What do you think?
Rate this book
Such a Good Mother
Some women would do anything for their children. This thrilling novel cuts straight to the dark heart of modern motherhood, privilege, and the lengths we’ll go to get ahead, from the author of the "addictive" (People) thriller Precious You.
Rose O'Connell is barely surviving. Her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and their son has isn’t fitting in at his new school, the prestigious Woolf Academy. Their tiny flat in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood--the very place Rose grew up as the daughter of an infamous local con artist--can barely contain her family. Rose can’t catch a professional break either, trapped in the same junior bank teller role for years. Life as the only mom in a nametag and uniform at The Woolf’s shiny school gates isn’t easy.
Not so for those in the elite and secretive Circle, a tight-knit group of mothers who rule the school, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur. In exchange for supporting The Woolf’s relentless fundraising and public image drives, the women enjoy lucrative business opportunities, special privileges for their children, and the admiration of the entire community.
After the mysterious death of one of The Circle’s members, Rose dares to hope that filling the vacancy could set her family up for success. And when Amala makes the shocking decision to invite Rose into their clique, her fortunes, self-esteem, and status soar. But the deeper Rose gets inside The Circle, the darker the secrets lurking within every perfectly Instagrammable life. Far from being a dream come true, being inside The Circle could prove Rose’s worst nightmare…
Taut, complex, and compulsively readable, Such a Good Mother is a razor-sharp take on modern motherhood and the myth of having it all.
Rose O'Connell is barely surviving. Her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and their son has isn’t fitting in at his new school, the prestigious Woolf Academy. Their tiny flat in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood--the very place Rose grew up as the daughter of an infamous local con artist--can barely contain her family. Rose can’t catch a professional break either, trapped in the same junior bank teller role for years. Life as the only mom in a nametag and uniform at The Woolf’s shiny school gates isn’t easy.
Not so for those in the elite and secretive Circle, a tight-knit group of mothers who rule the school, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur. In exchange for supporting The Woolf’s relentless fundraising and public image drives, the women enjoy lucrative business opportunities, special privileges for their children, and the admiration of the entire community.
After the mysterious death of one of The Circle’s members, Rose dares to hope that filling the vacancy could set her family up for success. And when Amala makes the shocking decision to invite Rose into their clique, her fortunes, self-esteem, and status soar. But the deeper Rose gets inside The Circle, the darker the secrets lurking within every perfectly Instagrammable life. Far from being a dream come true, being inside The Circle could prove Rose’s worst nightmare…
Taut, complex, and compulsively readable, Such a Good Mother is a razor-sharp take on modern motherhood and the myth of having it all.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
132 people are currently reading
11165 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 393 reviews
January 17, 2023
3.5 stars
Rosie O’Connell is just an average worker who with her husband & son Charlie who live on average wages but she wants to enrol Charlie into the elite Woolf academy right across the road, she gets a letter saying that Charlie has been accepted she thinks all her Christmas has come at once.
Rose gets emails from the school telling her about extra costs that go with attending her heart drops through the floor, but she is determined to get the money even through her savings, BUT before he even starts a body of a woman who was with the elite mothers group was found on the tarmac behind the steel gates the mothers quickly gather but are more worried about the effect it will have on the academy which I can’t grasp my head spins while reading eye rolls galore.
Rosie sees a difference in Charlie before starting he was a confident happy child now just after a week Rosie gets a letter saying her son needs counselling why?
This book just didn’t sit right with me, I couldn’t connect with the characters my thoughts were all over the place, characters had secrets they didn’t want revealed Rose to me was trying to keep up with the Joneses.
This was an okay read for me most reviews gave this 4 to 5 stars but 3.5 from me.
Rosie O’Connell is just an average worker who with her husband & son Charlie who live on average wages but she wants to enrol Charlie into the elite Woolf academy right across the road, she gets a letter saying that Charlie has been accepted she thinks all her Christmas has come at once.
Rose gets emails from the school telling her about extra costs that go with attending her heart drops through the floor, but she is determined to get the money even through her savings, BUT before he even starts a body of a woman who was with the elite mothers group was found on the tarmac behind the steel gates the mothers quickly gather but are more worried about the effect it will have on the academy which I can’t grasp my head spins while reading eye rolls galore.
Rosie sees a difference in Charlie before starting he was a confident happy child now just after a week Rosie gets a letter saying her son needs counselling why?
This book just didn’t sit right with me, I couldn’t connect with the characters my thoughts were all over the place, characters had secrets they didn’t want revealed Rose to me was trying to keep up with the Joneses.
This was an okay read for me most reviews gave this 4 to 5 stars but 3.5 from me.
March 11, 2022
4+
All that glitters definitely isn’t gold unless maybe you’re a wearer of the circle brooch denoting membership of the Inner Circle at Woolf Academy. The school demands much of its parents and children to achieve excellence in this gentrified and fiercely competitive area. There is a cost, is Rosie O’Donnell, most definitely out of the financial league of most, prepared to pay the price of admission for her beloved son Charlie? Will Rosie, scarred by her background, who carries the heavy baggage of shame and guilt, the school bullying taunts of ‘Rotten Rosie’ still ringing in her ears, be able to stand up to the powerhouse that is Amala Kaur who rules the roost at Woolf?
Well, your hackles are up from the get go as some exercise the power to make others feel small with their patronising (or worse) putdowns. The dynamics of the mothers of prestigious school with the in/who’s out political infighting, the school gate Mafiosa, the bitchery, the witchery, the fakery and makery, the jealousy, the elbow sharpening and poisonous uber competitiveness, is done extremely well. They may be clothed in designer numbers and shod in Laboutins but these women are about as friendly as white sharks. If you think this is just another school gate yarn yawn think again. This one goes much deeper. This is a be careful what you wish for story, it’s a cursed and rotten game that becomes intense, dark and dangerous with a corrupt web of horrifying deception and shocks.
The characterisation is excellent most are absolutely vile with the exceptions of little Charlie who is adorable and you’d rather have him than a Tarquin, Xanthe or Idabelle and Jackie Rose‘s sister-in-law who is a breath of fresh air in a stinking cesspool. At the centre of the circle is glamorous Amala who stands like a colossus overall. Let’s just say that many of the revengeful destructive issues are Daddy’s.
It’s a win you lose scenario. There are so many twists and counter twists you need to keep up! I love the use made of “The Red Shoes “ by Hans Christian Andersen and like that, this ain’t no fairytale.
