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MY LOVELY DAUGHTER
'Absolutely gripping! Was great from start to finish' NetGalley reviewer
My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I’ve shielded you from. The things I’ve endured . . . our past.
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
A nail-biting new psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Shalini Boland.
Praise for My Lovely Daughter
'I had to see how it would end' NetGalley reviewer
'Full of suspense, twists, intrigue and unexpected turns in all the right places’ NetGalley reviewer
'A gripping tale' NetGalley reviewer
'Read in one sitting' NetGalley reviewer
'Absolutely gripping! Was great from start to finish. I was disappointed when it ended' NetGalley reviewer
My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I’ve shielded you from. The things I’ve endured . . . our past.
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
A nail-biting new psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Shalini Boland.
Praise for My Lovely Daughter
'I had to see how it would end' NetGalley reviewer
'Full of suspense, twists, intrigue and unexpected turns in all the right places’ NetGalley reviewer
'A gripping tale' NetGalley reviewer
'Read in one sitting' NetGalley reviewer
'Absolutely gripping! Was great from start to finish. I was disappointed when it ended' NetGalley reviewer
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2022
43 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 50 reviews
October 12, 2022
Annie would do anything to protect her daughter. But is the cost to high?
The dual timelines really did a lot for this book. It gave that sense of following how and why things took place like they did. I really liked how the characters were developed over time and you could feel the angst that Annie was feeling. This one did have more mystery than thriller, which is fine because it was still a really good read. I would have loved to have seen a little bit more around the abduction fall out to give it a bit of a suspense aspect.
Thank you Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
The dual timelines really did a lot for this book. It gave that sense of following how and why things took place like they did. I really liked how the characters were developed over time and you could feel the angst that Annie was feeling. This one did have more mystery than thriller, which is fine because it was still a really good read. I would have loved to have seen a little bit more around the abduction fall out to give it a bit of a suspense aspect.
Thank you Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
August 27, 2023
Annie is a single mother to thirteen year old Izzy, she is a protective mother who will do anything to keep her daughter safe.
Annie receives a text message threatening to tell Izzy the truth about the secret she is keeping, unless she gives them a huge amount of money and she is willing to do anything or she may lose her daughter.
A nail biting psychological thriller that I read in one sitting.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Annie receives a text message threatening to tell Izzy the truth about the secret she is keeping, unless she gives them a huge amount of money and she is willing to do anything or she may lose her daughter.
A nail biting psychological thriller that I read in one sitting.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2022
My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I’ve shielded you from. The things I’ve endured . . . our past.
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
What a gripping and thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
What a gripping and thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
October 16, 2023
Excellent final twist
November 11, 2022
A very interesting book whose main theme is about the love of a woman for her daughter. It is very well plotted and covers themes including inner city deprivation and the effects it can have on the children growing up in tower blocks. Annie has moved out and taken baby Izzy with her and is happily living in rural Lancashire when an unexpected text brings back the horrors of the environment she left behind 14 years ago. The lengths Annie will go to in order to protect the life they have are played out in front of us with some surprising twists and turns. With a final twist at the end it keeps the reader guessing.
July 7, 2022
My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I’ve shielded you from. The things I’ve endured . . . our past.
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
A really gripping nail biting psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through I read in one sitting totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and HQ
We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe.
But our perfect life is about to come crashing down.
Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you.
I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever.
You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe.
A really gripping nail biting psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through I read in one sitting totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and HQ
August 12, 2022
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton is a highly recommended domestic thriller.
Annie, a single mother and veterinary nurse, loves her thirteen-year-old daughter, Izzy. The two have built a life for themselves after Annie's devastating divorce, but now their safety and happiness has been threatened by an outside force. Some anonymous person is threatening to tell Izzy the truth about the secret that Annie holds, unless Annie gives him a huge amount of money. Annie will do anything to protect Izzy and her secret, but she does not have the cash demanded.
