I could not connect to the characters in this book. I just thought there was no real development of them, and I got very bored quickly. I had high hopes to enjoy this, but I just didn't like it at all. Bleh was all I felt toward the characters and the writing style.

Another great book by Ruby Speechley. “A Mother Like You” is a book of many family secrets and lies.
A great combination of characters and kept me guessing right up until the end. I suspected someone of acting irrationally and cruel only to be completely incorrect!
A great book which I highly recommend.

Ruby Speechley’s back with a spine-chilling new thriller that will keep readers turning the pages all through the night: A Mother Like You.

Kate Marshall leads the kind of lifestyle most people would give their right arm for. She is a woman who seems to have it all: a gorgeous husband, a thriving business and no worries or stress whatsoever. Kate seems to live a charmed life and people admire and envy her in equal measure. However, Kate’s perfectly ordered world takes a surprising turn when at 45 years of age she realises that she is pregnant. Whilst most people would see this is a joyful occasion, Kate doesn’t feel she can celebrate fully – particularly as she has a shocking secret which she has been running from for the last twenty years. Kate’s past has finally caught up with her and she stands to lose everything – unless she can come up with one final way of keeping the truth hidden forever…

When her ex Paul comes back into her life, Kate is understandably terrified as he might blow her cover and reveal her deepest and darkest secrets. The clock is ticking, Kate is running out of time and Paul’s threats are looming large. As all the lies begin to catch up with her, Kate stands to lose everything she has worked hard for for so long – unless she can find a way to shut Paul up for good. As her lies and deceptions start tripping her up, will Kate’ s perfect life be destroyed forever? Will she ever be the mother she has always wanted? Or will all of her hopes and dreams for the future be smashed to smithereens?

Kate has spent the past twenty years running from the truth, but the time has finally come for her to face the music. Will she lose everything? Or will there be further surprises in store for her?

Thriller fans can rely on Ruby Speechley to deliver a tense and terrifying page-turner that will hook them from the get go and keep them engrossed, petrified and thoroughly entertained until the very last page. A Mother Like You is a nail-biting thriller that is simply first rate and is full of shocking twists and turns that will have readers jumping out of their skin as the suspense and unease are so brilliantly amped up and layered that putting this book down is simply impossible.

A brilliant psychological crime thriller from a writer who always delivers, Ruby Speechley’s A Mother Like You is a must-read for fans of C L Taylor and B A Paris.

This was an interesting thriller that I got through in a few sittings.

The bookshelf was well written, and the characters were very developed.

I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oohh so many secrets to try and guess!
What is Kate's secret?
What does ex-boyfriend Paul want?
And who is threatening/harassing Kate?
I spent the whole read constantly guessing, and I was still wrong!
I was genuinely shocked?!?
Intense and gripping from the very start, this read was certainly a book I couldn't put down.
Captivating!
With some well-developed characters, a cleverly-written story, and shocking family secrets, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
The ending was a little too perfectly tied up in a bow for my liking, but this is still a must-read story. Can't wait for this author's next.

This was a great little thriller that kept me interested and although it was a slow burn the story was gripping from the start. This follows the main character of Kate, who is married and has fallen unexpectedly pregnant at the age of 45. Kate however has been keeping a secret for 20 years and her ex Paul comes on to the scene trying to blackmail her or he will expose her secret.

This kept me intrigued and I read it quite quickly, I didn’t guess what the secret was and thought it was good when it was revealed. I warmed to the character of Kate and was desperate to find out what she had done that was so terrible. I liked the changing perspectives in the book and the inclusion of text messages which broke up the text. I would recommend this one 😊

Kate is married to James,own their own company and everything seems right in their world.But Kate is hiding a dark secret from her past and when her ex boyfriend shows up threatening to expose her secret she has no option but give in to his blackmail,and when she becomes pregnant that just complicates matters further for Kate.A Mother Like You is a good well written book,i wouldn't say it had me gripped but it wasn't the worst psychological thriller i have read this year by a long way and i would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.A good 4 star read.

