Helen Monks Takhar pulls off the perfect psych thriller about motherhood and family with Such a Good Mother. The novel follows working mom Rose as she vows to do everything for her son so that he may succeed and thrive in a prestigious school. As she gets pulled into The Circle--the innermost group of the school--she must decide what exactly she's willing to do to ensure her family's success (even if she's fighting against her family to get it). But how much of what she's doing is for her son? How much is for revenge? And how much is because she is truly her father's daughter--a con artist and a criminal? There was definitely a lot happening in this thriller, but it was easy to follow, had surprising twists, and a morally complex ending. Such a Good Mother was all around successful at exactly what it was--a family drama psychological thriller centred around social status and childhood trauma.

How far will you go to be the best mother for your child? When Amala has the chance to enroll her son in a prestigious school she is concerned about the costs. The queen bee of the school takes a liking to her and brings her into the Inner Circle. Amala does not know what it will end up costing her to be in the Inner Circle.

I can understand why Amala was drawn to the school and being a power mother but I wanted to put some sense into her with some of the things she was asked to do. It is a very interesting book with a fitting end.

The Woolf Academy requires no fees for students but parents are expected to do their part to support it. Tonight, the parents are headed to an auction at the Academy when they see a woman’s body by the outdoor gym equipment. Her death means there is a vacancy for a woman at Woolf’s top table with Amala Kaur.

Rose and her husband Pete are looking to enroll their young son, Charlie, in the Academy. Rose had attended the same school years ago when it had another name. At the time, she was bullied and called Rotten Rosie.

Rose meets Amala and it so happens that the woman is taken with her and invites her to be a part of what is called the Circle, a group of women who work directly with Amala for the school.

As Rose becomes more involved in the school and sees behind the scenes of it all, she is shocked to see what is going on. Can she continue with this and she becomes deeply embedded with the secrets?

Straight out I will say that I did not like this book. Jacq was the only character with morals and the rest disgusted me. I admit that I really had to push myself to finish this book. It’s dark and off-putting. I cannot even imagine people behaving like this. There was so much hype given to this book and I was really looking forward to reading it. Sorry. Not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When push comes to shove, a mother’s love for her child is endless. Their happiness is your happiness, their pain, your pain. No one should ever take what a mother won’t do for their child for granted.

Rose O’Connell has lived a rather rough life. Her father was a con man who scammed people, even his friends for his entire life. Rose, who had no mother was endlessly bullied as a child as many knew of her father’s schemes. But when her dear friend Jacq introduced her to her brother Pete and they fell in love she was sure her luck would change. And when their son Charlie was born, he became the light of her life.

Money has always been a bit of a struggle, but they have been making ends meet with Rose working for a bank and Pete being a plumber. But when Rose sees a new elite school right across the street from them where her own old school sat which is called Woolf Academy, she gets it in her mind that Charlie should go there no matter what. At the interview she meets Amala Kaur, the wealthy leader of a group of women known as The Circle who seem to be able to exert great power at the institute. Rose knows her chances of Charlie being accepted are slim, but he is accepted! And when one of The Circle women tragically dies, Amala asks her to take her place, although the other Circle women don’t believe Rose meets their standards.

Amala assures Rose that tuition would not be a problem as there are many ways she would be able to work within The Circle to make the money. At first, Rose becomes giddy with power. As the other mother’s look at her differently, as she begins to dress differently when not in her bank uniform, as she and Pete are able to eat at a fancy restaurant and are invited to powerful fundraisers, she is blinded by the materialism.

But when things begin to take a different turn and Amala begins to ask her to perhaps not be as honest as she should, it begins to affect her relationship Amala, with Pete and even Charlie who at first seemed to be having a difficult time adjusting to the school. She feels over her head and is unable to find a way out of the situations she is being put in. As she begins to discover the hidden Circle secrets, she feels the price she has to pay is not worth what she has been given. But it could be too late for her to leave. It seems she has been conned. And now her family is paying the price.