This is a suspenseful domestic thriller. Although Annie's big secret is easy to deduce, readers will know that she loves Izzy and wants to protect her from any nefarious person causing Izzy any harm. She wants to keep the secret from Izzy to protect her and a good mother's love is always looking out for what would be the best for her children. Admittedly, the antagonist is also very easy to guess before it is revealed, but the suspense is created in the chapters going back and forth in time, leading up to the present day dilemma and to the current life of Annie and Izzy.
Annie is a well developed character and portrayed as a realistic person, full of strengths and flaws. Because of the past Then chapters alternating with the Now chapters, readers will really see the good qualities of Annie along with her flaws. The writing is good and the pace moves quickly, which helps keep you focused on Annie's dilemma. 3.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
Annie, a single mother and veterinary nurse, loves her thirteen-year-old daughter, Izzy. The two have built a life for themselves after Annie's devastating divorce, but now their safety and happiness has been threatened by an outside force. Some anonymous person is threatening to tell Izzy the truth about the secret that Annie holds, unless Annie gives him a huge amount of money. Annie will do anything to protect Izzy and her secret, but she does not have the cash demanded.
This is a suspenseful domestic thriller. Although Annie's big secret is easy to deduce, readers will know that she loves Izzy and wants to protect her from any nefarious person causing Izzy any harm. She wants to keep the secret from Izzy to protect her and a good mother's love is always looking out for what would be the best for her children. Admittedly, the antagonist is also very easy to guess before it is revealed, but the suspense is created in the chapters going back and forth in time, leading up to the present day dilemma and to the current life of Annie and Izzy.
Annie is a well developed character and portrayed as a realistic person, full of strengths and flaws. Because of the past Then chapters alternating with the Now chapters, readers will really see the good qualities of Annie along with her flaws. The writing is good and the pace moves quickly, which helps keep you focused on Annie's dilemma. 3.5 rounded up.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
July 29, 2022
Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton is a domestic thriller with an intriguing premise. No one else has written a decent summary of this book so far, so I will try my best. The story revolves around Annabel, now known as Annie, a single mother with a secret. Years ago, she arrived with nothing, not even her name, telling her new neighbors that her husband took everything in the divorce. But is that the truth? Now, Annie is living with her thirteen year-old daughter Izzy, and she's started to receive threatening messages. Someone is threatening to tell Izzy everything - including the secret that Annie's desperately hidden for years.
Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1:
"What she actually wanted was to rewind to the minute before the message pinged. Or to hurl the mobile into the tangled undergrowth and pretend it didn’t exist. But what she did was jam the phone deep in her jeans pocket and steady her legs enough to walk.
...
Ask anyone and they would say she was Annie Smith. Mother of Isabel. Late forties. Resident of Uppermoss. Veterinary nurse. Excellent mother.
And she was Annie Smith.
She hadn’t been Annabel for years."
Overall, My Lovely Daughter is a domestic thriller that will appeal to fans of Kiersten Modglin and B.A. Paris. One highlight of this book is the interesting premise. I was caught into the plot of this book from the beginning. I wanted to know more about Annie's secret identity and about who is threatening her anonymous through Facebook. I did take off 1 star, because I found the story a bit predictable. I took off another star, because the ending was just unsatisfying. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in October!
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton is a domestic thriller with an intriguing premise. No one else has written a decent summary of this book so far, so I will try my best. The story revolves around Annabel, now known as Annie, a single mother with a secret. Years ago, she arrived with nothing, not even her name, telling her new neighbors that her husband took everything in the divorce. But is that the truth? Now, Annie is living with her thirteen year-old daughter Izzy, and she's started to receive threatening messages. Someone is threatening to tell Izzy everything - including the secret that Annie's desperately hidden for years.
Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1:
"What she actually wanted was to rewind to the minute before the message pinged. Or to hurl the mobile into the tangled undergrowth and pretend it didn’t exist. But what she did was jam the phone deep in her jeans pocket and steady her legs enough to walk.
...
