I just finished “The custody battle” and in my honest opinion, I am a little disappointed. Going into a book under the genre “suspense” I was hoping for a bit more….suspense. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful read. The narration for both Greg and Madeline was on point. The story was good enough to keep me listening until the very end but in my opinion it was a bit predictable.

The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago is a blistering domestic suspense novel and full disclosure, this is the first novel of this type and it might have to be my last. Not because it was bad, but because it was so very good and it absolutely wrenched my heart in two.

The book details how two parents choose to divorce and the ensuing custody battle over their daughter. The case is brutal, with each side attacking the other with greater and greater ferocity, turning into a battle of pure spite, forgetting who they were supposed to be talking about

Ellie Monago is an incredible author, tearing your heart and soul out, shoving it back down your throat and tearing it back out again. I was also listening on an audiobook brilliantly narrated by Davis Brooks and Sarah Borges and the ire was absolutely fizzing between the two a stunning performance!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to listen to a book in this genre and this was truly phenomenal, it knocked me for six and left me exhausted, A fantastic book

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, the fantastic author Ellie Monago and the incredible Narrators Davis Brooks and Sarah Borges. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I don't see much of a point to this book. It just goes back and forth between husband and wife and a custody battle/divorce. Lola is a brat. The narrators were good. The ending was a shock, but I got sick of the same thing so skipped around a lot. It wasn't really a thriller-just a drawn out custody battle.

I was hooked from the beginning!

We meet Madeleine and Greg, at the start of their divorce - what Madeleine was hoping would be a clean cut and quick divorce turned into an ugly custody battle for their daughter, 10 year old Lola.
Relationships and friendships are put to the test, and it makes you wonder about their actions on Lola.

As above, I was gripped from the beginning and it makes you really wonder if custody battles happen this way, very quickly getting out of hand and who pays the price for it by the end. As a child of divorce, I'm very lucky things were clean cut for my family.
I didn't care for any of the characters, they infuriated me at times and how they were acting, but I guess divorce and custody battles would change a person.
I enjoyed the 2 narrators for the 2 person POV. The wee twist was kind of expected, it was still enjoyable and I am looking forward to finding out more about Lola in a potential 2nd novel, or so it teased at the end of the audio!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Madeline and Greg are getting divorced and the only thing that matters is keeping their daughter happy and safe. Madeline fell out of love and is ready to start a new life with someone else but Greg doesn’t know that he can’t possibly imagine life without Madeline and he’ll stop at nothing to get her to come back to him. Madeline goes to her lawyer saying everything is cordial between them and everything is cut and dry as far as custody and splitting the assets - even her lawyer doesn’t believe that’s possible. Greg finds a lawyer not to help him get divorced but to help him scheme. Even their daughter thinks they’ll be happier apart. Not according to Greg.

Greg is a narcissist and Madeline is selfish (even though she seems the try to explain that all away through most of the story). I couldn’t side with either character I just barreled through because I needed to know what was coming next and how it will all end.

This was a slow burn for me and I wouldn’t exactly call this a thriller until maybe the last 5% of the book. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting!

Thank you NetGalley and bookcouture for this ARC.

The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago
(Narrated by Davis Brooks, Sarah Borges)

Greg and Madeline divorced and now they have to manage the custody of their daughter - Lola.

It has lots of potential in the book, while there are room to be more suspenseful and twisty. The storyplot is something like argument between a pair of couple.

I found Lola was emphatic, where I majorly put my emotion there in the book.

Both narrators did great job - clear voice and brought the characters to live.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Feb 21, 2024

From the blurb I thought this would be my type of listen but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. It felt like I was caught in the middle of a couple who were having the most boring, uneventful divorce and I was listening to each of there inner thoughts and rants and I just found it such a bore. I kept waiting for the twists and turns but they never came. There was just no suspense, no mystery and really no plot if I’m honest. I found the characters to be really unlikeable. The narrator did a good job with such unlikeable characters and it’s really the only positive for me. I honestly don’t like to not have some positives but I just didn’t find any for this listen.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to listen to and review #TheCustodyBattle

Name of Book: The Custody Battle
Author: Ellie Monago
Narrator: Davis Brooks and Sarah Borges
Genre: Domestic Psychological/Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Pub Date: February 21,, 2024
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 356

Story is tory from the POV of Greg and Madeline the parents.
When Greg and Madeline separate, they tell their ten-year-old daughter Lola that they both love her and nothing is going to change.

