Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How well can you know another person and how far are you willing to go for someone you love? Readers will find themselves considering this question and others in Joshilyn Jackson's newest book.

Do not start listening to this gripping and terrifying story after night falls. Sleep will never come.

Bree is distracted while watching her daughter 's school rehearsal when the unthinkable happens. She turns around to find her infant son Robert missing. The note left behind instructs her not to call the police or her husband and to go home immediately.

Bree obeys only to find that the requests become more and more bizarre until she is trapped by the voice on the phone that now rules her life. Worse still Bree can make no sense of the intensity of revenge behind the instructions

No doubt the author's theatrical background informs her good vocal work creating the characters and tensions in the voices that make this story so riveting.

The set-up and the development of the story will keep the reader enthralled but the ending seems rushed. Not that that will stop anyone from enjoying the twists and turns this thriller delivers.

This is my first book by the author but it won't be my last. Almost Sisters is already downloaded to my Kindle!

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, whether you read the story or listen to it.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Mother May I was provided to me by HarperAudio/NetGalley for an honest review.

I really loved the narration of this! The story caught my attention from the outset and I could not put it down. This story had a lot of important things to say about rape culture. I will definitely read more from this author.

This one really got to me. I felt like as I listened to what was going on I was right there with Bree, feeling her fear, feeling her make choices she felt she didn't have and trying to do whatever she could to keep her son safe. I think Bree made the right choice in how she talked to the kidnapper, trying so hard to create a bond, one that would save her son. Bree also made the right choice when she brought in people to help her, the lawyer maybe not so much, but for sure Marshall, who she has a past with. They worked together to figure things out, one little nugget of info leading to another to another. Then when they have most of the story Bree's husband was there to tell it all, or at least what the part the past played in things. I was on the fence with what Bree's husband told, it was awful, but I wasn't sure if we could trust the way he put himself in such a good light. It was amazing how that came into play later.

At the end Bree was facing the kidnapper, who told some uncomfortable truths to Bree. The one thing I wish that Bree would have done was to give the signal, to see what her husband would choice her husband would have made. I think that would have made her choice at the end easier to make. I liked that Bree didn't want to let everything to go when it seemed like they were safe, that she thought her husband should pay some sort of price. I was a bit stunned at how hard Trey pushed back on that and wondered if they could survive as a family. It made what happened at the end easier to take, made me feel sorry for the real victims, the women who were used and there were a couple of them.

The fast forward at the end made a lot of sense. I was glad that Bree had someone that knew everything that she could talk to, glad that the family was living life happy and the bad things can stay in the past.

The plot of this story was okay, but unfortunately I found it difficult to concentrate on the storyline because the audiobook narrator's voice was irritating, too high pitched for me. I was also disappointed because the description of the book mentioned a witch, and I thought there might be a supernatural piece to the story, but there most definitely was not. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it myself, rather than listened to it.

Joshilyn Jackson has quite the mind to be able to write a thriller that is every mother's nightmare. Bree Cabbat is a doting mother and wonderful wife to her wealthy and admired lawyer husband. They have two older. talented and smart daughters and a baby boy. When baby Robert is snatched from her car, her nightmare begins.

This story grabbed me right from the beginning. I felt Bree's panic and fear as she read the notes, found the packages and took the calls. Not only to go through this, but to do it alone without her husband or family knowing what was happening. Choices can always cause some confusion and doubt, but to have to agree to something you know is wrong to save your child's life is a no-brainer. Bree would do anything to save her child. There were times I liked Bree and others where I wanted to shake her. She was smart and if she hadn't used her gut instincts, things would have turned out differently. There are not a lot of characters in this one, and most are peripheral to the drama and angst that Bree is going through. The other character that eventually helps Bree is her old friend, Marshall. He ends up helping her as he is witness to something and she finally tells him what is happening. He is a great character, a caring friend, an investigator and ex-cop. He has skills and contacts that can help Bree get Robert back. As Bree and Marshall untangle the lies and secrets, she worries if her marriage and life with ever be the same again.

