Thank you to NetGalley, author Catherine Dunne and Betimes Books for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.

I will be honest and say I didn’t read the description so I had no idea what I was getting into. This isn’t a typical book that I would normally choose and for that I am grateful to have been able to read and review it.

It was such a powerful and emotional take on pregnancy, motherhood and the history of how unwed mothers were treated in earlier years.

While I have always know these mother/baby places existed, I had no idea just how awful they were and what these poor women had to endure. The trauma so many experienced with gruelling labours and their babies stolen from them.

I loved the way the author intertwined all the characters and how it all came together in the end. It was a page turner in wanting to see how it all played out. The different POV’s were well done and were easy to follow. The character development was well done, so well done that I felt like I was there with them.

It would have been a 5 star from me but the authors threw in Covid and lockdowns and that’s when she lost me. I read to forget about things like Covid and have zero interest seeing it in books. While I understand it was written during Covid which is why I’m sure it was included I would have preferred not to read anything more about that time (just my personal opinion)

I would absolutely recommend as the rest of the book was amazing and I’m looking forward to reading others by this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found this book hard to get through. The stories were so disjointed and there was a lack of character development that made it hard to care enough to see what happened next. The ending felt very abrupt and tacked on to make it current to the times but it didn’t need to be there. Overall, this felt more like a series of interconnected vignettes than a novel.

The plot of this book was quite different what I thought it would be based on the blurb, and that threw me a bit.
The number of different POVs and timelines was a bit much for me, and because of that I found it difficult to get into.
Of course with there being five characters, only so much time can be spent on each perspective. At times I would be engaged in one POV (usually Maeve's) only to jump to a different character too soon (at least it felt too soon for me).
This was a well-written and emotional story but I don't think it was for me. However, I do think the main issue here is that the description doesn't do a great job of conveying what this novel is really about.

I can really see people loving this book, unfortunately it just couldn’t get into it. I usually love multiple POVs, but with the amount & the time jumping it just put me off.

★★
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Thank you NetGalley and Betime Books for the opportunity to review this book.

Catherine Dunne’s storytelling is spellbinding. I have not been drawn to another novel so emotionally all year.

A Good Enough Mother explores the lives of Irish women, young and old, forced into Mother and Baby homes and the cruel reality of what went on behind closed doors. Abandoned by their families, with little hope, they navigate adulthood in this intimate and honest story from an author who blew me away with each chapter.

I could NOT get into this one at all... The blurb and the actual story seem to bear very little resemblance, one to the other, and while I was drawn to the blurb (and cover), the reality of the story itself was not one I'd have requested. It was very dark and difficult and not at all what I expected. The writing is not the issue, it's just not a subject/story that I am drawn to. This one wasn't a good fit at all...

A wonderfully interwoven tale from the perspective of six women (and one guy) whose lives are intricately connected.

Right off the bat, I must say that the blurb is misleading because the story is much more than that. It's better to go in blind and experience the depth of this narrative firsthand.

The story unfolds through multiple points of view across different timelines. I also have to commend the historical accuracy of the novel. It vividly captures events and issues that cast a dark cloud over Ireland.

We are introduced to Tess, the mother of two children – Aengus and Luke. Aengus is the good, mature, caring, forgiving, and understanding child, whereas I'm almost positive that Luke is a psychopath. He is the dark cloud over these women's lives. The role of a mother is difficult. When you know that your kid did something horrendous, how do you cope with it? Do you stop loving him? Do you cast him aside? Do you support him nevertheless? Do you accept him? It is a complex situation and a wreck on a mother's heart. Having to accept that your child is evil is the last thing any mother would want to face. So how do you tread forward? Or do you forever stay frozen in that moment? You end up questioning if you were a good enough mother.

We are also introduced to Maeve in 1979, having just given birth to her daughter Belle. Due to having given birth to a child out of wedlock, she is cast aside by her parents and sent to a mother and baby home, the likes of which were infamous in Ireland for being abusive, oppressive, misogynistic, and coercive confinement. They were notorious for forcibly taking away the babies and trafficking them across the world. The author's note also mentioned that recently, the bodies of 800 infants were discovered in an underground tank in one such institution.

The author really did justice to the memories of these tortured women through Eileen, Maeve, and Joanie. They still carry the scars from their time in these institutions. One never met her son again, one barely escaped with her daughter, and another met her son decades later, having lived her entire life searching and yearning for him. Their pain and anger at the system for such treatment are justly highlighted in the story. These institutes used religion to oppress these women and treat them as sinners and outcasts in society when they should have been supported.

This novel also deals with sexual abuse. Although I did not like the outcome at the end, unfortunately, that is the reality for several victims. I will not disclose more on the matter.

All is not sad and forlorn in this novel. We also meet another mother, Betty, who has lived a full life and is now reminiscing about old memories. Her point of view is in the second person, like letters to her husband Jack, who passed away. Being a mother of six and living in a financially distressed household is not easy. Yet, the happy moments with the family more than make up for it. She is very supportive and always provides a listening ear to her daughter Tess (yes, the one mentioned above). Her povs shine a light on Tess's past and childhood.

Lastly, I would like to appreciate Aengus. He is a gem and stands for what’s right. His thoughtful and caring nature made him stand out. Having a second angle to Tess's situation was great too.

Overall, a profound story with the tales of several mothers who would do anything for their children.

4 stars!

Thank you, NetGalley, Betimes Books, and Catherine Dunne, for providing me with the DRC for this wonderful book! Much appreciated!

