Member Reviews

Jane Preston and her husband, Frankie, have fertility issues and have been unable to conceive, but she is delighted when her friend, Sophie, becomes pregnant with her second child. Their friendship group is disrupted when Sophie introduces Lexie Lane, an overbearing young woman whose toxicity goes unnoticed by all but Jane. The tensions created by Lexie come to a head at Sophie's baby shower, with devastating consequences to follow. Jane is a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, and her relationship with Frankie is a very believable read. Lynes's writing always pulls the reader in, and The Baby Shower is another great read.

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This book made me hugely uncomfortable and I felt a real physical sense of dread as Lexie gradually insinuates herself into Jane’s friendship group, spreading her poison so surreptitiously that only Jane notices. S.E. Lynes just gets better and better!
Not only is The Baby Shower disturbing, it’s also cleverly plotted and Lynes misled me right from the start by masterfully manipulating my assumptions.
Sophie, a close friend of Jane’s, introduces Lexie to their close-knit running group. Right from the start, things start to go horribly wrong for Jane. And while her friendships are being severely tested, things aren’t great on the home front either. Her beloved husband seems to be suffering his own torment as well.
This is a far-ranging, twisty tale that moves from dysfunctional parenting and toxic friendship to sexual assault. It shines a critical light into how fake social media can be and people’s values. Above all, it makes you question friendship. Should you stand by your friends no matter what? Or is it sometimes better to simply walk away?
I’ve had a wonderful run of books lately, and The Baby Shower is right up there. It’s totally compelling and very hard to put down. All the stars.

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This is the first book I have read from this author and it certainly wont be the last.

The writing was good and the book was easy to read, I found myself flying through the pages and I loved the creepiness! Although at times the plot was a little predicable, I liked the storyline and the premise.

Important topics such as fertility and pregnancy were covered but I think readers need to be aware of this before reading.

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I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Even though I figured it out before the ending, I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of Mean Girls with adults and with twists.

Jane is married and finds out she most probably will never conceive. She has a close group of friends and everything changes when Lexie joins the group.

I really liked how Jane stood up for herself and her husband. Great read!

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A very enjoyable page-turning psychological thriller. that I binged in a day! although the plot is pretty obvious, the strength in this novel is the drawing out of the characters and how the author brings out all the many complex emotions the characters are going through creating a real sense of tangible confusion, underlying menace and disorientation.
Friendships and their many emotional complexities are written beautifully in this novel, adding a real and beliavable depth to the plot. Really enjoyed this, thank you.

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Sucker punched, lost for words, blown away, a blabbering, gibbering emotional wreck! How can I even start to write a review for The Baby Shower from S.E. Lynes? Every single book she has written has ticked ALL of the boxes for me…and more! The Baby Shower was no exception! All of her books should come with a warning…”Don’t pick this up at bedtime if you want to get any sleep” because seriously, once you turn the first page you will not be able to stop!
I think I literally inhale every word that SE Lynes writes, the words dance off the pages and into my heart, they prod me, they poke me, they break me and they drill into a depth of feeling I never even knew existed.
What I absolutely love about SE Lynes’ writing is the way she observes the world and those who inhabit it, there is an inherent sense of ordinariness about the characters she creates and the issues they face; she even pokes fun at some of the ironies of modern day life lived through a lens and the pretentiousness that goes with it. All of which ensures that the story she tells resonates with me every single time. While reading I am always thinking, what if…
Jane and her husband, Frankie, are happy, muddling along in their lives; they are not rich but they have each other, their friendship circle and their dreams. All that is missing from their life is a baby. And Jane has just about come to terms with it all, even when her best friend Sophie announces she is pregnant again, Jane swallows down her own sadness and is happy for her. And then Lexie Lane appears (what a belter of a character name!) And that’s where it all goes wrong.
SE Lynes peels away the layers of each of her characters, exposing the weaknesses, the secrets and lies that lurk beneath the surface. She captures each emotion to perfection, trapping the reader firmly inside of their lives. This was a hard book to read, gut wrenchingly so. It brought back so many memories of the toxicity of female relationships. I’m sure I’m not the only woman to have fallen prey to emotional aggression at the hands of other women. That particularly malevolent type of bully who knows just how valuable other women find female friendships and manipulate this trait to their own ends. And we see this in bucket loads in The Baby Shower. That horrible feeling of being on the outside looking in, second guessing yourself all the time, wondering if you are imagining things as the bully manipulates, gaslights and exposes you as petty and childish. Not ashamed to admit, I had the hankies out a few times as I watched Lexie push Jane out onto the side-lines while everyone else appears to be oblivious.
The Baby Shower also tackles another quite difficult subject and it was good to see this dealt with so sensitively and highlighting the issue. And that’s another thing about all of SE Lynes books, she really does dig deep into life, humanity and all the conflicts involved but does so in such a way that you never feel as though you are being preached at or lectured to, instead she just makes you look at things from different angles.
The Baby Shower, I didn’t want to put it down but I didn’t want it to end either. It kept me glued to the pages and it shattered my heart into tiny pieces. A masterpiece in toxicity and manipulation, you seriously DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT!
All I can do now, is crawl under my covers and wait for SE Lynes next book.