The more Rose goes against Amala, the more terrifying the stakes become for her family. But nothing will stop her from protecting those she loves, no matter what. Especially a mother who has been scorned and their child who is now being manipulated.

Such a Good Mother is an incredible psychological thriller which takes the reader along Rose’s ride of sadness for never being accepted, to Rose’s newfound strength as she fights for those she loves and will not stop until her family is whole again. With a satisfyingly twisty ending you don’t see coming!

Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #SuchaGoodMother #HelenMonksTakhar for the advanced copy.

This book kept my attention throughout but I don't know. It just wasn't my favorite. There was such a huge buildup and then the end felt kind of rushed and fell a little flat. It wasn't very much a thriller like it's labelled. None of the characters are particularly likeable which I don't think they are really supposed to be. I would have like Jacq to be more involved throughout the whole book. It is a huge exaggeration of the lengths we go to provide for our children and that's what provides the drama. I would say this book passed the time fine.

I enjoyed this thriller, but there was a lot of slower parts. Some of it was very repetitive. I did like the twists at the end and the last 20% kept me rolling and wanting to finish. The concept was interesting a mom with a shady past wanting nothing more for her son to get into the best school around and for her to fit in with the other moms. Her husband and sister-in-law knew there was something shady about the school, but Rose wouldn’t hear it. What she didn’t know is she was going to have to prove her loyalty.

Talk about an out there domestic thriller! This has a cast of highly unlikeable characters who make some really questionable choices. It really worked for me though. I liked the con man aspect to this story and thought it played out well. The ending really bumped this up for me and I enjoyed the be careful what you wish for vibes. There is some great *Instagram is not real life* content that we all need to remember!

I hate saying this but I was pretty frustrated while reading Such a Good Mother. Given there were elements to the story and characters I normally like, it was disappointing everything fell flat. After reading the Author's Note at the end I feel like I better understand what she was going for but unfortunately the book didn't work for me. And that's perfectly fine as not every book is a perfect fit for every reader.

Rose O'Connell is married with a young son. Money is tight and she can't seem to catch a break when it comes to just about everything in her life, until now. Her son has been offered a spot at the prestigious Woolf Academy. There are cliques at every school and that includes the parents for sure. The Circle is a group of mothers who essentially make things happen at the academy. One of the members dies under mysterious circumstances and that means a spot has opened up. Maybe Rose is the ideal person to fill it. However, it may come at a cost.

It was very hard for me to get on board with Rose choosing to send her kid to this school. Lots of warning signs from the get go and the chance to provide a good future for her child just wasn't enough for me to buy into it. The non-family member characters were so over the top it took me out of the story. The human element was missing and that's something that is vital if you want to feel invested in the story.

A miss for me but I've read other reviews that are much more positive.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by Helen Monks Takhar - 4 stars!

Rose O'Connell feels like she is keeping everything afloat by herself - her husband's jobs have dried up, they are living on a dime, and she desperately wants son, Charlie, to go to the famed Woolf Academy. But from the first open night, she realizes she doesn't fit in with the other moms, especially those in the inner Circle, headed by school head, Amala. When one of The Circle dies, Rose is surprisingly picked to join. Suddenly the world opens wide for her and her family - but at what cost?

This was a well-written book even though most of the characters are very unlikeable! It can be broken down to its basic premise - what does it mean to be a good mother? And who is judging that? Just what would we do to ensure the happiness of our children and family? There are lots of mysteries and twists here, as Rose tries to escape from the hold her past has on her, yet not being able to forget those lessons her dad taught her.

Rose O'Connell, the main character of the story is hardly surviving as a mother, wife or in her professional life.

Her son is offered a spot in a prestigious Academy. Like all schools, there are cliques for students and for the parents. Rose really wants to fit in and be offered into the woman's adult cliques. Lo and behold, one of the woman members happens to die unexpectedly which opens up a spot in the Circle for Rose.

Is the Circle what Rose expected or did she get into something she wished she hadn't. Was it too late to get out?

Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for my ARC of Such a Good Mother in exchange for my honest review.

