What do you think?
Rate this book
Hush Little Baby
From the author of Stolen Things comes a twisty thriller that asks how tightly we are bound to our pasts, how much we can trust those around us, and how far a mother will go to protect her child.
Jillian Marsh is a survivor. She escaped her toxic upbringing at the hands of her religious zealot mother as a teenager, and after hitting rock bottom due to alcoholism in her twenties, she not only got sober, she built a successful marriage and medical career, even if she wasn't able to make amends for all the mistakes she made during her drinking days. But nearly a decade later, things are once again going downhill for Jillian. Her wife, Rochelle, has left her while Jillian is pregnant with Rochelle's biological child, and she feels constantly unsettled in her now-empty house--items missing from their usual place, burning candles she can't remember lighting, the screen from her bedroom window removed. Even her mommies-to-be group isn't the solace it once was. Bree, Camille, Maggie, and Jillian vowed to not only support each other in motherhood but in their sobriety, careers, and maintaining their independence after their babies are born . . . a sisterhood that begins to unravel when the secrets between the women come unwillingly to light.
As things in Jillian's home begin to escalate, she's forced to ask Is one of her supposed friends not as trustworthy as she seems? Could Rochelle be gaslighting her in order to claim full custody of their daughter? Or, worst of all--is Jillian turning into her own mother, and imagining all of it in some sort of subconscious sabotage against her unborn child?
When the missing items turn into unambiguous threats, and as the circle of those she can trust continues to dwindle, Jillian knows only one thing for she will do anything to protect her baby.
Jillian Marsh is a survivor. She escaped her toxic upbringing at the hands of her religious zealot mother as a teenager, and after hitting rock bottom due to alcoholism in her twenties, she not only got sober, she built a successful marriage and medical career, even if she wasn't able to make amends for all the mistakes she made during her drinking days. But nearly a decade later, things are once again going downhill for Jillian. Her wife, Rochelle, has left her while Jillian is pregnant with Rochelle's biological child, and she feels constantly unsettled in her now-empty house--items missing from their usual place, burning candles she can't remember lighting, the screen from her bedroom window removed. Even her mommies-to-be group isn't the solace it once was. Bree, Camille, Maggie, and Jillian vowed to not only support each other in motherhood but in their sobriety, careers, and maintaining their independence after their babies are born . . . a sisterhood that begins to unravel when the secrets between the women come unwillingly to light.
As things in Jillian's home begin to escalate, she's forced to ask Is one of her supposed friends not as trustworthy as she seems? Could Rochelle be gaslighting her in order to claim full custody of their daughter? Or, worst of all--is Jillian turning into her own mother, and imagining all of it in some sort of subconscious sabotage against her unborn child?
When the missing items turn into unambiguous threats, and as the circle of those she can trust continues to dwindle, Jillian knows only one thing for she will do anything to protect her baby.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2021
56 people are currently reading
4681 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
October 12, 2021
This is brilliant psychological thriller/ inspirational women’s fiction with deeply layered, traumatized characters I easily connected with!
Jillian Marsh has flaws, a past with so many mistakes. She struggled, fought, relapsed, hurt, suffered, groveled and at the end she gathered herself physically and mentally to find her own path!
When she has been kicked out from her own family house at the age of 17 by her religious zealot mother, she achieved to pursue her goals for becoming a good doctor! Because of her drinking problems, she was so close to ruin her career if she didn’t she needed help!
She saved her insanity, her career, formed amazing friendships with survivor mothers like her ( yes, she’s pregnant now with biological child or her wife Rochelle)! It seems like she got her happy ending!
Nope, unfortunately she is not! Because her wife cheated on her for a younger woman and now she’s alone, pregnant, extremely emotional and the worst part is she starts suffering from mental breakdown. Thing start to happen in her house! Really weird things!
It only started with missing baby book and gas leak! But later that things get escalated! ( like burning candles, removed screen of bedroom window)
Who could play games with her? Could the Ripleys a.k.a members of mommies to be group ( the Ripleys based on Alien movie’s last survivor: for the love of Sigourney amazing Weaver! ) do something horrible to her?
Bree might carry another man’s child as Camille has own marriage secrets. And what about bold, straightforward Maggie? Those women are survivors but they are also dealing with their own struggling pasts and own their dirty secrets.
