This is the first book that I have read by Emily Shiner, and I'm sad to say that I was disappointed.

I disagree with some of the other Goodreads reviews; I don't think that there were any real 'twists' in the story, and the blackmailer reveal was SO predictable. Between the suspicious way that Carla spoke to Anne Marie and the fact that the book is literally named The Waitress, there was no way that I could have remained in the dark.

Anne Marie's behaviour towards her son was beyond frustrating and she ignored every single red flag that was brought her way. I appreciate that she was painted as a mother who simply wanted to protect her son, but the author took it way too far. If Dave had any redeeming qualities at all, it would have made more sense for her to be blindly devoted to him, but he was so utterly unlikable that I just got more & more annoyed as the story progressed.

The ending felt rushed and there was no satisfying payoff at all. If there were more twists & turns then I think I would have enjoyed the story more, but the simple fact was that Dave was a mere killing machine and there was absolutely no further nuance to his character. Even the hints about his father were glossed over - Anne Marie made repeated references to an abusive relationship with him but this was never explored or developed, so I never got to experience another dimension to her son's character.

I enjoyed the epilogue; I did suspect that it was going to end that way, but although it was predictable it was really the only part of the story that I felt good about. The writing was easy to get into & I finished the book very quickly. However, I feel that I cannot recommend it based on the reasons given above.

This book is the embodiment of a mothers love knowing no bounds when it comes to their children. She will do anything to protect her child, even if her world all comes crashing down.

I loved how this book was such an easy read and it is definitely one I would recommend to get out of a reading slump. I do feel like the story ended pretty fast but it definitely made sense with the entire plot of the story.

Emily shiner definitely wrote the characters in a way that it felt there was a lot of truth in the reasoning why the two main characters act the way they do.

Thank you to NetGalley and inkubator books for giving me the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion before the release date.

The Waitress is a story of a single mother, Anne Marie, who is working as a restaurant to support herself and her teenage son. It is a rather grim existence as she doesn't make a living wage but they are scraping by.

Her son, Dave, goes from being a wild cat of a son to behaving very well. She begins to poke into the reasons for this change. She discovers that he has committed a serious crime and is being blackmailed. He is trying to behave in such a way that no one else will find out about the crime and the black mail.

Anne Marie gets very involved and is willing to go to any length to save her son. The question becomes just how far.

This is a fast read.

The Waitress by Emily Shiner is another compelling read from the author and, as always, I tore through the pages to see how things would unfold.

Anne Marie has a waitressing job she hates and an out of control son to whom she is a single mother. When a deadly accident occurs in their neighbourhood, Anne Marie has a sickening feeling of dread that her son Dave is somehow involved. Suddenly, though, Dave's behaviour changes for the better, and Anne Marie wants to believe the best of him. Her son, after all, really is a good boy at heart.

This is a story that will leave you pondering the eternal debate of nature versus nurture, and questioning just how far a parent is willing to go for their child. While the plotline admittedly requires a suspension of disbelief, the universal themes explored make this an interesting read indeed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

What would a mother do to protect her child? Just about anything right???? Emily Shiner once again hits this one out of the ballpark with another thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. I love the cover of this book too!

Emily Shiner is another go-to author for psychological thrillers and "The Waitress" did not disappoint. Great read.

I received this book from NetGalley.

This book was a pretty quick read. Before I knew it I was already almost halfway through. However, I also feel like even though I was almost halfway, not much had happened. Someone died and Anne Marie knew that Dave was involved. However, that's about it. So the book was also a bit slow going, while being a quick read.

Richard is patient with Anne Marie and the situation with Dave. She has a job and she can't just take off whenever she needs to deal with Dave. She's also chosen to keep his secret and now needs to live with it.

It came as no surprise that Anne Marie resorted to pretending to blackmail her son at the end. She wanted his behaviour to be a certain way and this way she ensures it. It's tough to feel sorry for her at all when she's an enabler to her son's actions. The first murder she could have seen as an accident but the second two were anything but.

Overall, not a bad book but a bit underwhelming. It felt like nothing much happened.

