“I had no name for this woman, but of all the things I’d seen her to be – kidnapper, stalker, witch – she was somehow tying herself tightest to this one: mother. A warm word, but so cold and strange when it was touching her.”
 
After reading the book description, I knew that I needed to read this book. This was my first Joshilyn Jackson book but definitely won’t be my last. The entire time reading this book I was super intrigued and invested in the story. I found myself quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I was invested in all of the characters and really liked the main character Bree. I also really enjoyed the way that Joshilyn broke the book into 3 parts. The mystery behind why baby Robert was taken threw me for a loop but it was brilliant. This book was twisted, deranged and kept me on the edge of my seat which is everything I love in a book. The entire read I had no idea where the ending of the book was going and when it all came together it was brilliant. Even though I loved this book, I wanted a little bit more from the ending. I would have loved to see more closure and justice at the end but overall I still loved it.
 
I recommend this book for anyone who likes thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Books, Custom House Books and Joshilyn Jackson for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to William Morrow for an advanced copy for review.

Wow! This was a great debut book by Jackson. This book is an extreme version of what lengths a mother will go for her child. Bree's son is taken from her by a mysterious woman and will only be returned to her if she does exactly as she says. This book kept me guessing and had an ending that I didn't see coming.

This was super spooky at first. I was reading at night and getting the chills. Right off the bat, Bree starts seeing some CREEPY things. Then, right under her nose, her baby vanishes. She finds a ransom note and a bag at her front door that contains a phone to put her in contact with the kidnapper. The kidnapper has Bree do stuff totally out of character to try to get back her baby. The beginning of this book was SO good, but during the investigation it started to get convoluted & drawn out. There is also a lot of build up to a big scene, which didn’t disappoint, but there was a lot of stuff after that was necessary to the plot, but might have done better before what felt like the finale scene. The overall storyline was exciting and for the most part keeps your interest.

This review will be posted on Instagram.com/_rachreads on April 6th

This book has a lot of fast-paced action! And I was onboard for it!!

I was hooked on this book after only 2 chapters with the heart-pounding scenes (unlike many of the books I've read this year with slow starts). It took off, kept me on the edge and was quite the nail-biter!!

This was a solid read for me with memorable characters that I either loved or wanted to understand. A loving mother of three, a successful husband, someone with a secret crush, and that creepy, creepy lady!! Wait until you find out what she wants!!

"Any mother would do what you did." I always wanted to get back to this book and see what would happen next. The tension made me feel like I was right there, close to danger and even holding my breath..... up until the explosive ending.

A quick, page-turner with a clever plot to keep you guessing! Great writing, heart-pounding mystery! Thanks NG for this one! OUT tomorrow!! APRIL 6, 2021

Mother MayI is an awesome, suspenseful read! I won’t restate the summary, I will just encourage everyone to pick up this book and start reading. Joshilyn Jackson has written another great story. From the beginning with a witch peering into the bedroom window to the satisfying conclusion, I couldn’t put it down. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

Bree is a happily married mom of 3 who has everything she could ever want . One night she sees a “witch” through her window and thinks she’s loosing her mind. Then she sees the “witch” again by her car at her daughters school. That same night at her daughters school, watching rehearsal, her infant son is kidnapped when he was right next to her in his car seat. Then woman who kidnapped him contacts her, and makes her do things she’d never imagine to attempt to get her son back. During the process, she uncovers why she chose her, and dark secrets from the past that lead her here.

What a ride this book was! I couldn’t put this book down! I only stopped because I needed sleep. This book really kept me engaged and wanting to know what would happen next. I highly recommend to those who love a good suspense book!

Thank you Net Galley and William Morrow for the e-ARC. Mother May I comes out on 4/6!

I enjoyed this book a lot though perhaps not as much as her last one. It was a fast read and a quick moving story. I liked Bree as a protagonist quite a bit and appreciated her backstory and how it timed into her feelings about what her husband had done.

