A Good Enough Mother will no doubt have a lot of readers discussing whether psychotherapist Ruth was a good enough mother, or whether she had the foibles most mothers experience. Ruth has twin children, a boy and a girl. She has always felt that Tom needed more emotional support than his sister but one day, when he is 17, he disappears from her life with no explanation.

When a new patient is referred to Ruth she is startled by his resemblance to her missing son. Her reaction leads her to make mistakes but we also learn a lot about mental health, psychology and family relationships during the journey.

A Good Enough Mother is an unusual and powerful story. I highly recommend it. Many thanks to NetGalley and Faber & Faber for the opportunity to read and review the book.

What a book!

I was so caught up in this book, I felt I was reading not fiction but fact, someone’s real life story. So absorbing so beautifully written. Thank you NetGalley!

2019 really is shaping up to be the year of the debut! The first novel by Bev Thomas is both gripping and beautifully written; it tells the story of Ruth, a psychotherapist whose work brings her into contact with complex troubled individuals and whose personal life is difficult since her son Tom disappeared. Events spiral out of control as the story hurtles towards its shocking and unforeseen ending. I look forward to further novels by this talented writer.

Ruth Hartland is a therapist who works in a NHS trauma clinic, helping vulnerable people cope with the traumatic experiences they have had. However, what nobody really knows is, Ruth’s personal life is also vulnerable – her 17-year-old son, Tom, has been gone for almost 2 years. Nobody knows what’s happened to him. Then one day, Ruth sees him in her clinic. Only, it isn’t him, but rather someone who looks strikingly similar.
Ruth’s longing for her son means she doesn’t quite think straight with this mystery man, which leads her down a path full of despair and danger that she’ll wish she could change.

Well damn. This book. I thought this would be a mystery-thriller, but it wasn’t really. It was more of a mystery-drama combined with suspense. A lot of the events in the novel, I felt, were quite deep and meaningful, and centred around the issue of familial bonds. Through Ruth and her family, and some of Ruth’s patients, there was an exploration of the topics of family relationships and the role of a mother, and where psychology plays parts in these dynamics. Some of it was powerful stuff, and really made me think beyond the realm of fictional characters. Because of this depth, I'd describe the pace of this book as a slow-burn.

I think it's quite a clever story, and I enjoyed that in ways, the book was a homage to mental health services and psychology, which was achieved through multiple character perspectives. Ruth and her anxiety of the world, Tom and his identity, Dan and his issues. There isn't one character who isn't explored through the lens of mental states. Furthermore, it clearly illustrated the good and the bad in these clinics, such as challenges the services faces, and the work they do.

I found the narrative of the book kind of like being a fly on the wall, observing the trauma clinic, patients’ appointments and the intimate affairs of Ruth’s life. It’s safe to say, this book was very psychology laden, which in this instance I did enjoy - it explored the relationship between therapist and patient (the good and bad).

I liked and connected with Ruth, in both her roles as a mother and a professional therapist. One minute I wanted to shake Ruth to hopefully make her come to her senses, and then I wanted to pass her a tissue as a supporting shoulder. I quite liked all the other characters, and easily mistrusted and disliked those I was meant to.

The mysteries were so utterly compelling, I found it difficult to predict anything. I didn't see the climax of the novel coming, which was really shocking but satisfying. However, my personal feelings of reading the book, is that I would have liked a little bit more of an explanation regarding Tom. For this to be a perfect 5-star book, I would have needed more exploration regarding exactly how his story ended the way it did. There are still bits that are a mystery, and I don't like that it wasn’t finished with concrete answers.

I enjoyed this well written story as it kept me engaged with the plot and the characters. I did feel that the writing at times became a little long-winded, as I wanted to skim read some pages, desperate to get on. However, the book's promise from the offset that this story has tragedy ahead, was definitely kept. I’ve decided to rate this 4 stars, due to the Tom’s issue explained above. The mysteries were interesting and the plot was thoroughly enjoyable – I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy slow-burn mystery dramas, because that climax twist really was something!
Thank you kindly to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc, in exchange for this honest review.

Found this a very compelling read. Ruth, a trauma counsellor is herself in trauma following the disappearance of her own very troubled teenage son some months before. A new patient is assigned to her who instantly reminds her of her missing Tom. But Dan is a danger to himself and others, and although she know this Ruth is powerless to stop herself crossing the line, in helping him, surely she is helping Tom. But of course fiction never plays out that way.
A really good mix between an emotional troubled teenager and the relationship with his mother, and a thriller as the unpredictable Dan storyline builds to a horrifying conclusion. Really memorable, and I didn’t see all the twists coming. A really good read.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Ruth Hartland is a trauma therapist who is struggling with the disappearance (over a year ago) of her 17 year old son Tom. She takes on a new patient who reminds her very much of Tom and this clouds her judgement and leads to mistakes in her treatment of him and of another patient.

I found this a well-written and compelling read. The depiction of Ruth and her relationships with the various members of her family was excellent. I can't say I liked her much, but she was a well drawn protagonist. The whole thing read a bit like a car crash in slow motion though, as it was clear from the beginning that things were going to end in disaster. We did get to see Ruth treating 'normal' patients, which I think was supposed to convince us that she was normally excellent at her job, but my brain kept saying to her "Chase up those medical notes!" and more generally "Don't do it!" at various times.

I found the ending satisfactory, and would be keen to read more novels by this author.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
I'm not sure what I expected from this book,possibly not to be swept along with it quite as much as I was.
Each character felt real enough... both those in therapy and those out.
You know from the beginning something awful happens and to some extent who's involved.... I second guessed a few things before coming to almost the right conclusion.
Ruth's heartbreak over Tom read so realistically that I felt for her,and the ending gave me hope....
Beautifully written,and a book that has me making a mental note of author for further works.