOOD 4 star read and would be happy to read another book from C.C. MacDonald.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Random House UK/Vintage for giving me a #gifted copy on the understanding that I publish a review.
I enjoyed reading The Family Friend which is a psychological drama highlighting problems around relationships and social media. It is very current in it’s outlook and I liked how it explored people’s engagement with social media. Erin is an Instamum and has become an influencer on Instagram. She is successful on Instagram and has lots of #gifted items for her and her baby Bobby. I liked how the business model of Instagram was explored in this novel and how it affected Erin and her followers. A nice discussion was made about how people can so easily become addicted to Smartphones and social media. I enjoyed reading about the psychology behind the creation and following of Instagram stories.
I liked how this story developed and how suspicions of Amanda and Raf grew. Okay the plot was not brilliant but the character development was wonderful. The Family Friend is a character driven novel and the reader very quickly develops an empathy for Erin with her screaming baby Bobby.
I loved how many social issues were featured in this novel. Although the author is a man, he puts the world along the Kent coast purely from a young mother’s perspective. I found it very easy to enter and engage with Erin’s world as she struggled with her screaming baby, mother and toddler groups, strolling along the coastline and managing an Instagram account with negative comments and trolls.
I think The Family Friend would make for a typical British television drama which are popular at the 21:00 broadcast slot. Reading this novel was engaging and had a nice steady flow. I consider The Family Friend to be a GOOD 4 star read and would be happy to read another book from C.C. MacDonald.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Random House UK/Vintage for giving me a #gifted copy on the understanding that I publish a review.
April 22, 2021
The Family Friend is an intense psychological thriller about internet stalking, the struggles of having a young family and the impact of online bullying.
Rafael (Raf) Donadoni, an Italian interior designer, his fiancée Erin Braune and their nine-month-old son, Bobby live on the south coast of England. Struggling to bond with little Bobby, Erin is frustrated as well as consumed by guilt because she cannot seem to feel any love for him. Raf, on the other hand, spends quality time with Bobby, even sleeping with him at night but he doesn't understand Erin’s apathy and increasing hostility towards the baby which is putting a strain on their relationship. A stay at home mum, Erin relies on Raf to keep the money rolling in, but becomes interested in being an Instamum and begins posting snippets, pictures and videos online to share a seemingly perfect life. As she rapidly builds a massive following her corporate sponsorships give her the opportunity to start earning serious money. Before long Erin is targeted by an internet troll who seems to be following her around in real life, snapping photos of her that are damaging to her image and sharing them online. Meanwhile, Amanda, an old friend of Raf's turns up from Australia and seems to bond immediately with baby Bobby. As Erin wonders what Amanda's presence could mean for her and her family a devastatingly revealing video is posted online.
Laced with malice, this is a riveting, compulsive and drama-filled domestic thriller with a great narrative featuring issues of social media addiction, abuse, obsession, secrets, jealousy, mental health issues and toxic behaviour. Dark and unsettling, C.C. MacDonald's execution of this cautionary tale is first-class. A superbly told, captivating, very highly recommended read.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Harvill Secker via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Rafael (Raf) Donadoni, an Italian interior designer, his fiancée Erin Braune and their nine-month-old son, Bobby live on the south coast of England. Struggling to bond with little Bobby, Erin is frustrated as well as consumed by guilt because she cannot seem to feel any love for him. Raf, on the other hand, spends quality time with Bobby, even sleeping with him at night but he doesn't understand Erin’s apathy and increasing hostility towards the baby which is putting a strain on their relationship. A stay at home mum, Erin relies on Raf to keep the money rolling in, but becomes interested in being an Instamum and begins posting snippets, pictures and videos online to share a seemingly perfect life. As she rapidly builds a massive following her corporate sponsorships give her the opportunity to start earning serious money. Before long Erin is targeted by an internet troll who seems to be following her around in real life, snapping photos of her that are damaging to her image and sharing them online. Meanwhile, Amanda, an old friend of Raf's turns up from Australia and seems to bond immediately with baby Bobby. As Erin wonders what Amanda's presence could mean for her and her family a devastatingly revealing video is posted online.
Laced with malice, this is a riveting, compulsive and drama-filled domestic thriller with a great narrative featuring issues of social media addiction, abuse, obsession, secrets, jealousy, mental health issues and toxic behaviour. Dark and unsettling, C.C. MacDonald's execution of this cautionary tale is first-class. A superbly told, captivating, very highly recommended read.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Harvill Secker via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
November 26, 2021
Full of twists
February 20, 2021
Meet Erin Braune. Erin used to be a struggling actress and now she’s a struggling mum. The “sugar and spice and everything nice” feeling her peers seem to have is not something she’s experienced herself, being a mum is a near constant guilt trip, and sometimes she wishes she was miles away from her bawling, howling offspring.
Meet @BRAUNEoverBRAINS, a fun sunny supermum madly in love with her super cute baby boy, influencer, queen of gorgeous pics and catchy hashtags, receiver of #gifted stuff!
One woman, two personas. Erin is really good at keeping up appearances for her Instagram followers, and her account has grown so significantly that although she truly enjoys it and it’s a form of escapism she sorely needs, she can hardly keep up with all the likes and comments and it’s become an extra source of stress.
And then Erin gets picked up by an agent who promises her the moon and stars of Instagram, she’ll be the biggest mummy-influencer in the whole Instaverse. (Seriously, Instagram influencers have agents?! Who even knew that was a thing?!). However, being in the spotlight has its downside: before long Erin is targeted by an internet troll who seems to be following her around in real life, snapping photos of her that are damaging to her image and sharing them online. Meanwhile, Amanda, an old friend of Erin’s fiancé, has popped in from Australia and seems to bond immediately with the baby, more than Erin herself ever felt capable of.
I found it so very refreshing to have a struggling mum for a protagonist. A while back I had a long talk with a girl on the brink of a postnatal depression. She was going through some of the same things as Erin and, like Erin, felt utterly alone with her feelings of inadequacy. I think it’s important to show that not all new mums are planted firmly on cloud nine, that there’s no need to feel guilty.
