This was my first book by this author and even though it is a heartbreaking story, I really enjoyed it.
The writing on spot, and the building up really well done. Emotional, a little mystery, the difficulties of motherhood every woman experienced, how to deal with it and knowing who to trust.
TW: PPD

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Even though I had a hard connecting to the narrator, I still got into the story and was curious as to how it would unfold. I picked up on a couple little tidbits dropped along the way but I couldn’t figure how they’d play into the ending and ended up being surprised by the outcome.

A heartbreaking look into the life of an author/new mom who’s suffering from severe postpartum depression and gets little to no help with the baby from her husband. Same husband just happens to be arrested and accused of murder. As Brynn is trying to be a good mom and try to prove her husband is innocent, she finds out that her in-law’s and their family business have some decade old secrets of their own.

My heart broke for Brynn and all she was going through with little to no help from family, including her husband. I appreciated the mental health representation and the realistic look into postpartum depression. I think even though it may have been tough to read, it is important for people to understand that it is a very real thing. I think Spiro did a good job being realistic and sharing the raw emotions of a first time mom. This poor woman just wants to be a good mom but she can’t seem to catch a break, which is so relatable and definitely depicts motherhood. I loved her group of friends who stepped up to help her. Sometimes it’s better to not ask if someone needs help, and instead just jump in and do it. Being a mom is hard and it definitely takes a village of people you can trust to help. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense of who murdered the girl who washed up on to the shore in Martha’s Vineyard…so many sketchy possibilities. I wish that the story would have focused a little more on this plotline and not so heavily on the motherhood struggles, but I also understand why it was important.

Reno did a great job narrating and bringing the characters and story to life. She delivered a flawless and entertaining performance from start to finish.

Thank you @macmillan.audio, @stmartinspress, @minotaur_books, and @NetGalley for the #gifted ARC & ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read the excerpt from the Minotaur sampler and was looking forward to this book because it starts off with a bang. Unfortunately, it focused entirely on the protagonist and the mystery was insignificant. Yes there is a murder but the story is told from Brynn’s POV, she is completely focused on herself. I understand that she’s experiencing postpartum depression which is an important topic but she’s also extremely self-centered and exhausting. I have never disliked a character so much.
Personally, I feel that if this novel was listed as women’s fiction and/or the synopsis was written differently, the target audience would not be the same. This is not a mystery thriller in my opinion; Poor Cecelia is completely lost in this story until the few chapters.
I do believe the plot had potential as a mystery and it was well-written.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book is almost a complete analysis of postpartum depression, in excruciating detail. Brynn is trying to be a good mom, but most days just wants to go back to her old life without the baby. Thinking that her life then was perfect and would be again, without the strains and pressures of motherhood. She's soon to have a big distraction though when her husband gets arrested for the murder of a young girl. Could it be true? Was he fooling around while she was in a postpartum mommy funk?

Now she's not only filled with hormonal rage, but rage at her husband as she tries to uncover what happened and who is the murderer. It's like the book switched gears from a dissection of motherhood and depression, to a full on murder mystery thriller, so I found that a stretch. And the detective is a sleep deprived, brain fogged mom. It was also very slow in parts so I feel that it would have benefitted from some judicious editing. The murder mystery plot itself was interesting, but nothing that hasn't been done before, and a bit predictable. There was some good domestic drama and suspense, but I've just read better.

Thank you St. martins Press, Netgalley, and to the author for this ARC.

This was my first Spiro novel, and it will not be my last. She created such a strong voice for mothers and those facing PPD. This novel focuses on motherhood, the changes that come within and on the outside during that time, and also set up a great thrill. This was set in beautiful Martha Vineyard where I could just imagine the landscape. I really enjoyed this novel and know many others will to. This would be a good beach read for those who don’t typically take the light romances.

I really feel like this book had good potential but in the long run it focus too much on the main character’s postpartum depression, and not about the mystery.

4.5 stars! I know this book has mixed reviews, but I thought it was great if you appreciate a good domestic thriller. I'm also a sucker for any novel set on Martha's Vineyard, so that helped. That being said, I can see how those who have not personally experienced pregnancy and/or motherhood may not find Such A Good Mom and it's female main character (Brynn) relatable, but for those who have, Spiro writes in searing honesty about the experience of new moms.

