I loved this! It was a little gory at parts but it was so suspenseful and exciting. Definitely recommend and would love to read more by this author!

Well I wasn't sure about this book to start with and then it all got really interesting. I didn't know who to believe. Then little nuggets got me even more confused and needing to know more.

Then I looked up and the afternoon had gone it was that engrossing.

I was given an advance copy by Bookouture and netgalley but the review is entirely my own

A clever, up to date book showing the danger of giving out personal information online. Abbie is able to learn all about Rachel's life through her instagram posts and other social media. There is plenty of intrigue in this story with shocking twists throughout. These kept me telling myself "just one more chapter" until I hit the point of no return and finished the book in one sitting. A truly compelling story but not one to take to bed if you have an early start in the morning.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of Mother’s Helper. It took me awhile to get into this book, too many “Yeah right this is too far fetched” BUT there was enough meat in this to keep me going. I liked two of the characters, the third was horrible. It was a good story and I’m glad I finished it. Keep with this book if you are thinking of putting it down.

Rachel is an Instagram influencer - her "brand" is all about being natural and #authentic, but as you might expect, there's nothing at all authentic about her carefully constructed and filtered posts, showing an idyllic rural lifestyle close to nature and animals.

Abbie is Rachel's biggest fan, and when the now-pregnant Rachel advertises for a "mother's helper", Abbie is determined to fill the role. Rachel sees the younger, less polished woman as someone she can mould, a readymade story to present to her followers.

Of course, neither woman is quite as they present themselves, and danger lies ahead. But for whom?

I'm not massively keen on social media themed stories (and I'm not sure I liked the Instagram posts liberally scattered throughout), but it was an engaging enough story which kept me reading, wondering how far things would go. (Pretty far, as it turns out.)

There's some quite nasty stuff perpetrated by one character. Oh, and was the bit with the bird really necessary?

An enjoyable if not earth-shattering read.

This was an enjoyable read, with a lot going on. It centers on Rachel, a popular social influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers, who advertises for a mother’s helper when she gets pregnant. Abbie is obsessed with Rachel and has spent the last couple of years trying to emulate her, so she’ll do anything to get the job. Abbie moves in and makes herself indispensable, but as they get closer, it’s obvious that both women have major secrets.

I enjoyed the alternating points of view between Abbie and Rachel, and thought it was interesting how they perceived each other, which was often a juxtaposition with how each perceived themselves. I didn’t find either one all that likable, though the dynamic between them was both interesting and believable. I did feel like the middle of the book could have been cut down a bit, as it felt rather repetitive at some points.

The ending of the book was action-packed and I couldn’t put it down. I was satisfied with the way it all worked out.

Overall, fun read that definitely makes you think about the differences in how people show up versus who they really are on the inside. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a dark and twisted tale of obsession not just between fans but also the influencer fashion of living the so called perfect life whilst your real life is very different. In this book when a pregnant influencer advertises for a living help things take a very dark and concerning turn and the ending on this book blew me away. I loved it.

Rachel is pregnant and she is looking for a person to help her with the baby
She gets someone to help her called Abbie
Rachel knows best and she always checks the door is locked
How could you find a family
I had an ARC

A great psychological thriller with lots going on to keep you engaged from beginning to end. With some unlikeable characters which I think lent themselves perfectly for this story but I times leave you shouting for the bad guy in a weird sort of way. A very modern book using using social media as a backdrop and how things can go badly wrong.

🤰 Book Review 🤰

🤰 Mothers Helper Julia Crouch

🤰 Publication Date - 12th October 2021

🤰 You live with her. You trust her. But you don't know her...
Wanted: full-time, live-in help for expectant mother. Must be organised, friendly and willing to do anything.
Rachel is determined to be the perfect mother. She has a birth plan, with a playlist and a bag ready by the door. She's chosen a lovely light cream paint for the nursery, and in wide-eyed, innocent Abbie she's found the perfect person to help her with her baby.
Because every mother needs a bit of help, don't they?
But Rachel needs a little more than most.
She still makes sure her bedroom door is locked before she goes to sleep. She still checks the cameras that are dotted throughout the house.
Rachel trusts Abbie.
She just knows better than to trust herself...

🤰 There was so many twists and turns that the reader just didn't know which direction this book was going to go until the final chapters. You didn't know which character to trust!

🤰 Character development was great! You may not have liked the characters personality but you felt like you knew how they'd feel in any given circumstance.

🤰 Mothers Helper grabs the readers attention and doesn't let go. Even when not reading the book, you are thinking about it and what will happen!

🤰 Recommended for anyone who loves a thriller!

Rachel is a social media influencer who is pregnant with her first child. She is sure that quiet and unassuming Abbie is going to be the perfect mother’s helper. But is Abbie all that she seems?

