Saved, or just gone from one abuser to another? Poor baby! Emma has been snatched and she's five. Who loves her more? Where will she wind up in the long run? Well, the problem was holes in the plot among other things. Overlooking them, this book explores what can go wrong or right with motherhood, and it crosses lines that aren't ethical but could be "moral" to an extent. For that part, it's a complicated issue and a horrible mess. It does pack a good bit of emotion but leaves me unsettled and aggravated. What happened on all levels was wrong, two wrongs don't make a right. People playing God typically fail, and I feel that's what happened in this book. It had a strong chance until it unraveled in the last 1/4 of the book.

Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC copy of this book. This review is my own, left of my own free will.

Sarah is in an airport going on a business trip when she saw Emma’s mother being verbally and physically abusive. Sarah wants to do something but can’t because they are going separate directions. Later on, Sarah sees Emma again at her school while she is trying to sell her books. She notices more abuse at that time. She finally gets the chance to snatch Emma from her family.

Sarah thinks she is doing the right thing and protecting Emma. Is Sarah right to do take Emma under the circumstances? This book keeps your interest to the end. I recommend reading this book!

A fun, unputdownable, refreshingly original take on the often overused kidnapping theme. It begs the question, “if you’re rescuing a child from a harmful home life, is kidnapping really that terrible?” It’s a lot for the reader to grapple with, and I thought it was such an interesting concept. I had never heard of this author, but now I’m dying to get my hands on another of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I completely understand where Sarah is coming from, to see a child that's being verbally and emotionally abused and want to do something to help the child.

What Sarah did though, is not the way to handle the situation. Granted, CPS (child protective services) might not have thought the behavior of the child's mother rose to the level of neglect or child abuse in their eyes, but it would have given the father a chance to remedy the situation.

Sarah's actions affect more than just Emma (the child) but also the child's parents – BOTH of her parents. Yes, her mother is neglectful and oftentimes mentally and physically abusive and her father is apathetic. Given the chance and knowing that someone was looking at his family, I believe the father would have taken both children and made a better life for them.

As it stands, you have a mother who never wanted to be a parent and father who is grieving for his daughter while Sarah raises Emma. It seems the author attempted to do the right thing by having Sarah contact the mother, but did anyone think about the father?

What a story of heartbreak! Rea Fray writes a story that tells both sides of the story…one of Sarah the kidnapper and the other of Amy the mother. This story will make you feel like you are rooting for the wrong person and justifying people’s actions.
Rea Fray writes an amazing and emotional tale. I was drawn into this book very fast and this book stayed with me until a while after I was done. She writes characters with depth and raw emotion. As a mother reading this book was very haunting for both sides.
I cannot wait to read more from Rea Fray!

This book had an interesting premise and would have really excelled had it been in any way believable. The main character Sarah just seemed to take what she wanted with no consequence and i'm sorry that just WOULD not happen. Emma's mum was an awful person! It pains me to think people like that exist.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book touched me on a different level than I expected, having shared childhood experiences with the main character. I am left wondering how my response to the book would have been otherwise...not taking away from the book itself, because its really good, but my reaction probably was a bit different based on that.
The writing grabbed me from the beginning and held me tight throughout the storyline. The plot was touching but I would have like a stronger ending, but still it was endearing.
The characters...some I wanted to smack, but at the same time I kind of felt sorry for them. So I guess the author did a good job on the characters because they evoked feelings.
I found the book hard to put down and really enjoyed this thrilling touching story. 4 stars.

Sarah has never done anything to get in trouble with the law, but when she sees a child being severely mistreated at the airport she feels compelled to do something.

This story is of two women. One who isn't happy with the life she has and one who is searching for the life she wants. A telling tale of what one woman will do to ensure the safety of a child. No matter if that child is her own or not.

The other story in this book is of a woman that isn't happy with her lot in life. A meh husband and a daughter that she could really care less about. When her child is kidnapped she has trouble deciding whether is a problem or a blessing in disguise.

