Rea Frey is a new author to me, and I am so grateful Netgalley gave me a copy on exchange for my honest review. I HONESTLY lost too much sleep. I loved the writing style and constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. Great book! Great writing.

Loved this book and couldn't put it down from the first few pages. The story is told from 2 different perspectives and is told as before, during and after. Loved the writing style and seeing how the characters developed throughout the book. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! This book was really good! Totally kept me interested and in suspense waiting to see what was going to happen with every turn of the page. One of the reasons I gave it four stars was because I think the title is just not indicative of the book and how good it is. It seems like it could be more exciting but maybe that's just me. The other reason, I will add at the end. Sarah Walker is an accomplished businesswoman who just went through a bad break-up. Although she is doing ok and throwing herself into her work, she is sad. She sees this 5 yo girl at the airport who is being treated really badly by her mom, bordering on abusive. The mom is nasty and the dad is oblivious but she lets it go. Then she sees her again on a work outing and starts kind of stalking the girl and witnesses physical and mental abuse by the mom, so she kidnaps the girl. The parents are obviously completely overwhelmed, have a terrible relationship and the mom takes it out on her daughter. So Sarah sees this and decides to take Emma and takes really great care of her, let her grow and flourish, so unlike a real kidnapping, she loves her and showers her with gifts. But the police are on her tail so she has to keep moving and avoiding them which proves to be challenging. Definitely a page turner! I did really like the ending though and it was a great book but it seemed like a few loose ends were left at the end. All in all I loved it though!

Could there be something such as a good kidnapping? That’s the question you will be asking yourself while reading Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey. This story is more of a suspense read than a thriller as you know from the beginning what is going on and it’s a matter of waiting it out to see just how it will all turn out.

At the beginning of the book Sarah Walker seems to have abducted a little girl named Emma and as the story unfolds in the current timeline it will also go back and show what led to Sarah doing what she did. You see, Sarah feels what she is doing is her only choice and that Emma desperately needs her to do it.

Going back we find that maybe Sarah wasn’t in the perfect state of mind having gone through a break up with a man she saw herself marrying and starting a family with. But what brought Sarah and Emma together were a set of chance encounters in which she witnesses Emma’s abusive mother.

Going into this one I saw a few reviewers call this one implausible, but I have to ask why? What is so far fetched to think that one woman sees a beautiful child and goes to extremes to keep that child from pain and suffering? Children go missing every day so are we all so jaded as to believe that one child out there might be better off and more the victim before they were taken than after?

We all hear the horror stories of what could happen in a home of that nature and Sarah connected and saw something in Emma that she lives with in herself. I could not only see it happening but I had a mental debate with myself the entire story in how I would want it to turn out. The story is quite compelling and changes the point of view between Sarah and Emma’s mother so you get to see both sides unfold in the past and present. In the end I would give this one 4.5 stars and recommend checking it out if you want to read a truly thought provoking and compelling story.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

How far would you go to protect an abused child?

What an incredible book.
Five ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ gigantical stars
(yes, that's a word 😉)

Was she kidnapped or was she rescued?

Not my Daughter is the debut novel by Rea Frey and is told in first person in alternating chapters between the mother and the kidnapper, moving between the past and the present seamlessly. Both characters are so relatable...yes, even the abusive mother. An emotionally charged story that had me turning the pages at a frantic rate. Easily one of the best books I've read this year.


I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. I did. The one question it claims to ask is how far you would go to protect an abused child? 

I can say honestly that kidnapping her is not one of those things. 

Told from the point of view of the mother, Amy, and the kidnapper, Sarah. Sarah sees Emily first in an airport being treated roughly by her obviously stressed mother. And when she sees her at a school next, she pretty much stalks her until she is alone and takes her.

Police are called. Several times Sarah and her vehicle are spotted. In one part they actually have her tag number, but still don't know who she is? Her ex boyfriend turned her in. Still the police have no idea. This was a hard part for me to find believable in this day and age of cell phones and Amber Alerts.

And as for the ending, really? Just call up the bad mom and ask to keep the child? Then what? How does that work? How do you get a birth certificate to start school? And the cops just quit looking?

For me this just wasn't even close to being believable.

