This was not a bad book at all. I just couldn't relate as much as I wanted to. It is likely a mindset issue and nothing to do with the book iteself.the author. I would definately read another book by this author.

I enjoyed the plot of Not Yours To Keep by Zelky Ruskin.

The book is fast paced and I liked the multi-POV structure. I found some parts to be wordy & drag on a bit. This book covers a lot of challenging topics infertility, mental health & trauma.

My rating is 3.5 stars. I would read another book from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & She Writes Press for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall a solid read, but nothing overly special here.

The book explores mental health in a thoughtful way, particularly through Anne’s character. Her gradual decline is both unsettling and sad, and experiencing her shifting reality through her point of view gives the story a haunting quality.

Tyler, on the other hand, didn’t stand out as much. His personality felt underdeveloped, and he seemed to mostly react to the events around him. Despite this, the multi-POV structure worked well. It’s rare for me to enjoy all perspectives equally, but in this book, I found myself equally invested in each of the three viewpoints.

One area that could be improved is the some of the clarity in the writing, particularly the scene transitions, which were sometimes unclear. This might have been due to formatting issues that could hopefully be addressed before publication.

At the end, I found it a little too “wrapped up in a bow” while also having some questions unanswered.

Overall, Not Yours to Keep offers an engaging psychological drama with well-explored themes and intriguing character dynamics.

I would like to thank NetGalley, She Writes Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't realize the author was a social worker until I read the acknowledgements at the end but there were times throughout when I thought to myself - the author sounds like a social worker! It's obvious that the author deeply understands infertility and the struggles many women face. Kelly Ruskin also understands mental illness, trauma and funky family dynamics. While there were many aspects of this book that I appreciated I thought it attempted a bit too much and there were numerous sections that could do with more editing or even removal. That said, the book was fast paced and while I found myself "speed reading" (skimming) a fair amount the storyline provided me with insight into an area of life I'm not overly familiar with. I would read anothe book from this author again. Congratulations on this first offering! 3.5 stars. Thank you for the opportunity to review the ARC.

This story really highlights the struggles that some face when wanting children and infertility. I new I'd feel for these characters. And presumed from the blurb that the baddie was going to be your straight forward bad guy doing bad things.
We have Billie and Tyler who want a child, though Tyler is clearly hiding something. And Anne who lost hers decades ago, but which this event has broken her apart so we meet her at a very desperate state.
There are twists and turns for the books genres sake. But that's what this books is, a thriller. So having that genre interwoven with such a tough subject was always going to be tough. Doing so where it didn't feel indelicate or crass was high praise to the author.
I think it wrote Anne very well. I new I wasn't going to like where she was going. But in the writing I new this was also a woman extremely breakable and vulnerable. And possibly over the edge already. Every time her chapter came I was nervous about the sprial you could see happenijg in her mentality.
And then when it all started coming together it was definitely a gripping read.
Obviously a delicate warning. This does discuss baby loss, procedures and infertility. The emotional rawness of those going through that might not be OK with the subject matter.

Overall I did enjoy the plot of this book. It did seem like there was a lot of excess to it, and it dragged it out a bit. I also thought some of the adjectives the author used didn't really fit well, like saying "the delicious baby's hands and feet", or that she was "deliciously frightened". That being said, I do look forward to reading future books from Zelly Ruskin.

This thriller was interesting to read.. I'm a mom so some parts I did understood the point of view others don't.. But it shows the struggle of some woman with infertility and what they are willing to do.. There's a lot of right/wrong but the idea was there

This psychological thriller takes you through tyler, billie and anne's point of view. billie and tyler are married and struggling with infertility. you learn the parallel of following annes story near the end with a huge plot twist. this book was pretty good and highlighted the struggles of infertility.

It was ok. Little confusing. Billie and her husband want a baby but experience fertility issues. A woman from his past shows up and things spiral way out of control. Mental health issues. Abuse. Fertility issues. Lots of topics in this book. Was ok. I mostly skimmed.

