OMG WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I am usually not a fan of sci-fi books cause there too hard to follow but Kira Peikoff sure knows how to "dumb it down" but in a good way. With her style of writing I was able to follow this story no problem and understand the genetics parts. This story has just the right amount of normalcy w/the science of it to keep your interests and wanting to know what happens to these extraordinary characters.
Claire is a middle aged woman whose son died at a young age from a genetic mutation only passed down through the mother. Her guilt and longing for another child pushes her to desperation and she seeks out a Dr who can "design" a child without this specific mutation. So she goes to him and opens up a can of worms she never expected. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review.

This was the perfect beach thriller - a quick, easy read with lots of twists. Some were predictable, others were less. I really enjoyed the science-y side to this book. It added unique spin you don’t see often. Although it bugged me that Jillian was a genius science prodigy who’s one downfall was a man, it lent well to the story. I’d recommend this one!

I can't speak for the soundness of the science in this story, but I definitely tore through this fast paced story that combined bioethics with the depth and emotions about family, in all the ways it can be created. The process that Claire, Nash and Jillian went through to create embryos using selected elements of both Claire and Jillian's DNA seemed plausible enough, and the controversy around it also seemed reasonable. The ending threw some curves, and while many of them were what I expected, there were a couple that had me sucking in a breath when they caught me off-guard. If I have one quibble it was that the voice of Abby read quite a bit older than 11, and some of the concepts that she easily grasped seemed out of range. It wasn't enough to ruin the story, and it's worth the quick read!

There's nothing I love more than a good medical drama mixed with a psychological thriller and I enjoyed this one very much!

Claire and Ethan Abrams lost their first child Colton at eight years old from a degenerative disease caused by faulty mitochondria, the energy driving components of our cells. They would dearly love to have another child but while Ethan is prepared to take a chance that another child would not be as badly affected, Claire doesn't think she could go through watching another child suffer and die. As the genetic material in mitochondria is only passed on from the mother, she also knows she is responsible for passing on this disease. When she hears of a team of IVF specialists working on an experimental new technique that involves transferring combining mitochondria from a healthy donor into an embryo (known as three parent IVF) she thinks that might be the answer to their prayers. Although the technique is illegal and she knows her husband, a professor of bioethics, would never approve of it, she offers herself as a guinea pig to the IVF team. However, just before her baby is due, news of what they have done is reported to the FDA, leading to the IVF team being charged and Claire fleeing into hiding.

The novel starts ten years later with Claire and her daughter Abby are still in hiding when Jillian Hendricks, the IVF scientist is released from jail and manages to find them. She is bitter and twisted and has a plan for revenge and restitution of what should be hers on her mind. A very original and twisty psychological thriller!

Mother Knows Best is a thrilling novel about a love triangle and an illegal study that creates one of the captivating page-turners on the book market.

Claire's family is a carrier of a genetic mutation that has been passed from generation to generation, affecting every member of the family, resulting early passing of the relatives and of course - devastation to the family. After Claire's son passed away from the disease - she did not give up on the opportunity to become a mother again. And one day the Gods of the worldwide web brings Claire and Jillian, young scientist, together. Jillian shares a "tip" with her new friend. The "tip" contains information on a study that has not yet been tested on humans, however, the experiment could give a chance to a person with Claire's disease to give birth to a healthy child. And a day later, Claire finds her way to the office of New York's famous fertility doctor - Robert Nash who has been working on this study. And after a little convincing, Rob, Claire and Jillian create a first genetically modified child with three parents. And that's when their problems begin...

Mother Knows Best is an easy read, with a very fast and intriguing storyline. I loved the experiment idea that was portraited in the novel. All adult characters were fascinating, my only issue was with children's roles, their dialogs, a trail of thoughts and behavior were unrealistic for kids that age.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced free copy of the novel.

