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MY REVIEW
The book was good, but at the same time, it was the same rehashed plot. A small happy family with Emma, Dele and daughter Isla, then new neighbors moved in. The only issue was the woman looked like her adopted daughter’s mother. This raised Emma’s suspicions, especially when strange things too started happening. Sounded familiar?
I went into this book with low expectations as I knew author Tracy Buchanan’s books could go either way for me. The story was exciting in the beginning, then slowly dragged on. I never understood why the husbands of the main characters never believed them when they presented their fears. Everything was shoved as paranoia with some past mental illness quoted. Grow up! There is something known as a woman’s instincts.
Here too, I wanted to whack Dele when he refused to believe his wife even when she presented him with proof. I liked Emma in places when she became proactive with the support of her sister.
Facebook groups and messages were highlighted as there were many catty and bitchy neighbors of the two-legged kind who wrote awful things about Emma based on rumors. I knew these things existed as I had been on the other end of the bias. Those felt realistic.
The story had the POV of a silent hidden spectator who spoke about Isla’s past before she was adopted, and it was absolute fun to try to guess that person. As the story progressed, there were a couple of twists which were different than the other thrillers. That made the book interesting.
Overall, I would say it was a good book. Could be downloaded for free if there is Kindle Unlimited subscription.
MY RATING
BOOK LINKS
AMAZON USA: https://amzn.to/38nmRAd
AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2L97IcP
BOOK BLURB
She thought she was the perfect mother—until the new neighbours moved in.
Emma and Dele’s dreams came true nine years ago when they adopted their daughter, Isla. It felt like fate, like they were meant to find each other, and now they’re living the life they always wanted. But then one day a new family moves into Forest Grove—and Emma can’t shake the chilling feeling that the wife looks just like Isla’s birth mother.
Emma tells herself that this sophisticated stranger can’t possibly be the troubled woman she remembers from the adoption. But as they get to know each other and it becomes clear that Tatjana has a special interest in Isla, her suspicions grow.
When small things start to go wrong and her parenting abilities are brought into question, Emma feels undermined, turning to her sister Harriet for support. But things only spiral further when secrets from her past suddenly resurface.
With rumours swirling, Emma begins to doubt herself. Could Tatjana be Isla’s birth mother? And, with everything that’s happening, is Emma the right person to be raising her daughter at all?
BOOK DETAILS
Publication Date: January 2021
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my journey down its pages, straight from the heart. STRICTLY HONEST and UNBIASED.
All my reviews can be found here.
3 Responses
I am glad that this was an interesting read despite not checking all your boxes. Great, well-balanced review, Shalini.
Happy New Year!
This one doesn’t seem to have lit your fire 😉
Great review Shalini. Glad I passed on this. 😉❤📚