3.75 stars
Lucy wakes up one morning after a previous long day of drinking. She's trying to remember her day and how she ended up back home. When she suddenly discovers a baby in her living room. Who's baby is in her living room? and did she steal him while she was drunk? The book got my attention right away and kind of lost me a little in the middle. I was struggling to finish, but then it got good again towards the end. I'm glad I kept reading because the end had twists and so many lies that made up for it. The book pretty much goes back and forth between past and present, and Lucy trying to figure out who's baby she has and how it ended up with her. She has struggled with infertility and ends up falling in love with this small, cute baby. Does she keep the baby or find his parents?

What grabbed my attention about this book and submitted a request for an ARC was the blurb alone. There have been plenty of books published with the theme of kidnapping but never like this. A women waking up one morning and hearing the cries of a baby... a baby she did not birth nor have any idea of its existence prior to that morning? Genius.

It was easy to get through this book because the chapters were short enough to make you want to keep going without feeling fatigue from long pages. The entire time I kept thinking, "where the hell did this baby come from?" This story is told by our unreliable narrator, Lucy, who's married to Miles and lives in her grandfathers cottage with their cat Percy. From the moment Lucy finds the baby in her house, the story picks up and is told in both present tense and past (through memories). I'm not one to be a fan of past and present story telling but in this case it was both necessary and interesting. They were missing pieces to the mystery that also gave us an insight of who Lucy was in her alcohol induced haze.

Of all the characters, I loved Lucy (I Love Lucy like the show!) As unreliable as she is, you have to feel for her. She's dealing with an addiction that has led her to possibly committing a crime that she didn't mean to do. She's in a relationship that is little by little hinted as toxic and abusive, and she's isolated. She's also dealing from a miscarriage while being reminded of motherhood in all her interactions. She's also brave and smarter than I would've been at some of the reveals because I would've lost it. I also loved Shona and their newfound friendship. They stuck together and worked out the mystery while having to make tough decisions in the process.

I did not think the plot twists were gonna get me but they sure did. When I though I figured out the plot, the twist would be revealed and I would be left staring at the wall. And the final twist being the absolute final thing we are left with from this book? Amazing. Truly left me reeling from it all and I'm still thinking about this book and probably will until I get my hands on a physical copy when it gets published. The plot of this book overall is a unique concept because what do you mean she woke up to a baby crying while having no baby???

The thing I hated about this book? MILES. For me to have this irrational anger towards a fictional book means the author did such a well job at developing him and that's exactly what McDine did. As the story progressed, he just got worse and worse and in ways that aren't in your face until shit hits the fan. From the moment chapter one begins and she talks to him on the phone, I knew this man was gonna be the worst person ever. He's an absolute narcissistic, psychopathic loser!

Also, what happened to Percy? Maybe I missed it but after a certain point he never showed up. Justice for Percy. Anyways, this was my first A J McDine book and if this book had me hooked right away, I will be checking out the other books!

Update: I have to give this 5 stars I’m still thinking about these characters and just piecing every little action of each of them

Thank you NetGalley, A J McDine, and Bookouture. Book is to be published on April 23, 2024

⭐️4.25
Lucy is a drunk and she’s unraveling. But first, she needs to sober up and find out exactly what she did.

There’s a baby in her house and she has no idea how it got there.

I loved the short chapters and the author grabbed my attention from the very first paragraphs.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Bookouture for the ARC, I just loved it!
Publication date: April 23, 2024

AJ Mcdine is one of my favorite authors. "The Baby" is a riveting and exhilarating thriller. I literally was glued to the pages and couldn't put the book down. I was totally immersed into the story. The author is incredibly talented, and her books are the epitome of thrillers. The unexpected twist, anticipation, palable tension, and her skill at plotting. The story is relentless to the last page. The characters are detailed and relatable. The ending was magnificent. The author always exceeds my expectations.

This is a new author for me and I really enjoyed this book. A fast paced story that kept my interest and kept me reading even though some of the twists I think I saw coming before the characters! That said the writing was so good that it didn’t bother me and I couldn’t read it quick enough. I will definitely look to read more by this author.

This is a solid 4 star read. I didn't have any jaw dropping moments and had the twist figured out pretty early on. With that being said, it was still a great, quick read. I loved the Michigan reference! It won't be my last AJ McDine book that's for sure!

Excellent read - kept reading all day until I finished it, absolutely heart stopping with twists and turns. One of my most fave books I have read.
Loved the style of writing and the different characters. Highly recommended.

I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. I was so intrigued by this plot line. I enjoyed the up and down of what in the world was going on…
How does a baby just show up inside your house?! That poor woman though, I really felt for her character.
The twist was actually twisted. I was surprised and I think that person got just what they deserved in the end. Underlying themes of verbal, and emotional abuse were present which made the story that much more page turning!
This is not my first book by this author but surely not my last! It was an easy read that held my attention during a long car ride.

I had never heard of this book or its author prior to seeing it on #netgalley, but the cover, title, and synopsis were enough for me to request permission to read it before it is published. I found it to be a fast paced and moderately twisty mystery story. It drops you right into the story with little preamble and off you go from there. While I do admit that some of the plot twists are things you see coming before the characters do, but the writing is strong enough that you aren’t too bothered by it. I devoured this story within 2 days, and almost immediately after I reached the end I looked this author up and am currently listening to one of their other stories on audiobook. If you are a fan of mysteries, especially of the “who the bleep did I marry?” type, this is a story for you! This is my first book I’ve read from NetGalley, and it has definitely made me a fan and I can’t wait to see what other books may come my way!

This book can be summed up in one sentence: a woman wakes up with a hangover and a baby, then craziness ensues.