My only negative is the repetition of Rotten Rosie.
Got it!
Overall, a compelling and entertaining read and it’s well worth reading the authors after word.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for their much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
All that glitters definitely isn’t gold unless maybe you’re a wearer of the circle brooch denoting membership of the Inner Circle at Woolf Academy. The school demands much of its parents and children to achieve excellence in this gentrified and fiercely competitive area. There is a cost, is Rosie O’Donnell, most definitely out of the financial league of most, prepared to pay the price of admission for her beloved son Charlie? Will Rosie, scarred by her background, who carries the heavy baggage of shame and guilt, the school bullying taunts of ‘Rotten Rosie’ still ringing in her ears, be able to stand up to the powerhouse that is Amala Kaur who rules the roost at Woolf?
Well, your hackles are up from the get go as some exercise the power to make others feel small with their patronising (or worse) putdowns. The dynamics of the mothers of prestigious school with the in/who’s out political infighting, the school gate Mafiosa, the bitchery, the witchery, the fakery and makery, the jealousy, the elbow sharpening and poisonous uber competitiveness, is done extremely well. They may be clothed in designer numbers and shod in Laboutins but these women are about as friendly as white sharks. If you think this is just another school gate yarn yawn think again. This one goes much deeper. This is a be careful what you wish for story, it’s a cursed and rotten game that becomes intense, dark and dangerous with a corrupt web of horrifying deception and shocks.
The characterisation is excellent most are absolutely vile with the exceptions of little Charlie who is adorable and you’d rather have him than a Tarquin, Xanthe or Idabelle and Jackie Rose‘s sister-in-law who is a breath of fresh air in a stinking cesspool. At the centre of the circle is glamorous Amala who stands like a colossus overall. Let’s just say that many of the revengeful destructive issues are Daddy’s.
It’s a win you lose scenario. There are so many twists and counter twists you need to keep up! I love the use made of “The Red Shoes “ by Hans Christian Andersen and like that, this ain’t no fairytale.
My only negative is the repetition of Rotten Rosie.
Got it!
Overall, a compelling and entertaining read and it’s well worth reading the authors after word.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for their much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
April 18, 2022
Books that have the “moms/neighbor murder” type troupe are a hit or miss for me and this one lands somewhere in the middle. It put you smack in the middle of the action in the beginning however in my opinion the story unraveled slowly afterwards. Overall it was just an average, ok read fir me.
Rosie O’Connell has a lot on her plate. Her son is having a rough time at his new school Woolf Academy and her marriage is on the rocks. Her house is in shambles and she is the other mother who sports a name-tag, working a dead end job. To the other mothers in the group named the Circle, of Woolf her life is a mess by comparison.
The Circle rules the school and is led by the picture perfect Amala Kaur. These mothers participate in fundraising and hyping up the image of the school. In exchange their kids get special privileges, the moms get high paying business opportunities and are the envy of the town.
Rose aspires to join the group and after one of its members are found dead and Amala invites Rose into their world. She is thrilled and thinks that this could help her family more ways than one. However, the deeper Rose gets in the Circle, the more she realizes that this could be her biggest mistake.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Rosie O’Connell has a lot on her plate. Her son is having a rough time at his new school Woolf Academy and her marriage is on the rocks. Her house is in shambles and she is the other mother who sports a name-tag, working a dead end job. To the other mothers in the group named the Circle, of Woolf her life is a mess by comparison.
The Circle rules the school and is led by the picture perfect Amala Kaur. These mothers participate in fundraising and hyping up the image of the school. In exchange their kids get special privileges, the moms get high paying business opportunities and are the envy of the town.
Rose aspires to join the group and after one of its members are found dead and Amala invites Rose into their world. She is thrilled and thinks that this could help her family more ways than one. However, the deeper Rose gets in the Circle, the more she realizes that this could be her biggest mistake.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
May 11, 2022
I have just read Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar
I am not quite sure where to start with this review, as the description states that it is a Thrilling novel about modern Motherhood.
I really had a hard time getting through this one, as it was in my opinion more about mothers wanting power, treating each other poorly, and control.
The characters were quite annoying to me - each and every one of them, and the storyline just not one that compelled me to want to read on.
I did preserve at finishing the book, only since I did commit to reading and writing a review.
I am sure it will appeal to many readers in general, but just not for me.
Thank You to NetGalley the Author and Random House for my advanced copy to read and review.
#SuchaGoodMother #NetGalley
I am not quite sure where to start with this review, as the description states that it is a Thrilling novel about modern Motherhood.
I really had a hard time getting through this one, as it was in my opinion more about mothers wanting power, treating each other poorly, and control.
The characters were quite annoying to me - each and every one of them, and the storyline just not one that compelled me to want to read on.
I did preserve at finishing the book, only since I did commit to reading and writing a review.
I am sure it will appeal to many readers in general, but just not for me.
Thank You to NetGalley the Author and Random House for my advanced copy to read and review.
#SuchaGoodMother #NetGalley
July 19, 2022
Rose O'Connell is barely surviving. Her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and their so isn't fitting in at his new school, the prestigious Woolf Academy. Their tiny flat in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood - the very place Rose grew up as the daughter of an infamous local con artist - can barely contain her family. Rose can't catch a professional break either, trapped in the same junior bank teller role for years. Life as the only mum in a nametag and uniform at The Woolf's shiny school gates isn't easy. Not so for those in the elite and secretive Circle, a tight-knit group of mothers who rule the school, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur.
Rose is a mum who would sacrifice everything for her son. The mothers in the Circle are all horrible characters. The Circle is an exclusive club that can make or break a family. When a member mysteriously dies, their is an opening for a replacement and Rose hopes it will be her. This well written dark read has plenty of twists. I don't know what I expected from this book, but I wasn't disappointed. I like how the story ended.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #HelenMonksTakhar for my ARC of #SuchAGoodMother in exchange for an honest review.
Rose is a mum who would sacrifice everything for her son. The mothers in the Circle are all horrible characters. The Circle is an exclusive club that can make or break a family. When a member mysteriously dies, their is an opening for a replacement and Rose hopes it will be her. This well written dark read has plenty of twists. I don't know what I expected from this book, but I wasn't disappointed. I like how the story ended.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQ and the author #HelenMonksTakhar for my ARC of #SuchAGoodMother in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2022
Imagine you are our protagonist, Rose. Imagine you lived a childhood of neglect, with a father who made a career of scamming people, and a deceased mother you can’t even remember. Imagine sitting home nights while your father is out trying to bilk others, eating cold tomato soup and having nobody to talk to. Imagine growing up, becoming an adult, but never truly leaving behind the feelings that come from that life of crime, that life of poverty, that life of rejection.