Joshilyn Jackson did a great job with writing this psychological thriller. A mother discovers that her young child is kidnapped but it’s not money the kidnapper wants rather they want her to carry out a task. This task involves her husband’s friend and she finds that the situation dives much deeper than anticipated.

I listened to the audio and her voices per character were fabulous.

thought it was intense and terrifying. I couldn't put it down as I had to know what happened. All of the shocking events took place in the beginning of the book so I couldn't imagine what the rest of the pages would tell. Bree thinks she sees a witch at their bedroom window. She sees the same woman at the school and then her son is snatched. She is told to not contact police and do certain things within 24 hours to see her son again. What unfolds is tragic, but with the help of her deceased bestfriends husband Marshall and a lawyer at her husbands firm, Gabrielle opens up a can of worms with her husband Trey and others. Really good twists and turns. The family dynamic at the end wrapped up a little too neatly needed to know a bit more.

Mother May I opens with Bree, a mother of two young daughters and a baby son living in an affluent suburb of Atlanta, waking up one night to find an old woman resembling a storybook witch peering through her bedroom window. The following day, she’s chalked up the incident to a hazy dream, until her baby is kidnapped from under her nose and the kidnapper sends her on a twisted journey to get her child back.

While the plot remains distressing and fast-paced, Joshilyn Jackson deliberately spends much of the book outlining the fierce protectiveness and rationalizations Bree makes, making her a more multi-faceted character than a typical thriller protagonist. The story explores guilt, privilege, and the aftermath of loss in a way that was memorable but still far-fetched enough to remain escapist.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bree is living a happy, affluent life with her husband, Trey, two teen daughters and baby son, Robert. When Robert is kidnapped, Bree and her good friend Marshall (who is a private investigator) work quickly to find him while also following the kidnapper’s “rules.” Will the shocking secrets they uncover about Trey’s past be the key to finding the person who kidnapped Robert?

This is my first book by this author and she captured my interest immediately. I loved the strong, caring friendship between Bree and Marshall and how the author used alternating chapters to share their different perspectives. A great mystery/thriller with a satisfying, yet not completely surprising ending. Add this to your to read list and grab it on April 6, 2021!

Mother May I is the latest novel and the second psychological thriller from author Joshilyn Jackson. It's the story of one woman's desperate search for her missing child, a search that will force her to come to terms with dark secrets with the power to upend the life she's so carefully built for herself and her family.

Bree is living the dream. Her husband is handsome, kind, and successful. They have three beautiful children, a stunning house, and they can afford to provide their children with most of the things they want. It's a long way from how Bree grew up, but she does her best not to dwell on the past. After all, the present is so much brighter and more palatable.

One afternoon while she's watching her daughter at play practice, Bree's youngest child and only son goes missing. Bree can't understand how such a thing could have happened. She only looked away from him for a few seconds, but that's all it took. Now, she's left with a note ordering her to go straight home, not to call the police, and to await further instructions.

AAR reviewers Shannon and Maggie have read Mother May I, and are here to share their thoughts on the novel.

Shannon: I'm a long-time fan of Joshilyn Jackson's work. There's a certain southern charm that transcends genres and permeates anything she writes that keeps me coming back to her again and again, and I've rarely been disappointed. What draws you to this author's books?

Maggie: This is only the second Joshilyn Jackson novel I’ve read, though I certainly plan to read more as soon as I get the chance. I picked up Never Have I Ever last year based on your review and am really glad I did because it was such a fast-paced, clever mystery. When I saw she had a new novel, I jumped at the chance to review it,

Shannon: The premise of Mother May I is one we've seen numerous times in genre fiction. A child goes missing, and his mother will do whatever it takes to ensure his safe return. For me, there were aspects of this book that gave the story a fresh spin, and that's one of the things I appreciated most about it. What are your thoughts on Jackson's take on the premise?

Maggie: In a novel like this so much depends on the characters and what they bring to the tale, and in this particular case I thought that Ms. Jackson introduced an intriguing group of personalities that breathed renewed vigor into this familiar storyline and turned it into something unique and riveting.

