Don’t know quite what to say about this book. The first couple of pages I thought I wouldn’t finish it. I turned another page and I was hooked! Emma has had a sad childhood. She comes across a very young abused child and decides she needs to take this child and give her a better life.. they go on the run. The child comes from a disfunctional home. The mother doesn’t want the child because the child is more than she wants to handle. The author makes it difficult for you to decide who to side with.

** spoiler alert ** While I read the book quickly because I couldn't figure out what would happen, I found the whole thing entirely too far-fetched. I didn't like either of the main characters at all and really didn't care what happened to them. I only cared about Emma. I just found the ending so incredibly difficult to believe that I felt like the entire book was a waste of my time.

This book highlighted lots of issues we often see. We see a child being yelled at and smacked in a store, what do we do? Probably nothing. Where is the line at which we would take action? Sarah sees a child being abused physically and she imagines worse. She takes the child, Emma, feeling she is saving her. The mother of Emma, Amy, finds coping with Emma difficult, she feels maybe she is not cut out for motherhood. But her child is missing and she must act like it is the end of the world for her. Emma loves being with Sarah and has done from the beginning. Does that make it all right for Sarah to keep her? Or must she give Emma back? A great story!

"She was safe. She was fed. She had fun. She learned things. She was loved."
This story is about a young woman, Sarah, who never had love from her mother.
Emma, is five and there are too many similarities in Emma's life that Sarah cannot allow.
Sarah makes a split second decision that she must now live with.
What is the right thing?
I read this novel in a day and really enjoyed it. I had mixed emotions as I turned the pages and I am sure anyone who reads this will also experience anger, frustration, and yet love for these two characters.

When a wealthy young woman spirits away a beautiful little girl, was she kidnapped or was she rescued?

I could not put this book down! I seriously sat and read this in one sitting.

"Emma Grace Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes. Brown hair. Missing since June."

Sarah is still reeling after a painful breakup with her longtime boyfriend, Ethan. She has thrown herself into her work and while traveling for business observes a family in an airport. Immediately she feels for young Emma who is being pushed and pulled through the airport by her Mother. Seeing this young girl, takes Sarah back to her childhood. Sarah's Mother wanted to be an actress. She wasn't the most involved or caring mothers and then one day she was gone with no goodbye or reason for leaving.

Amy is an unhappily married mother of two who does not have any patience for her daughter. She loses her temper frequently and well, I let you read the book to learn the rest.

I enjoyed reading the POV chapters of both Sarah and Amy. We learn their thoughts and emotions during the "before", "during" and "after" sections of the book. I wished there had been a POV chapter of Emma as well. This is a book that deals with some BIG issues such as Child Abuse and kidnapping.

4.5 stars because it sucked me in and I was instantly attached to the characters and their plight. Would the world ever learn just how crappy a Mother Amy was? Would Sarah ever get caught? Why had no one in their community or at Emma's school noticed anything was wrong? Who was Emma safer with? Who was a better "Mother" to her? Who did Emma want to be with?

This was a fast read for me. Everything in this book flowed nicely - nothing felt drawn out or rushed. It was well written and stirs the emotions of the reader. Some parts of the book may be difficult for some to read. It is not easy to read about a child being mistreated. Plus, most readers are going to want to shake both women at different times for their poor judgement. Sarah is obviously much more likable than Amy, but she does make some poor decision along the way. Then there is Amy who was no likable at all.

This is a book which is both heavy and light at the same time. Heavy when dealing with abuse and kidnapping but light when Emma is having fun and being cared for.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was on vacation while reading this and I'm telling you, we had to delay dinner by quite a bit because I had to keep reading til the very end to see what happened to the two lead characters! I absolutely loved this book. Could completely understand each of the characters which were drawn in such fine sensory detail. I felt like I was right there with all of them through the entire story. I love books that raise moral issues and point out that we live in the gray areas so beautifully. If you like books about mothers and daughters, and love between those who relate like mothers and daughters even though they are not related by blood, then this amazing novel is for you.