Netgalley/ August 21st 2018 by St. Martin's Griffin

Amy is Emma's mother but Emma and Amy do not get along at all. Amy has a very short fuse with 5 year old Emma. When Sarah sees Emma at the Airport first she is drawn to the way the child is dragging behind her parents and seems lost. Then she see's how Amy treats Emma and recalls her own Mother. Loads of stuff happends Sarah ends up kidnapping ( in a way) Emma but for good reasons. . Emma gets a taste of love and never wants to go home. She loves Sarah as her Mom now not her real family.
This is a great book and I loved it. Too bad it was not legal to SAVE kids like this as so many would still be living. (#LucasStrong# In Loving memory of Lucas Hernandez of Wichita Ks)

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a heart-wrenching story of two women. One Sarah, the product of her neglected childhood and failed relationship and the other Amy who struggles with her perceived failures as a wife and mother.
Whilst I had some empathy for Amy and believe she suffers some form of depression I detested the way she treats her daughter with such cruelty and at best indifference.

This story is realistic in the portrayal of two lives that haven't been as fulfilled or as happy as they expected for different reasons. When Sarah kidnaps Emma the repercussions for both woman are monumental. Amy has to deal with the guilt of knowing that she actually doesn't love her little girl like she does her son.

This is such an emotional rollercoaster but I felt the ending was abrupt and a little unbelievable.

Rea Frey's debut novel was definitely a page turner! From her dedication, which pulled my heart strings, to the final page. I did not want to put this book down. You feel for Sarah and Amy. But I was Sarah and Emma to the end! Loved the book and am looking forward to the next Rea Frey novel!
Thank you Net Galley and St Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy!!

Emma is a little girl whose mother struggles with her role of a mother, and is often at her wits end when dealing with Emma. Sarah observes some of this interaction and decides to step in and rescue Emma from the situation she is in. However, kidnapping is what it is, and Sarah soon finds herself on the run, avoiding Amber Alerts and spottings.

The story line did move quickly as the anxiety built around whether Sarah would be discovered or not. I only gave this 3 stars because I'm still not sure how I felt about the ending. I essentially left the book with the thought of "Huh..." in my head and I'm thinking about it.

Loved this roller coaster ride; holding my breath wondering how is this going to end. Some tense moments! Mother/Daughter relationships are not always the touchy feeling kind. Really great read!!

Goal
Hope
Expectation
Those three words are used for everything in our life from career, family, friendships, relationships, love and books.
As a reader, we set goals of number of books read, goals of finishing books, goals of reading books outside our comfort zone and the goal of finding a book that will evoke a particular emotion such as sadness or joy.
We as readers hope that we meet our goals as well as hope that the book we choose gives us that satisfied feeling of having read a book worth our time.
We set expectations as readers on ourselves as well as the author to deliver a book that will let us escape for awhile from the daily tasks and responsibilities of everyday life.
Once in awhile, we are fortunate enough to read a book that surpasses our goals, exceeds our expectations and gives us hope that good books are not a thing of the past.
It’s easy to daydream any situation and ask yourself, how far are you willing to go or what would you do when presented with a particular situation but author, Rea Frey’s book, “Not my Daughter” puts those questions front and center to the two main characters, Sarah and Amy.
Successful businesswoman, Sarah Walker, is still in a lot of pain after the breakup with her longtime boyfriend. She immerses herself in her work.
Leaving on a business trip at the airport, Sarah sees a little girl being yelled at and yanked by her mother. It is unsettling and brings back memories of Sarah’s childhood.
The little girls mother, Amy, is a short tempered, overwrought mother of two. She takes out her frustrations too many times on Emma, her beautiful little five year old.
A chance second encounter gives Sarah the opportunity to do what most of think about doing, take Emma away from an abusive situation and give her a “better “ life.
Frey tells this tale from both characters point of view, harkening the reader to question ones own moral compass along with debating the age old question of nature vs nurture.
This book is a must read. I would like to thank Netgalley for an advance copy.
#netgalley #NotherDaughter

Impressive debut! Wonderful writing!

You see a little girl being yelled at and pulled along by her angry mother in a public place, what do you do ? Sarah witnesses a little girl being mistreated by her mom and feels badly for her. Her own memories of her childhood with her mother come back to her. Was it fate for Sarah to run into this little girl again weeks later? Was she meant to do something to help her?

The author did a wonderful job with character development. She had me rooting for the kidnapper not to be caught! What? Yes you read that right! This book pulls at the heart strings a bit and was a wonderful read that I really enjoyed. I'm not so sure I liked that ending though. hmm still contemplating that one! I will be looking for what this author comes up with next!

