I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I got to 50 percent of this book and could not finish. The baby constantly crying and the constant use of the "f" word was just too much for me. Too far fetched also.

Took place in 2 timelines a generation apart.
I found it to be slow paced through much of the middle of the book. Had a nice twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. Well written!

A thrilling ride of emotions, and what can push you to the breaking point? I had mixed emotions on this story, it is all consuming love of child and what you will do to protect them, how far would you go? The story kept me engaged the whole time and ending that I did not see coming but made all sense, it was perfect.

Melissa hears a baby crying she decides the only thing she can do is save this child, she takes the baby from the seemly uncaring parents. She hides out in cabin, where her seemly plan starts to unravel. Suddenly the baby starts to remind her of her own loss all those years ago. Can she keep this baby safe or her will her played out plan fail and will she lose herself in the mix of it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for copy of this book for my honest review.

Cannot rate this one highly enough, starting off with a fantastic opening the whole story leads you to cheer for the main character and her actions, however as the story gets a bit darker you start to question her actions and then oh my god the twist at the end leaves you side swiped

Love this author and always enjoy and cannot wait for the next release

When Melissa kidnaps her own grandson, it becomes a whirlwind of a story leaving distraction in its wake. Told over two timelines one set in the 1970 where we have Nancy who seems to have a the perfect family life, a husband who is a respected Doctor and two children Melissa and George. Though behind closed doors the truth will out and Nancy is subjected to domestic abuse which Melissa see's first hand.

The second timeline is the present, in which Melissa - who believes her son and daughter-in-law are incapable of looking after baby Gabriel - kidnaps Gabriel and flees to a rented B&B in somewhere in Scotland. But not without their being casualties along the way.

There was a lot of emphasis on how much baby Gabriel cried all the time, which I understand babies cry, but it was just a constant repetition. For the most part it slow and boring then there was a flurry of activity, follow by more repetition of Melissa's past and the constant crying baby. 

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! Each chapter left me wanting to read more. It was a little bit of a slow build. Multiple chapters pointing toward something big coming but just kept dragging it out til the book was halfway done. However, I’d recommend it overall.

My thoughts: Melissa has taken her grandson, she believes he is being mistreated and knows that he will have a better life with her, we don’t know the specifics but we’re very quickly drawn into the story and led to believe that it’s for the best!

The book is told in 2 timelines, the present day and then back in 1970 when Melissa was a little girl. The chapters from the past are more compelling and had me turning the pages so much faster! They also helped to put the present day chapters into perspective more and left me as a reader thinking the worst as to the reasons Melissa has stolen Gabriel!

This wasn’t a particularly fast paced thriller, but I think that added to the overall atmosphere of the book and kept me turning the pages, don’t get me wrong there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat and found myself shouting at the kindle, but the most part this was a very subtle thriller that had me biting my nails in utter disbelief.

I will absolutely be reading from this author again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

I loved this. A gripping thriller and if life hadn't gotten in the way, I'd have finished it in one sitting!

Hush Little Baby is an interesting thriller told through some POVs we don't always see in thrillers. The story is told in two timelines through the POVs of Nancy and her daughter Melissa. The way the two timelines reveal the traumas of each woman's individual and shared past kept my attention throughout the book. There's depth and emotion to the story. Look forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy to read. All thoughts are my own.

Hush Little Baby has an interesting premise. It is told in dual timelines and points of view.

We flash between present day Melissa who has abducted her grandson and 1970s Nancy who is living in an abusive situation.

There are some dark themes of familial violence touched on throughout this book.

The story ultimately kept me reading because I wanted to see where it was going but I found myself skimming some parts as they felt repetitive. I preferred the 1970s storyline to the present day which was almost boring at times.

Overall if you like psychological thrillers Hush little Baby is a good one. It just didn’t blow me away.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Hush Little Baby' by J.A. Baker.


'The Perfect Parents' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Baker discusses/includes domestic physical and psychological abuse.

Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, secrets, lies, twists, drama and omg the ending!!! I DID NOT see coming!!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS JA Baker!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me but by God you did that over and over and over!!! What an ending!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking domestic suspense books that I have EVER read!!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. I cannot remember the last time I was so hooked by a book but you managed that big time!!! The storyline is filled with drama, shocks, secrets, twists, suspense, tension, deceit and more. There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I'm not going to go too much into the storyline as I don't want to give anything away and everything you need to know is in the incredible synopsis. However I do want to say that I absolutely LOVE the fact that this book we get to see the story from both Melissa and Nancy's perspectives and that it is set over multiple timelines! This book really does go to show that you never know what really goes on behind closed doors and that appearances can be very deceiving indeed. I am not going to go into details about the storyline as you can read that in the brilliant synopsis so to find out more you will just have to grab a copy of this gripping psychological thriller today to find out for yourselves! I have never read a storyline like this one and considering I have read hundreds of books that is quite a feat so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS Baker on constructing a unique, intriguing and captivating page turner! Baker's fantastic evocative writing skills and descriptions really draws the reader into the storyline putting them in the middle of the suspense themselves with the characters, emotions and surroundings coming to life in front of their eyes! i am definitely looking forward to reading more books by this fantastic author!! I absolutely loved 'The Perfect Parents' by JA Baker and genuinely thought that there was no chance of getting better than that but Baker managed to up the game and blow it out of the water with this epic page turner!!

Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! Practically every chapter ended on a cliff hanger so no way could I put it down!! Absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!!

I was completely invested in both the storyline and the characters. Each of the characters had their own unique personalities and I felt differently about each of them. Baker has managed to create several realistic, flawed and questionable characters that she brings to life with her creative and evocative writing skills and puts them into what should be an everyday storyline but makes the reader question everything and everyone they are seeing, reading and meeting throughout!! As with the storyline I won't go into any details about the characters as I don't want to run the risk of giving anything away and spoiling this incredible storyline for future readers. Baker has done an amazing job with the multiple protagonists and multiple timelines and weaves all the different timelines and characters stories together perfectly not causing any confusion into whose point of view I read from or what timeline the chapters were talking about. If you want to know more you will just have to grab a copy today!! I promise you will NOT regret it!! All in all a great mix of characters that worked well with this storyline and regardless of whether you love them or hate them they all played their parts perfectly along with Baker's fantastic writing skills making each of them jump out of the pages coming to life in front of your eyes.

Congratulations J.A. Baker on an absolutely gripping, suspense packed and addictive page turner!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and I would definitely like to welcome you to my favourite author list!! here is to your next guaranteed success!!!

Overall an absolutely thrilling and unputdownable addictive psychological thriller!

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I have read and enjoyed many of Baker's books and I think I might just have found my new favourite!

As popcorn thrillers go, it's definitely well worth the binge. It's a pacey read told across dual timelines and takes us back to the harrowing childhood of Nancy and the abusive behaviour she received at the hands of her husband, a respected GP and to current day where we meet Melissa, a grandmother wanting to do the right thing by her grandson.

The twists came thick and fast, and the suspense was through the roof. The characters are engaging, credible and highlight the issues of what you don't see happening behind closed doors.

I really enjoyed it the book and would definitely recommend both book and author.

When Melissa Crawford sees a baby being mistreated, she knows she has to do something about it. She can’t let it happen again. Baby Gabriel is only four months old. He doesn’t deserve the amount of neglect he’s suffering at the hands of his parents, being shoved outside in his pram while they argue inside the house. They obviously don’t want him, treating him like that. She does, though, and she’s going to do them all a favor and take him. He’ll be better off with her, she tells herself. She will love him like his parents don’t. They will be happy.

Yet, starting their new life together doesn’t go as easily as she thought it would. A hit-and-run accident as Melissa tries to make her getaway with Gabriel may upgrade her from a kidnapper to a murderer. Fearful of what she’s done, she high tails it to the cabin she rented for them in the middle of nowhere, anxious to settle in and finally feel safe. But nothing is going as planned. She hasn’t even unpacked when an unexpected guest shows up, waving a gun. Going on the run again, she’s determined to get Gabriel to safety and start their new life. The cops are looking for her, but she doesn’t care. She has to keep going. If they catch her, they will send her to prison. They won’t understand that she’s just a loving grandmother protecting her grandson from her son and his horrible wife.

Riveting, tense, and horrifying at times, “Hush Little Baby” by J.A. Baker is a steady-paced, emotional exploration of the effects of domestic violence and trauma as seen through the character Melissa. As a child, Melissa watched the severe beatings her mother suffered at the hands of her father. She remembers living in silence as to avoid any noise or word that would trigger him. Even though he left while she was still small, the trauma she suffered was there for life, lurking in the shadows and waiting to reappear. It appears early in the novel when her temper nearly gets the best of her with a fussy baby Gabriel (she reminds you of her father), and it stays front and center as she runs from the police.

