That was bonkers, but in a chilling way and filled with, dare I say it, creeping menace. The story opens with 3 people in hospital after a hit and run accident. We know one of them is called Jane but we don’t know who the others are or any of the circumstances leading up to this. The story is told largely in the months preceding the accident (although accident is a bit of a misnomer) with snippets from the present day.

Jane Reece runs a coffee shop and loves her work. She is very happily married to Frank, a plumber. They are not wealthy but are comfortable enough. Jane’s one big regret is that, even after 3 rounds of IVF, it looks like she will never be able to have children. But she has a lovely group of friends - Sophie, Kath and Hils, who meet up regularly for Friday night drinks and join a larger group, Runner Beans, for a friendly bit of exercise.

One day Sophie announces she is pregnant again and then she brings a new friend, Lexie, to Friday drinks. This is the beginning of the end! Lexie monopolises Sophie, ignoring the others, while looking daggers at Jane whenever no one is watching. Jane can’t work out why. Things go from bad to worse as it becomes clear that Lexie is bad mouthing Jane to Sophie at every opportunity. And then, to rub salt into the wounds, Lexie announces that she, too, is pregnant. She insists on organising an appallingly extravagant baby shower for the two of them and engineering the whole thing to make Jane look bad. However, things are not as they seem so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, Jane’s rock, her dear husband Frankie, is somewhat missing in action and is not himself. This concerns her more than the likely loss of her friend Sophie. From here on the twists keep coming. Some of them are jaw dropping as you realise just how far some people will go to for revenge. For yes, dear friends - this is ultimately about revenge. The characterisations were really well done and I really liked Jane and Frankie, they were such a solid couple. Sophie showed herself to be very shallow and Lexie was, well, pure evil!

The pace was good throughout and there were no flat spots. In fact I was glued to the pages to find out what was going with the evil Lexie. It was so much worse that I could have imagined. Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This was my first book by S.E. Lynes, and while I found it a bit predictable it was a decently crafted thriller. Set in London, the story follows Jane who is happily married to her husband Frankie despite a long running struggle infertility that has left her emotionally scarred. Jane owns and runs a coffee shop and has found a set of female friends through a running club. She is particularly close to a woman named Sophie, who becomes pregnant with her second child. Jane is gutted for herself, but happy for her friend. However, soon Sophie meets a new woman named Lexie. Young, seemingly wealthy and sophisticated, Lexie quickly infiltrates Jane’s life and seem bent on ruining her friendship with Sophie. Jane starts to feel crazy as Lexie manipulates those around her, leaving Jane questioning herself and those closest to her. Jane’s reality is further threatened by a shocking discovery at Sophie’s baby shower. She must find out what secrets Lexie is keeping before her life as she knows it is torn apart.

I’ve read quite a number of mysteries and thrillers, so I was able to piece together this book rather quickly. As a result, the end of the story wasn’t surprising to me. However, despite sometimes causing a rather slow pace, Lynes crafts the story using small snippets of memories and events to create the suspense that made the story more relatable. It took me awhile to get through the first half of the book, but I did enjoy seeing it all come together at the end even if I knew what was coming. I also enjoyed the character of Jane and sympathized with her struggles throughout the story, especially when faced with confronting Sophie about their tenuous relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and S.E. Lynies for this e-ARC to review.

This was quite a slow read, but fortunately, the story was interesting enough to keep me reading.
Jane is quite a strong character, considering how she feels about the situation she finds herself in. I really liked how eloquent she was when berating Sophie over her attitude. She didn’t just whimper and apologise; she stuck to her guns even if that meant she would end up alienating Sophie even more. She was scared of this happening, but she wasn’t willing to compromise her integrity just to keep a friendship that obviously didn’t mean as much to the other person.
There are only small things contributing to Jane’s paranoia and life falling apart, which is why the book’s pace is relatively slow. There aren’t tidbit cliffhangers to keep you reading. If you haven’t already guessed the ending, it is worth waiting for. Unfortunately, I had managed to guess most of what was going on, so I felt like I was missing out on the reward for persevering!
This was an interesting read about friendships, especially ones in a grown-up circle of women. It’s like Jane says there are books about break-ups with a partner but nothing on coping with the loss of a friend. I’ve been through a few friend’ break-ups,’ and I’ve always felt like I never really got closure or understood what happened, so it made for a clarifying read to know that I’m not alone when it comes to these matters.
Overall, despite the book’s slow pace, I still enjoyed it, and it’s been a few days since I finished it, and it is still in my mind. I always think this is a good testament to the effect a book has made on you. A four-star read from me.

Well done story, would make a great Lifetime movie. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and S. E. Lynes for this ARC to review.
Little to no spoilers!