I have been a fan of Ruby’s work for a while now. In fact I have been a fan of her work ever since I was lucky enough to read her debut novel. Since then I have read and loved each book that she has released. ‘A Mother Like You’ by Ruby Speechley is Ruby’s latest book and it is another cracker of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of ‘ A Mother Like You’ but more about that in a bit.
I can honestly say that I didn’t warm to the characters in this book at all but that’s not necessarily a negative thing because it meant that I didn’t favour one character over another. The lead character Kate Marshall got on my nerves a bit and I got the impression that she was not to be trusted and seems to be playing a ‘role’ as were. That said, I did feel for her when she fell pregnant at the age of 45 years old and I understood how conflicted she felt about the pregnancy. It’s clear that something happened in her past that she would rather remain hidden and she has been desperately trying to cover up all traces of what she did back in the day. Her husband James is a delight……not! Let’s just say that if he spoke to me in the way in which he speaks to Kate then I would not hesitate to have a go at him. He’s rude, arrogant, ignorant and downright selfish. I can’t say that I was too impressed with Paul, who is Kate’s ex-boyfriend and his attempts at blackmail. I also didn’t like Kate’s mother who seems like a right cold fish.
Oh my word, ‘A Mother Like You’ was a deliciously creepy and at times disturbing read. To say that reading ‘A Mother Like You’ was addictive is a huge understatement. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I read many more chapters than a couple. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and of course I had to keep reading to see if I was on the right lines or if I had the wrong end of the stick entirely. I seemed to be so wrapped up in the story that I managed to shut out all other distractions and I lost all track of time. All too quickly I reached the end of the book.
‘A Mother Like You’ is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of Ruby’s books in general. She has a way of grabbing your attention with an eye catching synopsis and then she entices you into the story. Once Ruby has your attention, she will not let you have it back until the moment you read the last word on the very last page. She creates intriguing characters with many more layers to their personalities than you would find on a wrapped up parcel in a game of ‘Pass the Parcel’. Strip one layer off then a few more emerge. There were more twists and turns to this story than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. I found ‘A Mother Like You’ to be a tightly plotted, gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Mother Like You’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Ruby’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Kate is in her forties and married to James and together they are high flying power couple. Each hiding a secret the other mustn't find out. Kate finds out she is pregnant and that wasn't in their life plan.

Kate then starts to receive threats and texts and her ex boyfriend Paul demands money or he will spill her secret to everyone. When she starts receiving life threatening texts she warns Paul to back off, only the didnt send them.

With Kate watching her back, coming to terms with the fact that James doesn't want to be a dad and her mother's failing health things start to fall apart.

This is a slow burner that really plays with your mind. I love the gripping chapters and I really thought I had it sussed only to have my mind changed in the next chapter.

Cant wait to read more by this author.

When you read this novel, do not expect a psychological or domestic thriller as suggested by the cover, instead expect a family drama centered on women, motherhood, regret, jealousy and redemption. Don’t get me wrong, it has a mystery or two threaded into the story of Kate, a forty something successful entrepreneur who says to her husband and her friends she never wants children which really suits hubby James, who wants to be unfettered by children freeing them to enjoy their lucrative fulfilled lives. Suddenly pregnant, we watch her fear of telling anyone including her distant mother, raised by strangers and unable to show love for Kate. Can Kate love this child unexpected seen as a gift? Issues of choice, post-Partum, trauma, generational changes, fear and reckoning fuel this essay on motherhood and its implications on women.

First, I want to thank Ruby Speechley, Hera Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!! Ruby Speechley definitely has an unbelievable talent writing Psychological Thrillers. Her latest book A Mother Like You needs to be put on your TBR list as it is a must read for 2020!! I literally could not put the book down until I knew every mystery solved in this book! Needless to say I am now an instant fan! She is definitely going on my favorite author list!

Ruby starts out the story with a very intense prologue that will grab your attention quickly. It ends with a cliffhanger and we are to wait to see how it ties into the story. However, when we do find out oh boy it is shocking!

A Mother Like You is extremely fast paced, very suspenseful, so many mysteries within the main storyline, drama galore, family secrets, shocking twists and turns, and revelations you did not see coming.

Ruby discusses some important topics in this book like Abortion, Scarlet Fever, Turburculosis, and parental abandonment.

I really liked the coincidences between Kate and her Mother about their pasts and how it affected their present. That was a very interesting storyline on how that all came out.

At first I didn’t care for James at all. He was firm on his belief and didn’t want to budge. He didn’t look at the big picture and was hurtful to Kate.

One of my favorite storylines was surrounding The Founding Hospital. According to Ruby it is a real place where women go to leave their babies if they weren’t able to bring them up themselves. Fun fact, Ruby actually went to visit the museum in London with her father. It is fascinating what she saw and learned while there.

A Mother Like You had a beautiful ending that put a smile and love in my heart on how all things came together so perfectly. There were times I didn’t think the book would end well!

I was gripped from the first page. A family drama which is thrilling and tense. Kate is being blackmailed, threatening to expose her secret. Her face from the past could destroy her perfect life. Filled with secrets and lies. I loved how this kept me guessing.

Thank you Netgalley and Hera Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Net Galley and Ruby Speechley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review of this book. Everyone make sure to go out and get your copy – it is available now!

Power couple Kate and James has everything going for them – a successful business and a great marriage. After over a decade of marriage and a clear understanding that neither one of them want to be parents, Kate unexpectedly gets pregnant. Through this pregnancy husband and wife both have secrets that will be forced out into the open if their marriage wants to continue.

I really enjoyed this book quite a bit! There were so many different secrets to uncover; once one mystery was solved another was beginning. I loved the character development, both for Kate and James as individuals as well as their relationship and it blossomed throughout the book.

I will say there were a few things that I don’t feel like were answered for me and towards the end I was weary of Francesca and Matt, I just didn’t trust them as much as I believe the author wanted me to. Overall this was a suspenseful but fun read!

A Mother Like You by Ruby Speechley is a great psychological, domestic thriller.