And let’s not forget Rochelle’s new lover. They brazenly propose her to take the full custody of the baby. They even offered her money! Maybe the other woman wants to make things easier by playing mind games to completely get rid of her!
I have to admit: the book started really slow and its genre was more women’s fiction than a thriller. But especially last third took an unexpected turn and the story turned into a whirlwind, mind spinning wild ride I highly enjoyed even though I foresaw the perpetrator a little earlier!
The conclusion was satisfying. The writing and psychological analysis of the survivor women was great. I only cut one point for slow start! But overall it’s satisfying, smart, capturing reading!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN Dutton Group for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Jillian Marsh has flaws, a past with so many mistakes. She struggled, fought, relapsed, hurt, suffered, groveled and at the end she gathered herself physically and mentally to find her own path!
When she has been kicked out from her own family house at the age of 17 by her religious zealot mother, she achieved to pursue her goals for becoming a good doctor! Because of her drinking problems, she was so close to ruin her career if she didn’t she needed help!
She saved her insanity, her career, formed amazing friendships with survivor mothers like her ( yes, she’s pregnant now with biological child or her wife Rochelle)! It seems like she got her happy ending!
Nope, unfortunately she is not! Because her wife cheated on her for a younger woman and now she’s alone, pregnant, extremely emotional and the worst part is she starts suffering from mental breakdown. Thing start to happen in her house! Really weird things!
It only started with missing baby book and gas leak! But later that things get escalated! ( like burning candles, removed screen of bedroom window)
Who could play games with her? Could the Ripleys a.k.a members of mommies to be group ( the Ripleys based on Alien movie’s last survivor: for the love of Sigourney amazing Weaver! ) do something horrible to her?
Bree might carry another man’s child as Camille has own marriage secrets. And what about bold, straightforward Maggie? Those women are survivors but they are also dealing with their own struggling pasts and own their dirty secrets.
And let’s not forget Rochelle’s new lover. They brazenly propose her to take the full custody of the baby. They even offered her money! Maybe the other woman wants to make things easier by playing mind games to completely get rid of her!
I have to admit: the book started really slow and its genre was more women’s fiction than a thriller. But especially last third took an unexpected turn and the story turned into a whirlwind, mind spinning wild ride I highly enjoyed even though I foresaw the perpetrator a little earlier!
The conclusion was satisfying. The writing and psychological analysis of the survivor women was great. I only cut one point for slow start! But overall it’s satisfying, smart, capturing reading!
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN Dutton Group for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
May 24, 2021
This book turned out way better than I expected and had me completely hooked!
Jillian is quite the character. Overcoming reckless alcohol abuse and finding the love of her life, she allows herself to be talked into carrying their baby even though she's never wanted children. Then her wife leaves her for someone else and there she is pregnant with her ex's baby. It gets even more complicated as she is working overtime at the hospital as a OB/GYN and mysterious things start happening in her home. It's at this point where you start to wonder, is Jillian an unreliable narrator or is this weird stuff happening for real?
Jillian also has a little support group of mommies-to-be and she starts opening herself up to them in a way her ex always accused her of not doing. She takes comfort in her little sisterhood until they start sharing secrets which puts them on a different level with each other and creates massive suspicion. And as more creepy things start happening to Jillian, she becomes paranoid about who might be out to get her. Who can Jillian trust?
This book for me was interesting all the way through. It starts out at a pretty good pace, slows a bit to immerse you in Jillian's life, her past, her friendships and her relationship then and now with Rochelle, her ex wife, and Rochelle's new partner. Then it starts building up to the incredible scenarios where you almost want to read through your fingers because there is real fear in this story about what the actual F is happening! It touches on horror, so be prepared for crazy in all its forms!
Highly recommend this book for edge of your seat, can't put down, holy hell is this actually happening thrills!
Jillian is quite the character. Overcoming reckless alcohol abuse and finding the love of her life, she allows herself to be talked into carrying their baby even though she's never wanted children. Then her wife leaves her for someone else and there she is pregnant with her ex's baby. It gets even more complicated as she is working overtime at the hospital as a OB/GYN and mysterious things start happening in her home. It's at this point where you start to wonder, is Jillian an unreliable narrator or is this weird stuff happening for real?
Jillian also has a little support group of mommies-to-be and she starts opening herself up to them in a way her ex always accused her of not doing. She takes comfort in her little sisterhood until they start sharing secrets which puts them on a different level with each other and creates massive suspicion. And as more creepy things start happening to Jillian, she becomes paranoid about who might be out to get her. Who can Jillian trust?