Brynn is struggling juggling the responsibilities of a new baby with her job as a writer on an idyllic and affluent island. Like may in the postpartum phase, she experiences brain fog, negative thoughts about her altered body, and feels increasingly distant from and misunderstood by her husband. Perpetually exhausted and at her wit's end, her life crumbles when the dead body of a young woman on the island is discovered, and her husband is subsequently arrested for murder.

Brynn's journalistic instinct kicks in, and she decides to investigate whether her husband is really guilty, or he is being framed by someone else on the island. However, her chronic fatigue and "baby brain" make her a bit of an unreliable narrator, as she is constantly second guessing herself, her husband, and her life's choices. I loved the plot twists combined with the raw and emotional insight into the trials and tribulations of mothers, which really resonated with me and made for a compelling read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled to get through this one due to the emphasis on the FMC’s battle with postpartum depression rather than the actual mystery plot line. The cover and synopsis led me to feel the book would be a good summer beach mystery, but the subject was much heavier than anticipated. As someone who was diagnosed with PPD and failed to emotionally connect to with my firstborn infant, I can attest that Spiro’s portrayal of these struggled are incredibly realistic. I think there was a good premise here, but the murder mystery plot just lacked enough originality to hold my attention. However, I will definitely give this author a second chance!

A good premise, Martha's vineyard is a great setting. I appreciate the author trying to drag out the difficulties of being a mother especially when you don't feel called or connected to it - but it felt very monotonous (washing your sink) in a non productive way. No comments about motherhood were new or interesting for me. The mystery was drawn out and not really surprising in the end.

If you are looking for a story that is about a mother struggling with postpartum depression (and maybe even anxiety) this is the book for you. The struggles of postpartum motherhood and mental health challenges are well depicted. But that is pretty much all the book is about. The FMC is struggling with postpartum when her husband is arrested for murder. She struggles with her feelings towards him and motherhood. She is resistant to help and trusts very few people. The book was more about her struggles than the murder, which I was not expecting. I wanted a little more from the murder aspect of the story, which was fine, but predictable and not the main focus. I think if you want a story about mental health challenges, especially as a new mother, this book will check all of your boxes. It was just not what I was looking for and became repetitive and frustrating to me (not the depression, but the constant descriptions of her challenges.)

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I liked the premise of this book.

New Mom Brynn lives on Martha's vineyard with her husband. She's a successful woman with a busy life, but she is now suffering from post-partum depression.

When her husband is accused of murder, she is stunned - he wouldn't do that, would he? She decides she needs to find out who the real murder is, but she's barely functional.

I struggled a little with the book, as it's not really a mystery, and is more women's fiction. It is certainly not a beach read, as it brings up a lot of difficult situations. Brynn is unable to really bond with her baby and regrets having given birth at times. There is a lot of information about caring for a newborn, and it's repeated several times. I think women who have struggled with depression like this would appreciate this book, but for me it dragged.

Great summer book - fast paced!

Author Brynn Nelson is a normal, overwhelmed new mom residing on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, near to his close knit family. Her husband, Ross, is the heir apparent to the family business. As his father seems to be pulling back, Ross is spending more and more time working which leaves struggling Brynn on her own feeling as though she should be able to handle it all and shouldn’t need help. This just deepens her resentment.

Summer on the island is such a different time with all the temporary visitors and workers. One of whom is found dead after washing ashore - and suddenly Ross is arrested for the murder! Brynn isn’t sure ho is trustworthy and the postpartum depression just feeds these worries. But deep down, she knows he couldn’t have done it, and sets out to find out more.

The character of Brynn was incredibly relatable as Spiro did an excellent job to describe her vulnerabilities, doubts and fears. Her mother in law, Margaux was relatable too - a born leader always seeming to know how to make points with others. There were some portions that were a bit repetitive in nature, and some of the background development felt slightly clunky. Regardless, I enjoyed the story, didn't predict it (maybe because I sped through it!) and feel this would be a great summer read by the pool or on a plane.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and Julia Spiro for the eARC.
Pub Date Apr 29 2025

Boy, does this book hit hard on the early days of being a first time mom. I loved the murder mystery along with the heavy mom stuff. I somewhat guessed the twist but only about 25%. A great read!