This book was a new theme for me. I love stories about a mother and child relationships. This was a bit more. It had a lot of interesting but relevant science like fertility issues, genetic diseases and disorders, genetic manipulation of human embryos. It was really interesting to see what could be a reality at any day, and maybe it is, I just have not looked into it.

The thriller part was pretty predictable. It was so obvious what Jillian has planned and done, but nonetheless it was a fun journey to get to the end and see how everything will unfold. I liked her as the evil genius. It was so refreshing to see a woman be so ambitious and manipulative. But also, just like a woman she was scarily patient.

The mental health theme that was touched, bothered me a bit. Because it was a woman, and she has had previous history of mental health issues, automatically she was written off as suffering from the same thing again. I just couldn't believe how fast she was taken into a mental health facility, even if it was voluntarily.

I liked how this story had multiple POVs, as I was able not just see the story from different angles, but it also helped the story flow. Three different women, and three different personalities helped it keep it interesting.

I really enjoyed this book for entertainment value. It has some interesting scientific topics that I want to go look up, and see how much reality is infused into the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

A baby that has 3 parents?? If that doesn't spell a recipe for disaster, I don't know what will. Abby is Claire's second child (She lost her first due to a mitochondrial gene that Claire had passed to her son)

It's an quick read, full of twists and turns although some of it was predictable. However, the thing I enjoyed the best was the characters and how the author spend time developing them.

A dramatic page turner of a book, Mother Knows Best hooked me from the beginning and kept me so interested that I read it in a single sitting. This book is a psychological thriller, with a side of science fiction and the blend works incredibly well.
Claire is hiding a secret from her husband. As far as he is concerned they are trying to conceive, but she is secretly taking the contraceptive pill to make sure that it cannot happen, Her reasoning is not irrational, the couple lost their son at young age due to a genetic disease carried in her DNA. Unwilling to risk the same thing happening again, she thinks her dream of having a family will never come true. When she finds out about an procedure which would remove the damaged DNA from her egg, and replace it with that of another woman , essentially creating an embryo with three biological parents, she volunteers to act as a human guinea pig for a secret, off the books trial. run by a maverick fertility doctor and his brilliant and ambitious assistant. Since the experiment is essentially illegal , the fewer people who know , the better, so Claire does not tell her husband and they decide to use Jillian's DNA , but secrets are difficult things to keep, and when the truth about her pregnancy becomes public knowledge Claire risks losing everything, while the doctor and his assistant risk a criminal conviction.
Fast paced, smart and engaging, this was a really enjoyable read. It may have been predictable at times, especially towards the end, but that really did not spoil my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Of the characters, Claire was the most interesting to me, as she was the most nuanced , I could empathise with what she had been through while still being appalled at some of her choices. Jillian by contrast was cast in the villain role from the outset, and showed little development as the book went on.
The book uses two timelines to reveal the full story and we are given multiple points of view, which combined with short chapters makes for a snappy pace.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This is an original, great, fast pace, psychological thriller that I couldn’t put down! The story goes deep into questions of family, secrets and even science. I love the fact that the author did her research and was able to put in amazing twists that completely captured me. The concept of this book was completely unique and I hadn’t read anything quite like it which made me even more intrigued by the story. I felt that as the story unfolded it was easy to follow and the ending wrapped everything up perfectly with just enough suspense to keep me holing on.

Omg. I loved this book. I’m usually not a fan of medical/scientific thrillers but now I’m reconsidering. I actually understood the science when explained and it helped the storyline. The twists kept coming and the ending wasn’t what I expected. Pick up this book when it’s released!!

Very intriguing story. Makes you ask the question on just how far you would go to have and protect your child. Also brings into question whether science and messing with genes is a good thing or not. Love how the author tells the story from many points of view and keeps you guessing and wanting to keep turning the page.
#motherknowsbest#netgalley#indigoemployee

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I was so excited to have received my copy of Mother Knows Best. It has been quite hyped in the bookstagram community. Many have favored it as one of the best of this year!