This book for me was interesting all the way through. It starts out at a pretty good pace, slows a bit to immerse you in Jillian's life, her past, her friendships and her relationship then and now with Rochelle, her ex wife, and Rochelle's new partner. Then it starts building up to the incredible scenarios where you almost want to read through your fingers because there is real fear in this story about what the actual F is happening! It touches on horror, so be prepared for crazy in all its forms!
Highly recommend this book for edge of your seat, can't put down, holy hell is this actually happening thrills!
August 16, 2021
3.5 stars.
Jillian Marsh is an obstetrician whose wife Rochelle left her a few months ago for a new, hot girlfriend. One problem is that Jillian is 8 months pregnant with the baby that her wife wanted her to have.
Jillian knows her hormones are going wild but she's seeing items in her home that are not in the right place but then put back, windows being open that she has not opened, missing knives, moving plants, stolen car, burning candles, music playing. I had a few thoughts on why these things were happening: Either she was driven by stress or someone was getting in her home somehow. But why?
There's a lot of women's fiction to this story. Jillian is an interesting character. She attends AA meetings, estranged from her mother, personal life is a mess, and she made a big mistake at work a while back while she had been drinking. I thought it was obvious about why someone wanted to do what was done but my question was which character. The author led readers to suspect several people but the right one wasn't obvious.
Jillian Marsh is an obstetrician whose wife Rochelle left her a few months ago for a new, hot girlfriend. One problem is that Jillian is 8 months pregnant with the baby that her wife wanted her to have.
Jillian knows her hormones are going wild but she's seeing items in her home that are not in the right place but then put back, windows being open that she has not opened, missing knives, moving plants, stolen car, burning candles, music playing. I had a few thoughts on why these things were happening: Either she was driven by stress or someone was getting in her home somehow. But why?
There's a lot of women's fiction to this story. Jillian is an interesting character. She attends AA meetings, estranged from her mother, personal life is a mess, and she made a big mistake at work a while back while she had been drinking. I thought it was obvious about why someone wanted to do what was done but my question was which character. The author led readers to suspect several people but the right one wasn't obvious.
May 22, 2021
❐ Overall Rating 4½⭐ | Narration 😁 = Very Good
❐ Narrated by Xe Sands
❐ Listening Length: 10H 31M
❐ Psychological Thriller
❐ Mystery/Suspense
❐ LGBT
I feel like psychological thrillers are very subjective...what one person likes or finds believable is not necessarily what another does. They’re also subjective to the mood you’re in at the time when you read/listen, too. Sometimes things align and sometimes they don’t. Despite having some aspects that were difficult to swallow...this was the right time for me and this book because I was so hooked. With just the right amount of creep and OMG moments...I had to know where it was going and how it would end and I seriously never saw it coming.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 9.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 10
🅦riting ￫ 9
🅟lot ￫ 9
🅘ntrigue￫ 10
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 10
❐ Narrated by Xe Sands
❐ Listening Length: 10H 31M
❐ Psychological Thriller
❐ Mystery/Suspense
❐ LGBT
I feel like psychological thrillers are very subjective...what one person likes or finds believable is not necessarily what another does. They’re also subjective to the mood you’re in at the time when you read/listen, too. Sometimes things align and sometimes they don’t. Despite having some aspects that were difficult to swallow...this was the right time for me and this book because I was so hooked. With just the right amount of creep and OMG moments...I had to know where it was going and how it would end and I seriously never saw it coming.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 9.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 10
🅦riting ￫ 9
🅟lot ￫ 9
🅘ntrigue￫ 10
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 10
January 24, 2022
The first thing I thought of when I saw the title of
Hush Little Baby
is the nursery rhyme.
Of course, I imagined it being sung in a creepy voice as I was reading this.
Hush Little Baby wasn't terrible; in fact, I like the author's writing style and tone.
First, I couldn't stand Jillian Marsh. Even though she's overcome addiction and built a successful career for herself, I didn't like her.
I didn't hate her but I wouldn't hang out with her.
Her personality irked me, and frankly, her actions and behavior revealed a naivete I didn't expect her to have considering her past and background.
Second, as some reviewers have noted, I'm also tired of the typical trope that the pregnant mother is, once again, unreliable and everyone around her thinks she's cray-cray.