I was able to read this book for free from NetGalley, and am grateful to the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story grabs you from the beginning. It's impossible to put it down. When someone has lived through the same treatment, they find it impossible to resist trying to improve the conditions a child is living under. It's an emotional roller coaster of a book. Well written and keeps you engaged!

I received this book "Not Her Daughter" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed reading this book. As you are reading you can see both sides of the story and points of view. Emma really needs some help from the life she is living and Sarah feels like something is pulling her towards Emma. Can she help the little girl? Should she help the little girl? Emma's mother Amy is just not cut out to be a mother and struggles all the time with raising her. As you follow the journey you really can't believe what is happening but at the same time you know things like this do take place. Sometimes once you make a choice there is no turning back. Great Book.

An emotional journey into mother/child relationships and past trauma and abandonment issues. A woman, Sarah, witnesses a young girl, Emma, being emotionally abused by her mother. Due to her own traumatic childhood, Sarah becomes so attached to the plight of this little girl that she feels a responsibility to kidnap and rescue her. This book delves deeply into emotional aspects from both Sarah’s and Emma’s mother’s point of view and has great discussion value with questions included. Recommended for book clubs.

This was a conflicting and heartbreaking book. This is alternating between the kidnapper (Sarah)and the mother (Amy)with before,during and after sections .

Sarah's childhood maternal abandonment,failed relationship, and want to help Emma is explored.I didn't want to root for her but I couldn't help but empathize with her. Her actions are understandable even if they are recommendable.

Amy is a frazzled wife and mother who is doubting her marriage and decision to have kids. She isn't the most likable of people . She does seem to have some sort of depression which I can empathize with. She is not a nice woman but she is realistic.

I enjoyed much more than I thought I would. These a women fighting their demons and it leads to an unfortunate situation.The ending was both surprising and not.I'm lukewarm on it overall but it does wrap up.

I'd recommend this for fan of women's fiction dealing with mother's and daughters and those who want a more nuanced kidnapping story.

I was sent an offer to read this on netgalley after requesting another book and I am so glad I decided to grab it and read it! This was a very good, but heart wretching read. To follow the journey of Sarah, Amy, and Grace, my heart broke several times. But I recommend everyone to read this book. It was amazing.

Stayed up way too late last night finishing this one but it was so worth it! HIGHLY recommend - once I started, I could not put it down. Preorder this one! The story covers the dynamic relationship between mothers and daughters, abuse, and the choices people make. A great book club book.

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinspress for the eARC. This is my honest review.

I was so very excited for this book for the first few chapters, but it kind of stalled out.

This book switches POVs between the mother, and the kidnapper, and it’s quite intriguing. I kept rootin’ for the kidnapper, Which is weird, right?

Anyways, I’m not crazy about how the book ended, theres a lot of information I just need!

I would be curious to see how a second book planned out. I would recommend this book, because I did enjoy it, but it wouldn’t be at the top of my list.

Amy has a life most would love to have, but she just can't find it in herself to embrace it, being a mother isn't what she thought it would be, and her relationship with her husband is on shaky ground most of the time, which leaves her feeling overwhelmed. Most days she can maneuver through her life, but there are days when she downright hates her life, and against her better judgement takes her frustrations out on her young daughter. And those are the days that she is certain motherhood and domesticated life just wasn't meant for her...

Sarah knows what it is like to come from a broken home, and what it feels like to be abandoned by the ones who are supposed to love you, and she wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy. Her mother never seemed to have the motherly touch, and her father tried, but his efforts were always lacking. Then she meets young Emma, and she instantly recognizes the hurt written on the young girls face, it closely resembles the look she has carried for years, and before she really comprehends what she is doing, she kidnaps the young girl with the promise of giving her a better life. The very one she always wished she would have had, she knows what she is doing wrong on some level, but the more time she spends with Emma the more ways she finds to justify her actions...