Ask anyone and they would say she was Annie Smith. Mother of Isabel. Late forties. Resident of Uppermoss. Veterinary nurse. Excellent mother.
And she was Annie Smith.
She hadn’t been Annabel for years."
Overall, My Lovely Daughter is a domestic thriller that will appeal to fans of Kiersten Modglin and B.A. Paris. One highlight of this book is the interesting premise. I was caught into the plot of this book from the beginning. I wanted to know more about Annie's secret identity and about who is threatening her anonymous through Facebook. I did take off 1 star, because I found the story a bit predictable. I took off another star, because the ending was just unsatisfying. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in October!
June 29, 2025
Annie and her daughter Izzy live happily together but one day Annie receives a text message which sets her heart racing.
From then on the reader is taken on a thrilling ride as the story jumps from “then” to “now” as we learn the back story and how a mother will do anything to protect her daughter.
A real page turner with a twist at the end! Ten out of ten!
From then on the reader is taken on a thrilling ride as the story jumps from “then” to “now” as we learn the back story and how a mother will do anything to protect her daughter.
A real page turner with a twist at the end! Ten out of ten!
September 6, 2022
This book flits from the past to the present, which can sometimes be confusing but in this instance it works. It was a compelling read with several twists in the tale. It had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next. When you stop to think about the story though, I think it would be impossible for someone to get away with such deceit, hence only giving 3 stars.
April 5, 2023
3.5 stars 🌟
October 5, 2022
I got My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton, is a contemporary psychological thriller which examines how far a mother will go to protect her daughter.
The way this is done is by R.P. Bolton is by both the way the story is written, and the tropes used.
The Story is told throughout the novel through one person's perspective. Which means that when another character does something slightly out of the ordinary, the main protagonist can go through a chain of thoughts that would not have the same impact if the narrative was shon from another perspective,
In addition the story was told over two timelines allowing the writer to bring in the reason for the events from the past that triggered what is happening now.
While as a reader you knew when the story changed timelines as this was always done at the start of the chapters, however some of the jumps in the timeline did seem to happen all of a sudden and could be jarring.
What I really like about the main character was how well rounded she was even though some judgements in her life may not have been the most moralistic ones. Having said that if you're in the mind of a character throughout a novel then this should be the outcome for the reader.
As for the suspense that My Lovely Daughter which the writer brought into the novel was really well done from having the main characters life go on as normal throughout allowed the writer to add scenes in the book which would have happened any way in the characters life.
Became a major plot point of the story and really did add to the tension.
All this means As a reader I felt that My Lovely Daughter was your standard thriller which was able to have me gripped throughout the novel, from the engaging characters making it well worth reading
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton, is a contemporary psychological thriller which examines how far a mother will go to protect her daughter.
The way this is done is by R.P. Bolton is by both the way the story is written, and the tropes used.
The Story is told throughout the novel through one person's perspective. Which means that when another character does something slightly out of the ordinary, the main protagonist can go through a chain of thoughts that would not have the same impact if the narrative was shon from another perspective,
In addition the story was told over two timelines allowing the writer to bring in the reason for the events from the past that triggered what is happening now.
While as a reader you knew when the story changed timelines as this was always done at the start of the chapters, however some of the jumps in the timeline did seem to happen all of a sudden and could be jarring.
What I really like about the main character was how well rounded she was even though some judgements in her life may not have been the most moralistic ones. Having said that if you're in the mind of a character throughout a novel then this should be the outcome for the reader.
As for the suspense that My Lovely Daughter which the writer brought into the novel was really well done from having the main characters life go on as normal throughout allowed the writer to add scenes in the book which would have happened any way in the characters life.
Became a major plot point of the story and really did add to the tension.