Does that mean I loved Erin and agreed with all her choices and actions? Weeeeell… Not quite. Her angsty paranoia sometimes made me roll my eyes, and at times I found myself thinking “seriously, Erin, WTF?!” or “get over yourself”, or “put down your bloody phone and make an effort”. On the other hand, I did feel Erin is entitled to do whatever she wants for a career, despite having a baby to take care of and a troll chasing her, if she wants to be a macroinfluencer and can make a living that way, well good for her and to hell with all the judgmental people who surround her. Everybody either wants a piece of her or wants to control her and there were moments when I got frustrated for her and just wanted to scream.
So no, I didn’t particularly like any of the main characters. However, I did keep racing through this story because I did want to know what was what. I didn’t trust anyone and I didn’t know if that was due to honest misgivings of my own or it was just Erin rubbing off on me. (In case you’re wondering: in the end I found out it was both.)
There is a lot of focus, especially for the first half or so, on Erin and her baby and her social media etc, so I think this is a thriller best enjoyed if you can relate to or at least feel for a new mum struggling with a fussy baby and if you can appreciate just how carried away one might get by social media.
The Family Friend is an entertaining and rather fast-paced thriller that’s perfect for this day and age. The combination of domestic drama and mystery really worked for me and I loved how I ended up somewhere completely different from where I thought I would.
Meet @BRAUNEoverBRAINS, a fun sunny supermum madly in love with her super cute baby boy, influencer, queen of gorgeous pics and catchy hashtags, receiver of #gifted stuff!
One woman, two personas. Erin is really good at keeping up appearances for her Instagram followers, and her account has grown so significantly that although she truly enjoys it and it’s a form of escapism she sorely needs, she can hardly keep up with all the likes and comments and it’s become an extra source of stress.
And then Erin gets picked up by an agent who promises her the moon and stars of Instagram, she’ll be the biggest mummy-influencer in the whole Instaverse. (Seriously, Instagram influencers have agents?! Who even knew that was a thing?!). However, being in the spotlight has its downside: before long Erin is targeted by an internet troll who seems to be following her around in real life, snapping photos of her that are damaging to her image and sharing them online. Meanwhile, Amanda, an old friend of Erin’s fiancé, has popped in from Australia and seems to bond immediately with the baby, more than Erin herself ever felt capable of.
I found it so very refreshing to have a struggling mum for a protagonist. A while back I had a long talk with a girl on the brink of a postnatal depression. She was going through some of the same things as Erin and, like Erin, felt utterly alone with her feelings of inadequacy. I think it’s important to show that not all new mums are planted firmly on cloud nine, that there’s no need to feel guilty.
Does that mean I loved Erin and agreed with all her choices and actions? Weeeeell… Not quite. Her angsty paranoia sometimes made me roll my eyes, and at times I found myself thinking “seriously, Erin, WTF?!” or “get over yourself”, or “put down your bloody phone and make an effort”. On the other hand, I did feel Erin is entitled to do whatever she wants for a career, despite having a baby to take care of and a troll chasing her, if she wants to be a macroinfluencer and can make a living that way, well good for her and to hell with all the judgmental people who surround her. Everybody either wants a piece of her or wants to control her and there were moments when I got frustrated for her and just wanted to scream.
So no, I didn’t particularly like any of the main characters. However, I did keep racing through this story because I did want to know what was what. I didn’t trust anyone and I didn’t know if that was due to honest misgivings of my own or it was just Erin rubbing off on me. (In case you’re wondering: in the end I found out it was both.)
There is a lot of focus, especially for the first half or so, on Erin and her baby and her social media etc, so I think this is a thriller best enjoyed if you can relate to or at least feel for a new mum struggling with a fussy baby and if you can appreciate just how carried away one might get by social media.
The Family Friend is an entertaining and rather fast-paced thriller that’s perfect for this day and age. The combination of domestic drama and mystery really worked for me and I loved how I ended up somewhere completely different from where I thought I would.
January 27, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the arc of The Family Friend by C.C MacDonald.
3 star read- This was a quick read and a good read and well written but not really compelling or as thrilling i thought it would be but still a good book
3 star read- This was a quick read and a good read and well written but not really compelling or as thrilling i thought it would be but still a good book
January 21, 2021
Like the glossy, 'perfect' images on Instagram that disguise a very different reality, 'The Family Friend' starts off as a cautionary tale warning about the perils of Instagram, hiding a much darker core.
Buckle up, enjoy the ride. There's social media induced competitive bitching, FOMO, curated images and superficial friendships. Cringe at the hashtags, the addictive personalities desperate for that dopamine hit and be very grateful you haven't attempted to become an Influencer. Then try and work out whether Erin is suffering the side effects of her Instagram addiction; anxiety, disrupted sleep, low self esteem, or whether there really is someone determined to ruin her chance at making a career as an Influencer.
It's a fantastic escapist read, just what I needed during the miserable January lockdown and I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Buckle up, enjoy the ride. There's social media induced competitive bitching, FOMO, curated images and superficial friendships. Cringe at the hashtags, the addictive personalities desperate for that dopamine hit and be very grateful you haven't attempted to become an Influencer. Then try and work out whether Erin is suffering the side effects of her Instagram addiction; anxiety, disrupted sleep, low self esteem, or whether there really is someone determined to ruin her chance at making a career as an Influencer.
It's a fantastic escapist read, just what I needed during the miserable January lockdown and I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.
February 1, 2021
Very clever book. At the outset it's very hard to like Erin very much. She appears vacuous and all 'style over substance'. It would be easy to dismiss her as a pathetic, whiney non-entity who deserves everything that happens to her. But keep reading and before long everything you assumed is wrong and the plot you had all figured out is entirely different. Took a while for the sharp, cutting edge to reveal itself but once it did I couldn't read fast enough.
July 18, 2021
I loved the tension in this one.
I would like to thank Random House UK, Vintage for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.
