If you saw a woman verbally and physically abusing her child while no-one stopped it, what would you do?

This terrible dilemma is the basic premise of Rea Frey's showstopping Not Her Daughter. Most people would perhaps let someone official know, or just stand by and avert their eyes, but Sarah refuses to do that. Frey's stunning characterisations mean that the businesswoman's choice doesn't appear crazy or criminal, just horrifically misguided. When Sarah 'rescues' five year old Emma, it seems like it could almost be the right choice.

Throughout this novel, as we flip back and forth between the lives of Emma Townsend's mother and the lady who kidnapped her, the complexity of motherhood is laid bare. I loved the use of third person for Amy, her real mother, and first person for Sarah. It meant that we subconsciously root for the kidnapper, an interesting twist.

Amy also has a story of her own to tell though. She's had a hard life, feels trapped in her marriage, and has made plenty of mistakes of her own. Amy oozes regret and guilt. Her desperate attempt to find excitement through discovering her past lives demonstrated so clearly just how broken she is.

The use of 'before' and 'after' gave us insight into the lives of these women before everything went wrong. Sarah was highly successful, Amy unfulfilled. Sarah had recently left a long term relationship with a man who she had believed to be The One while Amy has a husband she hates. The contrast between them makes the conflict even more striking.

Sarah would be the perfect mother for an excitable young girl. But she isn't -- Emma is not her daughter. 
There were some plot threads I would have liked a little more detail on, such as why Ethan never proposed to Sarah, or what happens to Amy's husband after the novel ends. By cutting those threads loose, though, Frey has constructed a world which feels just as real as our own.

A brilliant read that I devoured in two sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Rea Frey for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel!

This brought up a lot of emotions. Both with how my relationship is with my own mother and the relationship i have with my daughter. I found the book a good read but the ending was just a bit too "neat/happy ever after" for my own personal tastes. Overall, i couldn't put the book down and would recommend it to others.

*I recieved an e-arc from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts/opinions are my own."

Good solid telling of a child abduction and the fallout from multiple viewpoints. It wraps up neatly at the end and moved along at a nice pace. Really enjoyed this writer and the story!

Rea Fry’s new release started off slow but after a few chapters, really picked up and consumed me! I really enjoyed it and want to thank #netgalley for the #arc as well as the publisher! I’d rate it a 4 because of some things that didn’t quite make sense but, the book still has me thinking and that’s a great thing!

I’ve never read anything of Ms Fry’s before but, I’m now intrigued by her writing style and will definitely put her on my #tbr list!

The moment I read the little girls name, I immediately saw this poor little girl being bullied by her Mom and could imagine everything happening. The name Emma Grace was perfect for this girls character and her sweet Sarah that rescues her. The writing style of this book was really great and easy to keep up with. I’m a Mom and I’m ashamed to say, I’m glad of what happens in the end. It simply made sense, happiness wins over everything.

Ladies, put it on your to be read lists!!

Wow. This is my first thought about this book. It is one that you kind of have to process as you finish reading it. Not because it is bad but because it is very moving. Which, in the beginning, I can tell you that my feelings for this book were different. This is because it moved slow and was a bit drawn out before the story and all of the characters were truly identified.

Yet, this is what I enjoyed about the book is the subtle aspect of the story. The author took the time to draw out the characters and the story because it was an important story. A moving one that had lots of emotions.

I will tell you that I didn't care for Amy. However, I loved Sarah and Emma. The bond and connection they shared was emotional. When Emma was experiencing things for the first time, my heart broke a little more but at the same time I was smiling. Not Her Daughter will leave readers talking about this book long after the last page has been read.

NOT HER DAUGHTER by Rea Frey is an intensely emotional and gripping story that addresses several moral dilemmas around parenting and child abduction. It is told from the points of view of two women, Amy, the biological mother of five-year-old, Emma, who has gone missing without a trace after a volatile incident with Amy, and Sarah, who takes Emma away with her after witnessing more than one occasion of suspected abuse by Amy. The story alternates between the times before, during and after the abduction and gives the reader insight into the states of mind and motivations of both Amy and Sarah. The characters were so well-portrayed, I felt like I knew them personally. Filled with suspense and intrigue, this fast-paced book kept me flipping the pages the see how everything would turn out in the end. I really enjoyed this compelling and thought-provoking book and I look forward to reading more from Rea Frey in the future. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes, brown hair. Missing since June. Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper. Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.