Shannon: Our heroine is Bree, a complicated woman who has done a lot to overcome what she thinks of as the downsides of her past. However, as the novel goes on, we see that these things she once viewed as flaws might just be the characteristics that help her survive. What are your thoughts on Bree and the conflicting parts of her personality? Did you find her conflicting feelings to be relatable?

Maggie: I would agree that this story saw Bree fully embrace forgotten aspects of herself and use that to overcome obstacles in her present. It was very relatable to me because I think it is very easy – as this story did an excellent job of portraying – for a woman to lose herself in the roles of wife and mother. We become whatever the people we love need or want us to be and sometimes forget who we are and who we want to be along the way. In this case the high stress situation Bree found herself in forced her to realize that she had always been more than the roles life had recently assigned her and she rose to the new challenges with everything in her.

Shannon: I want to talk a bit about the men in Bree's life. There are two of them, very different men who both seem to care deeply for Bree in their own distinct ways. Without veering into spoiler territory, did you have a clear sense of which one Bree would ultimately end up with? I was pretty sure who she'd choose, but I had no idea how Jackson would get her there in a way that felt authentic to the story.

Maggie:  I really appreciated how the author managed to bring about a conclusion that felt very much in keeping with who all of the characters are and which seemed very natural given how the story had progressed. By the midway point I had correctly guessed who Bree would end up with, but I would have liked things a bit better if she had ended the tale on her own rather than with either male character. That just seemed to me a more natural conclusion given all she had been through, but this way worked too.

Shannon: You know, I never even considered she'd end up on her own until you mentioned the possibility here, but your point is a good one. It might have been interesting to see Bree surviving on her own. The epilogue would have looked completely different from the one Jackson wrote. Fortunately, the ending she gives us doesn't come off as forced, so I'm happy with it.

I must admit to being fascinated by the villain of the book. We don't initially know much about them, but as time passes, more and more is revealed. I obviously didn't like what they did to Bree, but I did find their actions to be understandable given their life circumstances.

Maggie: Joshilyn Jackson did an amazing job fleshing this character out and making them complex and compelling. Initially, I was mesmerized by the image they projected, which made them seem almost supernaturally spooky. That was just so in keeping with their role in the narrative and with their thick southern accent, they seemed like a specter come down from the hill country to mete out justice, a concept their backstory definitely supported. Any empathy I had was destroyed, however, by how callously our villain behaved towards the two little boys in the tale. The adults were the people who had caused them harm and they were the ones who should have paid. While I understand the feeling that the loss of a child was the worse thing that could happen to them, I really don’t think they would have seen it that way. It’s tough not to enter spoiler territory here but I believe that the people whose children were taken would have found solace in their older kids and not felt the burden of the loss as keenly as was wished for, nor would it force them to acknowledge their guilt in any way.

Shannon: As far as grades go, this is a definite A read. I flew through this book. In fact, I would have read it in a single sitting if life had allowed me to do so. I loved everything about it, and I struggled to move on to my next read once I reached the end. To me, that's the true mark of a great story. What about you?

Maggie: I would agree. The story is so engaging that you won’t want to put it down once you pick it up – I know I didn’t. I’d go with an A as well.

NOTE: This novel contains depictions of sexual abuse. While the scenes are described in the past tense and not overly graphic, readers sensitive to the subject matter should know they are present.

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This book was one that was extremely immersive and kept me up way too late reading!!

Bree grows up poor but marries a very well off lawyer. They have 2 teenage daughters and a young son. They seem to have the perfect life and then their son is kidnapped. Bree is given very specific instructions on what to do to get her son back. Many things are revealed during the couple of days..will they be able to find their son alive, why was he kidnapped, and how will all these secrets play out.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance digital copy of this book.

I kept seeing so many great reviews for this book so I really wanted to dig in and see for myself if it lived up to the hype. Conclusion? It does!