Rose has a beautiful child, a gorgeous husband, a wonderful sister-in-law … but a mundane job, a hole in her heart where friends should be, and a bank account constantly on the verge of collapse. Living in a shabby apartment, unable to get a job she deserves because she shares her father’s name, Rose is a woman wondering how she can make life better for her son.
Along comes The Woolf Academy, a prestigious and exclusive school that could set her child up with the success she was never allowed to have. The families are all wealthy, seemingly perfect, with glowing and thriving children. In their named homes, with their nannies and AmEx cards and perfect skin/hair/wardrobes, the mothers of Woolf Academy are exactly the opposite of Rose. Despite that, she wants her child to be a part of the society of haves, instead of living in her world of having-not.
Along comes Amala, founder and head of the academy, with her beautiful life and magical way of winning people over. Despite her fear of rejection and knowledge that they can’t afford it, Rose applies for her child to attend school at The Woolf Academy. She thinks she’s completely made a fool of herself, but Amala allows her son entry to the school, and allows Rose entry into a seemingly secret society: The Circle.
This circle of women run the town. Everyone is jealous of them, with their close ties to the effervescent Amala, with their perfect clothes and perfect homes and perfect lives. Somehow, Rose finds herself a member of this group; a member of the popular group for the first time in her life. She has more money, nicer clothes, and her child is getting a top-notch education. Yes, she’s had to make some “sacrifices”, but imagine you were in her situation. Would you do the same?
This book completely blew me away. When I wasn’t reading it, I wanted to get back to it. I caught hints of writing that reminded me a bit of Bentley Little (one of the highest compliments that I can bestow upon an author). I was completely obsessed by the characters and, as the story unfolded, the premise and plot. Then I got to the ending, and was completely shocked. I 100% didn’t see it coming, and it was perfection. I won’t get into the plot, the twists, the shocks - I’ll just tell you to imagine yourself as Rose, and imagine what you would do in her shoes.
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers with the same tired themes and tropes, and they’ve all been two, three, or possibly four-star books. I gave one recent book five stars, but it was a 4.5 rounded up - I just haven’t read anything in awhile that I really deemed worthy of ALL the stars. This book completely fits my strong criteria for a five-star rating: I won’t stop thinking about it for awhile, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. If you are a mother, it will hit even harder … and hopefully you’ll love it. I’m seeing a huge range of opinions on this book, and I don’t understand the negative ones. This was a solid thriller (that almost veered into horror; those are the Bentley Little vibes I was getting) and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.
(Thank you to Random House Publishing, Helen Monks Takhar, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
Rose has a beautiful child, a gorgeous husband, a wonderful sister-in-law … but a mundane job, a hole in her heart where friends should be, and a bank account constantly on the verge of collapse. Living in a shabby apartment, unable to get a job she deserves because she shares her father’s name, Rose is a woman wondering how she can make life better for her son.
Along comes The Woolf Academy, a prestigious and exclusive school that could set her child up with the success she was never allowed to have. The families are all wealthy, seemingly perfect, with glowing and thriving children. In their named homes, with their nannies and AmEx cards and perfect skin/hair/wardrobes, the mothers of Woolf Academy are exactly the opposite of Rose. Despite that, she wants her child to be a part of the society of haves, instead of living in her world of having-not.
Along comes Amala, founder and head of the academy, with her beautiful life and magical way of winning people over. Despite her fear of rejection and knowledge that they can’t afford it, Rose applies for her child to attend school at The Woolf Academy. She thinks she’s completely made a fool of herself, but Amala allows her son entry to the school, and allows Rose entry into a seemingly secret society: The Circle.
This circle of women run the town. Everyone is jealous of them, with their close ties to the effervescent Amala, with their perfect clothes and perfect homes and perfect lives. Somehow, Rose finds herself a member of this group; a member of the popular group for the first time in her life. She has more money, nicer clothes, and her child is getting a top-notch education. Yes, she’s had to make some “sacrifices”, but imagine you were in her situation. Would you do the same?
This book completely blew me away. When I wasn’t reading it, I wanted to get back to it. I caught hints of writing that reminded me a bit of Bentley Little (one of the highest compliments that I can bestow upon an author). I was completely obsessed by the characters and, as the story unfolded, the premise and plot. Then I got to the ending, and was completely shocked. I 100% didn’t see it coming, and it was perfection. I won’t get into the plot, the twists, the shocks - I’ll just tell you to imagine yourself as Rose, and imagine what you would do in her shoes.
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of thrillers with the same tired themes and tropes, and they’ve all been two, three, or possibly four-star books. I gave one recent book five stars, but it was a 4.5 rounded up - I just haven’t read anything in awhile that I really deemed worthy of ALL the stars. This book completely fits my strong criteria for a five-star rating: I won’t stop thinking about it for awhile, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. If you are a mother, it will hit even harder … and hopefully you’ll love it. I’m seeing a huge range of opinions on this book, and I don’t understand the negative ones. This was a solid thriller (that almost veered into horror; those are the Bentley Little vibes I was getting) and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.
(Thank you to Random House Publishing, Helen Monks Takhar, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
November 9, 2022
This is a psychological suspense story. It wasn’t as twisty as I was expecting, but it was a quick read. I didn’t like any of the characters (except Charlie) and didn’t find all of their personas to be realistic. I think this detracted from the story for me a bit. This story is about power and what parents at a prestigious school will do to get more. It is also about family and what a mother will do for her family. Rose dreams of more for her family which is probably why she decided to attend an open house at the prestigious academy in their neighborhood. There is a group of parents at the school who wear special broaches and get special privilege. If you have to ask you’ll never be in, but Rose is determined to get more for her family……whatever the cost.
July 28, 2022
I hate saying this but I was pretty frustrated while reading Such a Good Mother. Given there were elements to the story and characters I normally like, it was disappointing everything fell flat. After reading the Author's Note at the end I feel like I better understand what she was going for but unfortunately the book didn't work for me. And that's perfectly fine as not every book is a perfect fit for every reader.