Kate becomes pregnant at 45. She never wanted kids and seems to have the perfect life. She has the perfect husband, and they co-own a successful company. When Kate discovers she is pregnant she realizes she wants to keep the baby. James, Kate’s husband, doesn’t want kids. How will this affect their relationship? Will they decide to keep the baby?

While dealing with the stress of their relationship and what to do about the baby, someone from Kate’s past comes back into her life and threatens her. Paul blackmails Kate for money. Kate also receives text messages and notes with threats. Paul claims they aren’t from him. Is Paul lying? If Paul isn’t threatening her, then who is? What secret does Paul know?

I was invested in A Mother Like You from the first page. There is so much family drama and suspense throughout the novel. I was so curious to see what would happen next. This story had many unique twists that I didn’t see coming. Some of these twists were important topics that are not talked about frequently. While I figured out Kate’s secret, I didn’t figure out James, or Elizabeth’s secrets. Elizabeth is Kate’s mother who she went years without talking to. I enjoyed reading about the difficult relationship between Kate and Elizabeth. Revelations of secrets really affected their relationship. I liked finding out the secrets and seeing how it affected them.

I really enjoyed reading about Kate and James relationship. They are very career driven and decided neither of them wanted children before they got married. James is unhappy when he finds out Kate is pregnant. This puts a strain on their relationship. Will James leave Kate if she keeps the baby or will she convince him he wants a baby?

I recommend A Mother Like You to thriller fans.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for A Mother Like You.

Kate Marshall lives an enviable life. She's married to James who owns a successful business. But falling pregnant at forty five wasn't part of Herdman. Especially as Kate is hiding a devastating secret, one she's been hiding for twenty years. When ex-boyfriend Paul comes back into her life threatening to expose the truth about what Kate did. Can Kate keep her secrets and finally be the mother she's always dreamed of or will the lies of her past destroy her perfect life?

Kate seems to have it all buntings are not all they seem to be. Kate isngiving a presentation when she sees a face from her past. Paul is her ex-boyfriendand he starts blackmailing her. Her mother,Elizabeth, who she's been estranged from, is ill. Elizabeth also has secrets she wants to share. The story is told from Kate's point of view and from Elizabeth's many secrets. I was pulled into the story from the first few chapters. Kate's secret is eventually revealed near the end of the book and it was shocking and unexpected.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HeraBooks and the author #RubySpeechley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Mother Like You by Ruby Speechley. Out 4 November 2020
This is the story of Kate and James.
Kate is 45 when she learns that she is pregnant; they had agreed early on that children were not what either of them wanted. Kate is worried to tell James that she wants to keep the baby. Whilst all this is going on, Kate is being blackmailed by her ex, who is demanding money in exchange for his silence and promise never to expose Kate's dark secret. Kate's perfect life starts to unravel, can she keep her secrets intact and finally be the mother she has always dreamed of – or will her past lies destroy her life?
I want to thank NetGalley, Hera Books and author Ruby Speechley for a pre-publication copy to review.

A Mother Like You is a family drama which centres on motherhood in later age and secrets from the past.

45-year-old Kate is happily married to James when she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Having both agreed they would be childfree, James is upset, to say the least. Then Kate begins to receive threatening messages and unwelcome gifts, seemingly from Paul, an ex boyfriend she meets at a business conference, who begins to blackmail her. Kate has a secret she doesn't want revealed. But it isn't only Kate who is hiding something. Her mother is too.

A Mother Like You is Ruby Speechley's third novel and her best yet. I loved the pace and reveals which had me guessing the whole way through. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for the opportunity to read and review it.

Thank You Netgalley and Hera for granting me this book! This review is based on my complete honest opinion.

Kate Marshall seems to be living a life--married to a handsome and charming man James for ten years and running a successful company with her husband. But when ex-boyfriend Paul comes into picture, demanding her to pay some money, her past comes back crumbling as Paul threatened to reveal a secret about her, leaving behind the threatening messages...

The story was interesting. The plot line was good and the author really drew the reader into the story. It was unputdownable as well as the reader wants to know what this secret that Kate was actually hiding and there were some intense climax building up in the chapter. Towards the end, Kate's secret is revealed which is shocking and unexpected! Overall, it was actually a fast paced thriller. It had made me guessing until the end which was shocking!

Really a good fast paced unputdownable thriller where you will not be able to put down the book! Worth five stars!

A mother like you is my first read by ruby speechly and certainly won’t be my last!
This book is a tense addictive psychological thriller with surprising twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the end!
The complexities of mother daughter relationships are explored and the fact that how you are nurtured/ treated in your formative years has long standing implications not just for you but for future generations also.Sensitive subjects such as unmarried mothers in years gone by and postnatal depression are at the forefront of this read and I particularly found the information re the foundling hospitals very interesting and find it astonishing how beliefs and attitudes have changed so much in a relatively short period of time!
A thrilling captivating read that I would highly recommend!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

This was an amazing thriller that kept me on my toes the whole time. The author’s depiction of the characters was spot on and the plot had me breathless! A great read!