This story grabbed me from the very beginning, with the two dramatically different perspectives from Greg and Madeleine surrounding an absolutely relatable issue. I could really see their personalities from the outset- though there were lots of layers that evolved with time and surprised me.

The book was beautifully written with great characterizations. I loved that the author never underestimated the reader’s ability to grasp the complexities of the plot, and used language commiserate with the characters’ occupations and level of education while still being quite easy to read (or devour!)

I also loved the way the author made the setting come alive and used it to enhance the tone and plot. Anyone who knows the steep, narrow streets in the San Francisco area can appreciate the description of driving them as a “mano a mano” experience. And the description of the home Greg designed as being terraced into a hillside with a sheer drop that felt like “the end of the world” gives an immediate sense of danger and menace that permeates the entire book.

The tension starts at the beginning and deepens and deepens, never letting up until you are left chilled and breathless. An absolutely fabulous read!!

I loved this book, a real page turner. Easy reading, waiting for the next thing to happen , I do think however the main female character had no self awareness at all. I kept wanting her to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’. She didn't appear to see what she was doing to the family until her actions started to unravel the family situation.
I would definitely read another book by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy of the custody battle

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Custody Battle. I enjoyed this story as it gave two sides to what each spouse was thinking when the announcement to divorce occurred. It was very eye opening what divorce does to people and how the objective in the beginning is to take their feelings out of it but then over time get embroiled in a battle where the two cannot see clearly. This is evident in how the story starts when the two agree to divorce but putting the focus on the child and her needs first and then gradually as the story unravels other factors come into play leading the two not to trust each other. I enjoyed this story and felt it was good with just the dynamics of the couple splitting up and the feelings about divorce. It just became far fetched when the wife’s best friend becomes the husband’s confidante that the story felt off. I liked the characters and saw the human side and wished that if they really cared about their daughter they wouldn’t have lost sight through this.

The Custody Battle had me gripped. What started off as a quick and clean divorce turned into a battle for custody of their child.
I had not read a book on this subject before, it was new and interesting.
I must admit that as soon as I started reading the book I did not like Madeline and that did not change at all as the pages turned. I didn’t like how she went about the initial splitting up/getting a divorce and the reason why.
I felt for Greg a great deal at the beginning with how things kind of imploded for him but by the end of the book I didn’t particularly like either of them and the only person I felt for was poor Lola.
It was a great read, the first book I have read by Ellie Monago and it was good. I will look out for more books from her.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Custody Battle. It started verrrrrrry slow and then it became clear how sad this would be when the battle began. Lola was a BRAT, very dislikable. There were soooo many words I had to look up in the dictionary for their meaning and I read a lot so that perturbed me a bit. Realistic in what happens during a divorce and then how it becomes a custody battle. Fast read but I didn't like the characters very much. All in All give it a try if only to find out how damaging a custody battle is.

I did enjoy this. Its actually an all too familiar tale of how bitter divorce can be and the lengths people can go to. It's well written and the characters are realistic. It was a bit slow for my liking until the final part of the book where it all gets a bit more interesting! I'm not sure the ending redeems the whole book but it still wasn't certainly bad by any means. I just wish more of the book had that a bit more to keep my interest or keep me guessing

"The Custody Battle" is a typical divorce gone wrong book. It's a he said she said story with Madeline wanting a quick and painless divorce and Greg stalling to try win his wife and family back. They both think they have their child's best interest at heart... In all the I found the book a little boring and tedious to read, except for the inbetween parts that mentioned something happens at the end. However that being said, the ending was good and brought it all together!

A good read which held my interest throughout, full of different emotions with good characters

For me personally it wasn't a page turner but I enjoyed the storyline and would recommend

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

It's always a sad thing when a couple separates or divorces and it makes it even sadder when there are children involved. People say they are the biggest victim and in a way that's very true. Children should be able to grow up in a loving environment surrounded by two doting parents.

On the other hand though, coming home every day to fights and quarrels is something nobody looks forward too either, so often the best solution is for the parents to live in two separate homes. And what is even better is that when the parents can make a deal before they go their own way in order to make the whole ordeal as soft as possible for their little ones.

And that is often where it goes wrong. They make a deal. Check. They separate. Check. And then it all goes topsy turvy...

A very, very good story with great characters and a lot of real life situations. In other words, a must read. 5 stars

Thank you

Divorce really brings out the worse out of some people. Well, this book is all about how a divorce can turn sour. It dragged a bit at times, but at the end, the twist really shocked me ! It was a nice read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

absolutely compelling, I read it in one setting and couldn't put it down. Hairs on back of my neck stood up and goosebumps everywhere

A captivating read on how a supposedly amicable divorce can spiral out of control, and how quickly that spiral can happen. How can you enter divorce proceedings prioritizing your daughter, and end them by using her as a pawn in your own twisted games?
Greg is a narcissist, Madeline is selfish, and ten year old Lola is stuck in the middle.
I read this in one day, I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago is exactly what you think it is - the battle between two parents over their ten year old child.
I had no empathy for either parent - one was narcissistic and the other was all for themself. The one I felt for was the child, which I think the author didn’t depict properly either as she acted a lot older and spoke much more affluently than a child her age would.
On the whole a good read.

This is about a couple who dreaded this moment
Because they have to separate
Lola is a little girl
Who is ten years old
The worst was coming
I had an ARC

What a page turner, loved this book, such an easy read over the christmas holidays. It kept me turning the page to find out who was going to do what next. Told very well between the two main characters. Brilliant ending that i didn't see coming.

A book about a custody battle basically. Greg and Madeline's marriage breaks down and the couple fight for custody of their daughter Lola. There were lots of nasty tricks between them, this was a bit above real life for me. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago unfolds as a poignant exploration of a family in the throes of divorce and the subsequent custody battle for their daughter, Lola. Narrated through the perspective of Madeline, the story delves into the complexities of relationships, deceit, and the dark underbelly of legal disputes. Lola's innocent question, "What's going to happen to me?" sets the emotional tone, leading to a slow disintegration of the family fabric. The characters, particularly Madeline and Greg, are portrayed as flawed and multi-layered, contributing to the realism of the narrative. While some readers may find the pacing slow, the simple yet effective writing style captures the intricacies of human emotions. In conclusion, The Custody Battle stands out as a compelling exploration of the aftermath of divorce, offering readers a glimpse into the destructive forces that can tear families apart.

This book was a decent read! It had the usual, it had suspense, intrigue, mystery, and a few twists and turns! The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely! It basically was a book about a custody battle with a few extras! It was worth reading but not one of my top favorites! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I can't wait for this to come out and for y'all to lose your minds. if you had doubts about preordering, don't. you're going to want to read this one. I raced through it this weekend.

This book covers divorce, custody battles and narcissism. A slow book to start, that centres on the break up of Greg and Madeline’s marriage and the ensuing custody battle for their daughter Lola. The dirty tricks that couples can play and who ends up with the child.
You don’t really feel invested in any of the characters but I saw it through to the end.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to see an ARC