These two are intelligent professionals he is an architect and she is a physician surely they both know that things are not stay the same.

Madeline stays in the house and Greg move out of his dream home into an apartment. He also allows the co-parenting to be 70 - 30.

When Madeline wants a divorce states she has fallen out of love; Greg does NOT agree. He believes a Marriage Therapist they can fall back in love.
Madeline hints there is someone else but they have never acted on it – this divorce is about her personal growth as she actually never was in love with Greg. She does not want marriage therapy as she is not interested in saving this marriage.

I was having a hard time with this story as there are so many unlikeable foul mouth characters including Greg and Madeline.
I do get that divorce does bring out the worst in people; certainly not easy.
I did feel sorry for Lola; I understood her rebellious attitude – didn’t like the colorful language but that certainly is what she was hearing from her parents.

Since this is a psychological thriller I was sure there would be a ‘big reveal’ so hung in there!
Ending was bizarre!

This was not an enjoyable read. If had posted my comments/feedback immediately after I finished I would have given it 3 Stars – however I thought more about it as it did grow on me ; thus rounded it up!

. Thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this early Audiobook..
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 21, 2024.

This was the first book I read by Ellie Monago and while I did enjoy this book, it lacked the mystery aspect I wanted. It was more of a GREAT lifetime movie for me. She also did a great job creating these characters, I felt they were very relatable, and I think we've all known someone going through an ugly divorce.

This story follows newly divorced couple, Greg and Madeline POV. Madeline blindsides Greg with the divorce, and expects him to follow her every single request, at the sake of their child, Lola. What she thinks is supposed to be an amicable divorce is quickly changed as lawyers becomes involved and manipulation to Lola.
Who is in the right? Who is in the wrong?

I was intrigued by this story. I was hooked staring right off. The middle fell a little flat for me I was a little bored. But all in all happy I read this book. Thank you Netgalley !!

Well written, carefully plotted and painfully close to the truth, and my god I hated these people, from the narcissistic father Greg to the self conceited mother Madeleine, the worst best friend ever Sydney, the high flyer solicitors cashing in on the pain and twisting what started as an amicable split into a horrendous ordeal especially for little Lola. Happens all too often.

The narration was very well delivered.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

I made a promise that I was going to start listening to/reading and discovering new authors and I am enjoying it. I only recently got into thrillers, so I’m still discovering new authors and discovering sub-genres/tropes that I like and so far I’ve had a lot of luck!


The Custody Battle is a dark domestic thrilling suspense that had my brain working in overdrive. What should have been a clear and simple divorce between Madeline and Greg quickly turns ugly. Boundaries are pushed and relationships and friendships are tested. This book shows just how fast it can spiral out of control and how it can have effects on other people around the couple, especially their child.

At first, I felt sorry for Greg. Madeline is a WENCH. But as the story progressed…Ugh, I couldn’t stand either of them!!! Madeline is self-centred and Greg is a narcissist and they both just use their 10-year-old daughter Lola as a pawn in their toxic relationship.

This was very well written. Once I started reading, I couldn’t help but be hooked. I highly recommend giving this book a chance! I’m so glad I did!

4 STARS!

I had the opportunity to listen to “The Custody Battle” audiobook. The book is a about a couple that is going through a divorce and both the husband and wife’s side of the story is presented. As the story progresses the focus turns to what will happen to their daughter.

This book has secrets, twists and turns. It kept my interest from the first minute until the last. The narrators did a great job- very easy to listen to and made the story come alive. Great story for those who love trying to guess what will happen until the very end.

I was provided a copy of this audiobook from Bookouture Audio and NetGalley to provide an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader's copy of this audiobook. #TheCustodyBattle #NetGalley.

This was a letdown. I was expecting a thriller getting in as advertised but I didn’t get that until 96% of the audiobook.

The narrators were fine. I have no complaints. They delivered well according to how the characters supposed to sound as one who was super extra organized with potentially be manipulative. And the other one was extremely narcissistic and self-centered.