Not Her Daughter is a haunting tale that follows two women and young child on an unforgettable journey, one is her uncaring biological mother and the other a good intention-ed woman who kidnapped her with the hope of giving her the loving home she deserves. Between the pages of this exquisitely crafted tale you will find a story that pushes you to your breaking point, makes your heart ache, and gives you hope. This is by far one of the best first read my eyes have landed on this year, this powerful story hit me deep, and made me feel the intent behind every word... it was downright astounding! If there is one book you pick up this year, make it this one, you won't be disappointed with what you find!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Sarah Walker was raised by a distant and uncaring mother. Her dad meant well but was completely oblivious of the deep voids in Sarah’s childhood. Sarah grew up harboring a fear of rejection and abandonment that was so painful; she ended up kidnapping a child who reminded her so much of her own childhood.
That makes it all okay, right? As the events unfold and you read about little Emma Townsend, you just may agree deep down inside even though it’s very immoral (and highly illegal) to act on impulse like Sarah did. So she realizes after an hour or so how serious her mistake is and she returns Emma safely? No. She goes on an across-country run, hiding, changing their appearance, lying and leaving small crumbs of a trail along the way. And Emma is having the time of her life; swimming, spending quality time with an adult who loves her, eating good food, reading, and learning.
Now how does a really talented writer end a book like this? I kept thinking that Rea Frey was writing herself into a corner. Wrong. She took an angle that I didn’t see coming. Read it. Just read it. You’ll think of kids you’ve seen out in public and wished you had done something. I’m neither condoning nor encouraging the fictitious situation, but I did thoroughly enjoy how the events unfolded.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)

I received a copy of NOT HER DAUGHTER on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

NOT HER DAUGHTER is one of these books that will stay with you for a long time. No joke. I laughed. I cried. I even debated throwing my phone/kindle app against the wall several times. Rea Frey delivers an emotionally gripping read that takes the definition of motherhood and blows it out of the water. Seriously.

I love the premise.

*Sarah: one well-intentioned woman hell-bent on rescuing a little girl from supposed abuse because she experienced the same thing as a child, and couldn’t do anything about her situation, whereas she can most definitely kidnap this little girl and save her from the same fate and heartache.

*Amy: one over-wrought mother who takes out the frustration of her lackluster life, ineffectual husband, and frustrating marriage on her little girl. She’s not quite sure she really wants her back.

*Emma: one sweet little girl caught in the middle.

What could possibly go wrong?

Most of us have been confronted with a situation where we’d like to take the bull by the horns and throw the consequences out with the bathwater. Sarah Walker does just that. From the first page to the very last word, I devoured this story in one sitting. The moral complications will set your heart on fire and your head spinning.

I’ve got a wicked book hangover reading NOT HER DAUGHTER and you will, too. Highly recommend!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Emma is 5 years old. She is lonely. Her mother is cruel. Her father is clueless. This is her life.

Amy is Emma's mom. She is tired. Her life is filled with disappointment, and she has struggled with being a mother.

Sarah is an entrepreneur. And now she is a kidnapper. But is she wrong to "rescue" Emma from her mother?

I struggled with this book. The characters aren't really unlikable. You can feel the struggles that Amy goes through. At the same time, you are rooting for Sarah because you can somewhat understand why she did what she did. However, I found it a little unrealistic, especially the ending. It feels weird that this book sort of advocates for kidnapping a way. I was hoping for a bit more suspense in the story, but I guess the main story here is processing the kidnapping and deciding for yourself if it was wrong.

This book was wild from start to finish. I sympathize with both Sarah and Amy. Sarah just wants to save Emma and save her from the abandonment she experienced. I sympathize with Amy ONLY SLIGHTLY, because motherhood is NOT for everyone, even when you're birthing your own babies. Read, read, read. You will not be disappointed, but rather intrigued and gripped from start to finish.

I truly loved this book. I will recommend it to my friends!