This was an easy read for me as many psychological thrillers are. Mother passes down a genetic mutation to her child that ends up killing him. Upon wanting a second chance at motherhood Claire is determined to have another. She sees this opportunity when she meets Robert Nash a genetic doctor. Along with Jillian the sexy scientist. The three create the world's first baby with 3 genetic parents. Of course this takes a turn for the worst and relationships get complicated. Claire escapes with Robert and Jillian is faced with prison time for this illegal experiment. 10 years later the child grows up wanting answers and we are met with the face of jealousy of Jillian; she will stop at nothing to get back what should have been hers.

This book has all the elements that make a good thriller good. You have good writing an awesome character development, a good unique plot, intrigue and suspense. This gives us a good insight as to why we can't and won't be able to do these experiments anywhere in the near future. It just gets complicated for both the child and the parents. I praise the author for coming up with such a unique concept that hasn't been written before.

Although I did love the writing style and the story I wish there was more of a twist at the end. A bit predictable, but not bad. I am giving this one a 4.0 stars!

I really wanted to love this one, but it was just okay. The book has an intriguing story which alternates between the past and present day. The outcome of the book became somewhat predictable for me. It started out great, and I’ll say that it is worth a read.

Kira Peikoff's latest novel is right on the money with current news brimming of the ethics of creating babies out of embryos not connected to both parents. The mother of this story, Claire Abram passed on a mitochondrial gene that made her son ill, and she lost him at age eight. Claire would like to try a new IVF method that doesn't involve her DNA. Claire's husband, the head of a group at Columbia University, who sits on the President's Bioethical Committee, advises the Federal Government about new medical technology. Ethan does not want to adopt and strongly feels that Claire should try again. He is confident that enough time has passed, and all will be well with another pregnancy.

Claire an idea, very different than that of Ethan. She is determined not to experience the horror of losing her son, Colton, and wants to use new technology, one that Ethan condemns as unethical. Her ideas involve a doctor that Ethan spoke out about, writing an op-ed in the New York Times. As a result, Dr. Robert Nash no longer publishes the results of his research, using embryos that would eliminate life-altering illness.

In a complicated, covert move, Claire gives birth to a healthy girl named Abby. The story becomes a suspenseful ride on a road that seems headed for disaster and possibly prison. KP's writing is fluid, and the alternating chapter gives the girl, Abby, a chance to tell the reader about her unique life. The story is heartbreaking in many places but an excellent read. I recommend it to everyone, especially those who wonder about the future of science and the reproductive rights of women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC (September 10th).

A careful blend of plausible science fiction and domestic thriller, Mother Knows Best is designed to draw you in and propel you right to the end. With three rotating perspectives on both past and present, Mother Knows Best follows Claire Abrams' journey from recovering from the death of her son who was born with a deadly disease to raising a daughter more than a decade later. What happens between will shock you - or not.

Personally, I found the twists predictable. I have, however, read a lot of thrillers (domestic and otherwise) so even some of the more outlandish twists (looking at you Behind Her Eyes) fail to catch me by surprise these days. In this case, each move by the characters (especially antagonist Jillian) was too clearly telegraphed in advance, cutting the suspense. Claire and Jillian (especially Julian) both felt too stereotypical for me, leaving Claire's daughter Abby as the only stand out in the cast - namely because an 11 year old protagonist is so rare in this genre.

One thing this book does very well is pacing. The beginning establishes Claire's character and situation without feeling like an info dump. Some might call it slow, but the build up was important and the information we get is brought back up throughout. As the stakes increased, it was so easy to tear through this book, just to see how it would all end. The end was a little rushed, but that's almost inevitable in this genre (and personally I'd rather have a slapdash ending than one that drags on forever).