This is my first book by S. E. Lynes, wow she’s amazing with words!
The Baby Shower is about Jane who has a close group of mates, an adoring husband Frankie and is the owner of a coffee shop in South London. Jane has struggled with IVF and when her best friend Sophie becomes pregnant Jane is happy but it’s difficult to not feel hurt and a little jealous. After already dealing with emotions Jane is introduced to Lexie, Sophie’s new friend. And like a Lifetime movie Jane’s life starts getting complicated. Lexie starts bullying Jane and making her seem crazy. But why? And what big shocking discovery is revealed at “The Baby Shower”? Seriously do yourself a favor and find out! I did figure out a part of the story early on in the book. But it was still entertaining to see how the author was going to reveal it. And even figuring out parts, there still were shocking moments. I loved Jane’s character! I liked how when she would have doubts or start feeling little about herself she would have conversations with herself. You were reading what she was thinking in her mind and the emotion and thoughts felt so real! She holds in a lot of her feelings and pushes forward. Her life is falling apart and she still goes to work, still tries to make everyone else happy. She’s become one of my favorite characters! And her dog Des with the ball! You have to read this book and just enjoy S. E. Lynes! Her writing style, the details of her writing and how she makes everything come alive and seem so believable! I can’t find anything I don’t like about this book and read it in one day, couldn’t put it down!

This was my first book by this author. I enjoyed the writing style. But sadly because I read so many thrillers I found that it was predictable and not super original. I enjoy anything with toxic friendships and drama. So this did not disappoint in that aspect. I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.

Jane has a loving husband and a thriving little business as owner of a coffee shop . Great friends almost complete her happiness but when Lexie comes to play she tears Janes friendship with Sophie apart .. and that’s only the tip of the iceberg . Great read and although I guessed the end plot it didn’t spoil my read

Thank you so much Netgalley, S.E. Lynes, and Bookouture for my gifted copy!

Synopsis:
It all starts when Jane's best friend Sophie's new friend Lexie turns up. Sure, there's always some drama going on in friend groups, isn't there? But this is different. Lexie seems to seize every opportunity to bully Jane - and now, she's pregnant. The only thing Jane hasn't achieved - cannot achieve. But nobody seems to believe her. Even when, at Lexie's baby shower, Jane witnesses that the other woman is actually wearing a fake bump. But why would she do that? And why is Jane's husband acting so strange ever since he bought that watch?

My thoughts:
At parts, this book felt a bit wordy and drawn out, but I loved the story and all the mean-girl vibes. You know, if there's drama involved, I'm in. I really liked the characters of Jane and her husband. I did guess what was going on pretty early, but that doesn't bother me. This book was about friendship, trust and forgiveness. And it teaches you some very important things: You are not your parents. It's okay to be mad at someone. And: It's okay to call a spade a spade, iykwim.

This was my third book by S.E. Lynes, and my favorite so far is Can You See Her

From the first page I was hooked S.E.Lynes always writes a pull you in book and this one didn't dissapoint.
Lots of twists in this toxic friendship themed story.
Thought I'd solved it but another twist proved me wrong.
Highly recommended 5*
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC

AND at 23%. I have read a couple books about infertility and IVF, but this was way worse in terms of character. Jane's early menopause should impact a person on internal and external levels, but as far as I read, Jane is pretty normal in her social life. Sophie was just boring. I got this book because of it's awesome blurb and mind-blowingly beautiful cover, not to mention the fact that Bookouture is my favorite NetGalley publisher. Reviewers said that although the start is slow, the end is worth it, but I'm not ready to put myself through all that.

Another good book by S.E Lynes.

Jane longs for a baby but is unable to conceive. Her best friend Sophie is pregnant for the second time and although Jane is happy for her, she is struggling a bit to not feel down about her own situation. Jane is married to Frankie and they have a strong marriage, they both love each other very much. But sometimes marriages are tested and you do not always see the signs that may or may not be staring you right in the face

Also Jane and Sophie's friendship is also tested when a new 'friend' arrives on the scene. I am not going to say anymore as I do not want to give any more of the plot away. This is a fast paced story with strong characters which moves the story swiftly along, leading to a great climatic end that I have to admit I did not see coming. This is definitely a fun read that I am sure many will enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Well what a read, dragged me in from the beginning and spat me out spent at the end, a great story fast paced, all came together to a satisfactory conclusion

3.5 STARS

A quick, lifetime movie-ish story of toxic friends & relationships.

My first by this author. The writing was good, but I found the plot to be very predictable and a bit flimsy. She also covers some serious topics concerning fertility and pregnancy that the characters were dealing with.

I liked the protagonist, Jane and her husband Frankie. I felt a sadness for them as they struggled to start a family. Then, a new girl, Lexie Lane, is invited to join Jane and her besties group and she brings all the toxic energy, all the drama and jealousy. You can imagine where this is going.....

I did have a few lol moments, one with a reference to Sharon Stone (oh the visual) , but I saw all the twists coming and the ending was a bit cliched. Still entertaining if you're in the mood for something that doesn't require a lot of brain cells.

The Baby Shower is a fun read, but a different kind of fun than a normal baby shower is.

Thank you Bookouture for the fantastic e arc.

Bestie bust-ups - we’ve all been there. They hurt, don’t they? Because they aren’t romantic in nature, they are considered pain free causing society to put pressure on us women to move on and get over it already! Lynes writes to show us why they cause so much emotional strife and pain.