Rose O'Connell is married with a young son. Money is tight and she can't seem to catch a break when it comes to just about everything in her life, until now. Her son has been offered a spot at the prestigious Woolf Academy. There are cliques at every school and that includes the parents for sure. The Circle is a group of mothers who essentially make things happen at the academy. One of the members dies under mysterious circumstances and that means a spot has opened up. Maybe Rose is the ideal person to fill it. However, it may come at a cost.
It was very hard for me to get on board with Rose choosing to send her kid to this school. Lots of warning signs from the get go and the chance to provide a good future for her child just wasn't enough for me to buy into it. The non-family member characters were so over the top it took me out of the story. The human element was missing and that's something that is vital if you want to feel invested in the story.
A miss for me but I've read other reviews that are much more positive.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Rose O'Connell is married with a young son. Money is tight and she can't seem to catch a break when it comes to just about everything in her life, until now. Her son has been offered a spot at the prestigious Woolf Academy. There are cliques at every school and that includes the parents for sure. The Circle is a group of mothers who essentially make things happen at the academy. One of the members dies under mysterious circumstances and that means a spot has opened up. Maybe Rose is the ideal person to fill it. However, it may come at a cost.
It was very hard for me to get on board with Rose choosing to send her kid to this school. Lots of warning signs from the get go and the chance to provide a good future for her child just wasn't enough for me to buy into it. The non-family member characters were so over the top it took me out of the story. The human element was missing and that's something that is vital if you want to feel invested in the story.
A miss for me but I've read other reviews that are much more positive.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
February 24, 2023
Full of characters you love to hate!
We all have expectations about what makes a “good” mother. The definition is different for each of us, whether we are a mother or not. However, regardless of where in the world we raise a family, modern mothers are united in being forced to make choices that mean sacrificing their ideals for survival.
Author Helen Monks Takhar explores the power and persistence surrounding the feelings of guilt, hopelessness and inferiority some mothers experience when forced to compromise. She has created a protagonist who is dominated by these negative emotions and then placed her in a setting where they are amplified and she is forced to act on them and against her powerful adversaries.
The result is a fascinating look at what we are willing to give up to be included. It’s full of darkness and intrigue and leaves readers with a warning that things aren’t always as they seem. Next time I catch myself willing to do anything to be included or accepted, I’ll remember that selling my soul to fit in will always come with a price!
The author has amazing insight into the gentrification of neighbourhoods, Punjabi culture, power balancing, hustlers, and what it means to be a good mother and/or ‘having it all.’.
I was gifted this advance copy by Helen Monks Takhar, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
We all have expectations about what makes a “good” mother. The definition is different for each of us, whether we are a mother or not. However, regardless of where in the world we raise a family, modern mothers are united in being forced to make choices that mean sacrificing their ideals for survival.
Author Helen Monks Takhar explores the power and persistence surrounding the feelings of guilt, hopelessness and inferiority some mothers experience when forced to compromise. She has created a protagonist who is dominated by these negative emotions and then placed her in a setting where they are amplified and she is forced to act on them and against her powerful adversaries.
The result is a fascinating look at what we are willing to give up to be included. It’s full of darkness and intrigue and leaves readers with a warning that things aren’t always as they seem. Next time I catch myself willing to do anything to be included or accepted, I’ll remember that selling my soul to fit in will always come with a price!
The author has amazing insight into the gentrification of neighbourhoods, Punjabi culture, power balancing, hustlers, and what it means to be a good mother and/or ‘having it all.’.
I was gifted this advance copy by Helen Monks Takhar, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
June 1, 2022
I’m definitely in the minority with my 2 star rating but this story fell flat for me and I could not connect with any of the characters. DNF at 50%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my review.
July 17, 2022
‘Precious You’ now re named ‘That Woman’ was one of my fav books of 2020 so was with great excitement and also trepidation I started this book, I say trepidation as there has been lots of mixed commentary already on this book…
Without doubt the authors raw edginess is back and her ability to pick up on every human nuance is breathtaking, she creates situations and characters that have a way of evoking reaction and tells a story where every word is important and brings something to the table, her writing is outstanding, I love it
The story though for me this time is far fetched, set in a school where Mums will do anything to be in the ‘inner circle’ all watched and controlled by the leader, a true full on sociopath and narcissist, delicious in her shockingness and vileness, you shudder with the extremeness of her actions, pure wonderful badness…and once these Mum’s are in ‘the circle’ their lives are never their own again….
I say far fetched ( and it is ) yet if you can get past this ( and I did ) you will be hanging off every word as the story evolves and goes from dark to pitch black
Genuis author in skill and makes reading exciting but as say this time the story raises an eye
Writing 10/10 5 Stars
Believability of Story 7/10 3.5 Stars
Without doubt the authors raw edginess is back and her ability to pick up on every human nuance is breathtaking, she creates situations and characters that have a way of evoking reaction and tells a story where every word is important and brings something to the table, her writing is outstanding, I love it
The story though for me this time is far fetched, set in a school where Mums will do anything to be in the ‘inner circle’ all watched and controlled by the leader, a true full on sociopath and narcissist, delicious in her shockingness and vileness, you shudder with the extremeness of her actions, pure wonderful badness…and once these Mum’s are in ‘the circle’ their lives are never their own again….
I say far fetched ( and it is ) yet if you can get past this ( and I did ) you will be hanging off every word as the story evolves and goes from dark to pitch black
Genuis author in skill and makes reading exciting but as say this time the story raises an eye
Writing 10/10 5 Stars
Believability of Story 7/10 3.5 Stars
April 16, 2023
Underwhelming, unrealistic, tone-deaf and bland….
We are taken to this town, specifically to Woolf Academy it is hard to get in and stay in- even for a public school. Rose O’Connell wants what is best for her son, and what is best is getting him into Woolf Academy at any cost- even though she does not have the money, her husband is currently unemployed and her marriage on the rocks. This all changed when she meets the gate keepers of Woolf Academy, Rose wants to get in with the gate keepers- called the Circle. When she finally gets invited into the Circle, nothing could prepare her for what comes next.
Honestly, I felt like I have read this book so many times. It wanted to be like Big Little Lies but the author didn’t have the range. I just felt like the book tried too hard to do and be everything. It does not feel new to me, also the part where this woman offers up her husband to another woman… I just was like… nah….
Anyway, read something else.