This was a fast paced thriller told from different character perspectives both in the past and present. It focuses on Claire, a mother who sadly lost her son to a genetic disorder, and is now desperate to have another child who does not carry the same gene. With the help of a fertility expert and his partner they work together on an illegal experimentation which changes all their lives, forever.
The story is an unusual idea and I enjoyed the way it unholded. It built up to a very dramatic and twisty ending where everything went a bit crazy! I liked the character of Claire but she is incredibly selfish and makes a huge decision without thinking about the consequences. It effects everyone involved, and I felt sorry for the character of Ethan as the implications for him seem to be forgotten about early on.
It was an interesting look at the ethics of human experimentation and the lengths people are willing to go too to get what they want.

This was a fantastic book. I really enjoyed the thriller part of the story and the mix of the science in it as well. It did suck me in after a couple chapters wondering what would happen next. I do feel it became a little predictable towards the end but all in all it was a great read.

Like recent release Her Daughter’s Mother, Mother Knows Best (Crooked Lane Books, September 10, 2019) is another medical thriller that deals with a woman’s difficulty trying to conceive. Both are excellent.

Here, Claire Abrams still grieves for the loss of her son, who died as a result of a genetic mutation she passed along. Desperate for another child, she seeks the help of progressive fertility doctor, Robert Nash, and his brilliant post-doc, Jillian. Together (and behind Claire’s husband’s back), they create the world’s first three-parent child. This could usher in a new world in which inherited diseases are eradicated.

Their experiment is illegal, however, and when authorities are alerted to it, Claire and Robert are forced on the run. Jillian is sent to prison.

Ten years later, Abby is an extraordinarily healthy child. But she has many questions—why on earth are her parents so reclusive and secretive? She begins to look deeper into her family and recognizes something isn’t right.

And when Jillian returns to the picture, driven mad by her destroyed life, even bigger problems surface for the family.

Mother Knows Best is told in Claire’s, Jillian’s, and Abby’s points of view, in both the part and present day.

Where Her Daughter’s Mother deals with IVF, which is pretty much accepted in the medical community (though not without its own set of ethical questions for some), Mother Knows Best takes a look at a much different side of reproductive medicine: genetically engineering human embryos. And though its function here is for seemingly benign reasons rather than creating a “designer baby,” it’s clear that there could be far reaching implications. Peikoff uses her degree in bioethics to create a quite believable tale of the lengths one woman will go to bring life into the world without suffering.

What I really liked is that Peikoff handles the issue gracefully. There is an even-handed portrayal of both sides of the issue, forcing readers to draw their own conclusions about this heated ethical dilemma.

She also draws several characters that are easy to hate/love. Claire’s motivations are easy to understand. You feel for her grief and her desire for motherhood. With Abby, it’s easy to empathize with her frustrations and the fear that she could easily become media fodder. Jillian is despicable.

The characters I found hardest to get a hold on were Ethan (Claire’s husband) and Robert. Ethan’s high handed morality at the expense of his wife (though she doesn’t communicate well with him either), causes destruction, and I really didn’t connect with, or entirely believe, his change of heart. Likewise, I didn't entirely buy Robert’s two personalities—the way he is with Jillian, and with Claire.

But overall, this one was great--it's really hard to put down.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing this review copy. I will also be posting a copy of this review on my blog, A Bookish Holiday, on August 19. I recommend this one as a quick read and a creative medical drama.

I loved this unputdownable book!
It was a thrilling, unnerving read. The characters were realistic. The plot was gripping and fast-paced. Run, do not walk, out to get this fab book.
Thank you NetGalley.

Mother Knows Best is a unique and fascinating psychological suspense thriller novel. The story is about a talented fertility doctor and his over-achieving assistant/scientist. Together they have come up with a secret procedure to help prevent unborn children from inheriting genetic mutations/diseases from the parents.

I found the storyline of Mother Knows Best enthralling. The multiple viewpoints provides the reader with the opportunity to understand the differing opinions and belief systems of each character.

Mother Knows Best was an exciting page-turner for me. And the cover is attractive and attention-getting as well. I will most definitely be on the lookout for more books written by author Kira Peikoff.