Overall I thought this was a good read! The storyline was captivating and I was kept on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what had happened. The characters were relatable and the story was well thought out.

4.5/5 stars
I went into this listen blind and I'm so glad I hung on for the wild ride! Where the story started at the beginning is not at all where I saw it ending. At first, I didn't care much for the main character, Lucy, but as the story went on, I could see how she got to the point that she did and I just felt so strongly for her. It first seemed like Lucy either stole or was somehow left in the care of this baby after a drunken night, but of course it wasn't that simple. As the story goes on, more and more information is revealed that puts the puzzle pieces together. I'm surprised at how easy to was to follow this story with all of the information to keep track of, but it fits nicely.

There are several trigger warnings to be aware of so please check before reading. These include miscarriage, alcoholism, rape and gaslighting.

Thank you to Netgalley, AJ McDine and Bookouture Audio for this ALC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so many twists and turns that I was shocked in the end. This was a great thriller and had me guessing throughout because the narrator was so unreliable. I really enjoyed this thriller and could not wait to find out how it would all end.

Lucy wakes up with an awful hangover, no recollection of the previous night, and finds a baby in her living room. Her biggest dream has always been to become a mom, and now there's an adorable baby looking up at her. But it isn't hers, and she can't remember where she got him from. Did she steal him?? Is there a mom out there panicking over her missing child??

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book u guys! Damn 😮‍💨 I listened to the audiobook in less than 24 hours. It had me hooked listening while I was cooking because I couldn't hit pause. && I was rewinding to make sure I heard every detail correctly! I mean, from page 1, I was on the edge of my seat trying to find out where this baby came from. My jaw dropped so many times! All the plot twists and shocking revelations were perfect! I highly recommend this one if you love a good, suspenseful psychological thriller!
I can't wait to get a physical copy of this one! 😍

Pub date: 4/23/2024 ♥︎

Thank you so much to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the ALC ❤️

I went into this with no expectations other than a glowing review from a trusted book friend.

I was drawn to the unique premise, a woman wakes up in a haze from a night out, only to discover a baby in her living room. So many questions? Not least whose is it and did it get there?

This is that rare psychological thriller that gets better and better as is progresses, it gets darker, the numerous twists get sharper and it absolutely finishes on a high.

Being critical, one of the characters could have been a little more well-rounded but that’s my only quibble.

Unexpected, sharp, a unique plot and a very satisfying conclusion. The voice acting was very good too.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio

Crazy, crazy story! I mean, what would you do if you woke up from a drunken stupor to find a baby in your house? Yet, this story goes beyond that suspenseful headline to questions of how a woman can survive an abusive relationship that is not overtly abusive to the outside world, but also one in which she is gaslighted into believing that it is not as bad as she might think. The story is complicated because it is about more than finding a baby, it is about a woman finally coming to terms with the reality of the person she married.

WHOSE BABY IS THIS?!?

That was literally me for 3/4ths of the book 😩

Reveal after reveal up until the very last page of the book. I really enjoyed this.

Can I just say that I haven’t hated a spouse in a while so much as I HATED the gaslighter, Miles. T-Raaaaaaash 🙄

This is a pretty gripping audiobook - gaslighting and narcissism being 2 very prominent themes!

The protagonist Lucy, gave up her own career to marry off-shore worker, Miles, and move to Dubai. Lucy has a fondness for the drink, which she is able to indulge freely while Miles is doing his stints off-shore. Imagine her surprise to wake up after one such drunken night to discover a baby (of whom she has no recollection whatsoever) in her home. This is the scenario that welcomes us in this book.

This book is well worth a listen, travelling as it doesn't between Kent, Dubai and the Scottish Highlands. it features distinct timelines, and. different storylines which converge for the great reveal (one of which follows the story of a missing young woman).

The narration was superb - so easy to listen to!

Overall, an audiobook I enjoyed, and on the basis of which I would absolutely look for further work from this author.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an advanced copy.

This is a good domestic thriller that keeps you guessing all the way through.

I struggled to like Lucy at first and couldn't really connect with her, but once I started to learn more about her past, I could really empathise with her.