Third, I knew whodunit the moment Jillian's past was revealed
It's so obviousss.
I like to be kept guessing but once I knew who it was, the rest of the narrative read as formulaic; spooky sounds, objects being moved around, you know the drill.
This wasn't bad, just not terrifying.
But then, I'm hard to please, terror-wise.
Of course, I imagined it being sung in a creepy voice as I was reading this.
Hush Little Baby wasn't terrible; in fact, I like the author's writing style and tone.
First, I couldn't stand Jillian Marsh. Even though she's overcome addiction and built a successful career for herself, I didn't like her.
I didn't hate her but I wouldn't hang out with her.
Her personality irked me, and frankly, her actions and behavior revealed a naivete I didn't expect her to have considering her past and background.
Second, as some reviewers have noted, I'm also tired of the typical trope that the pregnant mother is, once again, unreliable and everyone around her thinks she's cray-cray.
Third, I knew whodunit the moment Jillian's past was revealed
It's so obviousss.
I like to be kept guessing but once I knew who it was, the rest of the narrative read as formulaic; spooky sounds, objects being moved around, you know the drill.
This wasn't bad, just not terrifying.
But then, I'm hard to please, terror-wise.
May 10, 2021
OMG! I loved this book! Everything about it was deliciously fun. The characters and their situations were original, interesting, and well thought out. I loved how unexpected each element of Jillian's life was against stereotypes. The first half builds slowly as the characters and suspicions criss-cross all over the place then the whole book shifts about 70% of the way into a high-octane nailbiting thriller that was so fun! I loved R.H. Herron's previous book Stolen Things but the gloves came off on this one and the story just ran a little bananas in the best way. This might be my favorite thriller of 2021 so far!
August 12, 2025
A truly chaotic, unhinged thriller. The audio narration by Xe Sands is phenomenal.
June 7, 2021
A deeply gripping thriller, one that left me reading faster and faster to reach the conclusion. The author gave serious muscle to the psychological/emotional aspects of the story, leaving me nearly breathless with nerves and anticipation. Thank goodness I had my last baby thirteen years ago, or I would be seriously paranoid right now.
I will say that the culprit turned out to be a bit far-fetched, and the culmination dragged on a bit too long. But regardless, Hush Little Baby was a satisfying thriller, and I look forward to reading more by the author.
I will say that the culprit turned out to be a bit far-fetched, and the culmination dragged on a bit too long. But regardless, Hush Little Baby was a satisfying thriller, and I look forward to reading more by the author.
May 26, 2021
Just not sure why it had to go so far off the deep end! It could have stayed steeped in reality and been way more "horrific".
September 9, 2023
Xe Sands brought this suspense alive with her narration. She is one of my favorite narrators. The mystery was superb and yes, I guessed who the villain was but not until the very end. Well worth the time.
April 30, 2021
Statistically, pregnancy is one of the most dangerous times of a woman's life. Not to mention all of the unknowns - growing a person in her body, hoping all is developing well. It is definitely like housing an alien - all of which the author plays on in this book, adding to the creep and suspense factors.
Jillian is a successful ob-gyn doctor - delivering babies, assisting women with care and compassion. She herself is weeks away from giving birth - when small little things start happening. Window screens are open. Her baby journal is moved. Fred, her cat, escapes the house.
Jillian's group of pregnant first time moms from her AA groups, called the Ripleys, tell her it's pregnancy brain. Minor details Jillian simply forgets.
Jillian is convinced something is happening - she confronts her wife, Rochelle. At five months pregnant, Rochelle moved in with her new girl friend, Domi; Jillian completely unaware of their affair. Or could it be one of her patients?
Excellent suspense. Loved the back story and reality of the characters.
Highly recommend.
Jillian is a successful ob-gyn doctor - delivering babies, assisting women with care and compassion. She herself is weeks away from giving birth - when small little things start happening. Window screens are open. Her baby journal is moved. Fred, her cat, escapes the house.
Jillian's group of pregnant first time moms from her AA groups, called the Ripleys, tell her it's pregnancy brain. Minor details Jillian simply forgets.
Jillian is convinced something is happening - she confronts her wife, Rochelle. At five months pregnant, Rochelle moved in with her new girl friend, Domi; Jillian completely unaware of their affair. Or could it be one of her patients?
Excellent suspense. Loved the back story and reality of the characters.