Just how far will a mother go to protect her child? Well for those of us who are mothers I would say to the ends of the earth and back. Anne Marie, waitress and single mom comes face to face with that question in The Waitress.
I have to say that this novel does show how prior trauma might color your current relationship with your child. To be fair though, I found it difficult to empathize or believe with the main character or her child. Definitely not a book I would read again. Possibly a good book for someone who doesn’t have kids or who would overlook anything (and I mean anything) their kids might do in the future .

Anne Marie's life isn't easy. She's a single mum in a dead-end waitressing job with a beater car and bills to pay. Adding to the pressure, her teenage son, Dave, is out of control, and no matter what she does, Anne Marie can't seem to get through to him. Then out of the blue, Dave completely changes. He's kind, he's thoughtful, he helps out around the house, and looks after his mum. Anne Marie Can't believe her luck. Until she discovers the reason for her son's sudden transformation - he's done something really awful, and he's terrified he'll get caught. Even worse, someone out there knows about it and they're blackmailing him.

This well-written, fast-paced, easy-to-read book had me hooked by the end of the first chapter. But I did not care for Anne Marie or her son Dave. I was even more invested when I found out what Dave had done. I did feel sorry for Ann Marie. She's working as a waitress and struggles to bring up her son. Dave is always in trouble, he's arrogant, and refuses to help his mother. But when Dave does something terrible, he changes, he's helpful around the house, he goes to school, and stays home at night. How far would you go to protect your son? This is another great read by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #EmilyShiner for my ARC of #TheWaitress in exchange an honest review.

A mother will stop at nothing to protect her child, and Anne Marie is a good mother. This is the story about the depth of that love, or rather…what she’s willing to do to help Dave! This was a chilling and suspenseful read!

i was very immersed in this book! i was so so so mad at points, at dave, at the mom, at everything! it was very fast paced and very shocking at points! it was not my favorite but I still enjoyed reading

thank you to netgalley and emily shiner for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book!

How far would you go to protect your son? To keep him safe, and out of trouble? Ann Marie is a single mom, who wants nothing more than for her 16 year old son Dave to be good, to stop getting in trouble, and help her around house. One evening when Dave thought no one else was watching became a part of a terrible accident, but someone was watching, and started to blackmail Dave. Dave confides to his mom about what happened. Ann Marie sets out to figure out who could be blackmailing her son. But also secretly loves the person he becomes while living in fear.

The Waitress is fast-paced and easy read. The writing and plot kept me interested throughout the entirety of the story. If you want to sit down and enjoy a book that you can finish in one sitting, and will keep you entertained, then this is the book for you. With that being said, if you want a story that is nail biting, and full of twists and turns, then this is not the book for you. I found it predictable. Even though it was predictable I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend this to any one who just wants to be entertained for a day, and immerse themselves in to a great story. #TheWaitress #Netgalley #EmilyShiner #goodreads #books #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #bookaddict #bookclub #bookreview #bookaholic #bookcommunity #bookshelf #reader #booklovers #booklove

This was a fast paced, quick read from Emily, that is easy to do in one sitting. Anne Marie learns a disturbing truth about her son, and plans to help him - to her own detriment. However, her son has control over her, and his behavior impacts her daily life - almost to the point that she may lose her job. She quickly learns just how far she will go to protect her son - even putting her own life on the line. This book definitely makes you think about a mother's love for her son. Would you do what Anne Marie did for her son? Or would you do the right thing? This book is another great book from one of my favorite authors, I will admit that I knew who the blackmailer was, and the ending was how I would have reacted, it was still an enjoyable read.

This book presents an intriguing premise, revolving around a single mother named Anne Marie and her teenage son, Dave. The sudden change in Dave's behavior, from troubled to caring, sets the stage for a gripping tale of deception and desperate measures.

Anne Marie's determination to protect her son is evident as she grapples with the discovery of his terrible actions and the looming threat of blackmail. It's a relatable and sympathetic position for any parent to find themselves in, making the reader easily invested in Anne Marie's journey.

The author, however, leaves the readers on tenterhooks by not revealing the exact nature of Dave's misdeeds or the identity of the blackmailer. This clever narrative decision builds anticipation and adds a layer of suspense as we are left wondering about the potential consequences.

As the story unfolds, Anne Marie is faced with difficult choices, forcing her to confront her personal limits and the lengths she is willing to go to protect her son. This moral dilemma creates tension and raises thought-provoking questions about the boundaries of love and loyalty.