The story was paced really well! It started off gently, easing you into the story and background of the characters. But I rushed through the second half because I just couldn't put it down! The shocks kept coming!

I'm excited to see more from this author!

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It drew me in and kept my attention. It had good twists and the characters were likable (for the most part) and relatable. It surprised you with a hidden character POV which was pivotal to the story and added depth to it. I would recommend this to all my bookish friends for sure!

I love the narrator on this audio book and have listened to others with her. It makes it nice to listen to.
The story itself was good with lots of twist and turns! It keeps you guessing the whole way through.

This was extremely far fetched story but never the less entertaining and gripping. I did find the main character frustrating at times and her behaviour was unsettling but the story had a good narrator and I was invested in the book to find out how it would end and all come together

This book was enjoyable from start to finish. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read in exchange for my honest opinion. If you enjoy domestic thrillers, you will like this one—not unlike a cozy hallmark Christmas movie (to use an out of pocket comparison) it hit all the right beats and followed the formula and was a very comfortable read.

If you liked: Daniel Hurst, Freida McFadden

I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me interested and wanting more the whole way thru. The narrator was very good and easy to listen to keeping me engaged the whole time.

I was so enthralled by this book, from finishing the first chapter to the last chapter I could not stop reading. The twists and turns kept me guessing and the detail provided made it so easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were amazing and each played such a special role. I would highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book! I am an avid reader of thrillers and when I read the synopsis for The Baby, I was so excited! A woman wakes up after a night of heavy drinking and finds a baby in her house with no idea as to where it came from or how it came to be in her house. So intriguing! I loved the first half of the story so much whilst we were piecing parts of this puzzle together along with our main character Lucy. The first few twists did get me and I found the whole book to be very fast-paced and fun to read. I will say that I guessed quite a few of the supposed plot-twists and the final twist is one that I had already guessed very early on. I also have just some little nit-picky problems with one aspect of the plot; at one point we are told that Lucy is being extremely careful to avoid using her phone so that she can't be tracked (keeping it turned off even though she needs maps) but at one point she uses her phone to check a schedule which is completely brushed over as in the next few pages she says something like oh I need to turn my phone on now even though I shouldn't... But I think the author forgot that a few pages earlier she had already used it. It also frustrated me because you can just turn location services off in settings on a phone and still use it without anyone being able to see your location. Small point and it probably won't annoy anyone else but I just thought I'd mention it. However, I still greatly enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone who loves domestic thrillers. I would rate this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4/5.

I thought the narration was perfect. The narrator did really well managing to seamlessly switch between accents. Usually transitioning between multiple accents can be a bit jarring but it was done really well here. I thought the voices fit the characters perfectly, the pacing and tone was also perfect for this book in my opinion. The narration never felt monotonous and it always felt fast-paced without being rushed. I can't imagine a better narration for The Baby. I would give the narration for this book 5/5 stars.

Lucy wakes up from a drunken stupor to find a baby in her home. The Baby isn’t hers, or is it? How did the baby get there, what should she do now and what hidden secrets will she find?

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook! The narrator did a nice job portraying the different characters and adding in the inflections necessary to evoke emotion. This story pulls at your heartstrings, has plenty of mystery and a thrilling plot twist at the end. You’ll want to read this in one sitting!

Publication date April 23, 2024

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an audiobook ARC of The Baby by AJ McDine for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book was so addicting I read it in one day. It's fast, addicting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you have not yet read this book. I suggest you go pick it up today. You won't be disappointed.

2.75 stars

Pros:

The narrator was quite good. Their tone was easy to listen to and they added life to the story where I might not otherwise have found any.


Cons:

I found the majority of this book to be difficult to take seriously. A person waking up to find a child not going directly to the police regardless of what might happen to them is insane to me but I suppose it is a part of the conditioning Lucy has from years of abuse from Miles.

This is a dark, depressing and relatively predictable book for me and not one I would find myself wanting to reread or remembering the title of later.

I spent all day listening to this book. It was a real rollercoaster ride. A tale of a manipulative narcissist creating his own reality and the lives he destroys along the way.
Beautiful twist at the end but not really a surprise