"Such a Good Mother" sounded exactly like my jam, and I was thrilled when the marketing team reached out. I love mommy drama and domestic thrillers, and I thought I would love this book, which unfolds at a prestigious preschool academy. I also loved the cover art and thought it would be great for sharing on my Bookstagram.
Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. I felt stuck inside the main character's head, and I started to dread picking it up. That's the point at which I call it quits, unfortunately. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Ginny Kirkbride is trying to enter the gate code at The Woolf Academy for the school fundraiser as parents surround her all waiting. But she’s anxious with all the pressure on her to get the code right and also maybe a little drunk. When she finally gets the gate open, she’s the first one to lay eyes on the dead body. The parents seem more concerned about what a dead body discovered on school ground will do to the school’s reputation than with the dead woman herself or the three kids she leaves behind. The moms notice a small golden circle broach on the dead woman’s blouse. And now, there’s an unexpected opening at the inner circle of The Woolf Academy and the moms are clamoring to take her spot in what’s known as The Circle. Then we’re taken to the outer circle and we meet Rose, a prospective parent on tour for her son, Charlie. Rose is an alum who only has awful memories of her time being bullied as a student here. She works at the bank and is an accountant and it’s this asset that gets her son into the school and lands her a spot in The Circle, but are these moms really vying for what’s best for all children? Or just their own and how far will they go for their cause? Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

I was listening to a podcast the other day where an author mentioned it is fine if a reader can guess the twist before it happens as long as they still enjoy getting there. I have to agree with this whole heartedly! Frequently I can figure out where a story is going. Knowing allows me to chuckle along as the characters get there. I get a little extra thrill. That was how I felt about this book and Rose's struggle to push her family forward for a better life. I saw the twist. I knew it was coming. I wasn't totally sure how it was going to get there but I knew we would and I was evilly joyful when we got there. But then the book continued and I didn't like that. I know the bar to surprise readers is high but sometimes reaching for it causes a writer to overstep. That is what happened here. I'd like to give you a funny comparison that I thought of, but it might be too much of a spoiler. And I don't want to do that because despite this little hiccup, it made for a good read.

Thanks to Random House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

Rose feels her life is falling apart, Her marriage is struggling, she continues to be passed over for promotions, her family's finances are not in good shape, and her son is having trouble fitting in at his new, prestigious school. But after one of the members of the schools elite group of parents, the Circle, dies, Rose sees it as an opportunity to put an end to her troubles. But once Rose is in, she learns being part of the "in crowd" is not all it seems. Sure she starts moving up in her job, her husband is offered a highly paid contract with the school, and she is gifted a stunning wardrobe, but she also starts getting asked to do more and more tasks that threaten to unravel the life she has. On the edge of losing everything, Rose must decide what is important and if it is possible to get out of the Circle once you are in it.

The premise of the book was interesting, but I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. Pretty much every character was terrible in their own way, and that goes for Rosie too. While I understand why it played such a big part, Rose's daddy issues seemed to overshadow everything. Something relating to her dad was mentioned in nearly every chapter which seemed forced and made the ending predictable.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rose O’Connell wonders when, or if her life will ever become easier. After a traumatic childhood, she married the brother of her best friend, but they have struggled financially their entire marriage. She has been unable to get an accounting position, or even move up at the bank where she works, thanks to her father's criminal past. Rose is so tired of barely making ends meet, and now that their son is old enough for school, she wants more than anything for him to be able to go to the prestigious Woolf Academy Once she makes it inside those school gates she discovers that there is an elite and secretive Circle—a tight-knit group of wealthy mothers, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur—who rule the school. When the mysterious death of one of the Circle’s members creates a vacancy, Rose dares to hope she could fill it and transform her life. Amala’s shocking decision to invite Rose into her clique provokes resentment among the Circle, especially when her fortunes, self-esteem, and status start to soar. But Rose soon realizes the true price of being on the inside. Far from being a dream come true, the Circle proves her worst nightmare. Unlike the woman she replaced, can Rose escape with her life?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Yes, it was fairly obvious that joining "the Circle" could only end badly, but this was like train wreck that you just couldn't look away from. I really liked Rose, watching her evolve as a character and a person. Amala was someone you really did not like, and wanted to see them get what was coming to them. This book is more of a "guilty pleasure" than a thriller, but it is definitely worth the read!