This is an edge of your seat thriller, that had me on pins and needles throughout. Joshilyn Jackson narrated her own book and did a great job. Who else knows precisely what she planned for the story, the expression, emotions and characterizations were very well done. A great listening experience.

Wow - this was a thriller of a story and I could NOT stop listening to it! I actually was staying in my car after my commute to keep listening. Joshilyn Jackson is no stranger to suspenseful, well=written stories with engaging characters, and this one was no exception. However, beyond the main storyline of a woman trying to get her kidnapped baby back, the backstory (about a college student who loses everything - I won't say more) was so sad.
Don't miss this one!
Thanks, Net Galley!!

Mother May I was my first novel by author Joshilyn Jackson but will definitely not be my last. There were so many twists and turns throughout the story. The book grabbed my attention right at the beginning of the story with the kidnapping of Bree’s baby and carried through throughout the end. I listened to this book on audio narrated by the author which I feel added to the thrill of the book.

This is a story of a mother doing anything to protect her child. The twisting and turning keeps the story moving along at a good pace. This is a revenge story that delves into those with money and power and those without.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I do want to note, there are some trigger warnings that readers should be aware of: child abduction, death of a child, rape, murder.

I look forward to my next adventure with the author Joshilyn Jackson.

I want to thank NetGalley for the free audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own.

Such a good book. I never would have seen the twist in the end coming. Killing her husbands partner and then having to decide whether to kill her husband or not was terrible.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an early copy of this audiobook to review. I really enjoyed Never Have I Ever but this book fell a bit flat. The plot was okay, predictable, and the characters were hard to connect with.

Mother May I is a parent's worst nightmare. You turn your back on your baby, nestles safely in its stroller for one moment and turn around and your precious child is gone. This isn't your normal kidnapping though. The kidnapper is a fragile old woman you've seen lurking around, but was dismissive. Now she's given you a cell phone and has specific demands. You must keep quiet and appease her all by yourself. And this old lady is out for revenge!

So this review will have two parts: the story, and the audiobook.
I really enjoyed this story. There were a few twists and turns I didn't anticipate and the beginning hooked me immediately. I was rooting for the safe return of Robert the whole time....you'll just have to see what happens for yourself! I loved the description of each of the characters and I thought each character played a role in the overall outcome. Now for the audiobook. The audiobook was tough to get through. I found that since there were so many characters, there were so many voices. I just wasn't a huge fan of all of the voice switching and it made it a little hard to follow.

Joshilyn Jackson narrates this book and I thought she did a great job. As for the story, I was interested in the beginning but then it started to drag on and take too long. I would like to thank Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review, it is always greatly appreciated!

WOW! Mother May I took me on an unexpected emotional roller coaster. I listened to the audiobook version and LOVED IT! First, the narrator did a really great job of bringing this book to life!

I LOVED the different layers of the plot and the character development of the main characters. I found Bree and "the Mother" kind of creepy, but in a good way. The story definitely shows you how far a mother will go for her kid! Can't wait to read more books by Joshilyn Jackson!

Well, this was an addicting read! Mother May I is an explosive, riveting book about the love of mothers and the power of revenge.

One morning, Bree awakes from a nightmare- swearing an elderly witch is staring into her window. Later that day, she spots the women again at her kids school. Bree knows it must be a coincidence and soon finds herself swept up in her daughters play rehearsal. A few minutes later, her entire world is turned upside down when she realizes her baby son Robert is missing. The kidnapper leaves a note with instructions on how Bree can work to get her baby back. But can Bree trust the kidnapper?

Words I’d use to describe this book- twisty, haunting, through-provoking, cleaver, and fantastic.

Mother May I was well plotted and so stinking twisty. While I didn’t always agree with Bree and Marshall’s decisions, I liked them both as people and found myself horrified by their experiences. If you read a lot of thrillers, sometimes they can feel a big stale. Not this one. I was obsessed with this audiobook and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!

Four stars!

Thank you so much Harper Audio, William Morris and Custom House, Joshilyn Jackson and NetGalley for providing me an ARC audio version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Amazing read! I think this one just jumped to my favorite book by Joshilyn Jackson. I had read the synopsis quite a while before I began reading, so in a way I went into this with no expectations. As I realized what the story was about, I became so engrossed that it was hard to turn off the audio.