A good physiological thriller which has plenty of twists and turns which keeps you guessing until the end.

Mother’s Helper really messes with your mind. Rachel has an online brand but advertises for a helper. Abbie applies for the job. But who is it that needs help? The story goes one way and down another path, then veers in another direction completely. It took me until half the book to sort out what was really going on. And even then there were more surprises to be revealed. Sinister, twisted, and deceptive are great adjectives to describe this book.

Mother's Helper by Julia Crouch is the first book that I have read from this author, and I know that I will be the outlier when I say that it left me feeling a little flat. I am typically drawn to a novel that has a social media influencer at its centre, but I did not feel as engaged with the storyline as I had hoped. While I enjoyed the 'posts' that were used to link chapters, I was unable to connect with either of the female protagonists in any substantial way.

Rachel is a popular social media influencer who is pregnant with her first child. Reaching out to her channels to find a mother's helper, she is pleased to find Abbie, a young woman who seems willing to do almost anything to align herself with her new employer's brand. But as the women spend more time together leading up to the delivery date, it becomes clear that both are hiding secrets, and have agendas that they are determined to see through, but at what cost?

This is a twisty read with a sharply executed premise, and it promises to be well-received by fans of the genre. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

I largely enjoyed this book - a fairly original idea albeit with well-worn themes like new motherhood / social media ‘influencing’ and stalker-level fans.

I didn’t like the Instagram ‘posts’ interspersed through the book - I guess they were meant to add another dimension and highlight how shallow the social media world can be, but it just didn’t add anything to the story and seemed a bit like padding.

The plot was well structured and I thought the characters were really well developed. I also really enjoy Julia crouch’s writing style - it’s engaging, snappy and draws you in.

4 stars overall!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Rachel is determined to be the perfect mother. From the beautifully decorated nursery to the birth, she has everything planned, right down to the last detail. But as a busy social media influencer, Rachel will need some help. Hiring a mother's helper seems to be the perfect solution.
Abbie is a huge fan of Rachel and is willing to go above and beyond for her idol, or is she?
Good writing, an intriguing plot, and interesting characters with plenty to hide make this a solid psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes. As the story progresses, you kind of know who the bad guy is but it's that sense of impending doom and wondering how things will end, that will keep you turning the pages.
A gripping read.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A totally gripping read that I read in practically one sitting. I loved it and cannot stop thinking about it

WoW this book was was great! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this advance ebook!

This was a freaking page turner from start to finish. With an amazing cast of characters, interesting plot and an intense, intriguing ending Mother's Helper will have you flipping the pages fast!
This book is brilliant and nothing is what it seems here. Crouch you gained a new reader here.
Many twists to keep the reader fully engaged throughout, anticipating the final conclusion..

Thank you again for this outstanding novel!
I will post to my platforms closer to pub date!

This book drew me in from the first line and kept me hooked until the show-stopper end. Playful and at times darkly comic, the story has things to say about the inspirational but often self-consuming world of social media celebrity culture. It would be easy to simply trash anyone who makes a living from product placement and narcissism but Crouch digs a little deeper and acknowledges the fact that we all need people to follow, even dream of emulating, especially in hard times, and how a person might start with good intentions, even find in it a way of surviving, only to find themselves unable to stop. The two strong female leads are well-drawn and revealed layer by layer; both have their reasons for being the way they are and we loathe them sometimes, other times sympathise with them - so much so that the lines between victim and prey are deliciously blurred. The often hilariously satirical Instagram posts and changing points of view make for a pacey read, right up to the heart-in-mouth denouement. A witty, gritty and classy thriller from an author at the top of her game.

Its good to see a new read from Julia Crouch. Its bang up to date regarding social media and lifestyle influencers. I liked that you got a hidden insight into the tough, horrendous and amusing life of Rachel a lifestyle influencer. Why does Abbie want to be her 'mother's helper?' Who is manipulating who?
However there's undercurrents of something sinister lurking between the two of them. What is going on? I was completely gripped and then came the big shock which I could never have anticipated. The plot and mood took an unexpeced turn and nothing is what it seems.
Well thought out and the pets Sam and Barney, bring humour to a nasty situation which left me reading into the night.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Mother's Helper in exchange for an honest review!

I think Mother's Helper's biggest flaw is that it keeps one of it's most important plot elements out of the description because if it did, I would have known off the bat that I wouldn't enjoy this. This is a book about social media and social media influences. I genuinely have no idea why that's not mentioned in the description since it's not like it's a plot twist or anything and a lot of readers either love or hate influencer based stories. I normally fall into the hate end, especially in thrillers, because the plot normally necessitates a lot of social media stuff to either intentionally or unintentionally be misrepresented and absolutely destroys plot immersion.