A fast paced read that is so hard to put down once you start. The story is told from 2 POV of the main female characters in the book. Elise and Maya, two women who met at a surrogacy support group. Maya is a surrogate for a very demanding and intrusive couple, while Elise is using her sister as her surrogate.

Book Review: The Perfect Baby by Sam Vickery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Stars)

I just finished The Perfect Baby by Sam Vickery, and it was a gripping psychological thriller! I really enjoyed the story, filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end. The tension was palpable, and I wasn’t expecting the ending—it left me stunned. If you’re looking for a book that keeps you on edge, this one is a must-read.

Elise and Maya meet at a surrogacy group. Elise wants to be a mother more than anything, Maya is a surrogate for a couple eager for a child. They easily form a friendship and understand each other's struggles. They are also both hiding secrets from their past.
I could not put this book down! The fast pace and secrets kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. I felt emotional for both Elise and Maya, yet wasn't sure who to trust. I was not at all expecting the twist! I was actually sad for everyone at the end. While I absolutely hate an ending without full closure, this was probably the first book where I was ok with it. I really look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This wasn't super good, forst half at least was pretty boring and couldn't wait for it to be over. But it did get better as it went on.

Maya and Elise meet at a surrogacy support group and become friends. Maya is pregnant. She is acting as a surrogate for a couple called Will and Nina, whereas Elise’s baby is being carried by her sister Julia. The babies are due around the same time, but each woman has a troubled past and they are both hiding secrets.

I loved the unique concept of a surrogacy thriller. The prologue depicts a woman leaving the hospital with a baby that isn’t hers, which had me guessing straight away who would end up stealing a baby!

I struggled a bit in the beginning differentiating between the two main characters and the information we were given about each one. I also found it a bit frustrating the way that secrets were hinted at but the reveals were so slow and drawn out. This also made it hard to connect with the characters as I felt like I didn’t really know them.

The second part of the book picked up though. I liked the chapters that went back in time as these provided explanations. There were some great twists and I liked the unexpected ending.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

This psychological thriller is intense from the start and only gets twistier with every chapter. Sam Vickery gives us an emotional, heart-pounding story about motherhood, lies, and the limits of love.

Oh my goodness I absolutely LOVED this book!! It was such a quick read for me and I did NOT see the ending coming!! Very psych thriller and family drama!!

This book starts as a slow burner but gradually picks up, becoming more engaging as the story unfolds. The plot was well-crafted, and I found myself really sympathising with the main character, who felt genuine and relatable. The storyline was original and fresh, bringing a unique idea to life that I haven't seen before. Overall, it was an enjoyable read with depth and creativity, especially once the pacing picked up!

This novel starts slowly, but once the storyline picks up, it transforms into an engaging narrative that keeps the reader invested. The multitude of characters can be a double-edged sword; while it adds depth, it also makes it challenging to keep track of who’s who and which character is narrating at any given moment. The author skillfully builds intrigue around the two main characters, both of whom harbor secrets that unfold in unexpected ways, leading to surprising revelations. However, the ending left me wanting more closure. Despite this, the author’s compelling writing style and ability to weave a captivating tale have piqued my interest, and I would certainly read more from them in the future.

The Perfect Baby by Sam Vickery and narrated by Sofia Zervudachi, and Katy Sobey was an excellent audiobook. It was a dark and gripping page-turner which was full of jaw-dropping secrets that will have you hooked. I ended up listening to it whilst doing my weekly shopping, then doing things round my house, it was a hard audiobook to turn off once I started to listen to it. I loved it and the narrators Sofia Zervudachi, and Katy Sobey were superb!

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC

The Perfect Baby is a ticking time bomb of slowly creeping dread and tension that fills the room around you as you dive headfirst into explosive twists that are too diabolical to miss.

Domestic suspense thrillers can be hit or miss for me but this one is all hit. Characters that all seem to be hiding secrets. Shifting character POV’s and timelines that keep revealing breadcrumbs of truth. The murky world of what’s legal in surrogacy. Women who are desperate to become mothers and the lengths they might go for that dream.

All of it packaged together with perfect pacing and intensity that had me absolutely flying through this read in one sitting. You know from the start bad things are coming but you don’t know just how bad or whose side you will be on when it all falls apart and that is the best part of this book, hands down.

Even when I had ideas of what some of the secrets might be, I had no clue how they fit into the bigger picture. And every time I thought I knew who I was rooting for, I ended up surprised at their darkest secrets. It was just so so fun to read.

This is absolutely perfect suspense reading for autumn - dark, twisty and wonderfully satisfying, it everything we want as readers to cozy up with as the temperatures drop.

At first I thought this was gonna be like every other surrogate thriller I’ve read since it did begin with the same troupe….but boy was I wrong. Those last chapters were full of a twisty ride that I now know if I read in between the lines I could have seen it coming. So good!

This was one I had really big expectations for. I wanted to love it, it fell flat for me. With a predictable twist early on it just didn't work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture I was able to read this masterpiece! Sam Vickery is a MASTER of twists that you don’t expect. Elise is about to receive a baby through surrogacy from her sister Julia. Maya is about to give birth to a baby she’s carrying for another couple. The women meet at a surrogacy support group and become fast friends. They both have extremely dark secrets, and the way their secrets intertwine with each other’s lives is perfectly written. Just when you think you know the ending, you don’t. This is an absolute must read! 5 stars. No, 10 stars. I absolutely loved this page turner!

The Perfect Baby by Sam was one of the most impressive thriller I have ever come across lately. The topic was unique which was about surrogacy, the pace of story was fast which I was hooked and the ending was totally unexpected.

The characters were well invented and their personalities stood out amazingly. The story plot moved smoothly and the twists were planted at the right place!

The various POVs just gave the thriller even a rounder and fuller content!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Sep 27, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Perfect Baby by Sam Vickery. This was quite a book. It was fast paced and very unpredictable. The ending was quite unique. I tried this one as an audio book (I had never tried one before) but ended up reading the book instead. I just couldn't get into the audio version. Well worth the read. I gave it a 4 star rating.

Rating 4.5

The Perfect Baby is a gripping, page-turning thriller about surrogacy, mental illness, and crime - talk about the perfect trio for a psychological thriller!

The book is mainly told from the perspective of two characters, Maya and Elise, with a few chapters told by an another character, Julia. Maya and Elise meet in a surrogacy support group and become friends - but they both have their secrets and unbeknownst to them, they share a connected past.

There are quite a few plot twists in this book, which I actually liked because it kept me guessing. The only thing that stopped me from giving a 5 star review is the open ending. I wanted more closure!

This one had my pulse racing from the very first chapter! Just when you think you've got it all figured out another twist comes along! If you enjoy a fast paced thriller this one is for you!

I feel it has been some time since I have read a 5 star psychological thriller that shocked me the way this did. The way the author set this up was perfect. I liked the unique surrogacy theme which I have not come across much in other books. I saw some reviewers say the story was slow but I did not feel that way at all. There was tension from the beginning and I was eager to know what on earth was going on. The characters played their part well but I will say I hated Ben. I think the book could have done without him and his actions but he played a smaller role. Other than that it was slam dunk. I haven't read anything by Sam Vickery besides this book but I'm looking forward to picking up other books by this author.

Very very good . I was hooked from the first chapter, I didn’t read like the characters but had to see how the story would play out ! It was full of suspense and I finished it in one sitting. Would definitely recommend