If you saw an innocent child being abused and neglected by her parents, what would you do? Report it to the authorities knowing the system is broken? Or would you take her away and give her a better life? If it was your child and you knew you were an unfit mother, would you want her back? This novel will have you questioning what is right and wrong. I was quickly swept up into this story and was constantly questioning myself and coming up with various ways that the novel would end. It did not disappoint. 4/5 stars.

Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if you saw a child being abused? Would it make any difference if you'd suffered a similar abuse? Sarah sees Emma and cant forget her. Fate seems to keep bringing them together and Sarah can't allow what she sees to continue.

I really enjoyed the story and the alternating between Sarah and Amy. I wasn't a fan of Amy or Sarah. Amy was a horrid mother and admitted to not liking her daughter and Sarah is a kidnapper. My problem with Sarah is she justifies her kidnapping, but it's still kidnapping. I loved the writing style and was completely hooked from the first chapter.

Sarah witnesses an incident at an airport involving a five year old girl, Emma Grace, and her mother. Sarah immediately identifies with the little girl. On a random visit to a Montessori School, Sarah crosses paths with Emma once again. She pretty much stalks the family, by constantly riding her bike by their house. While hiding in the woods behind Emma's house, Sarah witnesses Emma being slapped. She makes her move and the girl goes willingly with her. Sarah believes she is doing the right thing.

I had mixed emotions about this book. I found this book really scary. No one saw Sarah take Emma and the worst part was that Emma went with her. There was no Stanger Danger. I knew there was no going back for Sarah when she brought out the scissors and hair dye. You can't just kidnap a child because you think they have a horrible life. What kind of life is Sarah giving Emma? It's one built on lies, they are constantly looking over their shoulders and moving all the time. I have so many questions!! How Sarah is able to pull this off and how can Emma go to school without the proper paper work? Ethan knows who has the child, so why doesn't he go to the police? What really happened with Ethan? If Sarah was really happy with him and loved him what was the problem? For as smart as Sarah was she just didn't make good decisions. She meets a man at a park, goes to dinner with him and then spends several days with him. Who does that? Doesn't she watch the ID Channel? That's how people get locked down in basements, but I guess it doesn't matter since she is already a kidnapper and crossed many state lines. It seemed so random that Sarah's mom happens to call her. It's been twenty-five years since she has seen her.

Then there's Emma's parents. Did I like them- NO, but I did feel sorry that their daughter was stolen from them. Emma showed no emotion for her mom or dad. She never missed them or cried for them. It seemed so unusually for a child.

I definitely recommend the book. Loved the story and writing style and can't wait to read more by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author, Rea Frey, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

Emma is a 5 year old girl that has been kidnapped - or has she been saved by someone that yearns to give her a better life? Amy is her biological, unfit mother and Sarah is her kidnapper/savior. Sarah has witnessed Amy being a poor mother to Emma and, having been abandoned by her own mother as a child, decides to take advantage of a situation and provide Emma a better life, on the run or otherwise.
As a mother, especially the mother of a daughter, this book spoke to me. I felt for Emma (which happens to be my daughter's name!) and Sarah alike. It kept me thinking about the book long after I finished it.
Thank you to Rea Frey, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book!

This was a fantastic domestic thriller! The twists and turns were both subtle and complex. The story upends the roles of victim and perpetrator in a uniquely fascinating manner. I'll be thinking about Amy, Sara and Emma for a long time.

This book was a rather trite fiction detailing a kidnapping. I did not really care for any of the characters and got bored with the plot early in the book and had to force myself to finish it. Sorry this one was not for me.

This book really started off with a bang. Right from the first page, you get the sense that the main character really feels for this little girl and the situation she is going through. The whole story is based on this little girl and how Sarah takes care of her. What I didn't like about the book was how it ended. I don't want to give anything away, but I really wanted closure and never got it. What made ma laugh was the way the little girl really came out of her shell and was finally able to be a child, play and have fun. What made me cry were the scenes of how the mother treated the little girl. It was heart breaking and made me wonder how a mother could ever treat their child like that. As a mother, I could never imagine doing these things to my sons, but in this world that we live in, I know that worse is happening.