I think anyone looking for a modern read about social media with a bit of a unique twist on side story/pastime hobbies/dabbles you wouldn’t expect, will enjoy this one.
The Story
The overall premise was interesting. The story encompassed important issues of mother-child bonding, the waxes and wanes of having a public life on social media, and relational development, all of which I loved the insight, the perspective, the impact in the way it was portrayed.
I loved some of the social media effects pointed out in the story like forgetting that there are people in existence who don’t judge.
I really enjoyed how developmentally the story sparkled. This tension was kept tight in nature with good timing of reveal of the side stories, the peculiar elements, the intrigue of questioning if this was going to turn supernatural or stay within a realm of certain contextual, highly calculated, psychological play on the mind.
The slower pacing at the beginning however became too slow and content-wise, I would have liked to have seen signs of what was to come in a subtle way, hidden leads to red herrings, rather than focus on the plot as the driving force outright because when it was slow, it was really slow.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere was driven by the plot but I think could have had a little more spark to tying into the personality of the characters and the world they lived it, how they perceived it as a defining characteristic unique to each character. There were parts that were spot on, others a little more safe and hesitant, that could have been enhanced, whether nuanced or overt, to bring out their personalities a little more.
Pacing
Page 72 is when it picked up for me, almost DNF’d it around 30. The beginning mettled around the slowest parts, drawn out, dramatizing the drama, extending the drama, dramatizing even more drama.
The Ending
The worst part for me was the ending. I liked certain aspects of how elements were tied together but then, spoiler alert, .
The Writing
Great at keeping the tension and chapter transition with good pick up sentences. Probably my favorite part of the writing.
The POV/tense felt inconsistent. I had often wondered if it might have been better served in first person/past tense perhaps. Times I connected with it, other times I had to think hard and I didn’t want to have to think that hard with this one. Especially with the interruptions of social media posts which I didn't alway understand in their context/hashtag use.
It’s omnipresent action commentary but doesn’t dive deep enough into their thoughts and the separation is inconsistent. Some contrary to what I already thought and expected of the characters in my mind.
Descriptions
The beginning was rocky for me. It was pronoun verb, pronoun verb. Adjective noun, adjective noun.
I think there could have been a bit more creativity in the descriptions for a bit more something something. A bit more variety. Sometimes simple is great. Sometimes simple is boring. Example, instead of middle-aged man, something like beginning to gray, faint roots of gray, gray at the temples, peppered beard, or beginning of some sort of comment on facial lines or age spots, some sort of description to show rather than tell.
Atmospheric consistency in description was an issue for me. Like I imagine where this takes place in the hemisphere based off what I'm being told about the scene, but one day is described as cold January, yet descriptions of a grassy hill are noted. I just feel that if something is described in writing, it should reinforce the atmosphere. The feelings of a cold January were mentioned, but then to switch to a visual most would probably associate with summer was a bit weird for me. Grassy was unnecessarily mentioned again, no strength or purpose given to repeating this again. Would have probably been better served as withered lawn or tindered lawn or frosted fields or dusting of frost on the mountainside or the windy draft bit my cheeks. I don't know, cold January, followed by grass (as in my visual of live, green, healthy, thriving grass), just didn't put me in the scene very well.
Characters
I don’t think you have to like every character, but spoiler alert, . And that would be ok, except I’m not sure if that was the intent. There were certain disconnects between the characters, their actions, and dialogue. Especially toward the end. The two ladies became so squirrely with their trajectory. It became a game of I love you, I love you not. I love you, I love you not. The main, contempt for her son, there was this sort of this misplaced character arc where I wanted to be satisfied in my mind rather than this moral obligation to wrap it all together neatly at the end. And then the end, my thoughts already said, but characters didn't match or counter the strong emotion I wanted to see restitution with.
Kind of disconnections with interactions, it was hard to gauge where characters stand with each other. It was hard to make the connection of how the characters came to know each other from the beginning. It was more of a telling review style over hints of showing readers the information the author wanted us to have.
A lot of over-explanation and pointing out rationales of behavior and back story. Kind of come to know things about the characters a little too late.
Sometimes I felt like I was diving into a conversation I didn’t know anything about. There was quite a bit of repetition in the beginning, like Ground Hog’s Day movie repetition of activity.
Dialogue
And it was hard to follow the dialogue. Certain tensions of example argument suddenly jolted into a jovial conversation. Even in the dialogue the characters switched opinions during the middle of the conversation. I thought one was thinking/leading to a certain way, the it’s suddenly they were contradictory.
Overall I think the suspense elements could have been strengthened by a few bits that would have made this story and the writing move from ok to fantastic. Plenty of the it factor was there from a creative aspect, but not executed as strong as it could have been for me. I’ll be curious to read more by this author.
Blog post
I would like to thank Random House UK, Vintage for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.
I think anyone looking for a modern read about social media with a bit of a unique twist on side story/pastime hobbies/dabbles you wouldn’t expect, will enjoy this one.
The Story
The overall premise was interesting. The story encompassed important issues of mother-child bonding, the waxes and wanes of having a public life on social media, and relational development, all of which I loved the insight, the perspective, the impact in the way it was portrayed.
I loved some of the social media effects pointed out in the story like forgetting that there are people in existence who don’t judge.
I really enjoyed how developmentally the story sparkled. This tension was kept tight in nature with good timing of reveal of the side stories, the peculiar elements, the intrigue of questioning if this was going to turn supernatural or stay within a realm of certain contextual, highly calculated, psychological play on the mind.
The slower pacing at the beginning however became too slow and content-wise, I would have liked to have seen signs of what was to come in a subtle way, hidden leads to red herrings, rather than focus on the plot as the driving force outright because when it was slow, it was really slow.
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere was driven by the plot but I think could have had a little more spark to tying into the personality of the characters and the world they lived it, how they perceived it as a defining characteristic unique to each character. There were parts that were spot on, others a little more safe and hesitant, that could have been enhanced, whether nuanced or overt, to bring out their personalities a little more.