Thanks to Netgalley I was able to read an early edition of this book. It is a very well told story of how real life isn't cut and dried in any way and how our past will always shape our future.

I have 3 children and six grandchildren and I can honestly say I have never had favourites but there are times when one of them will need or demand more of your energy and love. Amy has two children and Emma, for no apparent reason, rubs her up the wrong way just by existing.  Her brother on the other hand is just dealt with. Neither seem to receive any motherly love but the little boy hasn't worked that out yet, Emma however, knows she isn't loved and her mother's attention is always negative whatever she does.

I didn't find myself sympathetic to any of the main characters, all were selfish in their own way and while Emma's life improved and so did that of Sarah and Amy it was the impossibility of the situation each found themselves in which resonated the most. I kept reading avidly because I wanted to know what happened but not because I wanted anyone in particular to succeed or fail. All our experiences change and shape us. Sarah needs unconditional love, Amy needs solitude and Emma needs acceptance. Only two of those things work together but when each of them finds what they need how can they all move on? Could real life mirror fiction and if it did would we as outsiders ever know?

This novel is well structured and even though it moved through the past, present and future it was never confusing or difficult to follow. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it because to me it wasn't an enjoyable subject but I am glad I read it and would recommend it to anyone who likes a story which makes them think and question their perceptions of right and wrong.

I was excited to read this book from its description, and I was not disappointed. The character development and pacing were excellent, leaving me just anxious enough about what's happening next that I finished the book in a single sitting. An excellent look at parenting, and how parents are often judged by society, and their children - and what it takes to care for a child.

This book by a debut author addresses a conundrum: what does one do when seeing a child neglected and abused? Do you report it to the authorities and hope the foster-care system doesn't mess it all up? Or do you do what main character, Sarah Walker, does and just take five year old Emma? Yep, it's a problem. Emma is smart, beautiful, and sad; abused by her mother, ignored by her father, she wears the same clothes to school each day. When Sarah's life weirdly interconnects with Emma more than once, perhaps it is karma, perhaps it is her job to abandon her successful business, perhaps her wretched breakup with long-time boyfriend was meant to be? Admittedly, some plot holes glared at times for me, but I could not stop reading this book. The question of what Sarah would ultimately do with Emma, how Emma's mother handled the situation, and how Emma adapted kept me turning pages quickly. It is a good 'brain candy' book for sure.

This is a must read! Is it kidnapping if Emma’s mother doesn’t want her? Sarah feels she’s saving Emma from the lonely childhood she herself had. Amazing how easy it is to get away with kidnapping these days when so much else is going on in the world. Honestly, I was rooting for Sarah every step of the way. Not every person should have children. Amy is proof of that. What I also found fascinating is how easy it is nowadays for a hot story to become yesterday’s news, and how easily public opinion can be swayed. I will definitely recommend this book!

This is a book which raises the old question of whether the means justify the end. Sarah, a successful businesswoman, but somewhat unhappy and unfulfilled with other aspects of her life sees a young child being badly treated by her mother in an airport. This troubles her and stays in her mind. When she comes across the girl, Emma, some months later she realises her mum wasn't just having a bad day. She was a stranger, what could she do about it? It takes her back to a troubled relationship with her own mother and she doesn't want this beautiful little girl to suffer as she did. This starts a rollercoaster of events. I enjoyed the ride, although it blurred the lines between right and wrong. I couldn't imagine how it could possibly end well. Of course I can't give away whether it did.

This was definitely heartbreaking read. Maybe even more so since I have a five year old myself. It made me angry and sad at the same time. How could someone possibly treat their little child like that?! I have three kids and the oldest, the five year old, really does get under my skin nearly every day. But I have never thought to hurt him because of that!

But as much as I liked this story and the fact that everyone kind of had their happy ending, I still had some issues with this. More on the moral side maybe. I mean, is it really okay to kidnap someone's child because she's being abused? Ain't there some better ways to handle things?
I understand this is a fiction book but I still can't help myself to wonder, is this okay?

I enjoyed the writing. Liked the fact that there's both of the ladies' point of views here. We get to see their reasons and thoughts and all that. It also jumps back and forth between before the kidnapping and after it. Though I noticed that if my attention wasn't fully placed on reading, I got a little confused on when, where and who. Same happened if I stopped reading in the middle of a chapter and continued later. Though that's completely on me.