All this means As a reader I felt that My Lovely Daughter was your standard thriller which was able to have me gripped throughout the novel, from the engaging characters making it well worth reading
August 20, 2022
This book while the plot seemed amazing I was a little uninvested at the writing style at least in the beginning. The different points of view as well as the different time changes made it hard for me to really get into the plot so it took me a long longer to become interested in the story. I did really like the characters right off the bat so that was the saving grace that kept me invested in the novel, and pushed me over the hill in the first half. There was a lot about this book that had me interested in the beginning however I found that it was very slow and drawn out and because of this I found it very difficult to hold my attention. Mixed feelings on this one overall while there were parts that i really enjoyed there were others that i found hard to read. So good read just not my favourite i did like the plot of this one though it was very creative. What i did like was the intense feeling that the mother gave off in her obsession in protecting her daughter, it made for a very compelling read because it wasn't about a stalker boyfriend or anything but a mother who was on the verge of crossing the line. The book is all about our main characters annie and izzy. Things are going great for the two women when out of the blue annie gets a letter from someone threatening to tell izzy about a very personal secret unless they are delivered a large amount of cash. That is where the back and forth starts and considering how great that sounds the build up to it was very slow, however once it takes off it gets a lot better.
August 17, 2022
This audiobook has a good, original story that I would place in the general fiction/thriller/crime genres (a bit of a mixed bag in that respect, I find it hard to classify it!)
The story is that of Annie, a woman with a very interesting backstory that is uncovered in a 'past timeline that alternates with a current timeline. Currently Annie is a veterinary nurse, a single mum embarking on a new relationship. She receives a text message threatening to reveal secrets of her past if she fails to pay a hefty ransom. As she deliberates, tries to raise funds and finds her situation escalating, her backstory is revealed and all hell breaks lose!
The narrator does a fantastic job, narrating a complex story, managing to convey the timelines well.
Characters are engaging, the story is well written and the plot is riveting - overall this is a very entertaining listen!
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advance copy.
The story is that of Annie, a woman with a very interesting backstory that is uncovered in a 'past timeline that alternates with a current timeline. Currently Annie is a veterinary nurse, a single mum embarking on a new relationship. She receives a text message threatening to reveal secrets of her past if she fails to pay a hefty ransom. As she deliberates, tries to raise funds and finds her situation escalating, her backstory is revealed and all hell breaks lose!
The narrator does a fantastic job, narrating a complex story, managing to convey the timelines well.
Characters are engaging, the story is well written and the plot is riveting - overall this is a very entertaining listen!
My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advance copy.
September 26, 2022
This was an interesting domestic thriller.
Annie and her thirteen year old daughter Izzy seemed to be having a happy life but then soon, someone seemed to threaten to end this happy life. The message demands Annie to give money and if Annie didn't give the money on time, the person threaten to tell Izzy the truth. Annie would do anything, to prevent Izzy from knowing the real truth.
The story divides back and forth between present and past. Though there weren't many twists or turns, the story itself was quite engaging and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. Annie seemed to be a courageous character and in my opinion, I like reading the past part more than the present part. Also, the ending to me wasn't very satisfying but nonethless this was actually a good thriller. Overall, if you are looking for a good domestic thriller that will keep you in suspense then try this book out. Worth four stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Annie and her thirteen year old daughter Izzy seemed to be having a happy life but then soon, someone seemed to threaten to end this happy life. The message demands Annie to give money and if Annie didn't give the money on time, the person threaten to tell Izzy the truth. Annie would do anything, to prevent Izzy from knowing the real truth.
The story divides back and forth between present and past. Though there weren't many twists or turns, the story itself was quite engaging and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. Annie seemed to be a courageous character and in my opinion, I like reading the past part more than the present part. Also, the ending to me wasn't very satisfying but nonethless this was actually a good thriller. Overall, if you are looking for a good domestic thriller that will keep you in suspense then try this book out. Worth four stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
September 29, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is written along a dual timeline of the current day and 14 years or so in the past. Annabel has a history which is slowly revealed, becoming Annie as she settles into a new and very different life. Current-day Annie is completely paranoid and I wondered how her daughter puts up with the constant reminders to behave safely (locking up etc.). The title and blurb leads us to think everything had been done to protect her daughter but I found much of the content to be totally unrealistic - where were the checks by health visitors and midwives when the baby was very young? How come Annabel's solicitor did not ensure a fairer sharing of assets in her divorce? Th story progressed far too slowly, was very predictable and not credible (despite some good sections detailing the fear felt when living in the environment of a place like The Manor), I definitely did not find it gripping or suspenseful.