Bree is introduced as the main character. We learn that she is happily married with three beautiful children. She grew up in poor, rural Georgia, but has married well, and now enjoys the luxuries that old money provides. She is uber involved in her children’s activities, especially her middle child, Anna-Claire’s acting endeavors. Bree was an aspiring actress prior to meeting her husband, Trey. Once married, acting fell away and creating her family became her focus. She frequently relies on the skills she learned while trying to hone her acting career.

In a twisted turn of events, Bree’s baby, Robert, is kidnapped right from under her as she is watching Anna-Claire perform in a school production. She is understandably distraught and is immediately contacted and told that she can tell no one. Her Momma bear instincts kick into high gear and she tries to handle getting her son back on her own. She is forced to do something she would never imagine had she not been backed into a corner.

While the story unfolds, she involves former cop and her deceased best friend’s husband, Marshall, in order to get Robert back. During the frantic search for information about the kidnapper, details of a years ago, sordid event are revealed that she wishes she could un-know. Unfortunately, since the past can’t be changed, she struggles with how she can move forward possessing this knowledge.

Although the main story in this book is about the kidnapping, it twists into quite another story. This was interesting to me, how once one story came to a close, the other was sitting there waiting for its turn. I didn’t love the second story, but I can see why the author chose it and wanted to bring it to light. The way it resolved was not 100% for me, but it was acceptable. An eye for an eye as they say.

This book was a riveting read – a hard to put down and go to bed kind of read. One that made me ponder the second story far after I finished the book. I thought the character development was excellent. The story was well developed, and nothing was thrown in at the end which should have been known upfront. I have seen it called domestic suspense, and that is the perfect description. Lies, secrets, forbidden love, hidden pasts and murder – what more could you want in a thriller?

I really enjoyed this book and easily recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow / Custom House for providing an advance copy for me to read and review. Pub date – April, 2021

Revenge doesn't wait for permission.

What an emotional thriller! I'll preface this review with saying there are a lot of heavy triggers in Mother May I.

This was my first book by Joshilyn Jackson and it won't be my last. Mother May I was so much more than the typical domestic thriller. I get bored easily with the husband/wife drama so I was happy with the added elements in this one.

The child abduction is intense. The raw emotion felt from Bree during this experience seemed very realistic. The big theme is love and sacrifice of motherhood from the perspective of two mothers.

I felt like the action in the book was slightly predictable and a little repetitive, but I still enjoyed the pacing. The writing style was great for me. Each character was given a very distinct voice, which impressed me. The ending was a bit rushed for me, but satisfying.

Overall, this was a solid thriller for me and I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a domestic drama with a little more action and depth.

I couldn't get into this one, sadly. It sounded a lot like "The Chain", which was a great book, so I was excited to jump into this one. Unfortunately, the characters were so annoying that I couldn't get past them to the plot, and ended up DNF-ing. This is probably a case of "it's me, not the book", since so many people seem to be enjoying it. I considered trying to power through, but almost every review I read (to decide if I should) agreed that the ending wasn't great and felt rushed or was lacking, so...I'm going to wish this one luck, but look forward to trying the next Joshilyn Jackson book when it comes out.

What would you do if your baby boy was stolen from you?

Mother May I is a domestic thriller that really shows what a mother will do to get her son back.

Bri and Trey have the perfect family - 2 teen daughters, a new baby son, and could want nothing more in life. They are successful, rich, and have the best life, until their baby boy is stolen from them. Bri is blackmailed and has to figure out how to get her son back, without putting her other children in danger.

The first half of this book is so THRILLING! I couldn't imagine what it's like bargaining with the kidnapper and having to do really bad things in order to *maybe* get your son back. Would you be able to drug your husband's best friend? What lengths would you go through?

The audiobook is great, especially having the kidnapper having a very creepy voice that gave me goosebumps.

