4.5 stars

We have always been taught that taking something which doesn’t belong to you is wrong, especially so in the case of taking a child away from her family without permission – but what if the intention is to rescue the child from a physically and mentally abusive mother? What if the new life that is given to the child is one of love and happiness, something that her real parents are incapable of ever giving her? Does that make things right? Or is the moral obstacle of such an action too big to overcome, regardless of how noble the intention might be?

This was another book where I was so caught up in the story that I plowed through the book and finished it in 2 days without realizing it. On the surface, this might sound like a regular kidnapping story – a 5 year-old girl goes missing, an investigation is launched, a search for the kidnapper, exploring all possible leads, details emerge and the investigation turns to the parents at one point, with possible foul play suspected, all efforts exhausted to locate the kidnapped child, the ensuing media frenzy, etc. A little ways in though, we start to realize that this is no ordinary kidnapping story -- in this her debut novel, author Rea Frey takes the traditional kidnapping story and turns it completely upside down, inside out. To me, this was not a mystery or suspense novel where we’re trying to figure out who did what and why, nor was it an edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with explosive twists and turns – rather, this was an emotionally gripping story that explored many complex issues such as motherhood, parent/child relationships, child abuse and its damaging effects, love, loss, and the morality of doing the wrong thing but with the right intentions.

Frey’s writing is so good here – the plot moves forward at a fast pace with the kidnapping, the manhunt, the investigation, but yet the characters are also so well-drawn -- through the alternating narratives told from the perspectives of the mother (Amy) and the kidnapper (Sarah), we are drawn deep into their minds and given keen insight into these characters’ thoughts, actions, emotions, and motivations for doing what they did. Who should we empathize with? Should their pasts and the decisions they ultimately make – whether right or wrong -- define them? After reading this book, I have more questions than answers and putting myself in the main characters’ shoes, it’s hard for me to say what I would have done in their situations.

As a fictional story, this worked extremely well, though I would have to agree with other reviewers who’ve said that at some points throughout the story, it is necessary to suspend disbelief because in real life, things just don’t happen the way they do in here. But the beauty of this story is that, despite the fact that we already know the reality will be different, Frey tells the story in a way that is convincing and believable with characters that are hard not to resonate with in some way. I don’t want to say too much, as I feel this is a story that should be experienced on your own. I definitely enjoyed this one for the story itself, though I would also recommend checking out the discussion questions in the back, as reading through those gave me some interesting insight and food for thought that made this an even more relatable read for me. I will definitely be looking forward to what Rea Frey comes out with next!

Received ARC from St Martin’s Press via NetGalley

Wow, great book! It is about a women, Sarah, who sees a little girl at an airport with her family and the mother is abusive to the little girl. The father seems to be ignoring her. Sarah sees how sad the little girl is and remembers her own unhappy childhood with her mother. Sarah then sees the little girl again but this time she decides to take her. She makes this little girl's life very happy. The little girls mother, Amy, seems to be glad that her daughter is gone.

This story is for all the times you may have seen a parent being abusive to there child and you wanted to step in and take that child away or help in some way.

Loved this author!

I wasn't sure where to place this novel honestly so I put it here. Ill start with saying it has extremely great reviews on Goodreads and that if you like a good kidnapping story you'll probably enjoy it. There are parts I enjoyed and parts that the lawyer in me found quite absurd. Its told from two perspectives - the perspective of a young businesswoman who kidnaps a young girl who is being abused and the perspective of the mother who really didn't want the young girl. Its tugs at your moral strings, or its supposed to. For me ... I see some issues as black and white though because of what I do which meant that I was annoyed a lot throughout the book and couldn't suspend my belief enough to make it realistic. The ending was also just ... unrealistic. Still, the writing was good and I didn't hate the book so ultimately I dropped it in the "like" category. Also its good for a debut novel.

