This was a quick and twisty read focused on a missing 5 year old boy. The story centers on Elizabeth and Howard, who take their foster son Joe on holiday near the beach when the little boy goes missing. There is also a substantial part of the story narrated by elderly neighbor Gordon.

The whole thing was a little hard to read for me, as poor Gordon was slipping into dementia and no one took him seriously, and Howard was just awful overall. That being said, I felt for (most of) the characters and thought that the suspense was well done.

The ending was tied up just a little too cleanly and caused me to suspend my disbelief a bit, but it was also satisfying.

Overall, engaging and quick read where I really wasn’t sure how it was all going to turn out. I have liked some other books by this author and this one didn’t disappoint. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very quick read, twisty turny and gripping. One to devour on holiday or as the nights draw in.

A great read.

The Foster Family
by Nicole Trope

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Nicole Trope for letting me read “The Foster Family” in exchange for an honest review! This is heartbreaking and heartwarming with characters that will remain with you even after you finish their story. To know, I will get this as it comes out in hardcover, is how much it touches you.

I absolutely loved this one. It was very well written. I loves that it had different perspectives but I wish it wasn't so much in the neighbor. His character kind of drive me crazy. But over all it was fantastic book. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

In the latest from Nicole Trope, a couple has a foster son and take him on vacation. The couple is not as they seem and there’s a kind elderly neighbor who intervenes. Elizabeth’s character development was wonderful as was the realistic way the domestic violence was portrayed. I loved Gordon’s character and found him to be an integral part of the story.

Wow! What a stortyline line. This emotional rollercoaster of a book manages to be both chilling and heartwarming in equal measure.
I'm not quite sure why other readers 'didn't see that coming'! It was all laid out for everyone to see as far as I was concerned but maybe that's because I've experienced some parts of Elizabeth and Joe's life myself.
The Foster Family is a real page turner and i can't recommend it enough!

The Foster Family was a great read!
Heartbreaking at times, but also kept me guessing and want to keep reading.
Loved all the characters except Howard!
Great read with a great ending!
This is my 2nd read from Nicole Trope and it did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Not sure, liked it but there was a lot of jumping around. What I did love and why it gets a 4 despite the jumping is the suspense starting from the beginning with the meeting between the two people.

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

Elizabeth phones the police with trembling hands
Her little boy is missing
He’s 5 years old
On the beach they find a tiny blue sandal in the water
I had an ARC

This was an absolutely gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my mouth. It was twisty and unpredictable and I didn't know what to expect

"The Foster Family" is an emotional, suspenseful and gripping page turner. Without giving too much away, it's a book about a couple who foster a little boy named Joe. The chapters in the book are days and times. As the book develops you get snippets of what happened in the past, before Joe disappeared and when he disappeared. The book is very well weitten and had me at the edge of my seat needing to know what happens next! I was hooked to the characters from the beginning and the emotional aspect of the book really tugged at my heartstrings, resulting in a few tears being shed near the end! I have read quite a few books by this author, Nicole Trope, and this is by far her best.

The main characters Howard and Elizabeth are foster parents (soon to be legal parents) of a little boy named Joe. While on family vacation Joe disappears and Howard jumps to the conclusion is was the neighbor with dementia who took him. As you read there are many secrets and twists that revealed that keep you wanting to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a whopping psychological thriller that will keep you at the edge of the seat till the end!

The story starts with Elizabeth making a frantic call to the police, saying that her foster son, Joe is missing. The story divides between the weeks before Joe disappeared to the time when the police start investigating the missing case of Joe.

The story is told from Elizabeth and the next door neighbor man named Gordon who befriends with Joe. The first part of the story was silently boring which lowered my rating a little bit but towards the middle, it got more and more interesting and fast paced. The book also tells about a bit of domestic abuse and child abuse as well, which was a bit disturbing but which makes the story more compelling and interesting. As a reader, the author did a succesful job of putting the reader on the edge, making the reader want to know, what really happened to Joe. Was he murdered? Was he taken by someone? And soon it became unputdownable and page turner as we reach to the end.