Pacing
Page 72 is when it picked up for me, almost DNF’d it around 30. The beginning mettled around the slowest parts, drawn out, dramatizing the drama, extending the drama, dramatizing even more drama.
The Ending
The worst part for me was the ending. I liked certain aspects of how elements were tied together but then, spoiler alert, .
The Writing
Great at keeping the tension and chapter transition with good pick up sentences. Probably my favorite part of the writing.
The POV/tense felt inconsistent. I had often wondered if it might have been better served in first person/past tense perhaps. Times I connected with it, other times I had to think hard and I didn’t want to have to think that hard with this one. Especially with the interruptions of social media posts which I didn't alway understand in their context/hashtag use.
It’s omnipresent action commentary but doesn’t dive deep enough into their thoughts and the separation is inconsistent. Some contrary to what I already thought and expected of the characters in my mind.
Descriptions
The beginning was rocky for me. It was pronoun verb, pronoun verb. Adjective noun, adjective noun.
I think there could have been a bit more creativity in the descriptions for a bit more something something. A bit more variety. Sometimes simple is great. Sometimes simple is boring. Example, instead of middle-aged man, something like beginning to gray, faint roots of gray, gray at the temples, peppered beard, or beginning of some sort of comment on facial lines or age spots, some sort of description to show rather than tell.
Atmospheric consistency in description was an issue for me. Like I imagine where this takes place in the hemisphere based off what I'm being told about the scene, but one day is described as cold January, yet descriptions of a grassy hill are noted. I just feel that if something is described in writing, it should reinforce the atmosphere. The feelings of a cold January were mentioned, but then to switch to a visual most would probably associate with summer was a bit weird for me. Grassy was unnecessarily mentioned again, no strength or purpose given to repeating this again. Would have probably been better served as withered lawn or tindered lawn or frosted fields or dusting of frost on the mountainside or the windy draft bit my cheeks. I don't know, cold January, followed by grass (as in my visual of live, green, healthy, thriving grass), just didn't put me in the scene very well.
Characters
I don’t think you have to like every character, but spoiler alert, . And that would be ok, except I’m not sure if that was the intent. There were certain disconnects between the characters, their actions, and dialogue. Especially toward the end. The two ladies became so squirrely with their trajectory. It became a game of I love you, I love you not. I love you, I love you not. The main, contempt for her son, there was this sort of this misplaced character arc where I wanted to be satisfied in my mind rather than this moral obligation to wrap it all together neatly at the end. And then the end, my thoughts already said, but characters didn't match or counter the strong emotion I wanted to see restitution with.
Kind of disconnections with interactions, it was hard to gauge where characters stand with each other. It was hard to make the connection of how the characters came to know each other from the beginning. It was more of a telling review style over hints of showing readers the information the author wanted us to have.
A lot of over-explanation and pointing out rationales of behavior and back story. Kind of come to know things about the characters a little too late.
Sometimes I felt like I was diving into a conversation I didn’t know anything about. There was quite a bit of repetition in the beginning, like Ground Hog’s Day movie repetition of activity.
Dialogue
And it was hard to follow the dialogue. Certain tensions of example argument suddenly jolted into a jovial conversation. Even in the dialogue the characters switched opinions during the middle of the conversation. I thought one was thinking/leading to a certain way, the it’s suddenly they were contradictory.
Overall I think the suspense elements could have been strengthened by a few bits that would have made this story and the writing move from ok to fantastic. Plenty of the it factor was there from a creative aspect, but not executed as strong as it could have been for me. I’ll be curious to read more by this author.
Blog post
September 12, 2021
**3 stars**
This book was... fine.
Let me preface my review by saying that every time
I pick up a domestic thriller I have high expectations, but then I am disappointed. I think these sorts of books are just my cup of tea.
There were some elements of this book that I enjoyed:
-I enjoyed the social media aspect, this isn't something that I have really experienced previously. I think it was a really cool way to show the highs and lows of social media
- I enjoyed this look at mental health, how sometimes people are completely oblivious to the struggles of new mothers and they are left feeling isolated and alone.
- The relationship that developed between Erin and Bobby, I loved seeing their bond grow, and Erin come into her own as a mother.
- The interesting competitive nature between different mothers, the cliques and competitiveness. I thought this was pretty interesting.
- The portrayal of unhealthy relationships between spouses and friends
What I didn't enjoy:
- Any of the characters, they were all pretty unlikeable.
- The way Erin was treated when she voiced her concerns
-
I probably won't pick up anything else by this author, but you might enjoy it.
This book was... fine.
Let me preface my review by saying that every time
I pick up a domestic thriller I have high expectations, but then I am disappointed. I think these sorts of books are just my cup of tea.
There were some elements of this book that I enjoyed:
-I enjoyed the social media aspect, this isn't something that I have really experienced previously. I think it was a really cool way to show the highs and lows of social media
- I enjoyed this look at mental health, how sometimes people are completely oblivious to the struggles of new mothers and they are left feeling isolated and alone.
- The relationship that developed between Erin and Bobby, I loved seeing their bond grow, and Erin come into her own as a mother.
- The interesting competitive nature between different mothers, the cliques and competitiveness. I thought this was pretty interesting.
- The portrayal of unhealthy relationships between spouses and friends
What I didn't enjoy:
- Any of the characters, they were all pretty unlikeable.
- The way Erin was treated when she voiced her concerns
-
I probably won't pick up anything else by this author, but you might enjoy it.
March 1, 2021
DNF clunky dialogue and over exposition soon lost me
Review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
February 11, 2021
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this one
an instagram influencer who videos her life and uploads to her fan base
on the whole there wasnt anything in this one to keep my interest sorry
an instagram influencer who videos her life and uploads to her fan base
on the whole there wasnt anything in this one to keep my interest sorry
April 12, 2021
On the surface this was an ideal book for me and I love the author's books but none of the characters really grabbed me.
It was an easy read but not as compelling as others that I have read.
I was given an advance copy of the book but the review is all my own.