Highly recommend.
January 17, 2022
It was a page Turner until about 3/4 of the way in .. it drags from then until the end.
July 25, 2024
this is my 6th read *this year* to make my eyes blurry with tears on the final page of the book —
LET ME START BY SAYING this is an extremely hard read and i juggled the range of 3 to 5 stars the entire time, so let’s settle with 4, simply because i am absolutely traumatized for life of the visuals this book forced my brain to conjure up. had zero clue not only the length, but also depth and ferocity, of trigger warnings this contained. they each need their own flashing neon sign. i was simply speechless for over half the book. i’m talking abduction, substance abuse, alcohol + recovery, perinatal depression, stalking, gore, AND THAT’S NOT ALL.
ah, motherhood. not that i know a single thing about that at this point in my life. HOWEVER, maternal instinct and the genuine need to care for another human? and the concept of adrenaline pushing people to do insanely superhuman things in the heat of the moment? i don’t think anything about those two written points were falsified in this book at all. i can only imagine the level of love that comes — i just — insane. i can’t even fathom it. mothers are superheroes. women are awesome. (when they’re not insane, revenge-seeking psychopaths. but even then. their brains? crazy.)
do not read if you’re pregnant. do not read if you’re not mentally stable in this moment. do not read if you’re home alone. i struggled getting through this with even breath. i had to put the book down multiple times. and i think aside from all the horror, what scares me the most is that people actually exist to go to this extent of revenge. this was an absolute whiplash. i need a break from thrillers for awhile, and maybe books on pregnancy too, considering i read back-to-back with “greenwich park.” OOF.
LET ME START BY SAYING this is an extremely hard read and i juggled the range of 3 to 5 stars the entire time, so let’s settle with 4, simply because i am absolutely traumatized for life of the visuals this book forced my brain to conjure up. had zero clue not only the length, but also depth and ferocity, of trigger warnings this contained. they each need their own flashing neon sign. i was simply speechless for over half the book. i’m talking abduction, substance abuse, alcohol + recovery, perinatal depression, stalking, gore, AND THAT’S NOT ALL.
ah, motherhood. not that i know a single thing about that at this point in my life. HOWEVER, maternal instinct and the genuine need to care for another human? and the concept of adrenaline pushing people to do insanely superhuman things in the heat of the moment? i don’t think anything about those two written points were falsified in this book at all. i can only imagine the level of love that comes — i just — insane. i can’t even fathom it. mothers are superheroes. women are awesome. (when they’re not insane, revenge-seeking psychopaths. but even then. their brains? crazy.)
do not read if you’re pregnant. do not read if you’re not mentally stable in this moment. do not read if you’re home alone. i struggled getting through this with even breath. i had to put the book down multiple times. and i think aside from all the horror, what scares me the most is that people actually exist to go to this extent of revenge. this was an absolute whiplash. i need a break from thrillers for awhile, and maybe books on pregnancy too, considering i read back-to-back with “greenwich park.” OOF.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2021
The premise of this one intrigued me right away, Jillian is pregnant with her ex wife’s biological baby, Rochelle left her for another woman and now the life Jillian planned is no longer an option. But her life has went off the rails before and she’s bounced back, she’s a recovering addict who is now a successful OB/GYN and she’s worked hard to be where she is. As devastated as she is about her marriage unraveling she’s focusing on work and preparing for her daughters birth and then weird shit starts happening, a baby book is moved, a candle is lit she knows she didn’t light, it’s all very unsettling as she wonders is her ex gaslighting her or is she having some serious pregnancy brain?
This one is a slow burn, the first half is spent setting things up and showcasing a great sense of paranoia in Jillian. I was constantly trying to decide if she was overreacting or if there was a real issue. By the last third of the book things get wild and then it starts to read like a true thriller. Things do get a little implausible at times but it was so damn entertaining I didn’t mind. If you don’t mind a sharp switch from simmering slow burn to more outrageous intensity in a thriller check this one out, it was bananas! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one is a slow burn, the first half is spent setting things up and showcasing a great sense of paranoia in Jillian. I was constantly trying to decide if she was overreacting or if there was a real issue. By the last third of the book things get wild and then it starts to read like a true thriller. Things do get a little implausible at times but it was so damn entertaining I didn’t mind. If you don’t mind a sharp switch from simmering slow burn to more outrageous intensity in a thriller check this one out, it was bananas! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 23, 2021
3.5 RTC
May 24, 2021
i actually enjoyed this ?!