This book is written along a dual timeline of the current day and 14 years or so in the past. Annabel has a history which is slowly revealed, becoming Annie as she settles into a new and very different life. Current-day Annie is completely paranoid and I wondered how her daughter puts up with the constant reminders to behave safely (locking up etc.). The title and blurb leads us to think everything had been done to protect her daughter but I found much of the content to be totally unrealistic - where were the checks by health visitors and midwives when the baby was very young? How come Annabel's solicitor did not ensure a fairer sharing of assets in her divorce? Th story progressed far too slowly, was very predictable and not credible (despite some good sections detailing the fear felt when living in the environment of a place like The Manor), I definitely did not find it gripping or suspenseful.
September 14, 2022
I did enjoy this book however I did find it slightly slow to really get going but once I got into it I found it difficult to put it down.
Annie unexpectedly found herself a single mother with a baby girl Izzy. Annie is determined to get Izzy away from their home and start again afresh where no one knows them. Anyone looking at Annie and Izzy would think this is a normal mother looking after her daughter but that could not be further from the truth.
Annie has a secret one that she doesn’t want anyone to find out particularly Izzy and she will go to extreme measures to keep her secret just that (including breaking the law).
As said above I enjoyed this book it was very easy reading however it was quite predictable and I sussed it all out pretty early on in the book but it’s ideal for an easy and enjoyable thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.
Annie unexpectedly found herself a single mother with a baby girl Izzy. Annie is determined to get Izzy away from their home and start again afresh where no one knows them. Anyone looking at Annie and Izzy would think this is a normal mother looking after her daughter but that could not be further from the truth.
Annie has a secret one that she doesn’t want anyone to find out particularly Izzy and she will go to extreme measures to keep her secret just that (including breaking the law).
As said above I enjoyed this book it was very easy reading however it was quite predictable and I sussed it all out pretty early on in the book but it’s ideal for an easy and enjoyable thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.
July 31, 2022
Annabel who is now known as Annie is a single mother and a veterinary nurse. She has a 13-year-old daughter Izzy. But Annie holds a dark secret and when she receives a text message her world starts crashing down. She tries to ignore it, but the text is threatening to tell her daughter Izzy the secret which Annie is trying to hide for several years. If she finds out may lose her daughter forever.
She will do anything to protect her daughter. What is the secret she is hiding?
Thank you, HQ, for a copy of My Lovely daughter by R.P Bolton. Is a good suspenseful thriller from the author, going above and beyond to protect her daughter. I enjoyed this thriller and great page turner. Even though I found the protagonist a bit annoying at times and wondered if she just came clean to Izzy because she the poor girl was suffering from Annie’s over protectiveness. 4 stars from me.
November 12, 2022
MY LOVELY DAUGHTER By R.P. Bolton
Annie Smith is quite content in the life she leads in a quiet small town with her daughter Izzy.
😊What i liked -
✔ Suspense Thriller.
✔ I liked that the story kept bouncing from past to present. It was interesting.
✔ I liked Annie's character. She is quite realistic.
✔ The storyline is quite gripping, with a nice flow of twists and turns.
✔ It's a very well written book, you do feel the fear and anxiety Annie goes through to keep her daughter safe.
✔ I really liked how the book ends.
🤔What could have been better -
✔ In places I feel that the story was getting a bit stretched.
📚Who Should read :
👶Beginners
👮Thriller Lovers
🕵Suspense Thriller Lovers
📈My Rating : 4/5
Thank you R.P. Bolton, NetGalley and HQ Digital for a copy.