“Hush Little Baby” is told through Melissa’s first-person point-of-view (POV) in the present day and through her mother Nancy’s third-person POV in 1970 when Melissa was a little girl. It’s a little confusing at first, because it’s not clear who Nancy is and why she’s part of the story. But once it’s revealed, it takes the book from good to enthralling. “Hush Little Baby” is filled with heart-in-your-throat twists and turns. However, it’s also busting at the seams with emotion. There are enough gut punches to bring tears to your eyes at least a few times.

This book is brilliantly written and oh-so-addicting. The middle of the story seemed to go on a little longer than it should, but it gave me more time with Melissa, Gabriel, and Nancy — and that’s a win. Melissa’s POV is both emotional and action-packed. Nancy’s POV is written so well, it might traumatize you a little. “Hush Little Baby” grabs you by your attention span and doesn’t let you go, but it’s the final twist that will steal your breath from your chest as it breaks your heart and twists your tummy into knots. I read a lot of books. I’ve loved a lot of final twists. But this one? It broke me.

I have all the respect for author J.A. Baker. I don’t know if she cried as she wrote this, but I need a new box of tissues after reading it. “Hush Little Baby” is the first book of hers that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.

A grandma snatches her grandson to protect him and is now on the run. This was a fast read that I finished quickly because I just had to know how things would turn out. I loved that nothing was as it seemed and that this book kept me guessing AND entertained. Also the ending left my haw on the floor!

This book is my worst nightmare as a mother because it’s a child being taken so I think that pushed me to reading this. Melissa our main character has dealt with a lot in her life especially as a child. Though she doesn’t make her life easier by kidnapping her grandson along with some other incidents. Though things aren’t as they seemed to Melissa due to her past trauma she isn’t always thinking clearly so we are trying to decide what is and isn’t real. One part of the book that had me laughing actually was t the way that the ashes were disposed of I thought was pretty great!

Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

Hush Little baby is a taut thriller not for the feint hearted. The chapters are under Melissa and 1970 where the mystery begins ie. what is the connection between the two. This is a story full of helplessness,hopelessness and terror. One is almost too afraid to turn the pages at times.

The writing is descriptive and suits the narrative of the story .
5 stars

This is another very good domestic thriller by JA Baker. The writing style is fast past and engaging and the book came with plenty of twists to keep me guessing.

This story is told in two timelines. One takes place in the 70’s and tells the story of Nancy who is married to a well respected doctor. The community and his colleagues think the world of him. But Nancy knows better. Behind closed doors, her husband is abusive and Nancy and her daughter have to walk on egg shells around him. When things come to a head, Nancy’s infant son almost loses his life.

The other timeline is current day and is about Melissa. Melissa is apparently estranged from her grown son, blaming his wife for filling his head with nonsense. Melissa keeps a close eye on her son’s home and is distressed to hear constant shouting and yelling coming from the home especially since her infant grandson is forced to live in this environment. Melissa has had enough and takes matters into her own hands when she sees her grandson alone outside in his pram. Acting quickly, Melissa takes her grandson and takes off.

What happens to both families separated by decades? And what is their connection? Will either have a happy ending?

This was a three star read for me. The storyline with Melissa was rather repetitive portraying her as totally inept to handle a baby while the baby seemingly did nothing but cry insistently.

I love the author’s books however and will always jump at the opportunity to read her works!

This was my first J A Baker novel, but I am aware that they have authored many well received novels. I was drawn to the book by the blurb, which sounded like it had all the ingredients of an excellent thriller. I really liked the way the book was written over two timelines - it helped to build Melissa's backstory and provide context for the present. Melissa was suitably flawed and unlikable, and I enjoyed analysing her character and trying to unpick her emotions and actions. There was a sense of vulnerability underneath the determined exterior, and she was clearly very troubled. I sometimes felt it would have been good to hear a bit about the other side of the story - what were the baby's parents thinking and feeling, how was the investigation progressing, etc. The final few chapters were a surprise and brought an interesting twist to the whole book. Hush Little Baby is tense and gripping with an interesting premise and a good twist.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

The narrative switched between the present day, and 1970. I was drawn in from the beginning, and I sensed something that felt ominous, and made me feel uneasy. My feeling of unease motivated me to keep reading. I found Melissa an intriguing character, and initially, I questioned her motivations and intentions.

I've read books by this author before, and I found they had a clever way of creating a tense and chilling atmosphere. I felt very aware of Melissa's emotions and everything that went on around her, and found myself on tenterhooks.

This was an addictive nail-biter that thriller fans will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.