**Trigger warning - pet death (dog)**

When "home" is no longer a haven...

Single mother and nurse, Prudence has reached that point in her life. Time for herself, her dog, her hobbies, swimming and relaxing. Her son Nathan is now an adult and studying engineering at university and she is taking early retirement. Her time is now.

But she is in for a surprise when her son and his newish girlfriend Zoe announce that Zoe is pregnant. All at once the hopes and dreams she had for her son have dissipated knowing how hard it is going to be for the couple to raise a baby...let alone study. She isn't sure why but she feels like Zoe has trapped him.

Despite her misgivings, Prudence decides to invite Zoe to live with them and be on hand to help as best she can. Nathan thinks it's a wonderful idea as does Zoe...moreso than her mother Alana, who was expecting that Zoe would move back home to Cheshire with her. But she's won over by Prudence's heartfelt acceptance of her daughter.

At first, everything is running smoothly. Zoe is happy to help out but Prudence soon discovers that's only the case when Nathan is around. Then, Zoe is a joy - all smiles and laughter. But her attitude soon changes, alternating between menacing and indifference, when no one is around. And a series of near fatal accidents occur with Prudence narrowly escaping each time...and which only began after Zoe moved in. Prudence becomes suspicious of Zoe and her motives but when she tries confiding her fears she is dismissed as being paranoid or overthinking. To make matters worse, Zoe is the life and soul of the party when people are around...which only serves to make Prudence a liar. But she knows that there is something not right about Zoe. But worse still...whose child is she really carrying?

Things go from bad to worse within a few months when tragedy strikes. And everything is turned on its head. Everything you thought you knew is wrong and turns about-face as Prudence finds herself in a race against time to save herself and the lives of those she loves. But can she uncover the truth before it's too late?

THE FAMILY TRAP is twisted tale of domestic suspense with a wicked sting at the end that you will either love or hate. It's filled secrets, lies, deception and toxic dysfunctional families. Everything that makes a domestic suspense work and keeps readers turning the pages. It's addictive, absorbing and pageturning with it's short snappy chapters that keep the pace moving at a steady rate making this a quick entertaining read that I almost completed in one sitting...shy of the last few pages.

The characters were incredibly complex and interesting. I hated Zoe from the off...but is she really who she appears to be or is there something more to her? I liked Nathan but boy he was blind when it came to Zoe who could do no wrong in his eyes...but did he know something Prudence didn't? And Prudence - I really felt for her. No one, not even her best friend, believed her when she confided in her about what she perceived Zoe to be doing to her. It annoys me when a character who knows someone for as long as and as well as Heidi knew Pru and only knew Zoe for five minutes, yet she always gave Zoe the benefit of the doubt, thereby disbelieving Prudence. Why was she so quick to disbelieve her best friend and see Zoe as a ray of sunshine? Surely she would know her friend enough to know she wouldn't be making this up.

As for the story, the reader is pulled right in from the beginning, hooking us right from the start. And it had just enough backstory to keep things moving at an even pace without long and boring character building that would put readers to sleep before anything remotely interesting happened. But the author keeps us engaged throughout, building the tension and keeping us guessing.

The ending was a bit weird for me, though not unsatisfactory. It just felt a little unfinished, I guess. Some things I felt were not entirely explained leaving things up in the air as to what the point had been to those occurrences. The one thing I didn't like was the death of Bob, the dog. I feel that authors don't need to keep readers interested by killing off a beloved family pet and, while I'm thankful it was not an overly graphic death, it still happened and I found it unnecessary. That story arc could have just gotten him lost and maybe turning up at the end when it was all over. I don't feel it was warranted and for me, it always spoils the story slightly, and therefore affects my rating.

Overall, THE FAMILY TRAP is a fast paced addictive read that is sure to keep domestic thriller fans engaged throughout.

I would like to thank #LornaDouvaena, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheFamilyTrap in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

3.5 stars. Quick, easy read. Many plot twists that will want to keep you reading more. I will admit I was mad/annoyed at the first half of the book with no one believing Prudence’s suspicions, but the second half of the book picked up pace and made me do a complete turnaround.

The Family Trap is completely unputdownable. It kept me hooked from start to finish with all its twists and turns and sinister goings on. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my ARC.

The Family Trap is definitely a captivating read. Once I started the book I couldn't put it down until the end. WOW.