Rose only wants what is best for her son, Charlie. When he is suddenly able to attend a very prestigious school, his mother is ecstatic. His dad, Pete, isn’t so sure about it. When Amala, the head of everything going on at the school pulls Rose into her inner circle, everything seems to be finally looking up for Rose, Pete, and Charlie. But being on the inside comes with a price. How much is it be money and prestige worth if it costs you everything you love?

The premise of this book is good. As mothers we always want the very best for our children. This book explores how chasing that desire can turn sour quickly. I didn’t love how the story played out and the twists and turns at the end just seemed like too much and all happened very quickly. I’m glad I read it, but I didn’t love it like I expected.

Intense psychological drama. Ámala and Rosie are in a battle of wills as they struggle to out con each other. It has great characters who are interesting and intense. Ámala is blackmailing the parents in the Circle to do her bidding all the while people are dying. Secrets and lies abound as the the story unfolds.

How far will a mother go to give her child the best? This drama / mystery follows Rose O'Connell as her young son reaches school age, and a high caliber, selective school may be a path forward. What will she do and what is she willing to risk?

The twists here kept me entertained, albeit certainly far fetched at times, it's a fast thrilling read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

#SuchaGoodMother #NetGalley

I’m on the fence with this one. I think the story was entertaining for sure but not what I was expecting based on the synopsis. I never felt invested or loved any of the characters. I need someone to root for! It was well written and the pace did pick up towards the latter half. I didn’t love the final direction. Some people seemed to love this one though, maybe I just couldn’t get into the ‘mean girls’ mom vibe. 3.5

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Such a Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar is a dark and twisted psychological thriller about the lasting effects of being bullied and a mother's need for her child to have a better life than she has known.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
The cover is very creepy with a woman who must be watching a group of women because you can see them through a window reflected in her sunglasses. The little teaser on the cover says, "some women would do anything for their children," which sends chills down my spine. The blurb is rather long but also reflects the dark creepiness of the cover. I can just imagine what lengths a mother would go to, so my initial expectations are that this will be a dark and twisty psychological thriller.

Actual Reading Experience:
This story starts off relatively harmless with a school tour of the local school. The mother who is taking the tour, Rosie, lives just across the street and is looking for the school she wants her young son to attend. The school seems perfect, but she feels like an outsider and doubts her chances of getting her son in. And that's when the fun begins, with one creepy turn after another until all of the secrets are unveiled. Then the story becomes intensely dark and shocking, with one surprise following another until the very end. Of course, this review will be relatively brief so as not to give away any of those secrets, but let's just say my jaw hit the floor as the story ratcheted up the thrills to unbelievable heights.

The narration is in the first person, with Rosie, our courageous mother, telling her tale. As with all first-person narrations, you can assume there is at least a bit of unreliability, but this aids in the shocking revelations so that the reader doesn't see them coming, or at least I didn't. Never underestimate the lengths a mother will go for their children as the cover teases.

The pace stays fast throughout, with the thrills increasing as the story progresses. The story tells of a pin that signifies membership into an exclusive mom's group, the women in that group, and a host of minor and major events that occur with this particular group sitting right in the middle of the fray. The twists start slowly and then grow to such a breakneck speed toward the end that it becomes hard to keep up but keep up I did and enjoyed every minute of it.

The characters are deliciously devious and well-developed enough for the reader to realize the boundless depths of their darkness. The good characters never stood a chance, but who is good in this story? Everyone has a bit of darkness that can be tapped into with the right incentive.

I also loved the use of Instagram in this story. We all know how insidious and powerful social media is. This story shows that in concrete ways, leaving no doubt about this observation.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you enjoy dark and twisted psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, you will love Such A Good Mother by Helen Monks Takhar.