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book. Greatly appreciated!

Slippery Slope

The story of a single, heartbroken, and arguably unbalanced woman whose own mother’s abandonment years before has left deep scars and leads to her kidnapping a five year girl whose life with her own mother is anything but idyllic.

When Amy and her five year old daughter, Emma are chance witnessed by Sarah at an airport. Amy’s treatment of her daughter is appalling however through Sarah’s more sensitive eyes, perhaps worse than would be interpreted by the average person.

After witnessing the scene between Amy and Emma in the airport, Sarah astonishingly crosses paths with Emma again when Sarah and her crew visit a Montessori school to pitch their product. Emma is one of the students. This is where the story takes a strange turn.

Sarah, an early thirties successful business owner who makes reading kits for school age children bears the unresolved abandonment of a mother who clearly did not want her daughter or her life. After her mother’s departure, Sarah’s father became a devastated drunk and Sarah was left to be the adult.

Sarah feels that this encounter is fate and becomes obsessed with finding out if Emma is really OK. She stalks the family, finds out where they live and starts to watch Emma from the wooded area beyond her backyard. One night, she witnesses a disturbing altercation between Emma and her mother and makes a decision so rash, it defies any logic or clear thinking.

The book moves forward with back and forth chapters about Sarah and Emma and their life on the run and Amy, a character with zero redeeming qualities. She is written as hateful. She is a disgusting physical specimen with “revolting skin eruptions, foul gastrointestinal issues, an obsession with cheese, and no mothering instinct whatsoever. Her marriage to Richard, a meek and ineffective individual, is in complete disarray and she harbors untold reservoirs of contempt for her entire family. I have never seen an author with so much disdain for her own character. Amy invokes no sympathy while the investigation is underway to find her daughter and it becomes clear over time that she is not sure she even wants her back. When the leads eventually dry up, Amy becomes the number one suspect for her daughter’s potential murder and the instinct to protect herself kicks in as no one around her will take her side. The part of the story about Amy’s past lives seems trite and misplaced as a way to better explain her behavior. It missed the mark of garnering sympathy for this character. Amy’s time might have been better spent in anger management classes.

Sarah’s ex-boyfriend Ethan whom Sarah is still hung up on though he has seemingly moved on also seems out of place though Sarah does eventually encounter Ethan at some point. Attempting to give Sarah a new love interest while she is on the lam makes me think of writer’s ADD. Where is that supposed to fit in? It’s biting off more than can be chewed at once.

The investigation is a relative joke and this book does nothing to foster confidence in law enforcement. Emma might have been better off with Sarah but Sarah committed a huge crime. The book, including the ill formed questions at the end seems to take the stance that Sarah’s actions might have been justified. It’s also open to interpretation that Amy should have her child taken away from her as well as whether or not Sarah should be turned in. Fathers in this story are given no consideration whatsoever and Richard does not even factor into Amy’s final shocking decision.

Yes, it’s true, many people are not cut out to be parents. That has always been the case. However, presenting the idea that it’s rational to simply judge a situation from afar then play vigilante child protector is insane. The one character that tried to convey this to Sarah was dismissed.

The implications of this book are bigger than the story itself. When Sarah observed Amy and Emma for the first time, she could draw no real conclusions as to what the child was enduring on a daily basis. Amy could have been having a bad day. Does every mother having a bad day deserve to have her child taken by a clueless do-gooder? Though the second observation may have clinched it for Sarah, she had no right to do what she did even though in her mind, she was saving a child that would have likely been failed by the system. Even so, should Amy and Richard not have been presented with the opportunity to keep their family intact? The questions raised after the ending are ridiculous. The story came across as narrow-minded, idealistic, and ultimately irresponsible.

BRB Rating: Skip It.

3.5 stars. I struggle between really ajoying this book, and feeling like nothing was resolved. I don't want to give anything away, but at the end of the book there was resolution, but not one that included the massive amount of other people involved in the book.

I felt the back story of Amy as well as Sara added a ton to the story and really showed how everyone ended up becoming the people they are now. I fell in love with Emma and just wanted everything to turn out well for her. I'm hoping there is maybe a sequel in the works and that's why so much is left unresolved?

I received an advanced copy of this novel in return of an honest review.