All in all, this was a great read with lots of through provoking content. If you love a good thrilling escape, I think you should read this book.



Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Has she been stolen...or rescued?

Amy has a five year old daughter, Emma, and the two of them are like oil and water in their very damaged relationship. Amy is physically abusive because Emma is a contentious brat. Emma is contentious because she knows her mother doesn't love her. Nothing good can come from this continuing in the same manner.

Sarah is an innocent bystander, a successful business woman, who has witnessed firsthand the awful parenting of Amy. Having been abandoned by her own mother at the age of eight, she compares her own feelings with what she believes Emma is experiencing. One night when Amy locks Emma out of the house with no dinner, Sarah takes Emma and thus starts a kidnapping investigation and a series of close calls for Sarah and Emma on he run. Emma, of course, is now the perfect child being with someone who actually cares about her.

I couldn't stop thinking about these people even after long stretches when I wasn't able to get back to my reading. The author had me caring about what was going to ultimately happen. Were Sarah and Emma perhaps too perfect together? Maybe. Was Amy the ultimate mother from hell with not a single redeeming quality and no regrets for her actions? Hell yes!

Toward the middle and onward there were a few plot holes and I thought what happened in Chicago was not at all believable, but overall this made for an addictive read. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for my copy.

Not her daughter is the type of book I’m typically drawn too. However, I need to find something to connect me to the story and this time I wasn’t able too. Maybe at a later time but at this point in my life it wasn’t doing it for me.

Disclaimer, I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can purchase this book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Her-Daughter-Rea-Frey-ebook/dp/B0763SWY52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535587563&sr=8-1&keywords=Not+Her+Daughter++by+Rea+Frey


I am going to sum this book up in two words, "Woa BABY"
As a mother, I am a little shook by this book. I cannot say how many times I have seen things in stores, etc that blow my mind with other parents, but I don't think I would ever take someone's child because I thought I could give him or her a better home. This story is about a child, Emma who is abused and a woman named Sarah who witnesses it and when she first sees it wants to intervene, but refrains, but when she sees it again, she makes a plan.
Sarah makes her move and her and Emma begin a journey getting to know each other and start a new life together. Despite Emma's parents calling the police and lots of heart wrenching moments we are on this journey on the lam. My heart was beating on the overload during this book. As a mother I was so torn as to how to feel. After you read this book, there are plenty of what would I have done moments to reflect on.

What makes a good parent? Can a kidnapping be justified? These are some of the questions raised by Rea Frey in her debut suspense novel, Not Her Daughter.

This is a book that caught my attention, first with the cover and title and then with the premise. It was the writing that kept me reading, wanting to discover how the story would unfold, and the skill of the writer that kept me wavering between opinions. Moments where the plausibility is questionable are quickly dispelled and the reader learns possible motives and a fuller picture emerges as the narration moves back and forth between a first and third person.

The different points of view are a good part of what makes this a suspenseful and compelling story. Having Sarah and Emma be spotted despite Sarah's efforts to disguise them in ways that are typically successful in suspense stories, and growing suspicion of Amy Townsend's guilt in the disappearance and possible death of her daughter being aided by her erratic behavior were both quite effective. Emma herself is a bit of a cypher, seeming to exist more in what she represents to others than as a full person.

Less effective was the fractured timeline. For those who track multiple strands of time and enjoy a novel organized a bit like a jigsaw puzzle with no picture, this should be no issue, but it is otherwise potentially a bit confusing if not read in larger portions.

But, don't get me wrong, this is a debut of an author that shows great talent. If you enjoy suspense fiction, stories that make you question the right and wrong of character's motives and actions, or if you are just intrigued by the story, do give this a try.

This review refers to an uncorrected digital copy read through NetGalley, as a Read Now (no publisher approval required) title, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. I have to admit that the it was basically unbelievable but something I really wanted to believe so I let myself be swept into their world. I fell in love with Emma in the airport and could feel myself disliking Amy immediately. Rea Frey took a situation we all wish we could control and let us watch that happen.