Annie Smith is quite content in the life she leads in a quiet small town with her daughter Izzy.
😊What i liked -
✔ Suspense Thriller.
✔ I liked that the story kept bouncing from past to present. It was interesting.
✔ I liked Annie's character. She is quite realistic.
✔ The storyline is quite gripping, with a nice flow of twists and turns.
✔ It's a very well written book, you do feel the fear and anxiety Annie goes through to keep her daughter safe.
✔ I really liked how the book ends.
🤔What could have been better -
✔ In places I feel that the story was getting a bit stretched.
📚Who Should read :
👶Beginners
👮Thriller Lovers
🕵Suspense Thriller Lovers
📈My Rating : 4/5
Thank you R.P. Bolton, NetGalley and HQ Digital for a copy.
November 21, 2022
How far will a mother go to protect her daughter?
In this nicely paced book, the chapters vary between THEN and NOW.
Then, Annie is a divorced woman, living in a run down, unsafe building. Her only friend is her neighbor, who has an abusive boyfriend, and a newborn daughter. Annie becomes the babysitter and caretaker of the child, and becomes more like a mother.
Now, Annie is living in a cottage in the woods with her 13 year old daughter,Izzy. When the threatening emails with demands for money start coming, Annie’s world starts to shatter.
She’ll do anything to protect Izzy, but how far will she actually go?
I enjoyed this book. It was written well, and moved along smoothly. 4 Stars!
Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC.
In this nicely paced book, the chapters vary between THEN and NOW.
Then, Annie is a divorced woman, living in a run down, unsafe building. Her only friend is her neighbor, who has an abusive boyfriend, and a newborn daughter. Annie becomes the babysitter and caretaker of the child, and becomes more like a mother.
Now, Annie is living in a cottage in the woods with her 13 year old daughter,Izzy. When the threatening emails with demands for money start coming, Annie’s world starts to shatter.
She’ll do anything to protect Izzy, but how far will she actually go?
I enjoyed this book. It was written well, and moved along smoothly. 4 Stars!
Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC.
June 28, 2022
My Lovely Daughter by R.P. Bolton. My precious daughter. You have no idea how dangerous the world is. No idea of the horrors I’ve shielded you from. The things I’ve endured . . . our past. We’ve been happy. We’ve been hidden. We’ve been safe. But our perfect life is about to come crashing down. Because they’ve found me. And they’re about to reveal my darkest secret . . . to you. I’ll do anything to protect you, darling, because if you knew – I’d lose you forever. You can never discover what I’ve done . . . or what I’m willing to do to keep you safe. A Great read with some good characters. I did like Annie. 4*.
September 4, 2022
My Lovely Daughter is a well written, well paced, well plotted domestic thriller with enough suspense to keep turning between the "Now' and 'Then' chapters all through the night and into early morning.
The characters are fully fleshed out, particularly Annie, who I fell in love with. The emotion and tension is palpable through to the last page. And its a great ending.
Without spoiling anything, there is a fair amount of drug/alcohol abuse, domestic violence, an attempted rape scene (not graphic) and gang related youth exploitation but all of it is within plot parameters and makes sense as part of a whole.
There are a few subplots that work well framed in character histories, and it really is a very satisfying read. The main plot is also very believable, and it's a very emotive story, with an extremely satisfying conclusion.
On the whole I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys domestic/family type thriller and suspense novels.
My Lovely Daughter publishes on 7th October 2022
Star Rating: 4
CAWPILE Rating: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Many thanks to the author, HQ publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are fully fleshed out, particularly Annie, who I fell in love with. The emotion and tension is palpable through to the last page. And its a great ending.
Without spoiling anything, there is a fair amount of drug/alcohol abuse, domestic violence, an attempted rape scene (not graphic) and gang related youth exploitation but all of it is within plot parameters and makes sense as part of a whole.