How far would you go to help an abused child? Is there such a thing as a good kidnapping? Is it OK to root for the “bad guy”? Frey puts a whole new spin on the kidnapping story. Emotionally packed and thought provoking. Filled with hope and moral dilemmas, this book had me on edge in several spots and completely blind to how it was going to end. An amazing debut by a talented new author!

Rea Frey delivers a jaw dropping story that is unlike anything I've ever read before. I fought with my emotions throughout this entire book, even resorting to Tweeting the author, devastated that she could toy with my emotions so blatantly.

Emma is a five year old little girl who is living with a her abusive mother and utterly clueless father. No one seems to see just how cruel and heartless Amy is towards Emma. Except for stranger, Sarah Walker. When Sarah witnesses the abuse towards Emma, twice, she takes matters into her own hands. She is determined to keep this little girl safe. That begs the question, is kidnapping ever okay?

Throughout this story the narrative switches between Sarah, the hardworking and compassionate woman who is hell bent on protecting an innocent child at all costs and Amy, the angry mother who isn't even sure if she wants her daughter to be found. The story even breaks down further by giving you the "before", "during" and "after" the kidnapping. While narratives that change point of view and timelines can often be confusing, Rea Frey does so effortlessly. Her writing is flawless and the plot is seamless.

The characters in Not Her Daughter are well thought out and I guarantee you will connect with one of these "mothers". Which side will you cheer for; the mother who has lost her daughter or the woman who kidnapped her to keep her safe? I urge you to grab a copy of this book and make your own decision. Then I'll ask you again, is kidnapping ever okay?

What does it mean to be a mother? Is kidnapping wrong if you are trying to save a child? So many ethical issues in this thriller! I didn’t know what to expect coming into this one, but it kept me up late at night wanting more! There were so many unsettling parts to this story that I usually wouldn’t enjoy delving into, but Frey did an excellent job depicting the emotions of these characters.

Five year old Emma lives with a cruel mother, an unsuspecting father and is lonely most of the time. When Sarah sees Emma at the airport with her parents, she begins to question Amy’s mothering style. When a second chance encounter presents itself, Sarah decides to take Emma and embarks on a cross country trip with the child. As Amy becomes a prime suspect with more and more details being dished out by the public, Sarah must decide what she should do with Emma.

This story shows an incredible bond between Sarah and Amy, even if that they haven’t realized yet. Wait until you read this one. You’ll start questioning everything you thought was right. Or wrong.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a chance to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story really made me question things. In Not Her Daughter we met Sarah who on a chance meeting meets Emma and her mother Amy. Sarah sees Amy treating Emma harshly and wonders if this was just a tired mother or was it something more horrible. Then months later she sees Emma again and she becomes in a way obsessed. She decides to follow Emma and see if she is okay home wise and when she sees that Emma’s home life is far from perfect she decides to do something about it.

During the book, we get flashbacks and glimpses into Sarah’s life growing up. We see how her mother wasn’t the best and how she was gone most of the time until finally, she left her and her father. She claims that she doesn’t care about her mother and that she is fine but is she really? I felt she had these feelings that were never addressed and how she hates that her father still loves and defends her mother for leaving them. Do all these past actions have some input in her kidnapping Emma? Does she feel that she identifies with her by both of them having mothers that don’t love them?

Meanwhile, Amy, Emma’s mother is supposed to be grieving and upset about having her daughter out there somewhere but why isn’t she? Amy has her issues so she goes to see what her past lives were about if it has anything to do with how she feels, especially when it comes to her daughter. She knows it isn’t right how she feels and she knows people are starting to wonder if she did something to Emma but she isn’t so quick to want her daughter back.
Sarah and Emma are on the run and while Sarah tells herself she has reasons that made her kidnap Emma she knows she’s only getting deeper into trouble. However, she tries to reason with herself that she did the right thing by taking Emma because she sees how much better Emma is without her mom and how clearly Emma doesn’t miss home either. The ending was the killer for me, we see Sarah wanting to make the right decision and how Emma feels with this about but when we see Amy’s reaction it made my jaw drop.