This was an absolute ride. Prudence’s 18 year old son’s girlfriend is pregnant but is she all she seems. After Prudence has a series of strange happenings she looks deeper into it.

Twists, suspense and some sinister moments. A definite book for a cozy day in, I consumed this so quickly.

The Family Trap by Lorna Dounaeva.
Prudence welcomed Zoe into her home. Now she’s fighting to survive.
Two simple words shatter Prudence Ahern’s world - “I’m pregnant.”
Her son Nathan is only eighteen when his new girlfriend Zoe drops that little bombshell. Prudence feels she has to support her son and asks Zoe to move in with them.
Right from the start, Prudence knows something isn’t right. When Nathan is around, Zoe is sweet and funny but as soon as it’s just the two of them, she becomes menacing and sullen.
Worse still, Prudence becomes the victim of a series of increasingly dangerous accidents which begin soon after Zoe moves in.
She tries to warn her son that something is wrong with Zoe, but he refuses to listen, so it’s left to Prudence to figure out what's going on. Who is the mysterious Zoe? What exactly does she want from them? And whose child is she really carrying?
Filled with shocking twists and diabolical secrets, The Family Trap will keep you up all night.
A really good read. Twisty and shocking. 5*.

I found this to be a quick, easy read. I tore through it in just a few hours because it was fast paced with intriguing twists and turns all the way through! Highly recommend this one!

Prudence is very close to her 18 year old son Nathan, so when she meets his girlfriend Zoe, she wants to like her. Then they tell Prudence that Zoe is pregnant and as Prudence wants to get to know Zoe, she invites her to live in her house. Nathan is away at university, but does come home at weekends. The more Prudence looks into Zoe's past, the more she thinks that all is not as it seems. Then disturbing things happen to Prudence.
I did enjoy this story, but would have liked the ending to be stronger.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Very fast past book that definitely draws you into the craziness going on.
Was s very enjoyable book to read.

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

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance read of this book.
This was a quick read, I was hooked from the prologue and it was fast paced throughout.. My first book by this author and I loved it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Prudence is a nurse and she has taken early retirement. All her plans as a retiree changes when her sons girlfriend becomes pregnant and she invites to her to come live with them.
This is a quick and fast paced read. I was hooked from the very first page. I enjoyed this suspenseful domestic thriller, the twist will blow your mind especially the ending!!! This is my first book by this author definitely won't be my last. Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is set to release on December 4, 2022.

I was utterly gripped by the book from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. This is the first time reading a book by this author, and I was very impressed.

Lots of twists and turns, and sometimes a little scary, but it does keep you engrossed. However, the ending seemed an anti-climax and felt a little flat. I also thought the brother storyline needed more; it just felt hastily dropped in, intriguing as it was, that too just petered out.

That aside, it was a fantastic read. I would definitely recommend, quite a different storyline.

The Family Trap is a quick read that will keep you captivated. I flew through it in 2 sittings. It’s fast paced and twisty, albeit a little disturbing.
Thank You to Inkubator Books, NetGalley, and Lorna Dounaeva for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

Fans of SE Lynes and KL Slater will love this new cat-and-mouse family drama by Lorna Dounaeva. Douneava is getting better and better with each book! I really enjoyed the last one but this one was even better. Any parts of The Perfect Family that were a little bit clunky were streamlined in The Family Trap. I think she could use some better titles.

Prudence is a strong and independent nurse, taking early retirement. We meet her as she's celebrating that but her son Nathan and his newish girlfriend Zoe put a damper on the evening by announcing that Zoe is pregnant.

Prudence is heartbroken at first because she had so many dreams for Nathan. He was going to uni and she wanted him to follow his dreams. She knows it isn't fair but she feels like Zoe trapped him.

When faced with Zoe moving a few hours away with her mother Alana, Prudence invites Zoe to live with her and Nathan. Nathan and Zoe are very excited by this prospect but Zoe needs Alana's approval.

They talk her into it and things get weird. It seems like Zoe is sabotaging things around Prudence. Is Prudence in danger or is she just overreacting to perceived slights? Perhaps Zoe is just not used to being around a family like theirs.

Things go from bad to good to worse within the next few months. It's a rollercoaster for everyone but one thing is for sure: they all love baby Bonnie and will do anything to protect her, but how far are they going to have to go??.. and from whom?