There are a few subplots that work well framed in character histories, and it really is a very satisfying read. The main plot is also very believable, and it's a very emotive story, with an extremely satisfying conclusion.
On the whole I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys domestic/family type thriller and suspense novels.
My Lovely Daughter publishes on 7th October 2022
Star Rating: 4
CAWPILE Rating: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Many thanks to the author, HQ publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2022
This is the story of Annabelle/Annie and Izzy told in two time lines, Then and Now. It focuses on how far a parent would go for the love of a child. It tells of the desperation of people who have nothing, no means of escape from dreadful lives and surroundings and how vulnerable this makes them. An interesting read, if a bit predictable but with some very intense moments. The pace didn’t quite pick up as I hoped and I felt slightly let down by the ending. However, as this is all subjective, well worth a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 8, 2023
I was given a free copy of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review
I enjoyed how this book flitted between the past and the present revealing two different stories about the same characters and this life. Although this story sounded intriguing and something I would enjoy unfortunately it fell short. It took a long time for me to get into the book, I wanted to learn about Annie and her secret identity but this was not revealed until after half way through the book. I found it predictable especially the ending that I could see coming but also felt like it was rushed especially the last few chapters which I would have enjoyed more if they had not been so rushed.
April 15, 2024
A good crime thriller for reading groups, this is RP Bolton’s second book. Annie has a secret. She has a daughter and a new life working in a quiet rural community. But what lies in her past as it starts to catch up with her? Will Annie outrun the reckoning?
On the face of it, this is one of many thrillers, but what makes it stand out is the moral conundrums for readers. Annie is a very likeable and wronged woman. But her secrets make her something else. Themes of crime and punishment, family relationships, love and morality will give reading groups plenty to chew over. It’s also very readable too.
Listened to the audiobook, which was beautifully read by Charlie Norfolk.
On the face of it, this is one of many thrillers, but what makes it stand out is the moral conundrums for readers. Annie is a very likeable and wronged woman. But her secrets make her something else. Themes of crime and punishment, family relationships, love and morality will give reading groups plenty to chew over. It’s also very readable too.
Listened to the audiobook, which was beautifully read by Charlie Norfolk.
October 8, 2022
Told over two time lines, this story of Annie/Annabel and Izzy, works well to keep up the suspense in this domestic thriller. My sympathies were definitely with Izzy with such a protective mother. I realised quite early in the story why Annie was so protective but as the story progressed although my suspicions were correct there were still plenty of surprises. There were areas that were a little repetitive, but generally I could forgive that.
Three and a half stars for me!
Many thanks to Netgalley/R.P. Bolton/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Three and a half stars for me!
Many thanks to Netgalley/R.P. Bolton/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 15, 2022
Annie unexpectedly finds herself a single mother to baby girl, Izzy. She builds a new life for herself and Izzy. Now, Izzy is thirteen and Annie is receiving text messages one of which is demanding money. Told in a then-and-now format I found My Lovely Daughter deeply engrossing. Annie's character was very well portrayed. A solid and suspenseful tale to while away a few hours.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley.
February 10, 2023
This one is told from a past and present timeline and it works well. It’s a bit of a slow burn to the point you feel not much is actually happening but I was interested to find out more about Annie and her past. Likeable and not so likeable characters. The twists and turns were interesting enough but I did find the storyline a little to unpredictable and certain aspects unbelievable. It’s not one that will stay with me.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read #MyLovelyDaughter
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read #MyLovelyDaughter
July 3, 2024
Usually I’m not a fan of 3rd person and books that tell the tale of two different eras in someone’s life, BUT, My Lovely Daughter def got me hooked. It starts really slow, like REEEEEALLLYYY slow. You keep begging and begging just to hear the secrets that Annie has but once you finally get a grip it’s amazing. The twists and turns throughout the story are amazing and (apparently my boyfriend thinks) jaw dropping. I feel like this story would have been better written 1st person, as it’s hard to get everyone’s name and gets super confusing at times, but it’s still really well written! <3
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