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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Rising Action Publishing Co., & Author Brianne Sommerville for the opportunity to read this ARC - I absolutely loved it.
The story follows a new mother as she is grappling with learning the ropes of motherhood while simultaneously trying to come to peace with her troubled past with her own mother.
The emotions in this story were so raw - and as a mother who struggled quite heavily with postpartum depression myself, this story hit so close to home in all the right ways!
The twists in this storyline were PERFECT, and when I tell you that my jaw was on the FLOOR when the ending came, and all things were revealed, I'm not exaggerating.
I loved this book - and absolutely encourage you to read it as well!!
The story follows a new mother as she is grappling with learning the ropes of motherhood while simultaneously trying to come to peace with her troubled past with her own mother.
The emotions in this story were so raw - and as a mother who struggled quite heavily with postpartum depression myself, this story hit so close to home in all the right ways!
The twists in this storyline were PERFECT, and when I tell you that my jaw was on the FLOOR when the ending came, and all things were revealed, I'm not exaggerating.
I loved this book - and absolutely encourage you to read it as well!!
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After the birth of her daughter Addison, Joanna begins experiencing unexplainable lapses in her memory which threaten her daughter’s safety and her ability to be a parent after a tip is made to Child Services.
Desperate to prove herself not only to Child Services but also her concerned husband, sisters and in-laws, Joanna examines everyone and everything in her life to try and make sense of how things have become so out of control. Is she suffering from postpartum depression? Is she just exhausted from having a newborn? Or is someone playing tricks on her?
The book alternates between flashbacks of Joanna’s abusive childhood at the hands of a neglectful, emotionally unstable mother and present day where she attempts to discern whether she is going crazy or if something much more sinister is underway.
This novel dives into new parenthood and the toll that trying to be the “perfect mother” can have on women. I couldn’t believe that this was the author’s first book - it was quite well written and kept me guessing about what was happening. I enjoyed the first person narration, especially because each time I thought I had someone nailed down, Jo would question herself and I would follow suit in doubting the characters all over again. This was a fast read and I was invested until the very end.
I look forward to following Brianne Sommerville’s future works and highly recommend picking up a copy of If I Lose Her if you love a good psychological thriller. It’s out TODAY!
Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for this digital ARC. All opinions and this review are my own.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5!
Desperate to prove herself not only to Child Services but also her concerned husband, sisters and in-laws, Joanna examines everyone and everything in her life to try and make sense of how things have become so out of control. Is she suffering from postpartum depression? Is she just exhausted from having a newborn? Or is someone playing tricks on her?
The book alternates between flashbacks of Joanna’s abusive childhood at the hands of a neglectful, emotionally unstable mother and present day where she attempts to discern whether she is going crazy or if something much more sinister is underway.
This novel dives into new parenthood and the toll that trying to be the “perfect mother” can have on women. I couldn’t believe that this was the author’s first book - it was quite well written and kept me guessing about what was happening. I enjoyed the first person narration, especially because each time I thought I had someone nailed down, Jo would question herself and I would follow suit in doubting the characters all over again. This was a fast read and I was invested until the very end.
I look forward to following Brianne Sommerville’s future works and highly recommend picking up a copy of If I Lose Her if you love a good psychological thriller. It’s out TODAY!
Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for this digital ARC. All opinions and this review are my own.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5!
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, Gaslighting
Books like this get me so excited for the author. I can't wait to read what she writes next; and I bet I'm not the only one.
As a mom, it's sometimes hard to read about motherhood. Jo is unreliable, flawed, and wholey relatable. Other mothers will be able to see themselves in Jo. Anyone feeling trauma from their past will be able to see themselves as well.
Gorgeous cover (yes, it matters), quick read, and a twisty, satisfying story. I absolutely recommend this book!
As a mom, it's sometimes hard to read about motherhood. Jo is unreliable, flawed, and wholey relatable. Other mothers will be able to see themselves in Jo. Anyone feeling trauma from their past will be able to see themselves as well.
Gorgeous cover (yes, it matters), quick read, and a twisty, satisfying story. I absolutely recommend this book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 STARS rounded up to 5!!!
I’m very surprised this was a debut because it was just so well written. The story was mysterious and emotional as it dealt with a woman going through postpartum. This was a deeply emotional and moving story about a woman who doesn’t know if she can trust what she’s feeling. Is it her gut, or is she losing her grip on reality?
