Are mom thrillers a genre, cause if they are, I’m obsessed. This book was wild. Family and politics and murder? What else could a book really need? I truthfully didn’t start to put pieces together til the end, which I always love in a thriller. Of course, I wanted to throat punch the male MC but I think that was Mora’s goal. I definitely will be reading more of her books because wow. I do like the split of “then” and “now” and I thought it was done well. It covered the adoption/foster period up to the main focus of the plot, the murder. It merged really well! I think it was pretty realistic too with the mom groups, friend dynamics and a solid stripe of high school love renewed.

Loved the way this book was written. So much thought having gone into writing about the adoption of a lad with trauma and the impact on the family and the boy.

The love between Betsy and her brother

Who would kill a young girl - the fight of a mother to protect her child and grieve the loss another child.

This book was an easy page turner did not want to put it down

I really should have learned my lesson by now as far as domestic thrillers go, but somehow I seem to always get lured back in. The over the top storytelling, full of red herrings and crazy twists and so so so many secrets, is not really my cup of tea. And yet, again, somehow they keep sucking me in...

This one is standard fare for the genre. It is utterly predictable, even in its twists - a ragingly emotional roller coaster ride in exactly the way you'd expect it to be. It was a quick and easy read, with the expected happy ending. And now that I have finished, it will blend into the soup made up of the similar books that I've read over the past few years. That's not a good or bad thing, but hopefully a thing I will remember the next time I go to pick up a similar title.

The Perfect Family is a new suspense novel from Anya Mora, and author I found on NetGalley but had previously read. A politician, his wife, their daughter, and an adopted son. The daughter is murdered, and it appears like the son is guilty. We know he isn't, or that wouldn't be a solid book, right? At first, I wasn't drawn into the story; the mother's grief was forced and I couldn't understand the desperate behavior in past chapters when it came to wanting to adopt the boy. As it comes together in the middle, I figured out the backstory, and it got easier to read. There weren't any real shockers at the end, mostly because it could only go one or two ways... that said, how it began to unravel was intriguing, and by the time it ended, I felt the story balanced itself out. Probably 3 to 3.5 stars, but for the first book by an author I tend to round up, so we're going with 4. I will give another one a chance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC of this book.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I will be keeping my eyes open for more books by her.
Really enjoyed the book and the characters. The ending was a fantastic twist which I certainly didn’t expect. Never sure with books that alternate chapters between past and present but it certainly worked in this one.
You don’t want to put this book down for too long as you need to know what happens next.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A fast paced read, maybe a little predictable at times but the ending was definitely a surprise. I can't say I felt any sympathy for any of the adult characters in this book though, it was the two children that I felt sorry for the most.

So I completely flew through this book. It’s a quick read because you’re so invested in the story and need answers. The way it’s written is brilliant too as the chapters are set as present day and then from the decision of adoption and leading up to present day. This makes the whole book flow beautifully. I really liked Emery’s character development, I really wasn’t sure about her at first but as the story progressed I warmed to her as she was so honest, strong and loyal to the children. There was a couple of things that did bug me slightlyIn the story like the naivety and oversight of the process with Holden at the beginning and the relationships that were discussed at such odd times, but I also understand why that was included in the story. I did enjoy the ending, again I thought the pace of it was very well done and wrapped everything up. It was overall a raw, emotional, well written story that I did fly through due to it being so gripping.

Before I go on about how much I enjoyed this book - which to be clear, was a lot… I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for the opportunity to read it before it was republished as a new edition.

‘The Perfect Family’ follows the life of Emery and her husband Mark, before and after the tragic loss of their ten year old daughter Betsy; and the horrific turn of events that suggest their recently adopted son Holden may have been involved in her death.

I won’t give away any spoilers because that’s not my style, but I will say the book entails many a twist; and I was well and truly hooked as Betsy’s family fought for the answers she so desperately deserved.

With that, I want to thank the author Anya Mora for such an amazing read.

‘The Perfect Family’ is a story I will never forget. In addition to a whole lot of suspense, it contains an admirable amount of depth, meaning, insight, and inspiration - and just as I couldn’t tear myself away from its pages, I can’t help but wholeheartedly recommend it!

Wow! This was one heck of a suspenseful ride! A family in crisis, an adopted child suspected, and a mother that refuses to give up.

This is definitely one of my new favorite authors, just discovered. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel. What a gripping story of the "perfect family" that is definitely not so perfect behind closed doors. Very suspenseful.

This was a very easy quick read but wasn’t one that would get your pulse racing. The plot was a bit predictable but after the half way mark it did pick up with more surprising turns.

This book was a rather fast mystery read. For me it was often lacking in suspense and dragged on at times. Additionally, I found the twists and turns at the end rather unrealistic rather than surprising.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Perfect Family by Anya Mora in return for my honest review. This is a real page turner that had me hooked from the beginning till the end and what an end it was I was not expecting that, so brilliantly written highly recommend reading.

This was a very good book, a little predictable, but overall a very interesting and fast read. I enjoyed the dual timelines and how the author merged it all together for the big twist at the end. Good book. Would recommend it to my friends and family!

A good read! Kept me guessing almost until the end who done it and why. When I read why did it I was like "ofcourse, it's always the (no spoiler)" and that annoyed me a bit. Butttt then I wondered why they did it so that kept me guessing some more. Will definitely read more from this author!

I read this book under the title Tuesday's Child back in 2021. I gave it 5 stars then, which were well deserved. An amazing ride! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book by Anya Mora, the first book I have read by this author. Emery and Mark adopt a boy called Holden but when their daughter Betsy is found dead Holden is suspected of being her killer. The book is quite emotional at times but a good read. Emery is a very likeable character. A good read with an unexpected ending.

Your daughters murdered and your son is the polices main suspect, how far would you go to unravel the truth? Emery and Mark adopted their son Holden just a year ago, and just a few days ago their daughter Betsy is found dead, and Holden is the main suspect. But what truly happened? Did Emery invite a monster into their family or was it someone else?
This book had me hooked! I did not want to put it down!
I enjoyed learning what happened in the story with the chapters going between the past and the present. A mysterious fast paced and heart wrenching thriller, that keeps you on your toes, never knowing just how things are going to turn out. Cannot wait to read more by this author!

THE PERFECT FAMILY
by Anya Mora
The Perfect Family was first published as Tuesday’s Child in 2020. I loved the dual timelines and how the story unfolded..I was blown away and HAD to finish this book and fast. What a brilliant shock to end the book. It was one felt for everyone.

I really loved this book! A brilliant combination of suspenseful thriller and emotional fiction, with sensitive topics explored tactfully.

Emery is inexplicably drawn to Holden, a 10 year old boy in care who is looking for his forever family and decides to adopt him into her family with her husband, Mark, and her daughter, Betsy, also 10 years old. When Betsy is found dead, Holden is suspected of being her killer.

Every detail in this book is relevant, the character building and plot are intricate and Anya Mora sensitively explores the experience of adopting an older child, who reacts to everything life throws at him more dramatically, due to the struggles he has endured previously. The sibling relationship between Betsy and Holden is beautiful and takes away from the darkness hanging over the reader, knowing that in the present day, someone has killed Betsy.

Thought provoking and emotional. Had me welling up at the end. Emery defined a mother’s unbreakable love perfectly.

5⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Anya Mora and Joffe for an ARC in return for an honest review.