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I foolishly start this this on Wednesday night planning to read a few chapters, I should have known that with this author sleep was never going to happen - I finished it at some blearly point during the early hours of Thursday and it's taken over a week for me to put my thoughts in order to attempt a review.

With a title far simpler than it's content The Baby Shower ticks all my boxes for a page turning psychological thriller. As expected the writing is superb, the characters are wonderfully drawn and their thoughts and emotions shine through. This book has an undercurrent of menace, toxic characters and many twists in the plot, all of which are brilliant and would have left me more than satisfied BUT this had so much more depth and can be read on two levels.

For me the other, deeper level was an exploration of the value of friendships and relationships and the many factors which can break or nurture them; who and when to trust and when to let someone go or to act with your gut insticts and forgive; that the events of your past can shape your future in the least expected ways.

Whilst the heartbreak of a romatic involvement ending is a topic of general discussion the gut wrenching pain of the loss of (or betrayal by) a good friend is rarely talked about . My insides were churning with Jane's bewilderment, self doubt and rage. Bullying wrecks lives but it is rarely as obvious as a thump, the snidey comments, gaslighting, ridiculing then pretending it was a joke making you wonder if you are losing your perspective, making you doubt yourself and eroding your confidence.

When confidence is low you can end up coveting the things that don't matter and end up risking everything which does. Our Instagram society can make us think that someone has everything when in reality they are sad, lonely and broken and the online adulation is the only thing they have. The author explores an issue of sexual consent I haven’t read before, this event and the subsequent fallout is central to the story and imo extremely well handled.

Which ever level you read on, be it the fabulous psychological thriller or the deeper human factors I hope you love this one as much as I did. This is a seriously outstanding book - unreserved 5 stars, I'd give it a million if I could.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and give my honest thoughts on this cracking book.

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This was a quick read, centered on Jane, who is frustrated when her best friend Sophie makes a new friend who is mean and throws off the dynamic of the group. Her husband, Frankie, is also dealing with his own issues, and both are struggling with the fact that they are unable to get pregnant.

The story moves at a fast pace but is somewhat predictable. There were a couple surprises, though. When the villain’s motivations were revealed, I felt that the reasons didn’t really match with the actions. I also felt frustrated with Jane, who felt like she had to be a martyr instead of just telling people how she was feeling. I was satisfied with how it all ended, though.

Overall, fun read but not sure it really stands out amongst similar stories. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Jane is sad when her best friend Sophie finds a new friend Lexie. Jane who is unable to have children is further shaken when Sophie and Lexie announce that are both pregnant. To make matters worse Lexie is causing trouble by telling lies about a Jane.
There are lots of secrets going on behind closed doors.
This was an enjoyable read but a little predictable. I guessed the ending quite early on.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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It took me a while to get into this story line but once I had I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book with good characters and it was interesting and exciting.

I can thoroughly recommend this book and thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to this book.

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This book.. THIS BOOK!

It hooks you in with the twists and keeps you reading. I couldn't put it down, obligations be damned

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Such a good read. While I admit I’d an inkling early on where the villain might have come from the brilliant twists and turns along the way meant it didn’t retract from my enjoyment of this. Absolutely gripping thriller

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This is the first book I have read by S.E Lynes and after finishing it I cannot believe I haven’t read the rest!
An utterly compelling read from start to finish, it touches on many subjects from loss to friendship to relationships. It’s twists and turns are fantastic and is an excellent, thrilling page turner! A highly recommended read!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me access to this book.

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The Baby Shower was an easy, drama-filled read that sucks you in, as satisfying as binging reality TV. The story follows a hardworking couple, Jane and Frankie, as they navigate some unexpected challenges in their lives and relationship. There is a new member of Jane's friend group that she isn't altogether thrilled about, especially as the new girl seems to be monopolizing the time and energy of Jane's best friend. Frankie struggles with jealousy in his own group of guys and comes up with a plan to boost his ego a little. A plan that has unexpected consequences. Things quickly spiral out of control, and what was once a loving relationship, becomes fraught with lies and secrets.