It was an easy read but not as compelling as others that I have read.
I was given an advance copy of the book but the review is all my own.
November 21, 2020
This books appeared at the outset to be a story about a new Mum that had found 'fame' on instagram, but it turned out to be so much more.
Erin is a Mum blogger, who posts her life on instagram. When an old friend of her fiancee comes to visit, then Erin suddenly finds she has someone to use as free babysitting while she does promo stuff for her instagram life.
We see insights into the life of the family friend Amanda, and it quickly evolves that not everything is as it seems.
The book gains in momentum as you read and displays many aspects of family life and relationships that are underreported.
Erin is a Mum blogger, who posts her life on instagram. When an old friend of her fiancee comes to visit, then Erin suddenly finds she has someone to use as free babysitting while she does promo stuff for her instagram life.
We see insights into the life of the family friend Amanda, and it quickly evolves that not everything is as it seems.
The book gains in momentum as you read and displays many aspects of family life and relationships that are underreported.
February 14, 2021
Braune over Brains.
Mum to Bobby. Salty sea dweller. Bright up your life. Reformed thespian.
Such is the description of instamum Erin Braune, mother to nine month old Bobby and fiancée of Raf, her handsome Italian graphic designer. Living somewhere on the southern coast of England, this couple are grappling with parenthood when a family friend of Raf’s from Australia unexpectedly arrives on their doorstep. The book opens with Erin arriving home from a mummy bloggers weekend retreat to witness Raf, the family friend Amanda and baby Bobby playing happily families. What a welcoming tableau and one that immediately raises Erin’s hackles. The perils of Instagram fame combined with the difficulties of motherhood form the basis of this psychological thriller in which delusion features heavily.
With Amanda occupying the studio at the bottom of Erin and Raf’s garden you wonder whether the presence of this family friend is a godsend or a hindrance as Erin attempts to bond with her ever fractious bundle of joy whilst simultaneously building her following on the social media platform. How long is Amanda intending to stay and how exactly did she locate Raf after years of no contact? Although welcoming Amanda into their lives, I was wary of this woman who seems to waste no time in making herself invaluable to Erin. We all know the debilitating effect of sleepless nights and a non stop crying baby can have on our mental well-being so part of me could understand why Erin resorts to handing over Tommy to an almost stranger who is by her own reckoning experienced in childcare. By relying on Amanda’s presence and availability she frees herself up to attract the attention of an agent who can pursue bigger and better contracts on Erin’s behalf. Wise move or incredibly short sighted? The decision is yours!
The rise of the mummy influencer is fast becoming a topic for writers of fiction to embrace and so this novel is as much a cautionary tale about living your life online, attracting trolls and other individuals keen to tarnish reputations as it is a psychological thriller. With Erin a once aspiring actress I immediately drew parallels with this profession and her new role as an influencer;both require a level of pretence, a glossing over of the truth that makes the whole enterprise fake and shallow. What constantly surprises me is the amount of people who fall for this modern day trickery so you can hardly blame Erin for jumping on the bandwagon. This character is the epitome of someone addicted to all the likes she can amass with every new post, her fear of missing out controlling her everyday life. In relinquishing her and Raf’s private life for a very public one where the freebies are never ending , she is placing herself in the firing line, an easy target for unwanted attention so it doesn’t take much imagination to predict where this storyline will lead. I didn’t particularly like this woman, so caught up in becoming the next Instagram sensation she fails to see what’s going on right under her nose before it’s nearly too late. If there’s anyone more in need of practising mindfulness it’s Erin, who would benefit from discarding her phone in favour of spending quality time with her son, however demanding he may be. Deluded she most certainly is but is Erin the only one suffering from the same fate?
As events take dramatic and unwanted twists and turns, portraying Erin in an unfavourable light as a mother, questions are raised as to who could wish ill of this woman. A complete stranger trolling her posts or someone closer to home? All eyes are on Amanda as the most obvious suspect as details of the kind of woman she is coupled with her strange beliefs trickle down to the reader. Snippets of her life in Australia together with a past toxic relationship add to the mystery surrounding this woman. However with Erin exhibiting increasingly paranoid behaviour there are plenty of other female friends,acquaintances and mummy influencers who could be jealous of Erin ‘having it all’. The author attempts to sidetrack the reader from the more obvious clues but will you be fooled by these diversions? Delusional behaviour is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these characters; hints of coercive control and predatory behaviour are also prevalent in this storyline where the past is on a collision course with the present.
The Family Friend is an easy if fairly predictable read. As the penny finally drops for our instamum, the pace dramatically intensifies, events entering the realms of the unbelievable until the rather inevitable conclusion brings some of these characters to a full stop. Overall this is an enjoyable if average thriller and may appeal to those who have also read People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd.
Mum to Bobby. Salty sea dweller. Bright up your life. Reformed thespian.
Such is the description of instamum Erin Braune, mother to nine month old Bobby and fiancée of Raf, her handsome Italian graphic designer. Living somewhere on the southern coast of England, this couple are grappling with parenthood when a family friend of Raf’s from Australia unexpectedly arrives on their doorstep. The book opens with Erin arriving home from a mummy bloggers weekend retreat to witness Raf, the family friend Amanda and baby Bobby playing happily families. What a welcoming tableau and one that immediately raises Erin’s hackles. The perils of Instagram fame combined with the difficulties of motherhood form the basis of this psychological thriller in which delusion features heavily.
With Amanda occupying the studio at the bottom of Erin and Raf’s garden you wonder whether the presence of this family friend is a godsend or a hindrance as Erin attempts to bond with her ever fractious bundle of joy whilst simultaneously building her following on the social media platform. How long is Amanda intending to stay and how exactly did she locate Raf after years of no contact? Although welcoming Amanda into their lives, I was wary of this woman who seems to waste no time in making herself invaluable to Erin. We all know the debilitating effect of sleepless nights and a non stop crying baby can have on our mental well-being so part of me could understand why Erin resorts to handing over Tommy to an almost stranger who is by her own reckoning experienced in childcare. By relying on Amanda’s presence and availability she frees herself up to attract the attention of an agent who can pursue bigger and better contracts on Erin’s behalf. Wise move or incredibly short sighted? The decision is yours!