June 16, 2022
4.5 stars
May 26, 2021
RTC .... Just waiting for the ugly cry to subside.
June 22, 2021
DNF too glib or something. Maybe not in the mood. Or maybe it was the book.
May 22, 2021
Dr Jillian Marsh never wanted children but when her partner Rochelle suffered multiple miscarriages she agreed to undergo the difficult process and was implanted with Rochelles’ egg. She is now struggling with her pregnancy in her own though when her partner has an affair and walks out. Jillian has a a support group of four women that she meets regularly, one who is her AA sponsor so when she begins to notice odd occurrences they all assure her it is “ baby brain”. Jillian is aware of the term, she is an obstetrician and she calms women like herself everyday but something seems off. Her keys go missing, things are moved, her beloved cat escapes from an open door. At first she thinks it’s her ex and her new partner trying but she soon begins questioning everyone around her. The only thing she is sure of is that she will do anything to protect her baby.
I am once again in the minority. This dragged on too long with little action. I didn’t figure out The Who but I think it was boredom. It went on so long I just did not care. Even after the reveal you have another hundred pages to get through. Have you read this one? Are you with the majority that loved it?
I am once again in the minority. This dragged on too long with little action. I didn’t figure out The Who but I think it was boredom. It went on so long I just did not care. Even after the reveal you have another hundred pages to get through. Have you read this one? Are you with the majority that loved it?
December 18, 2024
Back in 2021 when I was working full time, there was a pet shop next to me that was selling books for $3 or less and routinely i ducked in and grabbed books.
Hush little baby is one of them.
Unfortunately the books i had brought never came with covers or with their back ripped off, sometimes both. So hush little baby is a mystery read.
As I send I went into this book blind, which is something I rarely do. But reading the prologue of a pregnant woman held hostage, checked to the bed and not being able to remember the previous night had me..than we get to chapter 1 , it's revealed we're following a pregnant doctor, a woman whose struggling with staying sober, a woman whose dealing with her ex-girlfriend cheating, while also dealing with their unborn baby. A woman whose got baby brain.
The first 29 pages are a yo-yo of wanting to not want to read due to a pregnant woman in danger, while also wanting to know the story cause it seems interesting.
My advice is if your an expecting parent- particularly a first time- this may not be for you. It's a story about a pregnant, recovering, woman whose in danger and goes through a few pages of having a forced childbirth and a few pages of losing temporarily having her baby stolen.
It's a simple book, though i feel as if the stolen child bit was a rushed/a bit story considering its in the last 100 pages and the rest of the story is about a woman struggling with the fear of going crazy/pointing fingers at people.
Hush little baby is one of them.
Unfortunately the books i had brought never came with covers or with their back ripped off, sometimes both. So hush little baby is a mystery read.
As I send I went into this book blind, which is something I rarely do. But reading the prologue of a pregnant woman held hostage, checked to the bed and not being able to remember the previous night had me..than we get to chapter 1 , it's revealed we're following a pregnant doctor, a woman whose struggling with staying sober, a woman whose dealing with her ex-girlfriend cheating, while also dealing with their unborn baby. A woman whose got baby brain.
The first 29 pages are a yo-yo of wanting to not want to read due to a pregnant woman in danger, while also wanting to know the story cause it seems interesting.
My advice is if your an expecting parent- particularly a first time- this may not be for you. It's a story about a pregnant, recovering, woman whose in danger and goes through a few pages of having a forced childbirth and a few pages of losing temporarily having her baby stolen.
It's a simple book, though i feel as if the stolen child bit was a rushed/a bit story considering its in the last 100 pages and the rest of the story is about a woman struggling with the fear of going crazy/pointing fingers at people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2023
3.75 stars
Jillian is a pregnant OB/GYN with her soon-to-be ex wife's baby. Her baby's biological mother Rochelle has moved on to a new woman.
Jillian is fragile because she's having conflicting feelings about being pregnant, she's been dumped, and she's a recovering alcoholic who is remembering that time seven years ago when she almost killed a patient due to her being drunk on the job.
Thankfully she has three other pregnant recovering alcoholics to help her through this time. Bree, Maggie, and Camille understand the up and down nature of her life.