I related to Frankie's self-doubt and paranoia, as she struggled to figure out if she was in the wrong or if this new girl was out to get her. It was an interesting reflection on what friendship is - and what it is not - and how to stand up for yourself. This was a book I was able to predict the ending accurately, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of it.

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Thank you netgalley , the author , and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.. WOW ! That's one word I use to described this book. I loved it! I loved Jane and felt so bad for her after her friend Sophie announced her pregnancy and then when Lexie came into the picture , the twists that happen next I never would have imagined. This isn't the type of book where u can guess what happens next. The book literally keeps you guessing until the last chapter. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author and I recommend this one highly !

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The baby Shower is a compulsive read and if it hadn't been for work and family commitments, I would have probably read it in one sitting! It is the first book by S.E. Lynes that I've read but I'd like to explore her other works now. It is a very well-written novel which hooks you in and maintains reader interest. The plot is centred around Jane and her husband Frankie as well as Jane's three close friends. When one of them, Sophie, introduces a new woman, Lexie, into the group, the dynamics of the friendship change for ever. The character of Lexie is brilliantly depicted in all her shallowness. The reader is transported into the shoes of Frankie and witnesses, first hand, all of Lexie's deceit and mind games. Many people will be able to identify with the frustration of being the only one to recognise fake charm and poor behaviour in a partricular indivudual, when every-one else seems to be fall under their spell and be oblivious to their ways a

Touches of humour and wit are sprinkled throughout yet the author is also able to discuss serious issues such as infertility and sexual assault, in a sensitive manner. At times you need to suspend your disbelief but this is usually the case in a good thriller. There were some moments when I felt irritated by Jane's tolerance of Sophie's hostility and lack of loyalty towards her. I found Jane's less than assertive response to be unrealistic but S.E. Lynes succeeds in demonstrating Jane's reluctance to make waves.

Overall, this is a fun book and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

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Omg!! This book is just everything!!! I was so blown away by it. It had me hooked from the off and I was about to quit my job just so I could keep reading. It's so common to say a story has its twists and turns but omg, boy does this story have TWISTS!!!! you will be hooked, you will love every second of it. I raced through it in a day and have absolutely no regrets. It just really sucks you in with this amazing storytelling, good pace and cast of really well rounded characters. There's suspense, mystery, drama, it's just everything you want from a thriller

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This is a perfect book for those days when all you want to do is lose yourself in a book. I read it in less than 24 hours. The plot is an interesting one (a newcomer joins a group of Mums and disrupts the status quo), and the plot develops with interesting twists and turns, and an interesting focus on pregnancy, infertility and revenge. But for me this book was great because of the characters. I was so invested in them in a very short space of time, and had to keep reading to see what happened next. This was my first book by S. E Lynes and have already started reading more of her novels.

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This was a fantastic story. So many layers with the characters. I loved the female friendship aspect as it can sometimes be a tricky path to navigate.

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Jane and her husband Frankie have a moderately good life except for one thing they long for a child. Jane owns her own Coffee shop, and her husband has his own Plumbing and building business. He works long hours and with Jane does too. Sometimes they come together like passing ships in the night.
Jane has a small group of friends that she goes running with and goes out with on a Friday night. So, when her best friend Sophie is introduces Lexie Lane to the group. Things become unsettled. You can never to many friends, right? Lexie Lane is completely opposite to Jane. She seems to have plenty of money to splash about. Her hair is always styled, her face and her makeup always expertly done and a hint of Botox there too. She is also and Instagram influencer and is always on her phone hashtag everything.
So, when Sophie announces that she is pregnant, she is happy for her friend but the feeling of her own troubles of not able to conceive resurface. When also Lexy announces that she pregnant too. They decide to have a Baby Shower. Jane tries her best to get through it. When she excuses herself and goes to the bathroom, she sees Lexy with a fake bump. Why is she faking it?
Thank you, Bookoutre for S. E. Lynes latest offering The baby Shower. At first for me personally I thought this was quite a slow start to begin with. At for me I wondered why it was called The baby Shower until the actual event in the story and then WOW. This is another cleverly written story with lots of twists and turns and it goes to show, men can be victim and much as women can. Life is not always as it seems as all the glam of social media. I really enjoyed this story once it became clear. 4 stars from me.

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