The rise of the mummy influencer is fast becoming a topic for writers of fiction to embrace and so this novel is as much a cautionary tale about living your life online, attracting trolls and other individuals keen to tarnish reputations as it is a psychological thriller. With Erin a once aspiring actress I immediately drew parallels with this profession and her new role as an influencer;both require a level of pretence, a glossing over of the truth that makes the whole enterprise fake and shallow. What constantly surprises me is the amount of people who fall for this modern day trickery so you can hardly blame Erin for jumping on the bandwagon. This character is the epitome of someone addicted to all the likes she can amass with every new post, her fear of missing out controlling her everyday life. In relinquishing her and Raf’s private life for a very public one where the freebies are never ending , she is placing herself in the firing line, an easy target for unwanted attention so it doesn’t take much imagination to predict where this storyline will lead. I didn’t particularly like this woman, so caught up in becoming the next Instagram sensation she fails to see what’s going on right under her nose before it’s nearly too late. If there’s anyone more in need of practising mindfulness it’s Erin, who would benefit from discarding her phone in favour of spending quality time with her son, however demanding he may be. Deluded she most certainly is but is Erin the only one suffering from the same fate?
As events take dramatic and unwanted twists and turns, portraying Erin in an unfavourable light as a mother, questions are raised as to who could wish ill of this woman. A complete stranger trolling her posts or someone closer to home? All eyes are on Amanda as the most obvious suspect as details of the kind of woman she is coupled with her strange beliefs trickle down to the reader. Snippets of her life in Australia together with a past toxic relationship add to the mystery surrounding this woman. However with Erin exhibiting increasingly paranoid behaviour there are plenty of other female friends,acquaintances and mummy influencers who could be jealous of Erin ‘having it all’. The author attempts to sidetrack the reader from the more obvious clues but will you be fooled by these diversions? Delusional behaviour is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these characters; hints of coercive control and predatory behaviour are also prevalent in this storyline where the past is on a collision course with the present.
The Family Friend is an easy if fairly predictable read. As the penny finally drops for our instamum, the pace dramatically intensifies, events entering the realms of the unbelievable until the rather inevitable conclusion brings some of these characters to a full stop. Overall this is an enjoyable if average thriller and may appeal to those who have also read People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd.
December 3, 2020
3.5*
I loved the premise of this story and I also really like that you think it's going to be one kind of story...only to turn the tables and it becomes something else entirely. That also made things slightly complicated because there are essentially 3 plots going.
I started out having very little sympathy for the main character, Erin. I really dislike all the instagram influencing stuff - it feels like such a lie - and in this case, we get to see behind that lie and find out how Erin really lives; a totally different perspective to the fictitious postings she puts up. I ended up rooting for her though!
My bigger issue was with the ending, which other reviewers here seem to have enjoyed but for me because the denouement started approximately 85% of the way into the book, it felt like a long wrap-up. There was a lot of repetition too in Erin's conversation with another character at the finish and it felt like it was really building, only to find that the other character did an abrupt about-turn of thinking. Also, I'm not sure the coroner would have found one element as "cut and dried" as the author would have had us believe, but this is fiction, after all.
A fun book that I think will be really popular. It's a quick read - might be a good one to jam in the bag for a holiday!
Many thanks to Harvill Secker, NetGalley and CC MacDonald for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the premise of this story and I also really like that you think it's going to be one kind of story...only to turn the tables and it becomes something else entirely. That also made things slightly complicated because there are essentially 3 plots going.
I started out having very little sympathy for the main character, Erin. I really dislike all the instagram influencing stuff - it feels like such a lie - and in this case, we get to see behind that lie and find out how Erin really lives; a totally different perspective to the fictitious postings she puts up. I ended up rooting for her though!
My bigger issue was with the ending, which other reviewers here seem to have enjoyed but for me because the denouement started approximately 85% of the way into the book, it felt like a long wrap-up. There was a lot of repetition too in Erin's conversation with another character at the finish and it felt like it was really building, only to find that the other character did an abrupt about-turn of thinking. Also, I'm not sure the coroner would have found one element as "cut and dried" as the author would have had us believe, but this is fiction, after all.
A fun book that I think will be really popular. It's a quick read - might be a good one to jam in the bag for a holiday!
Many thanks to Harvill Secker, NetGalley and CC MacDonald for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2021
Well, this is a very modern take on the psychological thriller. The premise is that Erin lives happily with her fiance Raf and fairly unhappily with her baby son Bobby, who is difficult and demanding attention (as babies are). But Erin wants it all; a failed actor who missed her big opportunity because she was on holiday, she then decided it was a good time to have a baby and then is drawn into the obsessive world Instagram, at which she finds herself very good. She spends her days constructing silly pictures of her and baby, projecting a happy life she isn't really living.
Her chance comes when she is approaches 100K 'likes' and is offered a contract by an agent; finally a chance to earn money (which she could have been doing had she not decided a baby was a must-have fashion accessory). However, juggling a baby, fiance and job proved difficult, until an old friend of Raf's from Australia appears on the scene, who loves Bobby and seems to cope well with him. However, she has a stalker, who is torpedoeing her burgeoning succcess on Instagram.
The first half of the book was pretty annoying - this woman who ignores her child in favour of gawping at her phone endlessly (you see it so often). The second half, as the tension builds, is much more exciting.
Overall a reasonable read with a good conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage and Harvill Secker for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Her chance comes when she is approaches 100K 'likes' and is offered a contract by an agent; finally a chance to earn money (which she could have been doing had she not decided a baby was a must-have fashion accessory). However, juggling a baby, fiance and job proved difficult, until an old friend of Raf's from Australia appears on the scene, who loves Bobby and seems to cope well with him. However, she has a stalker, who is torpedoeing her burgeoning succcess on Instagram.