We are taken to this town, specifically to Woolf Academy it is hard to get in and stay in- even for a public school. Rose O’Connell wants what is best for her son, and what is best is getting him into Woolf Academy at any cost- even though she does not have the money, her husband is currently unemployed and her marriage on the rocks. This all changed when she meets the gate keepers of Woolf Academy, Rose wants to get in with the gate keepers- called the Circle. When she finally gets invited into the Circle, nothing could prepare her for what comes next.
Honestly, I felt like I have read this book so many times. It wanted to be like Big Little Lies but the author didn’t have the range. I just felt like the book tried too hard to do and be everything. It does not feel new to me, also the part where this woman offers up her husband to another woman… I just was like… nah….
Anyway, read something else.
September 9, 2022
Thank you to Helen Monks Takhar and Random House for my copy of this book. This book is about Rosie, a woman who is having a hard time. Her relationship is is going through a hard time and her son isn't fitting in at school. She's also trapped in a job she doesn't like, and when one of the members of the exclusive school leadership group dies, she hopes to fill the vacancy. But once Rose is inside of the group, she realizes there are dark secrets hiding behind picture perfect lives.
Thoughts: This was such a fun premise for a book. I really did not like any of the characters and couldn't connect with any of them. Some of the decisions they made were super questionable and not very relatable. The book asks the question how far we would go for the people we love. There are lots of twists so it becomes a bit hard to keep track, but it was a fun and quick read. 3 stars
Thoughts: This was such a fun premise for a book. I really did not like any of the characters and couldn't connect with any of them. Some of the decisions they made were super questionable and not very relatable. The book asks the question how far we would go for the people we love. There are lots of twists so it becomes a bit hard to keep track, but it was a fun and quick read. 3 stars
June 14, 2023
Very odd and confused story. It just felt like there were a few stories competing against each other just for it all to weirdly tie in at the end 🤷🏻♀️
August 4, 2022
MY review is in my website and an extract https://bookread2day.wordpress.com/20...
My big shout out today I enjoyed reading this so much, I highly recommend reading Such a Good Mother.
The Woolf school is the best school in all surrounding postcodes, and it happens to be the top-performing school in the region. It’s a school that strives to give confidence and aspiration to every pupil. Attending this school is a privilege. This is a school where all these wealthy Woolf mothers are desperate to be invited inside The Circle. The school always asks do you or anyone in the family have anything in particular that one may prove to be beneficial to the school and it’s governing fundraising.
Rose wants her son, Charlie, to join The Woolf school, but is everything going to turn out right? You need to read this book to find out what happens in this Woolf school.
I can tell you there some twists set within in this story, that I didn’t see coming.
This privilege school will make you think is this such a perfect school after all.
May 2, 2022
I thought this book was ok but had some trouble connecting to the main character. The story centers on Rose, who wants her son to attend a prestigious local school without realizing that there is a price to pay for his inclusion. Rose becomes enamored with the school’s leader, Amala, and goes out of her way to fit in and ensure her son’s future.
While Rose’s backstory provided some insight into her current behavior, her insecurity and naïveté really grated on me. There were some twists that came along later in the book, but I had some trouble reconciling them with what I had seen from Rose before then. Speaking of twists, there were definitely some surprises that I appreciated, some of them which I didn’t see coming.
Overall, this book didn’t really do it for me, mostly because I never really connected with Rose and felt that there were some inconsistencies in her character. I’m clearly in the minority based on other reviews, though. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While Rose’s backstory provided some insight into her current behavior, her insecurity and naïveté really grated on me. There were some twists that came along later in the book, but I had some trouble reconciling them with what I had seen from Rose before then. Speaking of twists, there were definitely some surprises that I appreciated, some of them which I didn’t see coming.
Overall, this book didn’t really do it for me, mostly because I never really connected with Rose and felt that there were some inconsistencies in her character. I’m clearly in the minority based on other reviews, though. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2022
Rose O’Connell is struggling to keep up with her life. Her relationship with her husband is going through a rough patch and her son is not liking the new school he attends, the famous Woolf Academy. This school has a close knit group of mothers that basically “rule the school”. Rose is an outsider to this group known as The Circle. When one of The Circle’s members unexpectedly dies, Rose has an opportunity to join the prestigious group. As she gets deeper into The Circle she realizes that everything is not as perfect as it seems.
I enjoyed this book. The writing was excellent and I really got into the story. At the half way mark the pacing really picked up and it held my interest perfectly. There were definitely some intense twists. This is my first book by this author and I was impressed. I will definitely look into this author’s other books.
Many thanks to Random House for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
I enjoyed this book. The writing was excellent and I really got into the story. At the half way mark the pacing really picked up and it held my interest perfectly. There were definitely some intense twists. This is my first book by this author and I was impressed. I will definitely look into this author’s other books.
Many thanks to Random House for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
July 11, 2022
3.75/5
I am such a sucker for books about despicable rich parents behaving abhorrently so the description was of this sounded right up my alley. I actually enjoy reading about unlikable characters and I don’t think there was a single truly likable character here. That’s not to say the characters weren’t well developed because they were, the author takes an interesting look at mothers who will stoop to low levels for their children and they don’t care who they hurt in the process.
My experience reading this book was odd, I was always definitely interested in seeing where things were headed but I did feel it get a little dragged on at times. By the time I finished I could clearly understand the authors intention though and it all made more sense for me. I really had no idea how things would end and I was surprised which is always nice. Overall I mostly enjoyed this dark and dramatic read.
I am such a sucker for books about despicable rich parents behaving abhorrently so the description was of this sounded right up my alley. I actually enjoy reading about unlikable characters and I don’t think there was a single truly likable character here. That’s not to say the characters weren’t well developed because they were, the author takes an interesting look at mothers who will stoop to low levels for their children and they don’t care who they hurt in the process.
My experience reading this book was odd, I was always definitely interested in seeing where things were headed but I did feel it get a little dragged on at times. By the time I finished I could clearly understand the authors intention though and it all made more sense for me. I really had no idea how things would end and I was surprised which is always nice. Overall I mostly enjoyed this dark and dramatic read.
July 24, 2022
Rose, the daughter of a scam artist, lost everything when her father died. Now she and her mostly unemployed husband struggle to make ends meet in a neighborhood turned upscale by the presence of an exclusive school, the Woolf Academy.