As for the characters. I liked and hated them all. The dad in this was completely useless. Like how is it possible that he didn't see what was happening?! Why wasn't he paying attention to what happens around him? Has the smartphones taken our interests that much that we don't pay any attention to our surroundings anymore?
I understand Sarah's feelings, the need to get that little child away from her family and somewhere safe. But at the same time I can't stop thinking that there would have been better ways to handle things than just kidnap the child and leave.

All in all this was a book that really made me think about things a lot. What would I have done if I were on Sarah's shoes? And then of course there is the fact that how is these things handled in other countries? We have our own system here and I have no idea how child services work elsewhere. And I still need to recover from the Mother! Gosh she made me see red! I hope she enjoys her life now.

This book left a lot of questions in my mind-is it ok to kidnap a child if they are being abused? How could the mother act the way she did? It was a heartbreaking, contemporary story. When Sarah discovers 5 year old Emma is being abused by her mother, Amy, she decides to save her. She kidnaps her and they go on the run. This is the story of what happens to Sarah and Emma and how it affects her family. This was a book that I could not put down until I found out how it was going to end. I'm glad Net Galley gave me the chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book at 10 at night thinking I would read just a few chapters before bed. I literally didn't move off the couch until the very last words. This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful! Emma is a sweet beautiful 5 year old little girl that her mother Amy just doesn't get along with. Sarah first notices Emma and her family in the airport then months later runs into Emma again. Sarah kidnaps Emma wanting to show her love. The story is told by Sarah and Amy in before, during, and after timelines. I felt for all the characters even the ones that aren't particularly likable. I loved Emma as she is the absolute sweetest little girl. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this story due to the reviews and the description and I did relate to Sarah’s feelings, plus her compassion. But there is so much of this story that stretches the realm of reality, I lost credibility. I will not go into those instances because I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
I really liked the Before, After, and Now headings for the chapters, I loved the way she went between the characters and her descriptions of how each one was feeling was done very well. The relationship between Sarah and Emma grew as time went on and you could feel the specialness between them. The ending, not so much, was left hanging, not much firm closure.
If the story did not have so many unrealistic things that happened it would have been great. If you want to read something full of love for children and someone trying to do the right thing so badly, this is your book. Unfortunately 3*** stars is all I’ve got to give.
I was allowed the opportunity to receive this book from St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets 3***’s.

Four solid stars... until the ending, which felt a bit rushed, to put it mildly. However, despite the ending, I really enjoyed the novel. For a debut, it was fantastic. I gobbled it up.

Holy crap. Holy crap, this book was amazing. As a parent, there is nothing more horrifying than child abuse and kidnappings, both of which this book centers around. But should kidnapping be considered a crime if it's done for a good reason?

I'm not going to summarize the book; there are plenty of other reviews that will do so, and I don't want to give anything away. But all I have to say is, I was definitely on Sarah's side, and even though her crime was technically the worse of the crimes committed, she was definitely the better "parent" for Emma. I was wondering how the book would end - after all, I was rooting for the "bad guy" - and I have to say I was pleased with it. This was my introduction to Rea Frey but rest assured, I will be reading EVERYTHING she EVER writes. Five stars, only because five is the highest the ratings go...more stars are definitely deserved!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Not Her Daughter.

My expectations of this book were quite low. I was expecting the same kidnapping story that I have read 1000 times. This is not that story.

I pleasantly surprised with how the events played out. The only thing I would have liked more of is Amy's backstory. How she grew up and her relationship with her mother, etc. Amy is a very relate-able character, aside from being an abusive mother. I think most mother's young and old all come to a breaking point from being over worked, tired and having no support from your spouse. Sarah's story pulled at my heart strings, it has got to suck to be so successful, yet have everything in your personal life crumble around you and not be able to pull through it or get the closure you want. Also, where the heck does Ethan go in the book? He makes a threat and then is never seen from again.

The last line of Amy's final chapter shook me to the core. I definitely would recommend this book.

I couldn’t put this book down! I really liked the main character, Sarah, and I felt like I was just rooting for her the whole time. There were a few parts of the story that I felt were left a little unresolved for me, but I don’t want to give any spoilers. Even with that, I was so into this book that I never wanted to put it down. I couldn’t wait to finish it to see how things turned out, but I also didn’t want it to end.

One of my favorite books I have read this year!

Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey. At times puzzling but engaging story of two very different women and the impact a young girl has in both of their lives. Ending was somewhat unrealistic.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.