My feelings when I was done went back and forth, I did see where both Sarah and Amy stood. While both were so different than how I would ever handle it when it came down to it, in the end, it was all about Emma and what was best for her. This is a novel that will have you debating about this long after you close the book. It will touch your heart and make you really think who is the real monster in this tale. This is one great book and I highly recommend to everyone.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for the chance to read this novel early!

Have you ever witnessed a child being mistreated by their parent in public and felt the urge to remove the child from the situation? I know I have! I’ve spoken the words, “I wish I could steal that kid and give them a better life,” multiple times to my husband. There’s nothing harder to stomach than knowing a child is being hurt by their parents and feeling unable to do a thing about it because the entire foster care system in this country is broken. If you’re reading this and thinking I’m a crazy person at this point, it’s time for you to dive into Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey.

Get ready for a good-hearted kidnapper!

This book drops readers into this exact situation and takes it a step further – actual kidnapping. It raises the question of what is morally right? Call CPS and have them investigate and return the child back to their home after a traumatic experience of being placed in foster care, leave the child and do nothing, or take her from the situation even though it is against the law. Is there a correct choice?

My very favorite thing about this story was the alternating perspectives between past/present and between the kidnapper and the mother. This allowed me, as a reader, to get a full picture of each character’s life and background, to understand their personality, and decide which person the child would be better off with, in the long run. Though it may seem black and white, I was torn at times. I had empathy for the child’s mother as she experienced the loss of her child – every mom has bad days and every mother gets angry. Where do we draw the line? I also was upset with some of the kidnapper’s silly decisions and felt as conflicted as she did with her inner turmoil. As a mother and victim of parental abuse myself, this was one of the most intense reading experiences I’ve had. I could understand every person’s perspective, from the child to the mother and the third party.

This story brings up important topics and made me wish I was big enough to personally change things for abused and neglected children in America. “The system” is a gigantic mess that seems impossible to tackle. Where would one begin? It’s all incredibly depressing and unfair for these poor, innocent children who become broken at the hands of adults.

I could not stop turning the pages, eager to find out what would happen! Would the kidnapper be caught? Would the mother be blamed? What would become of the child? This story kept me thinking even as I had to set the book down to get on with my day, and made me excited to pick it up again each night, staying up much after my usual bedtime to get the answers I was dying for. This is one of the most immersive debut novels I have ever read. I felt like I was along for every part of the ride and didn’t want the story to end. My only (minuscule) qualm was feeling as if the ending was a bit rushed. There were more answers or maybe technicalities I was hoping to have answered in the conclusion, making me knock a star off the overall rating. Although, this could have been based entirely on my desire to continue reading more about these characters! I also felt as if some of the kidnapper’s choices didn’t seem entirely realistic, despite her lack of experience. Overall, this was an exciting page-turner and I can’t wait to see what Rea Frey will come up with next!

I highly recommend Not Her Daughter, releasing August 21st with St. Martin’s Griffin!

I was desperate to finish this motherhood mystery which explores good mom vs. bad mom...

This is not a typical missing child story, it delivers a moral dilemma concerning motherhood and had me questioning what was right or wrong throughout the entire book. It was at times unsettling and the suspense had me holding my breath more than once! And yes! I needed to discuss this with someone.

I've read several domestic suspense books this year with a "motherhood" theme and this one stands out because I was so emotionally invested in the characters and my heart was definitely stirred ( I actually wanted to pray for a few of the characters). This is a sign of first rate writing in my opinion. I kept asking myself, "Am I rooting for the right mother"? Definitely had my emotions in a tangled up knot ! Could a kidnapping save a life? What would others do? What should be done? Does a wrong ever equal a right?

The POV is told through the two mothers, Amy and Sarah. I loved how the author gave each one a voice and allowed me as a reader to see and feel what they were experiencing. We also get glimpses of the timeline through "before" "during" and "after" the actual kidnapping. The book deals with weighty themes, but is also filled with light, heartfelt moments. The little girl, Emma was an absolute shining star.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, compelling story that may have you questioning every decision that is made, give this one a try. I enjoyed this emotional road trip from the beginning to the unexpected final stop!