With its exploration of the dark side of human nature and the sacrifices that come with protecting a loved one, 'The Waitress' promises to be a captivating read. Readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and emotionally charged narratives will find themselves hooked by the intense drama and the relentless pursuit of truth.

Overall, this book appears to offer a compelling blend of parental love, suspense, and the consequences of hidden actions. It promises an emotional rollercoaster ride through Anne Marie's desperate fight to save her son, culminating in a gripping climax that will leave readers eager to discover the ultimate price she is willing to pay.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC!

I rec'd this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! What lengths can a mother go to in order to protect her son?

Anne Marie was a single teen mom, who left her son Dave's father.
She has raised Dave alone, and now at 16, he is acting out at school smoking, drinking, reckless driving, drugs...you get the idea!

Anne Marie works as a waitress at a diner, and misses a lot of work because of Dave and his school issues.

Her coworker, neighbor, and "friend" Carla thinks she has some great advice on how to handle Dave, but does she really have Anne Marie & Dave's best interests at heart?

One night, Dave's reckless behavior changes their lives forever.

This book has many shocking twists and turns, and one that made me actually gasp out loud.

If you are a fan of Freida McFadden, this book will be right up your alley!

Be sure to check it out when released in December!

Bit of a slow burner for me. The mother drove me insane. I get its a story about how far will a mother go to protect her son but her stupidity made it all seem a tad unrealistic. That said as the book went on i enjoyed it further along, enough twists to keep me reading, the ending not so much. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

How far would you go to protect your child? A tense and dark thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Brilliant!

This was my first Emily Shiner book. I found it to be an easy, enjoyable read that evoked several emotions. Primarily, anger and disgust with the actions of the main characters. Despite this, I found myself immersed in the story. Although, the plot is predictable, Emily’s writing kept me interested the entire time.

There were definitely a number of times I felt the urge to reach into the pages and inflict violence on Dave. This kid is an absolute trash of a human and his mother, Anne Marie, is a huge pushover that constantly makes excuses for her demon spawn of a child. I did appreciate that she takes back some control at the very end though.

Emily Shiner's novel "The Waitress" proved to be a gripping and emotionally complex read. Initially, I found myself sympathetic towards the mother character, but as the story progressed, my feelings evolved into frustration and disappointment due to her continual self-deception and enabling behavior. Her son, a central figure in the narrative, evoked strong feelings of disdain from me. His actions, and his mother's refusal to let him face the consequences, painted a picture of a deeply flawed familial dynamic.

Shiner's storytelling kept me on edge, constantly wondering about the next twist in the plot. Each chapter raised questions about the son's next move and whether the mother would finally take a stand. The novel's conclusion, though somewhat predictable, was still impactful, leaving me with a sense of inevitability about the characters' choices.

The book's exploration of difficult choices and moral ambiguity reminded me of the classic "Of Mice and Men." Despite the often troubling decisions made by the characters, I found the story compelling and thought-provoking.

A special thanks to Inkubator and NetGalley for providing access to "The Waitress." This review is based solely on my own opinions and reflections on the novel.

Does the waitress embody the failure of all mothers or is she the mother of all failures?

It’s in every parent’s nature to see his or her child in ways that most others don’t. Let author Emily Shiner show you (1) the lengths a mother will go to show her only child, an unruly teenager, in an unduly positive light and (2) the lengths she’ll go to protect him.

Waitress, Anne Marie Kerns, dons her rose-coloured glasses daily and feverishly feeds her two-headed misperception of aggression. It’s the only thing she can do; life is tough as a single mom, and her son, Dave, is out of control. Her denial is the only thing she can control.

You’ll be gasping and shaking your head as Anne Marie engages in increasingly alarming and shady strategic behaviour in an effort to protect Dave - her investment in her future.

Discover for yourself; is this self-serving bias? Is it promoting optimism to give her a self of control? Regardless, Shiner’s writing style will ensure your heartbeat is elevated and that you are eagerly waving a caution sign, hoping Anne Marie will notice.

Perfect for book clubs as this lends itself to heated discussions!

Can Anne Marie derail her ‘to Hell in a handbasket’ journey before she arrives at the Gates of Hell?

Emily Shiner, you continue to amaze me.

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