This jumped right into it! I was hooked from the start. This author is becoming a new favorite. These characters were complex and interesting without the book being made too long by boring early character-building. It was built naturally and this was just an all-around fun and cracky read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

Prudence lives with her son Nathan when his girlfriend Zoe finds out she’s pregnant. Zoe moves in and Prudence is not happy with the situation. Things start changing around the house and Prudence is convinced Zoe is up to no good.

This psychological thriller is gripping, additive and read it in one day as I needed to find out what was going on. Loved everything about it, the characters were all written about well and were interesting to read about.

Fast paced, gripping thriller. Highly recommend.

Looking forward to reading more books that Lorna has written.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy for an honest review.

After reading mixed reviews on this book, I was unsure what to expect when I started it.
However, my reservations were unwarranted. I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of twists and I found myself racing through it. It really is a very good domestic thriller and one that I’d definitely recommend.

Two simple words shatter Prudence world- "I'm pregnant." Her son Nathan is only eighteen when his new girlfriend Zoe drops that little bombshell. She is celebrating her early retirement and suddenly she is going to be a grandmother! She decides to take the young couple in and help as much as she can. When other people is around, Zoe is a delight. But once she is alone with Zoe her true colors shine. Why is Zoë targeting Pru? What is going on?

I was instantly intrigued with just reading the synopsis. And the book didn’t disappoint. It is a fun popcorn thriller. It won’t keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is highly entertaining. It’s a light and fun read with several twists and turns.
I am looking forward to explore more of Lorna Dounaeva writing in the future.

I hate to give a review with spoilers but whew…

I feel this should be a first draft, not ready to publish. While I did gain access to this book on a review website, I’ve read much more polished books from there.

The tea, we get it they drink tea, we don’t need a description of every cup of tea they drank. Tedious descriptions of mundane things make me feel as though the author was just trying to fill pages. The effort could have been put into depth for the characters. Zoe was one dimensional and her reactions were not that of an untrusting person, but a malicious one? It made no sense for the “twist” that could be seen a mile away. Her mother made her play pranks? But she was happy to be away from her and she WAS away from her so why was she torturing Prudence exactly? Why was Nathan completely cutting himself off from the mother he was extremely close to just months before? Why wouldn’t he cue her in on the issues, that made no sense and neither did his plan B for hoping a plane across country!

All in all the book spent time and effort on unnecessary details while leaving plot holes and unanswered questions for the important points… not well thought out in my opinion.

This book was amazing. I will admit the beginning was a little slow but once it got going it didn't stop.

Prudence is a single mom who knows how hard it is to do it alone. When her son Nathan and his girlfriend Zoe get pregnant, she asks them to stay with her. She is then tested by Zoe and can't understand why she's being treated this way. She vents to her best friend who sides with Zoe and tells Prudence she's just overreacting. Prudence must go on a journey to decide who's telling the truth and how far will she fight for family

When a woman opens her home to her son's pregnant girlfriend, a series of bizarre events occur, unraveling a web of dangerous secrets and lies in Lorna Dounaeva's THE FAMILY TRAP.

Where nothing is as it appears and "Home" is no longer a haven.

Prudence has finally got to the point she can enjoy life and has taken early retirement. Time for herself, her dog, swimming, relaxing, and hobbies.

However, her son, Nathan, only eighteen, has a problem. His new girlfriend, Zoe, finds herself pregnant. The mother supports her son and asks her to move in with them.

However, soon after Zoe moves in, Prudence becomes the victim of a series of accidents suspecting Zoe is not who she claims to be.

What is her motive?
Why is she doing these things?

She never does this in front of her son, Nathan. They both are acting strange, and Prudence cannot figure out what is happening.

She does not trust Zoe and wonders if this is even Nathan's baby.

Zoe is also communicating via email with her father, which is supposed to be dead.

What about Zoe's mom?

Everyone is keeping secrets with toxic and dysfunctional families.

A clever, light-absorbing domestic suspense with a wicked sting at the end! A nice evil twist of revenge you do not see coming made for a satisfying conclusion and a fun popcorn thriller!

My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. The novel also includes a sneak preview of The Wrong Twin.

Thank you to #InkubatorBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐ Stars, rounded to 4
Pub Date: Dec 4, 2022
Dec 2022 Must-Read Books