Overall, this was an enjoyable thriller that will keep you up all night--worth 4.5 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for a voluntary review.

Excellent, a truly heartbreaking, and heartwarming story.
The anguish, humiliating and soul destroying way a person who is supposed to love you makes you feel. Your never good enough. You walk around on egg shells, waiting for the blow up that you know is going to happen at any stage and for any reason.
That’s Elizabeth’s life with her husband Howard, unable to have a child of her own, Elizabeth fosters a child, Joe, a small 5 year old boy whom she loves dearly and is hoping to adopt.
When Joe goes missing, is Elizabeth strong enough to stand up to her husband, and finally see the truth of what she has let happen.

A darn good domestic thriller. This one had it all: thrills, twists, suspense, and deeply emotional lessons. I really enjoyed this one. It pulled me in. Great writing. Vivid characters. Intriguing plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Foster Family" and all opinions expressed are my own. I don't think I have read anything by this author before. I did enjoy this book. I connected to the characters. My favorite character, aside from cute little Joe, is Gordon. He really tied the story together for me. Overall great story that I enjoyed reading each day.

I loved everything about this book. Written so it pulls you right into the lives of the families.
Loved how not knowing came to totally understanding Jade's story too.

Thanks to the author,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I found The Foster Family a little hard to get into initially because of the story’s disturbing family dynamics. Once invested, I struggled to put it down until I had finished it. Capturing both the good and the ugly in the world, Nicole Trope has written a story that reminds us that despite the ugliness that exists in the world, there are good people who make the world a wonderful place. We all need to take the time for “a hug, a joke and a snack”. It was a great read!
Thank You to Bookouture, NetGalley and Nicole Trope for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

The Foster Family

By Nicole Trope

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks a mil to Netgalley and publishers Bookouture for the opportunity to read an ARC of 'The Foster Family' in exchange for an honest review.

As a huge fan of Nicole Trope, I've enjoyed several of her previous books and this latest one did not disappoint.

A fast paced domestic thriller that gripped me from the very first chapter and I had it read in one sitting.

The plot flows between two timelines - an incident in the past and the present day but it flows seamlessly and is easy to keep up.

I hated Howard! He was a despicable character. I loved Gordon and of course little Joe and I'm glad Elizabeth got her happy ending at the end.

Overall, a really enjoyable read if you like this genre. Nicole Trope is a talented author and I look forward to reading more from her.

'The Foster Family' is due to be released on September 21st so get pre ordering guys.

4🌟

Less than ideal.

After our past two years, we all know what this means. We’ve lived it.

Nicole Trope explores several really less than ideal situations; a child placed in foster care, a home filled with domestic abuse, a missing child, and dementia. I’ve come to love how Trope writes to make us uncomfortable. She presses buttons and pushes boundaries and makes us ask ourselves why we are feeling uncomfortable. This is key. It isn’t until we feel uncomfortable that we feel urged to do something. Anything. Even if it only makes us more aware, Trope has done her job.

You’ll want to yell at one of the characters. It’s so easy to see things from a safe viewpoint and Trope is counting on that. Counting that we’ll come to understand ‘why.’ Unless we walk a mile in the character’s moccasins, we don’t understand them. Go ahead. Yell. Then stop and realize that perhaps many victims don’t speak up for fear of judgement. I’m confident Trope wants us to realize that if we responded with concern and compassion instead of criticism, more victims might speak up and find the support to live a life free of abuse. I think we can pivot and readjust our response, don’t you? Trope will have done her job, again.

You’ll want to hug one of the characters. He’s struggling with something he has no control over. Trope explores his condition and elicits an emotional response from readers. Again, Trope writes to give us pause and consider having more patience when caring for someone. Any form of love involves sacrifice for someone else and putting another’s needs above our own. She explored what was needed in a foster family - sacrifice - and now she’s explored what is needed for the elderly. As our loved ones get older, they need more from us. Can we do it? Trope is hoping we will.

This read made me uncomfortable. Thank goodness. I feel like I’ve been re-wired and my focus adjusted. Thank you, Nicole Trope.

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