Not Her Daughter is about a woman who kidnaps a child from her abusive, disinterested family for what she believes is in the best interest of the child’s future. It raises a lot of questions of how you would react in the situation and I feel the readers’ response will differ if they themselves are a mother. It is hard not to judge the mother in her treatment of her daughter and even harder not to want Sarah to get away with the kidnapping. I did enjoy the book, although at times I found the plot to be slightly unbelievable....is any five year old that perfectly behaved? I think I would rate the book higher had the ending been different. I would have liked to seen more consequences for her actions and more detail in how the future of all characters played out. All in all, I think this is a great storyline and many people will enjoy reading this book.

This book is so bad on so many different levels I hardly know where to start. It is totally unrealistic, but doesn’t work as a fantasy, either.

On the plus side:
The premise of showcasing 2 different women who were rejected by their mothers was a good one and could have worked well into a meaningful plot. Showing one woman to be repeating the abuse she had endured while the other was seeking to right wrongs done to her made for a good contrast. Showing the fathers in the 2 situations to be ineffectual wimps was a bit heavy handed, but … plausible. And even showing the one man who was astute enough to understand the situation was also astute enough to steer clear of marriage into the situation was reasonable.

The rest of the plot was totally unrealistic. The story line jumped hither, thither and yon with chapters “before,” “during,” “after,” and “now.” There was an excess of repetition, fluff and padding with back stories and asides to keep the reader off track and guessing what would happen next.

Life, especially with children, is not one continuous playground.

Some of the holes in reality included things like trading cars. Trading cars at a dealership (even CarMax) involves a lot of legalities – car titles, for instance, insurance and license plates. Another hole would involve selling the business. Even in today’s virtual world, I can’t see how that would happen apart from an actual appearance and an actual signature – at the very least. And then of course in the end, enrolling in school. That involves a birth certificate and an immunization record.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for an ARC of this book, but I can not recommend it to anyone.

A great suspense book and boards on family and how how everyday life at what others see and view as we raise our children. Was a book that went fast and totally enjoyed ...especially if your children have ever stressed you out. Thanks Netgalley

“Not My Daughter” is a page turner and would make an interesting book club pick. Frey does an excellent job in building one perception of a character, and then slowly undermining and exploring that initial perspective. The book shifts narratives from “before” and “after” a significant incident. This lends to the excellent and deep character development of the two primary female characters in the book. Throughout the book, you’re not sure who you should be rooting for, or what ending would be satisfying. In fact, my only criticism of the book is that the ending eventually was unsatisfying - the story felt incomplete and not fully fleshed out. The ending was a bit unbelievable, abrupt, and left many loose ends undone. But, given how engrossed I was with the entire book until that point, it begs the question - perhaps a sequel? I know I’d read it!

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of NOT HER DAUGHTER by Rea Frey in exchange for my honest review.***

In an airport, Sarah sees five-year-old Emma mistreated by her mother Amy, Sarah can’t get the little girl out of her mind. A few months later, she sees the Emma again and decides to rescue (kidnap) the child. What could possibly go wrong?

Rea Frey wrote so convincingly she had me rooting for the kidnapper not to be caught, even convinced in this one case, stealing a child isn’t *that* wrong. Down was up and up was down and what I knew to be right vs wrong became murky. I kept reminding myself I shouldn’t be championing a criminal because Emma is NOT HER DAUGHTER.

I’m not a criminal mastermind, but I’ve watched Law&Order repeats forever, so I’ve learned a few tips on getting away with crime that Sarah hasn’t. First off, I’d use a different name for myself and my victim (rescuee) for when her pretty little face was plastered in the media nationwide. Then, I’d change our appearances (which Sarah finally does). I’d sell my car, get new electronics so I couldn’t be traced. Next, I’d lay low and strategically plan my next move giving my family and friends plausible reasons for my disappearance. Lack of Common Sense Abduction Strategies distracted me, although Frey may have chosen to refrain from making Sarah kidnapper-savvy to show a lack of criminal intent.

Amy’s chapters interested me less, though Frey did a good job of making Emma’s mother have some neutralizing characteristics like her ability to parent her son. As someone who has worked wit parents and kids, Amy’s poor parenting didn’t shock me the way it would some readers.

Some parts of the plot and the ending felt unrealistic, but fit the story well. NOT HER DAUGHTER is a fast paced, heartfelt story that will grab readers and keep them hooked from start to finish.