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who love family drama and slow-burn thrillers and those who are new to the thriller genre. But for those who are well-read in the thriller genre, I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Ps: I commend the author for researching the custody battle processes well.

Madeline and Greg start off with the intent of having an amicable divorce. As far as Greg was concerned, they had a good marriage. In fact, he is gobsmacked when Madeline wants to dissolve the marriage. She is a pediatrician and he is an architect and they wanted for nothing. In fact, their home was a $5 million dollar showplace. The couple has a young daughter, and they decide on custody issues.

Greg soon realizes that Madeline was pretty much the manager in their marriage, and made some of the more critical decisions over the years. In fact, she gives him a list of names of divorce attorneys for him to choose from. Then there is Sidney, Madeline's best friend. Sidney just might find herself caught in the middle of Madeline and Greg.

This book by Ellie Monago was heavy on drama, with a few surprises thrown in. The custody battle made me think of the decades-old movie, Kramer vs. Kramer, to the tune that no matter how amicable things start out they won't necessarily stay that way. Things can change on a dime and that is what kept me riveted to this dramatic read.

I enjoyed the narration of this book when it came to Madeline's and Greg's points of view. Some of the additional dialogue by other characters was rather unimpressive, odd in one character's case to be sure. Nonetheless, I really could not put this book down and listened to it in one siting.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

If you've ever been through a divorce, this one is really going to sting. I don't know who in this tale is the most manipulative, but they are all vile. Watching as the process devolves rapidly from Madeleine's insistence on a quick and amicable divorce, through Greg's delaying tactic of a war of attrition to the inevitable disastrous resolution is enthralling and you won't stop until you know how it all ends, which really isn't how you might expect.

I’m a bit confused on how this can be categorized as a thriller. I feel like the first 95% is just a story about a back and forth divorce and custody battle. The last 5% I can see being a thriller, but until then it is not in the least bit thrilling.

The narrators are great, I listened at 1.75x and it was the perfect speed. I like when it is different narrators when it’s different perspectives, it does make it much more entertaining. I will say, both characters, Greg and Madeline are insufferable.

While I gave this book 3 stars, it is because the back and forth is still entertaining in a way.

3.5/5 Stars (rounding up to 4)! Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this audiobook of The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago narrated by Davis Brooks and Sarah Borges.

The narrators did a wonderful job narrating the main characters of Greg and Madeline. I would say that the characters did a great job of me disliking them both - as they are going through a divorce process and putting their daughter, Lola, in the middle (even if it was unintentional). It does make me sad about the reality that the husband and wife can miscommunicate and "battle" each other, especially when a child is involved. The story was slow so I listened to this at 1.75 speed - there could've been some parts left out but I understand the buildup. (Is it bad that my favorite character was Greg's attorney, Hughes? haha)

The cover was a little misleading because it looks to have baby shoes on there, but it's little girl's shoes - and it makes sense since the girl is in 4th or 5th grade. There wasn't too many twists in the plot and the ending was semi predictable. This was an easy and quick read/listen. This is my first book by this author and would like to see what other books she has written. I can't say this is my favorite but a good read.

The Custody Battle by: Ellie Monago
As the title indicated this is a novel about a divorce and there is a 10 year old girl caught in the middle of two very unlikeable parents. There is much conflict and he said she said with a twist at the end.
Firstly, this audio book was dual narrated, and I found this an asset to the story as their voices were easy to listen to. The baby booties on the cover seem to suggest that a baby is caught in the custody battle but it is a 10 year old which was not what I expected when I began the book. I wish the characters had been more likeable. This is not recommended for those going through divorce or as a recent experience.
This audiobook is expected to be release Feb. 21, 2024
Thank you to Net Galley, Bookoture Audio and Ellie Monago for this ARC.
#TheCustodyBattle #NetGalley

Kind of an odd book for a happily married woman to pick up. Our girl wants to divorce her husband because she has developed a whole crush on some hippy guy and imagines him as a whole new stepdad for her kid.
The husband is one of those who does nothing to help with parenting and the household because he is a visionary and he is busy working, It is a tale as old as time.
The narration was okay.
I basically hated both of these people completely. It had me hooked though. I listened to it in one go.