Loved this book. This was such a thought provoking book. What a tangled web it was. I couldnt stop reading it. I loved the plot and thats what kept me turning those pages . Highly recommend.

Not Yours to Keep by Zelly Ruskin

In this book we follow Billie and Tyler as they navigate busy careers and a devastating struggle with infertility. Things are already not going great for them, so when Tyler starts receiving anonymous, strange text messages and notes it sends both him and his wife into a spiral. Then, when a baby in Billie's care goes missing, she becomes the prime suspect and their whole world begins to unravel.

I liked the psychological aspect of this novel. I thought the way mental health was explored here was interesting and well portrayed. The obvious decline in Anne's mental health is chilling but also very sad; we get to experience her delusions and downfall first-hand through her POV. It begs an important question, could what happened with Anne have been prevented if she had received support earlier? Furthermore, the impact of dealing with infertility and how deeply that can affect someone mentally is also expertly and compassionately explored in this book. Billie's internal struggle and her intense, deep desire to be a mother was heart-wrenching to read but something I imagine many people can relate to. Tyler was an interesting character. I felt for him, but also felt he had very little personality other than reacting to what was going on around him with Anne, his wife and his job, I felt sorry for him regarding the situation in his past; what happened between him and Anne as teens made me very uncomfortable as it felt like she had taken advantage of him, yet this was not directly addressed by the author. Although I did fly through this book, the action was slow throughout and the real inciting event only occurred at the very end.

Overall I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars. Although I found it an enjoyable, fast-paced read, there was nothing particularly outstanding about it, and therefore I did give it an average rating.

Read the ARCon netgalley. Thank you She Writes Press for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review!

Pros: good character development except Billie.

Cons: writing is a bit confusing at times or maybe it's because the formatting is messed up as the publisher shared a pdf and not a epub.
Editing could have been sharper as it was a struggle to finish the book

The start is a bit slow, nothing much happens. Then the main characters are introduced. Tyler and Billie are a couple, Tyler is a lawyer in track to being a Partner while Billie works at an adoption agency. Then there is Anne who is obsessed with Tyler. Characters of both Tyler and Anne are fleshed out but Billie is there as a plot device, she is childish and needy when the scene needs to be but strict and suddenly strong woman when the plot needs it. Or so it feels. There is not much character development given to her. Billie is just way too docile. Seems like she is just all okay with everything every time. She never gets annoyed when Tyler puts his work over their personal life? Really?

Anne is shown to be a stalker initially and then suddenly she is shown as unhinged.

Editing could have been sharper

If you're into psychological thrillers then this book is for you.

It deep dives into some very dark themes and some topics that'll be triggering and traumatising for some so please check triggers if any of those will be harmful to you.

This book is definitely not for everyone, but it was such a unique book and concept that was executed well.

Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and Zelly Ruskin for giving me an ARC book of this book.

Oh my was this book a wild ride! This story covers some tough, dark topics that was hard to read and get through but I just couldn’t put it down! This was the fastest I think I’ve ever read a book because I was just so immersed in the story! This is labeled as a women’s/ general fiction/ thrille..I didn’t feel that “thriller” aspect I was looking for til the last 30% of the book, since the rest before was definitely building the storyline but it didn’t disappoint, I truly felt bad for all parties involved in the story. I really enjoyed the epilogue as well, some light at the end of a dark tunnel.

This book is outstanding! As someone trying to conceive, the narrative strikes a chord, and I formed a strong bond with Billie. I erred in starting the book before bed, as I couldn't put it down. Without giving away the plot, this book is a must-read, featuring a gripping storyline and surprising twists that keep readers hooked. Thank you, Net Galley, for the chance to read the ARC.