Thanks to the publisher for my copy . Blog post on publication day.

I am honestly bummed this story is over. I really enjoyed it, and was always searching for a few minutes to read a quick chapter!

I was hesitant to read a story about kidnapping, considering I had a baby just under 6 months ago. But, this one has an odd way of making it almost a happy story.

I am immediately going to look for more from this author!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

While it did take me awhile to finish Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey, it certainly wasn't because of the writing or plot of this book! Sarah, the kidnapper and successful business woman, sees signs of abuse and an uncaring family, so she decides to take five-year-old Emma and give her a better life. Sarah and Emma are now on the run from the authorities, AMBER alerts, and the truth. On the other hand, Amy, Emma's biological mother, struggles with her identity as a mother, the stability of her family, and wonders...does she even want her daughter back?

Due later this month, this novel is told in a split-narrative, between Sarah and Amy--two unlikely and different types of mothers--as well as in different times--both before and after the kidnapping. In a pleasant twist on the "kidnapped child" plot, readers actually end up routing for the kidnapper and caring very little for the biological mother. Frey's writing was engaging and truly captured the tender, well-meaning Sarah, as well as her anxiety about being caught and what the future may hold for her...and for Emma. More family-drama than a crime novel, readers also get a peek into Amy's mind: Does she even want her daughter back? Is she a good mother? Is she a good wife? For those not in a reading slump, Not Her Daughter would likely be a quick read, with a plot easy to follow and enjoyable characters that are easy to get invested in.

I really liked how this book takes the sensitive subject of child abduction, and makes you question everything you used to feel. Emma is five years old, and the brunt of her mother Amy’s frustration. Sarah is childless and newly single, buried in a successful career. But a chance encounter with Emma makes her decide to later kidnap the child.

We see the story unfold from both Amy and Sarah’s point of view. Sarah takes Emma on the run, marveling at how happy the child is. Amy is overwhelmed, coping with national consensus that she’s a bad mother, both missing her daughter and feeling relieved. Sarah’s decision to take away her child is beyond controversial, but you can’t help but root for her ... and that’s a really strange position to be, rooting for a child abductor.

At times, I felt that some of the characters acted in unbelievable ways (would Sarah really do such and such, knowing that the police is trying to track Emma down), but for the most part I enjoyed this thought-provoking, unusual novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

This isn’t typically the kind of book I would read, but I ended up picking it anyway. I had such ambivalent feelings about the story. While Emma’s home life isn’t that good, strangers just can’t go around stealing children from their own yards.

I have to say, the author does do a spectacular job of characterization. If you’ve ever been in a situation that occurs here, you’ll probably be reminded of how it feels. Sarah’s feelings about her ex-boyfriend and how after over five years of being a happy couple, he doesn’t want to make a commitment to marriage, is brought out in full detail. She is understandably devastated by this and finds out after looking him up online that he has a new girlfriend; it cuts her to the core. She also has had a difficult time coming to grips with her own mother, who never seemed to care about her and left when Sarah was 8 without ever looking back. When she sees a child who is being treated roughly by her mother, she kidnaps her. Sarah has her own issues, and yet it seems she thinks that she was meant to have this opportunity to change a child’s life. Really?

Then we have Amy, the real mother, who vows to be a better parent, but with very little time to herself, a job and two children under six, she fails constantly. Her daughter, Emma, doesn’t listen, so Amy is stressed to the limit. (I see elements of jealousy on Emma’s part because some of her acting up appears to come about when her younger brother is around and getting most of the attention as the youngest often does.) Amy is overweight, with scars on her face from a childhood case of chicken pox, followed by a staph infection; she is very much aware of the judgments people make about her. To top it all off, she married her husband because she thought he was the best she could do. Their relationship has deteriorated over the years and now they are constantly rude to each other.