Despite her social insecurity and his difficulty fitting in, she applies for her son to attend the Woolf and he is accepted. There are strange goings on here, including a tight group of women called The Circle who run the school, the death of one of them, and their charismatic but suspicious and overbearing leader. Soon Rose is called upon to enter The Circle, but at what price?
Many have really liked this book; I am an outlier. It was well written with twists and turns but it just wasn’t for me. I really had to force myself to stay with the book as I found it tedious. I couldn’t get invested in the story; most of the characters were unlikable and I just didn’t care what happened to any of them. Incidentally, I the saw genre of this book as more of a horror story than a mystery.
Thanks to #Netgally and #RandomHouse for the ARC.
Despite her social insecurity and his difficulty fitting in, she applies for her son to attend the Woolf and he is accepted. There are strange goings on here, including a tight group of women called The Circle who run the school, the death of one of them, and their charismatic but suspicious and overbearing leader. Soon Rose is called upon to enter The Circle, but at what price?
Many have really liked this book; I am an outlier. It was well written with twists and turns but it just wasn’t for me. I really had to force myself to stay with the book as I found it tedious. I couldn’t get invested in the story; most of the characters were unlikable and I just didn’t care what happened to any of them. Incidentally, I the saw genre of this book as more of a horror story than a mystery.
Thanks to #Netgally and #RandomHouse for the ARC.
June 1, 2022
Such a Good Mother is a twist on the 'mean girls' trope. Rose wants to better her son's life by getting him into the prestigious Woolf school. The problem is that she needs the approval of Amala, alpha-female of the school's inner circle. Such a Good Mother is a real page turner. I found myself intrigued by how far Rose would go in order to be a member of the inner circle. As the daughter of a grifter, Rose has had a lifelong education in how to set up, and capture, a mark.
As much as I loved the book, I did have reservations about the main character. At one point, she does something so terrible that I could no longer root for her. I had been hoping that she would use her background and smarts to get the better of Amala. Instead, something else happens. I won't give the ending away, but I wish the author had gone in a different direction.
Overall, though, I really did enjoy this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
As much as I loved the book, I did have reservations about the main character. At one point, she does something so terrible that I could no longer root for her. I had been hoping that she would use her background and smarts to get the better of Amala. Instead, something else happens. I won't give the ending away, but I wish the author had gone in a different direction.
Overall, though, I really did enjoy this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Read
May 26, 2022Helen Monks Takhar’s SUCH A GOOD MOTHER is a dark and twisting thriller, the story of a mother who would do anything to fit in and to ensure her son Charlie’s future at the prestigious Woolf Academy. Rosie O’Connell, a working mother, has more responsibility than one woman deserves. Her son is struggling at school, her marriage is shaky, and her house is in shambles. If she could only win a spot in the elite group of ruling parents called The Circle, then her problems would be solved. Rosie soon learns that the school motto “Magis el Magis,” meaning “more and more,” is the high price one pays to wear the coveted gold circle pin. The author spins a tale full of death, disloyalty, and deceit.
This is a story of sacrifices and trade-offs. The writing is strong with characters who are striking and memorable, ones who still wander through my thoughts and lead me to ask, “How can someone who looks so good on the outside have within her a soul that is so bitter and ugly?” And what if the very thing we fight so hard to achieve becomes our curse? At the back of the book are a list of questions for book club discussions. Do not miss the Author’s Note, a discourse on the power of negative events in early childhood and the damaging effects of guilt and hopelessness. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.
This is a story of sacrifices and trade-offs. The writing is strong with characters who are striking and memorable, ones who still wander through my thoughts and lead me to ask, “How can someone who looks so good on the outside have within her a soul that is so bitter and ugly?” And what if the very thing we fight so hard to achieve becomes our curse? At the back of the book are a list of questions for book club discussions. Do not miss the Author’s Note, a discourse on the power of negative events in early childhood and the damaging effects of guilt and hopelessness. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.
August 19, 2022
Such a Good Mother is a psychological suspense novel that explores the themes of desire, ambition, and scars within Rosie and her new coveted friends in the inner circle at her son's school. On the surface, it seems kind of silly that a group would be so nasty...but we have all watched and read Mean Girls. Most of us have witnessed it first hand...so the plot twists, though intense, take the reader on a wild ride where the word sacrifice has multiple meanings.
I liked the characters or rather, mostly disliked the characters. Most of them are deeply broken or flawed (or both).
I liked the characters or rather, mostly disliked the characters. Most of them are deeply broken or flawed (or both).
June 30, 2022
I hated everything about this book. Where do I start the plot was unbelievable and we'll over the top. The characters were so nasty and so shallow. This author a woman I feel has debased women. A circle of bitches who deserve everything they get and more. I just hope that other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 3, 2022
When push comes to shove, a mother’s love for her child is endless. Their happiness is your happiness, their pain, your pain. No one should ever take what a mother won’t do for their child for granted.
Rose O’Connell has lived a rather rough life. Her father was a con man who scammed people, even his friends for his entire life. Rose, who had no mother was endlessly bullied as a child as many knew of her father’s schemes. But when her dear friend Jacq introduced her to her brother Pete and they fell in love she was sure her luck would change. And when their son Charlie was born, he became the light of her life.
Money has always been a bit of a struggle, but they have been making ends meet with Rose working for a bank and Pete being a plumber. But when Rose sees a new elite school right across the street from them where her own old school sat which is called Woolf Academy, she gets it in her mind that Charlie should go there no matter what. At the interview she meets Amala Kaur, the wealthy leader of a group of women known as The Circle who seem to be able to exert great power at the institute. Rose knows her chances of Charlie being accepted are slim, but he is accepted! And when one of The Circle women tragically dies, Amala asks her to take her place, although the other Circle women don’t believe Rose meets their standards.
Amala assures Rose that tuition would not be a problem as there are many ways she would be able to work within The Circle to make the money. At first, Rose becomes giddy with power. As the other mother’s look at her differently, as she begins to dress differently when not in her bank uniform, as she and Pete are able to eat at a fancy restaurant and are invited to powerful fundraisers, she is blinded by the materialism.
But when things begin to take a different turn and Amala begins to ask her to perhaps not be as honest as she should, it begins to affect her relationship Amala, with Pete and even Charlie who at first seemed to be having a difficult time adjusting to the school. She feels over her head and is unable to find a way out of the situations she is being put in. As she begins to discover the hidden Circle secrets, she feels the price she has to pay is not worth what she has been given. But it could be too late for her to leave. It seems she has been conned. And now her family is paying the price.