While I'm not normally a fan of multiple person perspectives in my novels I really enjoyed this one. There was so much going on in this story straight from the beginning that I couldn't put it down. This was a fast paced page turned that will grab your attention quickly. I think my favourite thing about this story was the plot. It left me breathless and dying for answers. While this is a teen drama thriller I was very impressed with the sensitive subject line that this book went with, abduction,adoption, abuse, and mental health issues all play a part in this story however they are broached with much sensitivity that it makes it easy to follow and easy to get lost in as a reader. This book is told through three different points of view but it was necessary to get all of the important information out and thankfully it was very easy to tell when we switched. Main character Billie is desperate to start a family with her husband however is unsuccessful. With her job helping other couples through the adoption process the struggles that she is facing suddenly become to much as they start to spill into he professional life as she starts to dream of adopting her clients' unborn baby and raising it as her own. Things really get intense from there but I don't want to give away to much information. It then switches between Tyler who is trying to start a family with his wife Billie and all of her issues, and then Anne a woman with mental health issues who is searching for a child she was forced to give away years ago. This is an edge of your seat thriller that will draw all of your attention as you find yourself being pulled into the complex story line and characters lives. The plot of this story will is one that will really grab you and leave you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I really enjoyed this book but it was the characters and their depth and three dimensional feel that really pushed this book over the top for me. Great job and I can't wait to see what is next for Zelly Ruskin because for a debut novel she blew it out of the water and I'm not sure how she can go any higher but I can't wait to watch her try and succeed. This is an author that you need to check out. If there is only one down fall I can think of for this book is there are a few subjects that might be triggering for readers however I didn't find them so bad but others might want to be forewarned before reading this one. I'm so glad that I got the chance to check it out. Don't hesitate when this book is released because it is one that you will want to be talking about to everyone you meet.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the Advance review copy in return for an honest review.

Billie is desperate for a baby and Anne is desperate to find the baby that she gave up for adoption many years ago. Their lives collide at the adoption facility where Billie works, and when a new born goes missing Billie’s husband, Tyler unveils a secret from long ago.

This novel deals with child sexual assault, and the long term affects this can have on the survivor. This can make it harrowing reading at times as its told from the victim’s side. I did expect the baby abduction to be central to the plot, but the baby is not even born until half through the novel; and when it is abducted its all wrapped up very quickly.
All in all a fairly decent novel revealing dealing with trauma, infertility and childhood sexual assault whose themes may not be for everyone but as a debut novel from the author, this is strong one.

A tense psychological thriller about betrayal and trust. Ruskin’s gripping plot and sharp character development create a suspenseful read that keeps you guessing until the end.

Strength, courage, heart.
These are the words Billie lives by and when the adoption specialist is faced with fertility problems she needs all three. She’s desperate for a child of her own, even as she helps couples, and unready mothers navigate the adoption system. She’s a social worker who genuinely cares for her clients yet works hard to maintain professional distance. But as her fertility challenges increase, the line between what she needs to do and what she wants starts to blur.
Meanwhile, Billie’s husband, Tyler, is dealing with increasing anxiety over parenthood. He isn’t sure he wants to be a father.
Anne is a woman struggling with her mental health. She’s endured horrific abuse and bore a child too young. The baby was put up for adoption. Anne has been looking for her child ever since. She’s struggling through substance abuse and mental health decline as her obsession over her lost child consumes her.
These three POVs are interconnected in astounding ways, coming together for a stunning and satisfying conclusion.
Ruskin has deftly created three complex characters who draw you in. They are nuanced and realistic. Her descriptions are vivid, setting the reader firmly into time, place, and character. The unfolding plot kept the pages turning.
I devoured this book because I had to know what happened, then felt sad it was over. Overall, this was a great read. If you like heartbreakingly real characters, a satisfying emotional journey, and suspense, run and get your copy.
I can’t wait to read her next!

I recieved an ARC copy for review.

3.5

Not Yours to Keep was a very fast-paced read. I got easily wrapped up in the story and wanted to know what was going to happen next, and actually felt for the outcome of the characters. There were a few times that I found some connections to be a little suspect/over the top, but overall, I enjoyed reading this novel.

Trigger Warnings: infertility, mental illness, sexual abuse, adoption