It’s more than that of course, but that’s about all that can be said without spoilers. Lucy wakes up one morning with a massive hangover, which isn’t unusual for her. She remembers going to the dentist the day before, then grabbing a drink (or four) with an old friend, but she has no idea how she got home. As she stumbles through the house to get to some water and paracetamol, she is stopped short. There’s a baby, asleep right there in her living room.

Lucy’s husband, Miles, works on an oil rig, so is gone for long periods of time. Lucy’s drinking can get a bit out of control when he isn’t there to monitor her, and this time she knows she’s really screwed up. She blacked out, and must have stolen someone’s baby. That’s the only reasonable explanation. Her first thought is to take him to the police station, but obviously this will not make her look like a saint, so she waits and tries to figure out what to do.

As the day goes on, she watches the news and Googles missing children, but there are no reports of a baby being taken. Is it possible Lucy saw a mother who wasn’t taking care of the child, so she stole it? Is it possible that the mother even GAVE her the child? And what is she going to tell her husband when he gets home? He is constantly on her about her drinking, and he has never wanted children. This is going to be the ending of her marriage - but she will be damned if she loses both her husband AND the baby. How can she make this work?

This story was super fast-paced and quite entertaining. The suspense of wondering who this baby is and where he came from makes for quite a compelling plot, and the ending gives the reader several revelations and twists that I didn’t see coming. This one should please most thriller readers - 4.5 stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture, A.J. McDine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 23, 2024.)

Get ready to lose time when you pick up The Baby! A fast and addicting read that you will just need to keep going with. Lots of wild twists and turns in this thriller that will surprise you until the very end.

Lucy wakes up one morning after a big day previously of drinking. She has no idea how she got home and now she has found a baby in her living room!! She tries to put the pieces together to work out who the baby is and how she has him. Instead of turning herself in, she thinks the baby might be better off with her….

That is just the start of this roller coaster ride. You have to read it to learn more but you will not be sorry.

Thanks to the author and Bookouture for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on April 23rd.

I had never read a book by this author before, but was immediately pulled in to the story from the start. I couldn't put this one down, and needed to know what happened to the baby's mum. Great writing, great plot..you have got my attention AJ McDine, I've been and bought your other books since reading this, so thank you NetGalley for allowing me and many others the opportunity to read these books and discover amazing new authors.

First time I’ve readthis author but I’m old east
Looking. For more! Raced through it was totally hooked! It’s defo worth a recommendation

I received this copy from NetGalley, I really enjoyed this book would definitely recommend it .5 star review.

The narrative centers on Lucy awakening one morning to discover an unidentified infant in her living space, triggering a dilemma regarding the baby's source and her potential involvement. She grapples with the decision to either confess to a crime she may or may not have committed or embrace the child, offering solace to a longstanding emotional void.

This psychological thriller, penned by A.J McDine, effectively captivates readers through succinct, compelling chapters that beckon continued engagement. The seamless integration of plot elements and character dynamics ensures a seamless reading experience. As the protagonist delves into the mystery surrounding the infant, tensions escalate, prompting introspection on moral dilemmas and personal motivations.

The tension mounts as Lucy's internal conflict intensifies, pitting her desire for motherhood against uncertainties about the baby's origins. The narrative deftly navigates themes of deception and revelation, maintaining a gripping pace with unforeseen twists until the final revelation. McDine's narrative craftsmanship, evident in the intricate web of suspense woven throughout the story, ensures an emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating reading experience.

Thank you to the publisher, (Bookouture) and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this book and author to anyone that is a fan of psychological fiction.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit confusing in the beginning but it eventually clicked. I gave it 4 stars because I figured it out pretty quickly. There still were little twists I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the fast pace. I think it should include a warning for anyone who struggles with alcoholism.

This was my first book by this author but it won’t be the last.
I was drawn into it really quickly and raced through it in almost one sitting.
It is a fantastic domestic thriller that I really enjoyed. It’s definitely one that I’d recommend.

Firstly, thank you to Bookouture & Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Baby in exchange for honest feedback.

I love a book that grips me from the first chapter but they're pretty rare. It's safe to say The Baby is one of those books that hooked me from the get-go! I read another of A. J. McDines books a wee while ago & I remember I really enjoyed it so I had a good feeling about this one!

The Baby was well paced and I loved the short chapters. It makes it easy to say 'one more...' and before you know it, you've read the whole book!

I had a feeling I knew what was going on but I still got caught out by a couple of twists, which I loved.

I'd highly recommend The Baby if you're looking for a fast-paced & twisty thriller.

The Baby

Lucy wakes one morning to find a baby in her living room, she can’t remember a thing. Did she steal the baby? Was he given to her?
She’s torn between handing herself in for a crime she doesn’t know whether she’s committed or keeping a baby that would fill a hole in her heart that has existed for as long as she could remember.

A.J McDine has absolutely nailed this psychological thriller, you find yourself unable to put it down, with short punchy chapters that make you think “one more chapter” and find yourself still reading at 2am…

At no point do you get bored of the story, wonder what’s going on or what involvement characters have in the story. Everything fits perfectly into place which makes for easy reading.

Absolutely love the character development and the team she makes with Shona, this relationship could have gone two ways but the relationship they have is heartwarming!

Thank you for asking me to review through NetGalley!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy of The Baby. Very weird concept in the beginning, but as soon as Miles was introduced, I knew where the baby came from But it did not stop me from reading this fast moving, gripping novel. I felt very bad for Lucy but as the story unfolds, you do see her strength. Such a GRIPPING read and when I had to put it down, I was thinking of where I left off and couldn’t wait to get back to reading. I LOVE books like this one. Thank you again.