The more Rose goes against Amala, the more terrifying the stakes become for her family. But nothing will stop her from protecting those she loves, no matter what. Especially a mother who has been scorned and their child who is now being manipulated.
Such a Good Mother is an incredible psychological thriller which takes the reader along Rose’s ride of sadness for never being accepted, to Rose’s newfound strength as she fights for those she loves and will not stop until her family is whole again. With a satisfyingly twisty ending you don’t see coming!
Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #SuchaGoodMother #HelenMonksTakhar for the advanced copy.
Rose O’Connell has lived a rather rough life. Her father was a con man who scammed people, even his friends for his entire life. Rose, who had no mother was endlessly bullied as a child as many knew of her father’s schemes. But when her dear friend Jacq introduced her to her brother Pete and they fell in love she was sure her luck would change. And when their son Charlie was born, he became the light of her life.
Money has always been a bit of a struggle, but they have been making ends meet with Rose working for a bank and Pete being a plumber. But when Rose sees a new elite school right across the street from them where her own old school sat which is called Woolf Academy, she gets it in her mind that Charlie should go there no matter what. At the interview she meets Amala Kaur, the wealthy leader of a group of women known as The Circle who seem to be able to exert great power at the institute. Rose knows her chances of Charlie being accepted are slim, but he is accepted! And when one of The Circle women tragically dies, Amala asks her to take her place, although the other Circle women don’t believe Rose meets their standards.
Amala assures Rose that tuition would not be a problem as there are many ways she would be able to work within The Circle to make the money. At first, Rose becomes giddy with power. As the other mother’s look at her differently, as she begins to dress differently when not in her bank uniform, as she and Pete are able to eat at a fancy restaurant and are invited to powerful fundraisers, she is blinded by the materialism.
But when things begin to take a different turn and Amala begins to ask her to perhaps not be as honest as she should, it begins to affect her relationship Amala, with Pete and even Charlie who at first seemed to be having a difficult time adjusting to the school. She feels over her head and is unable to find a way out of the situations she is being put in. As she begins to discover the hidden Circle secrets, she feels the price she has to pay is not worth what she has been given. But it could be too late for her to leave. It seems she has been conned. And now her family is paying the price.
The more Rose goes against Amala, the more terrifying the stakes become for her family. But nothing will stop her from protecting those she loves, no matter what. Especially a mother who has been scorned and their child who is now being manipulated.
Such a Good Mother is an incredible psychological thriller which takes the reader along Rose’s ride of sadness for never being accepted, to Rose’s newfound strength as she fights for those she loves and will not stop until her family is whole again. With a satisfyingly twisty ending you don’t see coming!
Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #SuchaGoodMother #HelenMonksTakhar for the advanced copy.
August 22, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Such a Good Mother.
** Minor boring spoilers ahead **
Rose O'Connell strives to provide a better life for her son, Charlie, and her family.
That's why she's enrolled her son in the prestigious Woolf Academy, and the connections this elite school will offer to a blue collar family such as hers.
When she's invited into The Circle, a group of highly affluent and powerful women, fronted by a charismatic leader named Amala, Rose discovers keeping up with the Joneses is not as easy as it looks.
And it might cost her family, as well as her soul.
The premise was intriguing but I found the narrative long, tedious and lacking suspense and urgency.
The cast of characters are diverse, but not likable.
No one is likable (except Jacq), not even Rose, who I found boring and uninteresting.
Rose lacks confidence, ironic considering she's the daughter of a con man.
She's plagued by a troubled and difficult childhood, unable to shake off the harsh taunts and incessant bullying she endured in school, and pulled unwillingly into her father's cons.
Not surprisingly, she has serious Daddy issues, refers and thinks about him often, which is the biggest reason she's drawn to Amala, who exudes charisma and confidence.
There are numerous pages where the author has Rose talking about how hot her husband, Peter, is; how she never thought someone like him would fall for her.
I get that's part of the con (or maybe not), but these repetitive details only reminded me of Rose's lack of self esteem and confidence.
Even Peter, a loyal spouse, is portrayed as a doormat.
The cast of characters are one dimensional, and there's little to no character development.
All we get to see are the greedy and privileged trying to one-up one another; basically, this is a story of entitled people behaving badly.
The writing was fine, but repetitive, long and wordy, especially when the con is explained, it was unwieldy and confusing.
The story had potential, if only the characters were better developed and the story better edited to increase the pacing and urgency.
** Minor boring spoilers ahead **
Rose O'Connell strives to provide a better life for her son, Charlie, and her family.
That's why she's enrolled her son in the prestigious Woolf Academy, and the connections this elite school will offer to a blue collar family such as hers.
When she's invited into The Circle, a group of highly affluent and powerful women, fronted by a charismatic leader named Amala, Rose discovers keeping up with the Joneses is not as easy as it looks.
And it might cost her family, as well as her soul.
The premise was intriguing but I found the narrative long, tedious and lacking suspense and urgency.
The cast of characters are diverse, but not likable.
No one is likable (except Jacq), not even Rose, who I found boring and uninteresting.
Rose lacks confidence, ironic considering she's the daughter of a con man.
She's plagued by a troubled and difficult childhood, unable to shake off the harsh taunts and incessant bullying she endured in school, and pulled unwillingly into her father's cons.
Not surprisingly, she has serious Daddy issues, refers and thinks about him often, which is the biggest reason she's drawn to Amala, who exudes charisma and confidence.
There are numerous pages where the author has Rose talking about how hot her husband, Peter, is; how she never thought someone like him would fall for her.
I get that's part of the con (or maybe not), but these repetitive details only reminded me of Rose's lack of self esteem and confidence.
Even Peter, a loyal spouse, is portrayed as a doormat.
The cast of characters are one dimensional, and there's little to no character development.
All we get to see are the greedy and privileged trying to one-up one another; basically, this is a story of entitled people behaving badly.
The writing was fine, but repetitive, long and wordy, especially when the con is explained, it was unwieldy and confusing.
The story had potential, if only the characters were better developed and the story better edited to increase the pacing and urgency.
November 1, 2022
It's every mother's dream to get their kid into an elite school, I think. We all want the best for our kids and to give them every advantage available to us. But when does enough become too much? How much success can we push our kids towards?