The first half of the book was pretty annoying - this woman who ignores her child in favour of gawping at her phone endlessly (you see it so often). The second half, as the tension builds, is much more exciting.
Overall a reasonable read with a good conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage and Harvill Secker for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2021
So many people post their lives on the various internet platforms these days to get massive numbers of followers for their posts. Erin posted regularly on her Instagram account and was updating all of the time. The number of likes grew too, to the point that she now has full backing from an agent. Erin had grabbed it with both hands, knowing that the life she showed the world of the perfect little family doesn’t reflect her real life, but it would bring in much-needed cash for her. All she had to do was more of the same, loving pictures, tips and advice to other young mums.
Erin gained a troll, who it seemed was determined to ruin her and the relationship with her Fiancée, as pictures were posted online of when she was off guard and not coping. The frightening thing was that someone had got so close to her physically, someone she would know.
The story feels very current with today’s trends, but I loved that the author turned it into the worst possible scenario that could happen. At times it felt uneasy at how quickly people could turn on you.
It is so easy in the story to jump to a conclusion as there was more than one candidate that I could see doing this to her. The story at first seems quite cut and dry but it is much more than that. I thought that the author caught the stress and paranoid reactions perfectly. How can you trust anyone if something like this happens? I liked that ending.
Erin gained a troll, who it seemed was determined to ruin her and the relationship with her Fiancée, as pictures were posted online of when she was off guard and not coping. The frightening thing was that someone had got so close to her physically, someone she would know.
The story feels very current with today’s trends, but I loved that the author turned it into the worst possible scenario that could happen. At times it felt uneasy at how quickly people could turn on you.
It is so easy in the story to jump to a conclusion as there was more than one candidate that I could see doing this to her. The story at first seems quite cut and dry but it is much more than that. I thought that the author caught the stress and paranoid reactions perfectly. How can you trust anyone if something like this happens? I liked that ending.
March 24, 2021
I continued reading this book because I kindly received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm happy I did because thanks to this persistence I can recognise this novel for what it's trying to do. It's just not for me.
This story is about Erin, Raf and baby Bobby who live in a quiet seaside town near London. One day Amanda, Raf's childhood friend from Australia comes to visit. Erin is getting more and more enthralled in her Instagram account where she is posting happy mum photos, that Amanda is a very welcome babysitter. That is until Erin has a stalker who is taking sneaky photos of her and the baby, she's suddenly starting to wonder about Amanda's arrival.
I wouldn't have called it much of a thriller when I started the book, but there are plenty of twists and turns and a bit of a suspense element.
The dialogues start off stilted, but the writing gets better as the story progresses. The setting in a small town is great and Amanda is a really interesting character.
I don't like books about insecure women who start doubting everything around them and who become consumed by an investigation. I also don't really enjoy novels about people who want to attain Insta-fame.
I think there will be plenty of people who will like this novel, so don't mind my very personal star rating but check out the description and decide if it's for you or not. Believe me, it is a bit of a rollercoaster and there are plenty of suspenseful elements.
This story is about Erin, Raf and baby Bobby who live in a quiet seaside town near London. One day Amanda, Raf's childhood friend from Australia comes to visit. Erin is getting more and more enthralled in her Instagram account where she is posting happy mum photos, that Amanda is a very welcome babysitter. That is until Erin has a stalker who is taking sneaky photos of her and the baby, she's suddenly starting to wonder about Amanda's arrival.
I wouldn't have called it much of a thriller when I started the book, but there are plenty of twists and turns and a bit of a suspense element.
The dialogues start off stilted, but the writing gets better as the story progresses. The setting in a small town is great and Amanda is a really interesting character.
I don't like books about insecure women who start doubting everything around them and who become consumed by an investigation. I also don't really enjoy novels about people who want to attain Insta-fame.
I think there will be plenty of people who will like this novel, so don't mind my very personal star rating but check out the description and decide if it's for you or not. Believe me, it is a bit of a rollercoaster and there are plenty of suspenseful elements.
February 16, 2021
This book is a good story which could be great. It has good and interesting characters and some well thought out and thought provoking situations, however there are times in the book when I was just disengaged and lost interest.
I very much like the idea that the new mum is trying to juggle her Insta career with her new baby and trying to bond being difficult in real life and not appearing so online. He concept was well thought out and the trolling that young mum Erin received was described in great and shocking detail.
The female friend who comes from Australia to stay with Erin’s fiancé Raf is clearly odd from the start and the reader is immediately out on edge. We hear snippets from an old journal that show grooming and abuse mistaken for teenage live for an older man and it isn’t difficult to put two and two together.
The ending is as expected and probably the best part of the book and well written. Even though what I expected to happen did I felt that the story had ended well and was not rushed.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I very much like the idea that the new mum is trying to juggle her Insta career with her new baby and trying to bond being difficult in real life and not appearing so online. He concept was well thought out and the trolling that young mum Erin received was described in great and shocking detail.
The female friend who comes from Australia to stay with Erin’s fiancé Raf is clearly odd from the start and the reader is immediately out on edge. We hear snippets from an old journal that show grooming and abuse mistaken for teenage live for an older man and it isn’t difficult to put two and two together.
The ending is as expected and probably the best part of the book and well written. Even though what I expected to happen did I felt that the story had ended well and was not rushed.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
I was really interested in the premise which focuses on a mom who becomes consumed by social media and insta-fame, while a stranger moves into her house. I thought the social media parts were well presented, I believed in the main character's online personality and her group of friends.
I liked the writing but I thought the pacing is slow. Not much happens other than the main character being suspicious. I also felt she was passive and it was hard to root for her because she makes questionable decisions. I didn't believe in the characters' motivations because they keep changing their minds within a single conversation. I don't mind when plots are a little far-fetched but I didn't really buy the ending and there were no surprises. I did think the book does a good job showing how manipulation and gaslighting work. But I wish the story is more exciting.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
I liked the writing but I thought the pacing is slow. Not much happens other than the main character being suspicious. I also felt she was passive and it was hard to root for her because she makes questionable decisions. I didn't believe in the characters' motivations because they keep changing their minds within a single conversation. I don't mind when plots are a little far-fetched but I didn't really buy the ending and there were no surprises. I did think the book does a good job showing how manipulation and gaslighting work. But I wish the story is more exciting.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
January 14, 2021
Erin and her Australian fiancé Raf seem to have a perfect life with their small baby, Erin seems to find motherhood difficult though still showing her perfect life on Instagram with thousands of followers.