Liked but didn’t quite love this book.. it was hard to keep my interest. I went through phases with it where I couldn’t stop reading, and then I literally forgot about it. Other than that, I loved the plot and idea of this book!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest review.

This book was just okay for me. I feel like the summary did not fully reflect the actual book so I went in expecting something else.

I am all about multiple POVs in books, but there were a lot in this and a lot of time jumping.

I think I was also expecting this to be a little more light hearted.

Overall, decent book, nothing overtly wrong with it, just not for me right now.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was such an incredible story of resilience in the face of doom. The story follows multiple generations of women in Ireland who must overcome so much. The strength of these women is portrayed so eloquently by the author. I am looking forward to more!

A Good Enough Mother is a sensitive exploration of the legacy of trauma stemming from the treatment of unwed pregnant women in Ireland.

The novels chapters alternate between narratives of women in different eras. The women's lives are intertwined, with the links between them unfolding as the novel progresses. Their stories felt naturally linked and the narratives flowed naturally forward and backward through time.

The characters are written with depth and warmth. Although the horrific backdrop is a constant presence, Dunne manages to craft a beautiful and loving story of female strength and persistence.

I have read other novels which explore the lifelong trauma women, particularly Irish women, experienced in the mother and baby homes. I feel that this book is the strongest I have read so far in sensitively exploring these atrocities.

Following the lives of 5 women, across decades, the POV switches frequently to focus on each woman’s life and experiences. While this could be confusing at times, especially with numerous important characters and some non-linear jumps, the POVs are woven together by the links between the women, which are uncovered as the novel progresses.

I found the characterisation unique and varied, which is impressive for a story with so many characters, and I felt myself intrigued and curious about each of the women. The way the story is told, spanning decades, allowed me to become attached to the characters and the more emotional and shocking moments packed more of a punch.

This novel explores difficult themes, including that of sexual assault, and therefore readers should check potential trigger warnings before reading.

The author has included factual information about the mother and baby homes at the end of her novel, which allowed me to learn more about this shocking part of history.

Such a powerful and emotionally story of motherhood. Spanning decades Dunne weaves a tale of fractured friendships and relationships. We experience the horror of the Mother and Baby Homes of Ireland, the relentless pressure placed upon vulnerable girls. But we also see the courage of those women who never gave up, who fought to keep their babies and the love and support they found in others who had experienced the same ordeals. To write such a beautiful story against that backdrop is one thing but to also tackle a tale of consent and sexual assault and weave it all together so seamlessly is a great craft. A poignant and powerful story.

Wow! This is a compelling, addictive multigenerational story of women surviving and then thriving in the face of immense trauma and hardship. The story is told through beautiful, almost poetic writing. If I highlighted every sentence I wanted to, I’d be highlighting most of the page.

I loved the multiple POVs and timelines! Dunne masterfully writes each character’s story and timeline in a such a way that I never got lost or confused as to who was who or what was going on. I fell in love with and was rooting for every FMC! Their stories are slowly woven together through generations until we end up with the full tragic, but also uplifting picture.

I personally identified with some of the trauma the FMCs experienced, and loved the focus on women’s empowerment and survival throughout the novel. Each FMC is strong, and their persistence through their struggles was inspiring.

The book ends with an afterword detailing the factual basis of the novel, making it so much more impactful. This is a must read!

*Topics in this book are heavy, so please keep the trigger warnings in mind before reading.

Trigger warnings: rape, forced institutionalization, kidnapping

Thank you to Betime Books, NetGalley, and the author for providing this eARC!

*my review will be posted on Bookstagram (@amandaisoverbooked) on 05/25/24, and on Goodreads once it becomes available

I really enjoyed this book. It is a difficult read at times but I enjoyed the stories of each of the women and thought the connection was very cleverly done.
I found myself wanting to get back into their stories.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a slow paced character driven book.

First of all i want to say that i was a bit confused at the begginning because of how the story follows the life of five women (not two like it said on the summary) and i was having a hard time keeping up with all the names, places and years. Eventually i got used to the rythim of the book and i did quite enjoy it, mainly because is one of those stories that really makes you THINK and i don't find that that's the case with most books this days.
Personally i found the representation of women, motherhood, childhood, and in general the way relationships work to be relatable and really interesting.
The writting was algo very good wich i hadn't expected but it's always a nice surprise. Especially i think that this type of story really benefits from good storytelling.
Overall i would really recommend this book and i'm interested in checking the author's backlist. I would say this story is a journey and one i do not regret!
Last thing i would say, i know this is a translation from irish and i would really love to know that language but i don't so, i can't say much but i do think the translation was done well and the book flows nicely.

(i will post my review on goodreads once the book is avaliable).

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

Intergenerational trauma and interwoven stories of women, children set in Ireland. Triggering and delicate themes handled well.

I may be biased because of my familiarity with the topics discussed in the story due to my research, however, even if I were less informed, I would have picked up this book.

The writing flows and is engaging. The book can be read in a couple of sittings. More than the characters, I was invested in the themes and the plot, however, the characterisation (Tess and Betty) is also well done. Timely, relevant, familiar and interesting, all at the same time.

When I requested this book I expected something different. While I read the book, it is not something I would choose again. I typically like more light hearted, escape of like book. All in all it was good, just not my type.

It's not a happy read, the issues are hard and unfortunately und the history of institutions for pregnant girls in Ireland is as terrible as depicted.
These women are relatable and the story believable.

This is a story of motherhood and how mothers cope with trauma of the worry for there child. And how a different generations of motherhood can be. This was an thought provoking story making me think as a mother how would I cope. The characters are relatable in there individual journey's a great read.