A lot of the heavy mom stuff was repetitive, and I understand why, but it was a lot.

This could also be triggering for someone with PPD or who has had it in the past.

Brynn is struggling after recently giving birth to her first child. She doesn't know if she's cut out for motherhood. Plus, her husband, Ross is growing more and more distant. Then when a young local woman is found dead and her husband is accused of her mother, her life is turned upside down. Did her husband really kill Cecelia? What secrets was he keeping from her?

I had a difficult time with this book. I'm not a mother and couldn't relate at all to what Brynn was going through, and over half the book was about her dealing with a newborn, breastfeeding, wondering why she wasn't connecting, etc. I didn't care for that part of the book. I was more invested in the murder mystery than post-partum depression. I guess the title says it all. My mistake.

Thanks to Minotaur for an advanced copy of Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro.

I loved the Martha's Vineyard setting of this family drama - mystery. This book might be more appealing to women who are mothers since the main character Brynn is deep in the newborn stage of parenthood and feels like she can't do anything right with her son and isn't living the life she imagined as a mom. She has postpartum depression (but hasn't gotten any help) and that part gets really repetitive (and I started to question her friends/family for not helping her).. Oh yeah, and her husband has been accused of murder and she's trying to figure out the truth.

I liked the audiobook - the narrator Abigail Reno kept me interested in the book and while I guessed who did it earlier on. I liked seeing how and why it all unfolded.

This was an enjoyable book and I think the author's commentary on motherhood and the struggles will be something that a lot of moms will resonate with.

So much potential…

I appreciated the close look at how, upon giving birth, women are expected to automatically turn into nurturing mothers. The content tries to address postpartum depression, the fear of doing things wrong, and the absolute exhaustion of catering to a newborn while recovering from childbirth. But what we get is a repetitive cycle without a lot of depth.

Our wealthy white mother doesn’t seek help for her postpartum depression because she’s afraid the state will take away her baby if she tells her doctor how she feels. I mean, seriously, that’s just dumb.

In general, the story is about a lot of rich people behaving badly, interfering in one another’s lives, while doing nothing about the fact that Brynn is clearly suffering. It all felt shallow, despite the complex topic.

The murder mystery aspect is thin, and the twists predictable.

Read SUCH A GOOD MOM if you want a close but not necessarily expansive look at postpartum depression. Don’t read it if you’re looking for a good mystery.

“Such a Good Mom” by Julia Spiro
New Mom and a mystery
I found this to be an easy read. I did get frustrated from time to time with all the ‘new mom’ ‘new baby’ chatter when what I was wanting to hear was the ‘mystery clues’. I do recommend this story to anyone contemplating adding the new mom/baby routine into their lives. A lot of food for thought for you. But a bit too much memory lane for myself. I did skim some of that chatter a few times to get to the mystery. Happy Reading ! !

Unfortunately not for me. Not really too much about the mystery and more about the postpartum depression. It's a bummer because this sounded so interesting and just ended up not being for me.

👩‍🍼 T R A I T O R T H U R S D A Y review 👩‍🍼 featuring “Such A Good Mom” by Julia Spiro!

MY RATING: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Brynn Nelson is really struggling. She has a new born baby, a distant husband and terrible writer’s block when attempting to write her next book. From the outside they look like a picture perfect family, until a buried family secret rocks them all.

A server from their country club in Martha’s Vineyard is found murdered and the prime suspect is Brynn’s husband Ross! Not only is Brynn suffering from post partum depression, but now her world is being shattered into a million pieces. Could her husband AND the father of her child actually be responsible for this?? Or is Ross being framed?? After all, blood isn’t always thicker than water.

Ross gives Brynn clues to figure out the truth, but as she begins to spiral with questions and emotions she realizes that she cannot trust anyone. Even herself.

The constant fog of being a new mom and figuring out her inlaw’s secrets drags Brynn down to an all time low. Reality and the truth start to blur together as Brynn gets put through the wringer when trying to solve this mystery!

💗 I really enjoyed this book! I thought the mix of strained family dynamics, a murder mystery and the challenges of motherhood was an interesting twist that screams raw and emotional!

Thank you kindly to @juliaspiro @minotaur_books @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on April 29, 2025!