And then weird things start to happen around Jillian. Is Jillian off her rocker, or is Rochelle messing with her, or is someone else stalking Jillian/out to get her?
I liked several things about this one. We find out the "bad guy" about 2/3 in instead of 95% in. I don't like when it's a rushed ending, so it felt like questions were answered in this one. I liked this had LGBTQ characters. You don't see that frequently in thrillers. It was an easy read.
I didn't buy that Jillian was a doctor, particularly an OB/GYN. There wasn't enough medical speak in the book. And the characters didn't seem to have much depth. That's also a complaint that I tend to have with thrillers in general. Finally, this novel didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. There was definitely a story, but it just didn't have the tension that most thrillers do.
Jillian is a pregnant OB/GYN with her soon-to-be ex wife's baby. Her baby's biological mother Rochelle has moved on to a new woman.
Jillian is fragile because she's having conflicting feelings about being pregnant, she's been dumped, and she's a recovering alcoholic who is remembering that time seven years ago when she almost killed a patient due to her being drunk on the job.
Thankfully she has three other pregnant recovering alcoholics to help her through this time. Bree, Maggie, and Camille understand the up and down nature of her life.
And then weird things start to happen around Jillian. Is Jillian off her rocker, or is Rochelle messing with her, or is someone else stalking Jillian/out to get her?
I liked several things about this one. We find out the "bad guy" about 2/3 in instead of 95% in. I don't like when it's a rushed ending, so it felt like questions were answered in this one. I liked this had LGBTQ characters. You don't see that frequently in thrillers. It was an easy read.
I didn't buy that Jillian was a doctor, particularly an OB/GYN. There wasn't enough medical speak in the book. And the characters didn't seem to have much depth. That's also a complaint that I tend to have with thrillers in general. Finally, this novel didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. There was definitely a story, but it just didn't have the tension that most thrillers do.
July 1, 2021
This book really gripped me from the beginning. I describe it as "what I really wanted from The Hunting Wives" and the author is just incredible at describing the way Jillian feels about her various situations that she finds herself in. It's been a while since I got hooked on a thrilling finish the way I did. I flew through the end!
August 19, 2021
!!!!! This! Book! Is! So! Good!!
I hadn't read a thriller in a while because the last couple that I read were just ... not enough. Too fast through the plot to the twist. But this one? First of all, Rachael Herron is a damn fine writer. Second, the book takes its time and lets you settle in with a bunch of interesting characters. And third, about two-thirds of the way in, it takes off and doesn't stop until the end. Very satisfying, very entertaining.
I hadn't read a thriller in a while because the last couple that I read were just ... not enough. Too fast through the plot to the twist. But this one? First of all, Rachael Herron is a damn fine writer. Second, the book takes its time and lets you settle in with a bunch of interesting characters. And third, about two-thirds of the way in, it takes off and doesn't stop until the end. Very satisfying, very entertaining.
December 6, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up. This book was utterly absurd. It felt like one of those cheesy made-for-tv thrillers on Lifetime. You'll need to suspend a hefty amount of disbelief with this one. Overall, though, it is an entertaining read.
June 29, 2022
I LOVED this thriller, I almost finished it the night I started reading. Truly addicting storytelling. It lost a star because the final quarter of the book was corny and not believable, it felt scrabbled together at the end of a well written story. Still recommend though!
July 4, 2023
Disclaimer: I am a friend of the author
While some parts I found unbelievable the parts that were true rang very true. Love for your child, struggle with divorce, alcoholism, and addiction. Once I got going on this ride I couldn't jump off and I found Jillian a very strong, likable, and flawed protagonist.
Also Xe Sands narration is amazing, smooth like butter.
While some parts I found unbelievable the parts that were true rang very true. Love for your child, struggle with divorce, alcoholism, and addiction. Once I got going on this ride I couldn't jump off and I found Jillian a very strong, likable, and flawed protagonist.
Also Xe Sands narration is amazing, smooth like butter.
October 7, 2021
I probably won't think of this book often, and the reveal was predictable, but I really enjoyed it. It was well written and the themes were nice.
March 25, 2022
my jaw was open several times to say the least
August 31, 2023
Finished this book on the drive back from visiting Taos, NM - it was a definite suspense novel. What a twisted plotted thriller that was difficult to put down. Chapters 26 to 40 were extremely descriptive- I felt the pain! The author did a great job of keeping the reader guessing in the first 25 chapters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews