Hush Little Baby by J A Baker is about Melissa Crawford in the book we get to POV‘s one is current day and the other is her as a child with her narcissistic abusive dad and loving mom and little brother little Georgie. When the book starts Melissa is watching a house with the baby on the porch sitting in a stroller while the parents are in the house doing other things and it is just a little more than Melissa can take. She plans to kidnap the child and she tells us all about her grandson Gabriel and her son, whose neglect is baffling to Melissa. She soon takes the baby and head to Scotland but before she can get out of town a horrible incident happens that if she wasn’t a criminal before she definitely is one now. In the other POV her mom Nancy is abused by her husband in their home they cannot make noise if they walk to loud their opening their self up for sencher, even opening and closing drawers must be done with stealth and quiet things that are acceptable one day will be punishable the next he is moody and has Nancy and little Melissa walking on eggshells daily. As the book continues current day Melissa and little Gabriel or in a dingy cottage in Scotland he has come down with a fever and if that would be all the problems she had that would be enough having kidnapped a baby who is deathly sick but oh no, there’s something that’s going to happen that changes the whole projection of the book. When everything comes to ahead it makes for one pretty shocking ending. I can honestly say this book is thrilling, heartbreaking, shocking with a sad but satisfying ending. I often mention most books I read by New authors when reviewing but not the case with this Author., I love J a Baker’s books and after reading this book despite a few eye rolling moments, such as bringing a baby with fever out on a cold day I definitely recommend this one. because I really and truly enjoyed it.#NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks, #JABakker, #HushLittleBaby,

What a thrilling, harrowing tale! It's a tough topic to write about domestic abuse but I think the author has done it with the perfect balance of empathy and respect. It's easy enough for people who aren't experiencing it to say just leave but it often is not that easy and is more complicated and emotionally and physically harder than you will ever know. The plot of Hush Little Baby is about Melissa who takes baby Gabriel and back to her life in 1970 when she is a young girl. I have never been so shocked by a ending it was totally unexpected but it does explain why Melissa seems so unstable and it made me feel so much sadness for she must be in pain. The baby in the story does cry a lot but I didn't mind at all because it made the story feel more real as that is what babies do. I really enjoyed this complex tale of a thrilling mind!

This was such a chilling and twisty read overall! I was hooked right away and the twists shocked and gripped me until the very end,

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. Baker switches between past and present skillfully in this book. Although I struggled to find adult Melissa a sympathetic narrator, her story was written well. The pacing was good, the story tense, and I did not expect the twists at the end. The chapters set in 1970 were particularly emotive, and Baker developed sympathy for Nancy and her children well.

This book grabs hold of a theme and runs with it to exhaustion. It explores the themes of domestic abuse across time periods. It would be a difficult theme to base a story on, and I can imagine JA Baker feeling as if she were walking on eggshells at times to get the balance right.

But it is also a difficult book to review because although the theme is important, I did struggle with the execution. Split into two timelines, we have a 1970 setting of awful mental and physical abuse. And in the present day, we have a grandmother who kidnaps her grandson because she believes the parents are neglectful. Both narratives are very much stream of consciousness writing. Out of the two narratives, I thought the past timeline was more powerful because the present timeline felt too convoluted and repetitive. I also found the voice in the present timeline very stilted. Emotional yes, but very stilted. And the repetitiveness of that voice worked against what I think the author intended for the reader to feel.

While I found the past narrative more compelling, it has a trope that is a pet peeve for me, and that's the child that acts way beyond their years. I get the reason why, but just make the child older in the story. Despite that, it's compelling. It's not an easy narrative to read, but it is compelling.

Above all this, the story does highlight one of the tragedies of the past period, that domestic abuse was often ignored or hidden from view, even by those who's job is to protect those who are vulnerable. If nothing else, the book shines a light on that period in time and hopefully will make people consider that awareness is sometimes the lifeline that somebody needs.

This book was just a whirlwind from start to finish, but not always in a good way. There were times where things would happen and I would want to not stop reading, then there were other times where things would happen and I would just roll my eyes and put my kindle down for a minute before I kept reading.

This book does explore domestic abuse (physical and mental) as well as death of loved ones, and how it can affect people and cause them to do things people would normally not do.

There are two timelines in this book, one sent in the present day, where Melissa, our main character, kidnaps a baby. But it's not just any baby, it is her son's baby that she believes is being treated terribly by her son and his wife. Once she kidnaps the baby, things just go off the rails from there. However, I do wish there was a little bit more excitement since this is a thriller book, rather than just the couple of scenes that were in here. Other times, during the care and illness of the baby, it was a bit repetitive. Baby is crying -> I tried my best to get him to stop -> He keeps crying -> I don't know what else to do and I am overwhelmed even though I just kidnapped this baby and did this to myself. The pace fluctuated between boring repetition and things being thrown at you within the span of a few pages so it was very hard to want to keep reading during the boring parts when I know that the writer is able to write scenes that are interesting and grab your attention.

In the second timeline, we go back to 1970, and we read about a family with a mother, Nancy, two kids, and a very abusive husband, who physically and psychologically abuses his wife, and also psychologically abuses his kids (except for one incident :(). I feel like this time line was very helpful with allowing the reader a glimpse into what may have affected Melissa's mental state, and what may have caused her to want to step in to save a baby that she thought was being abused.

Thank you to J.A. Baker and Boldwood Books for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Told in dual timelines from 1970 and today, we are given the story of Melissa as a child and a grandmother. She has snatched her grandson as she believes that he is being abused and heads off into Scotland to hide but things don't always go to plan. On reading other reviews, they feel that too much is written about the baby crying BUT anyone who has had a sickly child, knows that is what they do when hungry, feeling unwell and tired! It adds a realistic element to the book as does the tiredness which Melissa feels from the constant 24/7 of looking after a child on your own. You are always wondering where the story will go next and then right at the end ....BAM. Something which I never saw coming.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for the ARC to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. Hush little Baby: Melissa feels she is doing the right thing as she snatches a crying baby from his dreadful parents. She can’t let him suffer anymore.
Melissa will shower him with love and keep him safe.
A suspenseful, cliff-hanging thriller keeping you on the edge of your seat!

This is one of those books that was a relatively quick read, I finished it and found myself sat there thinking…..Hmmm, don’t quite know how to feel.

I’ll try and explain… The main character was clearly unhinged, and not likeable or relatable.
The plot ( or the plot as I saw it whilst reading ) seemed to flit between being possible and then not being plausible in the slightest.
Every other chapter I was thinking “No, not for me. Can’t really get into it”, yet I found myself carrying on and not even attempting to stop reading it.
The twist that came, I didn’t see it coming, but felt worked perfectly in this book.
When I did finish it, I thought brilliant, now I can move onto something else, yet found myself going over the story again in my head.
This book had me contradicting and questioning myself, during and afterwards.
So….what I take from this is, it’s worth reading if just for the one time. Will I read it again? Probably not. Would I recommend this to others? Yes. But I would explain the above when doing so and leave it up to them to decide. Would I read this author again? Yes, but I’d enter with caution.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC.

This book followed Melissa, a woman who kidnaps her grandson after she believes he is being neglected by her son and daughter in law. Then there is a second POV of Nancy in the 1970s, about a woman being abused by her doctor husband. I loved the 1970s POV the best. The two tie together so you know why Melissa is the way she is. The end is wild and comes out of nowhere. Shows you how people can go crazy when they lose a loved one.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this e-arc. I greatly appreciate it.

The MC is very insufferable, and was very hard to connect with. I like the story plot but would need to work on more. I like the cover and the title, it caught my attention.

Thank you netgalley for the arc

A suspenseful thriller, Hush Little Baby (2024) by J A Baker has a fine tension-building feel, despite a few concerning behavioural descriptions. Melissa is a grandmother hiding in the bushes watching her grandson and concerned for his wellbeing. She decides to act, grabbing the baby in his pram and driving off, hitting an elderly man as she speeds away. The narrative then switches back to 1970 and another family suffering trauma, with some graphic descriptions that some readers may find distressing (trigger warning). Alternate chapters describe the lives of the two families, drawing the reader in, wanting to find out what happens next. This is a difficult book to review given the inappropriate and at times disturbing descriptions that may cross the line for a mystery thriller. Although fiction, the family tragedy and all too common mistreatment, make for a truly disappointing two stars read rating. With thanks to Boldwood Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I found it very repetitive, slow and most of the time boring, there was nothing to hold my attention and keep me captivated.

Flipping backwards and forward between present and past was poorly executed and the connection between Melissa as a child and an adult seemed an unnecessary addition to the story line and offered little substance to the overall story line.

Totally pulls you in from page 1! Each chapter pulls you in a little more each time! Compelling and fast paced!

I could not get into this book at all. Very little about this book felt plausible, and the main character was flat and one-dimensional. The story is very slow and has a dual timeline - the past, 1970 where we get Nancy's point of view. And the present day, when Melissa takes her grandson away. We do get some repetition throughout the book. I appreciate the ARC

When Melissa Crawford snatches a crying baby from outside a house, she knows she's done the right thing. She can't bear to see the baby suffer one more day in that house, with those people. With her, baby Gabriel will be safe and loved. She is his grandmother after all. But as Melissa is making her escape, she is involved in a terrible accident that forces her into hiding She can't believe she's been so careless - now she has to lie low and let the dust settle. Gabriel's parents won't care where he is, they'll be glad he's gone, but if she goes to prison, who will care for the baby? Who will keep him safe?

The pace is on the slow side, which could put some people off reading this book. The characters also felt a bit one-dimensional. The story has a dual timeline - the past, 1970 where we get Nancy's point of view. And the present day, when Melissa takes her grandson away. We do get some repetition throughout the book. The story is told from Nancy and Melissa's perspectives. Nancy's story is about abuse from a well-respected man in the community. Everything starts going wrong as soon as Melissa takes baby Gabriel. This is an easy book to read.

Published 23rd August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #JABaker for my ARC of #HushLittleBaby in exchange for an honest review.

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Melissa feels that her grandson, Gabriel, is being neglected by his mum and dad. One day she steals him from the garden he is left in, and what follows is horrendous for her. All she’s trying to do is keep her grandson safe.

I felt for Melissa, she feels that she must protect her grandchild, but she has forgotten how hard it is to look after a little one again. Melissa has issues of her own and life isn’t easy for her. I could understand where she was coming from.

The story is told over two separate timelines, now and back in 1970. I spent most of this book on edge, it was so intense. I had to know what was going to happen to Melissa and Gabriel. I also had to know what happened back in 1970 to Nancy and her children, which was such an integral part of the story.

And as for the final few chapters … my jaw dropped well and truly. It really was an ending that I didn’t suspect at all.

My thanks to Boldwood and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 ⭐️
when melissa kidnaps her grandson she will do anything to keep him safe. this psychological thriller takes us on the journey of melissa being on the run with her grandson to protect him. overall this was a good story and i enjoyed it- i was however a little annoyed with the constant crying. but, it did have some twists i didn't see coming.

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for accepting my request for an early copy of this psychological thriller.
This book is written in two points of view, one is of Melissa who is the Grandma of Gabriel, she has concerns that he's not being looked after and decides to kidnap him.
The other point of view is based back in 1970 as Nancy lives a seemingly lovely life with her Gp husband Roger, but no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.
I really enjoyed this book. There are connecting threads which concluded to a thriller end. I found it a great fast paced thriller. This isn't my first read of JA Baker's books so I had high expectations and it didnt fail to impress me. A good 5 star read!

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Hush Little Baby’ written by J A Baker in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Melissa takes a baby boy from outside a house where he’s been left unattended. She’s spent a lot of time watching the baby’s parents mistreat him and feels she has a duty to take away the boy she names Gabriel and care for him as they should be doing. But Melissa’s finding it difficult at her age to care for a young baby who’s constantly crying and needing attention especially as he doesn’t look well.

‘Hush Little Baby’ has two threads running through it, Melissa who takes baby Gabriel away from his parents, and Nancy who’s suffering from abuse and bullying by her husband, the well-respected Dr Roger Fitzgerald, who ensures the bruises he causes are hidden from the eyes of his adoring patients and colleagues. The beginning of the story had me interested as I tried to make a connection between Melissa and Nancy then it slowed down and I got frustrated as there was so much repetition. The final chapters concerning domestic abuse and mental health were dealt with sympathetically and I’m glad I didn’t give up on it as the final chapters brought closure and gave a greater understanding of Melissa and her earlier life. I’m happy to recommend it.