S. E. Lynes drew her inspiration from alt-pop music artist James Blake’s newest album, ‘Friends That Break Your Heart,’ that explores the grief accompanying waning friendships. The author explored why petty aggression from a friend is so difficult to handle and what it takes to get a friendship to the breaking point. In doing so, she examines her protagonist’s formative years to show readers the perfect environment that leads to Jane’s victimhood. She also highlights how learning to stand up to adult bullying, stand up for herself and accept her circumstances is important for Jane’s personal growth. The audience sees more than Sophie does and it enrages them, thereby propelling the plot. We all want vindication and we want to see justice served.

Lynes also examines the effects of materialism on relationships and questions whether a true friend could be able to like or love someone without judgment or demands. You’ll read about the true cost of an extravagant self-purchase and conclude, beyond a doubt, that it wasn’t worth the heartache it caused.

This psychological thriller highlights female rivalry and deception caused when one or more of the group feels it can’t compete with the status quo…in this case, pregnancy. The fearsome foursome’s claws come out when motherhood isn’t achievable for all.

I appreciate the twists and turns in Lynes plots and always look forward to a nail-biting read. Although this one was a little close for comfort, it still gripped me and I needed to frantically turn pages to find out what would happen next. I am always confident that Lynes will entertain me, pose thought-provoking scenarios, write relatable characters facing relatable issues and leave me hungry for her next read.

I was gifted this advance copy by S. E. Lynes, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Love this author and loved this book! Great twists and turns. I really felt for Jane & Frankie. I couldn’t put it down - a must read!

This is what I call a real thriller! This is one of those books that grabs you by the seat of your pants and holds you hostage until the very last page is read! Jane Reece is married to Frankie and she runs a coffee shop. She is best friends with Sophie and belongs to a running group and is close friends with Kath and Hils. All of a sudden Sophie meets a new friend and brings her to the group. Lexie Lane is all glitz, glamour and very wealthy and seems to horn in on everything and takes Sophie completely over. Jane has fertility issues and has not been able to have children. Sophie is newly pregnant with her second child and once Lexie has cemented herself into the group, she announces she is pregnant also. OMG! This books takes on so many twists and turns and kept me in suspense until the very end. I absolutely could not put this book down.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this super exciting thriller in exchange for an honest review.

Exciting thriller that is more interesting than the name implies, this book features a cat and mouse game between a villain who will stop at nothing to destroy a life, and a woman who just wants to live in peace with her husband and friends. I read this entire book in a day and couldn't put it down. The heroine of the book is Jane, a married woman in her 30's who owns a coffee shop and is married to the love of her life Frankie. Her life isn't perfect; she quit a good paying job to open the coffee shop and Frankie doesn't earn a ton from his plumbing job. She also has been faced with infertility which has caused her a great deal of sadness. Her other shining light is the friendship with three women she met at a running club, particularly Sophie who became her best friend.

One day Sophie appears with a new friend named Lexie and from that moment on everything changes. Lexie seems determined to ruin the friendship between Jane and Sophie and she does this by insulting Jane when Sophie isn't watching, telling lies about Jane and arranging things to always seem like Jane is doing something wrong. Lexie was smart in her evil machinations but I was also so angry at Sophie for being willing to throw her friendship away when she knew Jane for years. When Sophie and Lexie become pregnant at the same time, Jane feels even more of an outsider. Then Jane's husband starts acting secretive and Jane feels her world falling apart.
I did guess some of the twists but it was a fun ride. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This is my type of book, secrets and lies and toxic relationships! Jane has a core group of friends but when a new friend appears from no-where trying to inveigle her way into the group you know the dynamics of the friendships are going to be threatened. As events unfold people's loyalties are tested.
I could kind of see where this was going but the extent of the deceptions went way beyond what I expected. I wanted to shout at a couple of characters to open their eyes and stop being so stupid! A very satisfying conclusion too, this is a great read, I really enjoyed it.

Let me start by saying thank you, @susielynes @netgalley and @bookouture for this advanced copy and wonderful opportunity!

Pre Order on Amazon
Releases March 1st

🍼🍼🍼.5 / 5

What Frankie thought was just a watch, ended up
costing him more than just 3,000 pounds. Will it cost him everything? From being something, he thought he deserved, to bringing about everything he didn’t. After finishing up this one I had to remind myself to close my mouth. This was truly jaw dropping. The Baby Shower touches on the strength of friendships and marriages and the elements that can be detrimental to both. Will Jane and Sophie last when Lexie is introduced? Will Frank and Jane’s marriage endure when Natasha notices Frank’s new watch? Relationships are tested and tough topics are tackled. Buckle up for this one friends. I thought I had it all figured out, well I couldn’t have been more wrong! The twists come like a tornado, and they blow you away! @susielynes made me laugh, love, want to fight, rejoice, but most of all her writing pulled me in and I had to know what was next. Fast paced, raw, unpredictable, all the makings a a great thriller.

Book in Emojis
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Favorite Quotes

“And that’s what people like her do: they push you to your limit. They rob you of your life and then when you retaliate, what, you’re the villain?”

“And yes, there’s bigger things in life, but honestly, love, never put up with bad men, bad friends, or bad coffee. “

“How much we want to say sometimes. How little makes it out of our mouth.”