I loved Joanna and I found her and everything she was going through relatable. This story and the descriptions about postpartum depression were accurate and well executed.
The chapters were short and easy to read, and there were many twists. I found myself confused reading this in the best way because I didn’t know who to trust or who the culprit was. The end through me for a loop and was unexpected which is always the sign of a good thriller!
I’m very surprised this was a debut because it was just so well written. The story was mysterious and emotional as it dealt with a woman going through postpartum. This was a deeply emotional and moving story about a woman who doesn’t know if she can trust what she’s feeling. Is it her gut, or is she losing her grip on reality?
I loved Joanna and I found her and everything she was going through relatable. This story and the descriptions about postpartum depression were accurate and well executed.
The chapters were short and easy to read, and there were many twists. I found myself confused reading this in the best way because I didn’t know who to trust or who the culprit was. The end through me for a loop and was unexpected which is always the sign of a good thriller!
I could not put this book down. It resonated with me on so many levels and I was so invested in Jo and her struggles with new motherhood.
As a new mom not so long ago myself, Sommerville's novel transported me to those early days when sleep was scarce and days (and nights) were consumed with nursing and diaper changes. Everything felt foreign, all consuming, and overwhelming. Sommerville eloquently and expertly detailed those anxieties, emotions, and all the insecurities and guilt that came with them. After reading this novel, it was easy to tell that Sommerville is a mother herself and I appreciated her vulnerability and experience in detailing Jo's successes and failures as a mother.
This book had me questioning everything. There were so many red herrings and it was hard to trust my gut on what was really going on. It was really fun disliking some characters and my heart broke for Jo and the lack of support from her partner.
While I did guess part of the twist about halfway through, I still questioned myself and definitely didn't put all the pieces together. I loved how everything unfolded and how Sommerville kept me guessing to the very last line.
All in all, this book was a knockout. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. This is an incredibly impressive debut and I'm eager to get my hands on anything and everything Sommerville writes!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, Rising Action Publishing Collective, and NetGalley for the copy.
As a new mom not so long ago myself, Sommerville's novel transported me to those early days when sleep was scarce and days (and nights) were consumed with nursing and diaper changes. Everything felt foreign, all consuming, and overwhelming. Sommerville eloquently and expertly detailed those anxieties, emotions, and all the insecurities and guilt that came with them. After reading this novel, it was easy to tell that Sommerville is a mother herself and I appreciated her vulnerability and experience in detailing Jo's successes and failures as a mother.
This book had me questioning everything. There were so many red herrings and it was hard to trust my gut on what was really going on. It was really fun disliking some characters and my heart broke for Jo and the lack of support from her partner.
While I did guess part of the twist about halfway through, I still questioned myself and definitely didn't put all the pieces together. I loved how everything unfolded and how Sommerville kept me guessing to the very last line.
All in all, this book was a knockout. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. This is an incredibly impressive debut and I'm eager to get my hands on anything and everything Sommerville writes!
Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions, Rising Action Publishing Collective, and NetGalley for the copy.
I want to disclose before I give my review that I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and I am so grateful to NetGalley and Rising action publishing for approving me to read this book.
I cannot get over how much I loved this book. As a new mom I found myself resonating with everything Jo was going through. I had all the same thoughts she did when my son was in his first year of life. I also resonate with Jo with her relationship with her mother. I’ve never felt more connected to a character before.
Also that ending!?! How crazy was that!!! I was SO shocked!
This book was written so well and was so easy to follow. I will never stop recommending this book to my friends. This will be my go to thriller recommendation going forward!!!!
Well done Brianne!! I can’t wait to read more from you in the future!
I cannot get over how much I loved this book. As a new mom I found myself resonating with everything Jo was going through. I had all the same thoughts she did when my son was in his first year of life. I also resonate with Jo with her relationship with her mother. I’ve never felt more connected to a character before.
Also that ending!?! How crazy was that!!! I was SO shocked!
This book was written so well and was so easy to follow. I will never stop recommending this book to my friends. This will be my go to thriller recommendation going forward!!!!
Well done Brianne!! I can’t wait to read more from you in the future!
This twisting thriller was so much fun to read! The story hooked me from the first page and I tore through it in less than 24 hours.