Rose was an extremely complex character. She had a tough childhood and was raised by a shady, conman of a father. Which obviously influenced her actions in more ways than even she probably realized. But she was also a wife and mother, attempting to be the best at both positions, even if she knew she willingly and or intentionally made mistakes in her interactions with her husband and son. She definitely owned her messy past, even if she did lean heavily on it whenever she needed a justification for her actions. I wanted to like her and a lot of the time, I did. But I also found her to be a horrible person at times, too. For better or for worse, she's the kind of character that's going to stick with me for a while.
Throughout the story, I was annoyed by Rose's husband, Peter. He seemed like a nice, upstanding guy, however, he also acted perfectly happy to let Rose handle all the hard things, including how to bring in more money when his business wasn't getting any clients. This aggravated me even more once he started to balk at her attempts to put them into a better position financially.
Everyone involved in The Circle was horrible. Greedy, desperate, hiding secrets... none of them were better than anyone else and yet, they were all adult versions of the mean girl in high school. Despite this, they are the driving force behind the whole story. You're meant to hate them, I suppose, and if that was the goal, it worked. They act as the perfect collective villain, headed by the big baddie, Amala.
I was totally fooled by Amala at first. You see bits of her nasty side here and there, but the way she treats Rose in the beginning made me wonder if those were exceptions rather than her actual personality. But, no, they were the rule more than the exception. Every time I raged at this book, it was due to Amala. In the end, I could understand her motivation, but her actions are never justified, no matter what your trauma.
While there were very few likable characters in this book, Rose's sister-in-law, Jacq, and her son, Charlie, being the few diamonds in the rough, Such a Good Mother was a compelling and enraging read. In this case, of course, enraging being a good thing because it made me feel like I needed to know what happened next. Had to know that someone got what was coming to them. I'll definitely pick up another book by this author in the future. In my opinion, it takes skill for an author to write a character you know is horrible and still find yourself rooting to win.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Rose was an extremely complex character. She had a tough childhood and was raised by a shady, conman of a father. Which obviously influenced her actions in more ways than even she probably realized. But she was also a wife and mother, attempting to be the best at both positions, even if she knew she willingly and or intentionally made mistakes in her interactions with her husband and son. She definitely owned her messy past, even if she did lean heavily on it whenever she needed a justification for her actions. I wanted to like her and a lot of the time, I did. But I also found her to be a horrible person at times, too. For better or for worse, she's the kind of character that's going to stick with me for a while.
Throughout the story, I was annoyed by Rose's husband, Peter. He seemed like a nice, upstanding guy, however, he also acted perfectly happy to let Rose handle all the hard things, including how to bring in more money when his business wasn't getting any clients. This aggravated me even more once he started to balk at her attempts to put them into a better position financially.
Everyone involved in The Circle was horrible. Greedy, desperate, hiding secrets... none of them were better than anyone else and yet, they were all adult versions of the mean girl in high school. Despite this, they are the driving force behind the whole story. You're meant to hate them, I suppose, and if that was the goal, it worked. They act as the perfect collective villain, headed by the big baddie, Amala.
I was totally fooled by Amala at first. You see bits of her nasty side here and there, but the way she treats Rose in the beginning made me wonder if those were exceptions rather than her actual personality. But, no, they were the rule more than the exception. Every time I raged at this book, it was due to Amala. In the end, I could understand her motivation, but her actions are never justified, no matter what your trauma.
While there were very few likable characters in this book, Rose's sister-in-law, Jacq, and her son, Charlie, being the few diamonds in the rough, Such a Good Mother was a compelling and enraging read. In this case, of course, enraging being a good thing because it made me feel like I needed to know what happened next. Had to know that someone got what was coming to them. I'll definitely pick up another book by this author in the future. In my opinion, it takes skill for an author to write a character you know is horrible and still find yourself rooting to win.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 31, 2022
I love reading stories about rich women doing bad things and this one was pretty good! Rosie wants her son to attend the exclusive school she attended, but at what price? Careful what you wish for! I did have trouble fully connecting with the main character and feeling fully invested but this story is full of twists so pay attention.
Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase on August 2, 2022
Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase on August 2, 2022
July 19, 2022
✨So this is basically Mean Girls (on steroids) for mum’s. I disliked every single character minus poor old Jacq’s. They were all selfish, shallow, weak characters who only thought about themselves in the long run.
✨I’m struggling to find any words other than ‘meh’ to describe this book. I found it agonisingly slow and felt it didn’t really pick up at all and then sort of just ended.
✨The reveal of what Rose had done in her past with her father was a massive let down. It was played out to be something huge but ended up being nothing.
✨As mentioned in my last review, I love an unbelievable storyline but this was something else. It was so far fetched and over the top it was difficult to but into any of it.
✨Whilst I like a twisty book this one was just random twists. It was back and forth between Rose and Amala on who had the upper hand and it just got boring.
✨The only reason this is a 2 star and not a one is because I did manage to finish it….. but only because I knew I’d struggle to pick up another book without finishing this one.
✨Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories for sending me and E-arc in exchange for an honest review.
✨I’m struggling to find any words other than ‘meh’ to describe this book. I found it agonisingly slow and felt it didn’t really pick up at all and then sort of just ended.
✨The reveal of what Rose had done in her past with her father was a massive let down. It was played out to be something huge but ended up being nothing.
✨As mentioned in my last review, I love an unbelievable storyline but this was something else. It was so far fetched and over the top it was difficult to but into any of it.
✨Whilst I like a twisty book this one was just random twists. It was back and forth between Rose and Amala on who had the upper hand and it just got boring.
✨The only reason this is a 2 star and not a one is because I did manage to finish it….. but only because I knew I’d struggle to pick up another book without finishing this one.
✨Thank you to @netgalley and @hqstories for sending me and E-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2022
I have to be honest with you. These characters irritated the (insert your favorite expletive here) out of me. As in what the actual…
These people are warped. I liked two side characters and hated every other character.
The book is entertaining with a touch of nasty. The reasons behind everything are a little unnecessarily complicated, and then get even more unnecessarily complicated. But it’s a popcorn read and I was happily munching along to the bitter end.
I…can’t really tell you that I enjoyed it. There’s a pervasive ‘ick’ with just about every character interaction. But I was definitely entertained!
• ARC via Publisher
June 4, 2022
this book was just ok for me, it took me a long time to get involved with it and even with the twists it was a slow more detached read. Rose aspires to better things for her family. She is thrilled to get invited into the circle but be careful what you wish for, all is not what it seems
Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews