Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was stunning. As a mom of a toddler, this one hits me so hard where I am in my life. I love the personal narratives blended in with the historical research of motherhood. I think every man needs to read this to just get a taste of what motherhood is like.

Thank you again for the ARC!

Excellent exploration of the constant need to feel you are a wonderful mom. My son is 17.5 and I still think about am I a good enough mom for him! I'm so glad a book like this now exists. Well-written and thought out. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Though I like the IDEA of this book, I was greatly disappointed in it.
The narrative is jumbled, disjointed, and tedious.
And i was really turned off by the abortion rant in a book that's supposed to be about motherhood.

As I am embarking on my journey to becoming a parent of two, this was an invaluable read. A perfect mix of personal memoir with a well-researched look into studies on the subject of motherhood, this book provided compassion, reassurance, and scientific evidence on the outdated ways of thinking on which American society has been operating. She delves into the various subjective studies performed in order to study the role a mother plays in a baby's life, most of which were done by men who spent little to no time with their own children. Many of these theories have stuck around, still plaguing the minds of mothers today with misguided and inaccurate ideas of what motherhood should look like. The needs, desires, and even basic health of mothers are often not made a priority or even acknowledged. Reddy pokes necessary holes in the conclusions that are drawn in regards to what babies need in order to develop into healthy and well-adjusted adults.

Reading about the author's own struggles and feelings of inadequacy painted an evocative picture of how prevalent and problematic the good mother myth has become in American culture. Each chapter was incredibly informative and readable, providing valuable insight into how hard mothers are on themselves and the joy they are missing out on because of it.

So many of Reddy's struggles were things that I grappled with my firstborn including the challenges of breastfeeding and pumping, not feeling bonded or maternal towards my child, and the feelings of immense guilt when desiring to return to the workplace instead of caring for my baby full time.

I had to stop reading when the author began a rant about abortion. This book will be of little help to the new mom who is overwhelmed by the myth of motherhood and the reality of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin Press for an advance reader’s copy in exchange for a honest review.

What is a good mother? Is there such a thing as the ideal mother or is it just a myth? Nancy Reddy sets out to tackle these questions among others within society at large and includes her personal experience as she embarked on motherhood. As an achiever, Reddy believed motherhood was something to achieve and accomplish. True, the image of a sweet baby that is quiet, barely cries, and easily soothed is a dream for some mothers; however, in actuality babies have needs just as the mother and both needs are important. Reddy’s thoughtful, poignant book is a call for everyone to reconsider the outdated myth of the good mother in today’s society.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I usually don’t get that into memoir but this book compelled me with the addition of studies and criticism. I found this story moving and deeply personal and as someone considering whether to have kids and how to potentially be a good mother it provided some comfort to know that my anxieties are not abnormal.

What a life-changing read! As a mother who struggles with anxiety and guilt, this can be profound. I am so grateful to have read this and able to apply some of these things in my life!

While The Good Mother Myth is not exactly what I expected, this was a surprisingly well put together read for mothers in any stage of life but definitely for newer mothers who have ever questioned if they were a good enough mother.

First and foremost, I must say, without reading this, if you’ve ever asked yourself that question, know that you are already a better mother than you give yourself credit for just for asking alone.

This was more of a memoir of one woman’s journey of motherhood mixed in with some social criticism against all mothers alike along with some legitimate studies which I found to be interesting. Worth the read if you care to pick up books for expecting or new mothers I think. Motherhood is an experience in its own and also trial and error of what works for you and your family and she highlights it well in this book.

While nothing is shocking or compelling about The Good Mother Myth, it is a good read for any mother who has ever questioned whether she's doing a decent job of it.

Blending historical analysis, cultural criticism, and personal memoir, The Good Mother Myth reveals the flaws in our contemporary understanding of motherhood, offering a blend of humor, insight, and emotional depth that will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps scream all at once.