Amy’s husband, seems beaten down. He does whatever Amy asks him to do, and tries to keep the peace in their house. He really loves his children and is devastated when Emma goes missing. Since the book is written in the viewpoint of Amy and Sarah, we don’t have an inside look at him. Sarah stole this child from this father who truly loved his child and would have worked hard to protect her if he had known his wife hit her.

Honestly, I really felt what Sarah did was horrible. I wanted her to get caught and yet, I was nervous that she could. It was a bit unrealistic that the police didn’t connect the dots quickly when Sarah was first reported, as she didn’t do anything to hide her identity. Since the person who reported Sarah knew her name, and would have given that information to the police, the police should have been able to connect her to her business and vehicle. I also felt it was unrealistic that after the first day or two, Emma stopped talking about her family and happily adjusted to life with a kidnapper. I didn’t like the ending.

The f word comes up now and then; it is mostly used by Sarah. And there is some other cursing. There is sex, but the scenes aren’t graphic.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Booksparks #Partner for gifting me a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 Stars.

This is hands down, one of the best books I’ve read this year. I cannot get my thoughts gathered to review this, I think I’m suffering from Brain to mouth disease. Okay, so in all seriousness, here are my thoughts.

I would have done exactly what Sarah did, hands down. I am a mom, and this book seriously pulled some major heartstrings. I look at my kids and could never imagine laying a hand on them, and I have witnessed some terrible things when out in public, and it’s always an internal struggle, Do I say something? Do I do something? And than when I choose to do nothing, I have to live with that choice, and I can never get the images out of my head. So I understand why Sarah chose to take Emma, she felt with such conviction that she could save Emma, to give Emma a better life, and to keep her safe.

The writing in this book is remarkable, sometimes a storyline like this can easily cross that line into unrealistic, and too far-fetched, this book does not. Which leads me to believe Rea Frey has done some research, and had this book severely plotted out before she began writing. I felt like she had an attachment to this story (and then I asked her, and she definitely did).

Was Amy an abusive mom? Was she a mom not happy with her life? was it a series of bad days, or was thing going to be a life that Emma would have to endure forever? Is there ever any circumstance to make it okay to harm your child? This book raises so many questions, Did it make it okay for Sarah to take Emma away, because Emma’s mom hurt her? What would you have done? The ending was perfect, and it is exactly what I wanted to happen. If you have read please tell me your thoughts!



When I got to the end of the book, I was full on bawling, it was such an emotional journey, and it was hard to see it come to an end. I don’t think a book has gripped me this much, in a while. I had requested an ARC of this MONTHS ago, before they even existed. I came across Rea Frey’s Instagram page, read the synopsis of her book, and I knew that I had to read it. And I am so glad that this book lived up to the hype I built for it. I cannot wait for more of her books to come out, because I am going to be first in line for them.

Missing children storylines are nothing new in a mystery novel but Frey has managed to turn the idea on its head and come up with an angle that’s new and exciting. What if a child is taken from their family in order to keep them safe and not put them in any danger? What if their home life is so fraught with tension and abuse that being taken in by a total stranger is the best option for them? This book raised SO many questions, there was a depth of thought not often found in a mystery that made me think it would be absolutely perfect for a book club.

This switches back and forth between Amy and Sarah both Before, During, After and Now. The pacing is nice and steady, tension builds gradually and I was totally hooked almost instantly. It was so bizarre to be rooting for a kidnapper and not the grieving parents for once, but the difference in personalities between Sarah and Amy was so stark you can’t help but be pulling for little Emma and Sarah to get away and be happy.

This was a highly emotional read that completely sucked me in, I just had to know how things would turn out in the end. This did require me to suspend a little disbelief but I really wasn’t bothered by it, it fit with the story so well and ended exactly as it should have.

Not Her Daughter in three words: Evocative, New and Gripping.

Wow: the first word that comes to mind regarding Not Her Daughter. Fantastic debut novel! To me, this is the kind of book you have to process when finished. This is not a bad thing.