I did think the ending was a bit rushed and tied up too neatly, but Joshilyn Jackson is such a mature thriller writer that you really appreciate her storyline and characters. I loved her previous thriller, Never Have I Ever, so if you haven't read that, you should grab a copy too!

Mother May I publishes on April 6th, so make sure you pre-order so you can get a copy soon!

Thank you to William & Morrow for providing me with this advanced reading copy!

Mother May I is a haunting book that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. Bree grew up poor in a small southern town where her Mother took her shopping for clothes at the Goodwill two towns over so that the original owner would not recognize the clothes when Bree wore them. Her husband, Trey grew up in a very wealthy, connected and prominent family in Atlanta. Bree has conformed to the elite lifestyle of her husband and everyone feels that she belongs in that world except Bree. . She knows that inside she is still that small town girl that was friends with her high spirited best friend Betsy. Trey was a good husband that truly cared for his wife and three kids. They have a great marriage and she loved her life as a stay at home mom that enabled her to be involved with her kids activities. One day that all changed. She noticed an old woman that looked like a witch looking in her bedroom window. By the time her husband looked out the window, the old woman was gone. Later that day, while talking to another parent at her daughters school, she again sees this old woman lurking outside. While bothered by this, she still continues to go to the balcony in the auditorium to watch her daughters play practice. Bree goes up to a row closer to the front to sit with another parent while her daughter feeds the bottle to her younger brother, Robert. After taking the bottle, the baby falls asleep so the daughter leaves him in his carrier while she goes up to sit with her mother. As Bree gets up to leave, she finds Robert is missing and there is a note telling her to come home immediately and not talk to the police, her husband or anyone else. Bree is terrified and rushed home while phoning another parent to drop the girls at her Mothers residence and confirms that her mother will watch the girls for the weekend. Upon arriving home, she receives instructions to go to her husbands work gala that evening and make sure that his partner takes 3 of the tablets that the kidnapper left for her. Her husband is out of town so she attends the event alone. The kidnapper tells her that the pills are fast acting date rape drugs and instructs her to leave immediately after making sure he has taken the pills. She is delayed on the way out of the party and witnesses the partner dying. As the horrified crowd rushes to him, she asks the individuals talking to her to come home with her. She explains what has occurred and asks for their help in getting her son back. They help her to try to find the identity and location of the killer. Over the next 2 days, Trey comes back in town snd Bree informs him of the situation. Meanwhile, they have uncovered the reason for the kidnapping and murder and secrets are uncovered as they search. This is a fast paced thriller. I highly recommend it.

Bree’s charmed life changed in an instant. Her infant son is kidnapped while she watches her daughter's rehearsal. It's a race to figure out by whom and why. Will Bree be able to get her baby back?

Mother May I draws you in with every parent's worst nightmare. I devoured this book with its fast pace and relatable characters. I will remember it because it weaves in timely social issues like privilege, the opioid crisis (and another that would be a spoiler to mention) in a thought-provoking way. It raises some questions that you will be thinking about long after you finish the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling ride that is Mother May I! It was a twisty one, full of suspense, secrets, and deception.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the digital copy to read and enjoy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Yet another utterly compelling story from Joshilyn Jackson!

A stolen baby, life altering choices, brutal secrets from the past. All of these suddenly invade Bree's little world on an unassuming day when she turns around to grab her infant son and he's gone. A note left behind leads her down a path in which she'd do anything to save her son's life.

With the help of a family friend, Bree uncovers everything she can find about the old woman who's threatening his life. The clock is ticking as they dig up her past and understand her need for vengeance. The secrets that are revealed destroy everything she thought she knew about her family.

Joshilyn does an incredible job writing a captivating story without making the reader feel the need to read through it at a breakneck speed. She builds tension so well while still maintaining a steady pace that ensures you read every single word.

Much of the novel takes place from Bree's point of view, so we become intimately familiar with her thoughts and how every step affects her. As a mom, I could deeply understand the emotions and fierceness that took over in her impossible situation.

I loved every bit of this story and know it will be one that sticks with me for a long time.