The story centers around small-town girl Bree Cabbat and her family. Bree, having married up to a lawyer with a wealthy family, has three beautiful children and is living a pampered and happy life, until the morning Bree thinks a witch is peering in her bedroom window.

Thinking she may have imagined it, Bree continues on with her day of suburban motherhood. That afternoon she thinks she sees the old woman again, brushing it off as a weird coincidence. While Bree is at her daughters’ school, there is some confusion as a play rehearsal ends and when Bree’s attention was diverted, her baby son disappears. The kidnapper leaves a note in his place with instructions on how Bree can work to get her baby back. But can she trust the kidnapper?

This was one wild ride as Bree and her long-time friend and ex-cop, Marshall, go on a scavenger hunt to solve the kidnapping and to uncover the question as to why Bree’s baby was targeted. Along the way, readers are privy to Bree’s thoughts and I felt they were so accurate as to what a desperate mother would do to save her children and protect her family and her marriage.

I thought this was a really good thriller and highly recommend it. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for allowing me to an early listen.

I really enjoyed this story and the audiobook performance by the author. Very well done!

This is my second book by Joshilyn Jackson and I will certainly be excited to read more by her.

The story grabs you from the beginning and has many tension-filled twists and turns. Bree's infant son, Robert, is kidnapped while she looks away to watch her daughter's play rehearsal. She finds a note telling her to go straight home without notifying anyone and next she must complete a task if she wants to see her son again. Of course, there's nothing a mother won’t do or trade for her child’s safety.

A heart-pounding read!

The plot was incredibly compelling - I don't normally listen to audiobooks while I'm laying in bed, but I had trouble putting this one down. It does tie up nicely at the end and I can't decide if I liked that or wish it had ended with a little more dissonance. Either way, it was still haunting and intriguing. Also loved the setting - ATL is my home and I'm here for more novels in this setting!

This story starts out as every mother's worst nightmare, their child has been abducted. Bree had it all, a beautiful house, a loving husband, three perfect kids and in the blink of an eye it all changed. He baby boy was taken right under her nose. Of course the abductor told her to not contact the police. With her husband out of town she is left on her own to find her missing son. With the help of a friend Bree uncovers secrets from the past that her child is now paying for. Will her life ever be the same again? Bree has specific instructions to follow to be reunited with her baby but at what cost?
Joshilyn Jackson is one of my favorite authors. She creates characters that are so believable. She weaves a tale that draws you in.

Bree appears to have it all... her husband is a lawyer, two teenage girls and a new baby boy. All unravels quickly though when her baby is taken right from under her nose and she’s left with a note. The kidnapper makes contact and they both connect over being mothers... the catch is what she’ll need to do in order to get her baby back.

Perfect pacing for this domestic thriller, a mix of likable/unsavory characters and the plot was interesting. I listened to the audio and really enjoyed the authors narration, particularly the conversations between Bree and the kidnapper.

Loved the direction this book was going... the ending; although I didn’t expect it all... was a bit too neat. Would totally recommend this one though and will definitely read more of her work!

Thanks to Netgalley, William Morrow and Harper Audio for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: April 6, 2021

Joshilyn is easily one of my go-to authors; everything she writes is great entertainment, so when I saw she had a new book coming, a suspense one at that, I was absolutely ecstatic! And omg this did not disappoint - shocking twists and turbulent turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. I could not put this one down! It only took me 2 days to go on this ride, and that's just because I had to eventually sleep at 2am, bother. Brie is pretty much every great mother's ideal model... What I mean is that every great mom would pretty much do everything Brie did if put in her situation. She's so likeable and and so relatable, I love when a character like that is present in a great book. It makes the experience so much fun! It's just easier to imagine yourself in the main character's shoes. Also, the author as narrator almost never works, but once again, Joshilyn blows it outta the park in that field. She's known to narrate almost all of her own books and she's so damn good at it! Good to know she can have a career as a voice actor if writers block ever sets in 👍 You Go Girl!!

Thanks Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of the audio book so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 💛