I did find myself struggling a bit in the beginning due to my daughter sharing many similarities with the kidnapped child, Emma, in the novel; however, I am happy I didn't walk away from this one. You don't expect to "enjoy" a novel regarding a kidnapping - especially when you're a parent. However, I definitely enjoyed this one!

The character development was great. I found myself sympathizing with both Sarah and Amy only slightly. Sarah just wanted to save a little girl from with a troubled home life similar to her own as a child; and well Amy just wasn't cut out for motherhood. Sarah and Emma connect almost immediately, and their bond becomes an emotional one. Sarah gives Emma the gift of experiencing things for the first time: like emotional and physical safety, like childhood fun, trust. As Sarah and Emma's relationship grows I found myself smiling while simultaneously wanting to cry. Sarah's internal battle seemed realistic, and I felt the ending was fitting. When all is said and done, Not Her Daughter will leave readers thinking about this book long after the last page has been read.

Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes, brown hair. Missing since June.
Emma is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper.

Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal. When a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her—far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.

Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now Emma is gone without a trace.

As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But what about Emma’s real mother, back at home?



My Thoughts: As I plunged into the moral dilemmas of Not Her Daughter, I found myself rooting for Sarah, who had chosen to take Emma away from an abusive home. I could feel the anxiety of the child, afraid of her mother, and I also felt for Sarah, who knew that traditional protective services in a broken system might not be able to keep the child safe.

But then again, should someone take a child to protect her, with no legal authority to do so? If caring people decided to take matters into their own hands, there would be no safeguards at all for a child. Who could say that the child is truly protected just because a kindly stranger offers her own brand of safekeeping? What, if any, opportunity might there be for the abusive parent, in this case, Amy Townsend, to mend her ways and try again?

The story was written in such a way that, with Sarah’s first person voice, we can feel how much she wants to take care of the child she has seen abused on several occasions. And in other sections of the book, we are offered a look into Amy’s perspective and slowly come to acknowledge that the bonds between Amy and Emma are broken…possibly irretrievably. What is the best course of action for Emma…and also for Amy and Sarah?

I enjoyed following Sarah as she kept ahead of those searching for the child, giving up her own home and career to protect Emma. Sometimes it felt like a grand adventure. But I didn’t feel she had made the best choices. In the end, there seemed to be a satisfactory solution, but it was unrealistic, in my opinion. 4 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is definitely not your typical kidnapping story. For a change I actually felt for the kidnapper instead of the parents. The book addresses many issues like parenting, kidnapping (duh!), love, and family dynamics. It’s a heck of a lot thrown into one book though I think the author did a fairly good job exploring these issues.

The bond between Sarah and Emma truly touched my heart. Emma was obviously in need of positive attention and love while Sarah needed an outlet for the love she had to give. While I’m not recommending kidnapping a child to satisfy your own needs or issues Sarah obviously had the best of intentions throughout the book.

Emma’s parents - Amy & Richard - are a whole other story. They are both betrayed as uncaring self-absorbed people. While Amy seemed only able to give Emma negative attention, Richard seemed to not care about her at all - we’ll until she was missing.

In all, I thought this was a good debut effort from this writer. I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next and how it all ended, but at the same time there were a couple of plot points that were just a little too far fetched for me. Chicago??? The end?? I do recommend this book to lovers of fiction by authors like Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, etc.

I would like to that NetGalley and St Martins Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book!

Emma is a five-year-old girl who is unwanted by her mother. and she is kidnapped by Sarah who is herself the end product of a mother who didn't love her and who eventually abandoned her. Amy Emma's mother is in a loveless marriage and is frustrated by her daughter's perceived behaviour and does she really want her daughter back ?. The story is told before,during and after the kidnapping of Emma. This book poses an ethical dilemma of love motherhood and loss . It was an engrossing story however I thought the ending had more questions than answers and was disappointing but such are ethical dilemmas !
The book was well written and I look forward to reading other book by this author.

Many books grab me from page one, this book had me from the dedication! A great page turner told in 3 stages , before , during and after! I could not put this book down and I will forever read anything by Rea Frey !