Then an old friend of Raf`s from Australia turns up and takes over looking after the baby, with lots of twists.
Erin`s husband is very controlling from the beginning pretending he is caring for her.
For me the characters were very week and not interesting, though there was lots of twists they weren't interesting enough to keep me interested in the plot, though many times I wanted to slap the phone out of her hands as she was too busy to look after her own child, unfortunately this is the way the world is going with people obsessed with other peoples lives.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
Then an old friend of Raf`s from Australia turns up and takes over looking after the baby, with lots of twists.
Erin`s husband is very controlling from the beginning pretending he is caring for her.
For me the characters were very week and not interesting, though there was lots of twists they weren't interesting enough to keep me interested in the plot, though many times I wanted to slap the phone out of her hands as she was too busy to look after her own child, unfortunately this is the way the world is going with people obsessed with other peoples lives.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
May 30, 2021
Erin wanted to be a celebrity when her acting career flopped. And she chose the single most addictive social media. Would you know what it is? INSTAGRAM
She wanted to be an Insta-mum living in a perfect home with a perfect baby and of course, those absolutely perfect pictures. But when video and pictures showing the reality was put up, her world crashed. Trolling started.
My first book by this author, this could have been so much better. The only good point about this book it showed how obsessed we could get about those numbers, those followers, likes, and comments, forgetting it was a virtual world.
The rest of the book was slow with not much of a thrill. Erin was not intelligent (read dumb) with her decisions. The story was predictable and the ending took such a weird turn that it put me out.
I slept off post reading the book. Sigh…
She wanted to be an Insta-mum living in a perfect home with a perfect baby and of course, those absolutely perfect pictures. But when video and pictures showing the reality was put up, her world crashed. Trolling started.
My first book by this author, this could have been so much better. The only good point about this book it showed how obsessed we could get about those numbers, those followers, likes, and comments, forgetting it was a virtual world.
The rest of the book was slow with not much of a thrill. Erin was not intelligent (read dumb) with her decisions. The story was predictable and the ending took such a weird turn that it put me out.
I slept off post reading the book. Sigh…
May 21, 2022
This is an enjoyable and unpredictable work of psychological fiction.
Erin is a popular mummy blogger, a failed and frustrated actress engaged to Raf, the love of her life ,and her baby daddy. Erin returns from a wellbeing retreat to discover family friend from Raf's Australian past, Amanda, firmly ensconced in the family home. This sparks and unfortunate chain of events of which Erin has no control, largely an internet troll seeming determined to ruin her life.
This fascinating and well written story is interspersed by a second tale of a young woman's harrowing romantic eloping. The intersection of these 2 tales is truly spectacular and entertaining in the extreme!
This ending I utterly did not see coming!
My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
Erin is a popular mummy blogger, a failed and frustrated actress engaged to Raf, the love of her life ,and her baby daddy. Erin returns from a wellbeing retreat to discover family friend from Raf's Australian past, Amanda, firmly ensconced in the family home. This sparks and unfortunate chain of events of which Erin has no control, largely an internet troll seeming determined to ruin her life.
This fascinating and well written story is interspersed by a second tale of a young woman's harrowing romantic eloping. The intersection of these 2 tales is truly spectacular and entertaining in the extreme!
This ending I utterly did not see coming!
My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.
March 22, 2021
This is a great beach or camping read. Taunting change of perspectives keeps the reader in the detective guise...and for much of the book, wondering what and why steers you forward. Once enough clues are revealed, the perp becomes clearer but there are enough threads driving you forward. More could have been made of some elements that are simply dropped - not unusual however they were worthy of development in their own right. Again, cute how the use of social media and technology is again featured as the nemesis to humanity. Cliche language popularized by social media such as ‘mommy brain’ and ‘bubba’ are rife - reveals into the life behind Instagram Influencers, marketing, pitfalls and perks are illuminating. New mums should grab the audio book to listen to while they’re rocking.
January 14, 2021
Erin and her Australian fiancé Raf seem to have a perfect life with their small baby, Erin seems to find motherhood difficult though still showing her perfect life on Instagram with thousands of followers.
Then an old friend of Raf`s from Australia turns up and takes over looking after the baby, with lots of twists.
Erin`s husband is very controlling from the beginning pretending he is caring for her.
For me the characters were very week and not interesting, though there was lots of twists they weren't interesting enough to keep me interested in the plot, though many times I wanted to slap the phone out of her hands as she was too busy to look after her own child, unfortunately this is the way the world is going with people obsessed with other peoples lives.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
Then an old friend of Raf`s from Australia turns up and takes over looking after the baby, with lots of twists.
Erin`s husband is very controlling from the beginning pretending he is caring for her.
For me the characters were very week and not interesting, though there was lots of twists they weren't interesting enough to keep me interested in the plot, though many times I wanted to slap the phone out of her hands as she was too busy to look after her own child, unfortunately this is the way the world is going with people obsessed with other peoples lives.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
March 18, 2021
This is a very modern day scenario - Instagram, followers, instant fame and with it trolls. Erin is keen to become famous on line at the same time as she is struggling with motherhood and bonding with her young son. Add to this the effect it has on her relationship with her fiance, Raf, and the appearance of an old friend of Raf's and problems begin. For me there are too many issues addressed in this title, although it did keep me reading. I found it became rather confused at the end and was wrapped up rather too quickly.
Interesting.
Many thanks to Netgalley/C.C. MacDonald/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Interesting.
Many thanks to Netgalley/C.C. MacDonald/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
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