Fabiola, Liz and Alice have been friends since college. Liz and her husband Peter can't conceive naturally because she had a hysterectomy years ago. But since she froze her eggs, they are hoping to conceive via a surrogate. Fabiola, who has 3 kids of her own, volunteers to be the surrogate for Liz and Peter. After all, she loves being pregnant, and why not help out a friend? Fabi's husband, Aron, is chasing his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and hopes his tech company, which has never been profitable, will be sold. Aron is really gambling on himself as they rely on Fabi's income and hopes that something happens soon.

Fabi has twin boys and an older girl. Vivi, her daughter, is challenging as she is talking back, changing friend groups and throwing away expectations. Fabi isn't sure how to connect with her. She has a great dad, but Fabi's mom left them the day before Fabi turned 14.

There is no shortage of plot elements, I don't want to get too much more into the plot elements but I enjoyed them all. The ending is not what I would have expected, but it was a satisfying conclusion.

I love Caitlin Weaver's novels, this is her 3rd and I genuinely enjoy them, they are female focused and easy to read. The dialogue of the kids in these books work very well. Fabi's kids bicker at each other and at her and it is very true to life. These are women's stories, they are stories of friendship and - I would say- suspense. They read as if they are mysteries, but they are more family drama. The women in her novels are not perfect, they are very real, very insecure, they make mistakes and they keep showing up as mothers. The men --- not so much. lol.

Caitlin Weaver is just an auto-buy for me.

Thanks to @netgalley and @stormpublishing for the ARC. Book to be published January 15, 2025.

Well.. this was GOOD!!!! I really the characters, the storyline was gripping, and the setting of this book was enjoyable. It was a little slow to get into but once you’re in…

This was a gripping domestic read that admittedly took me a little while to get into but once I did I was engrossed. There’s a lot you could find to fault with this yet somehow it actually really works which is weird but true. Fabiola doesn’t seem to be an impulsive person generally although she has her weak spots but offering to become her best friends’ surrogate without even speaking to her husband is kind of strange to me! Many of the characters in the book don’t come out of it well and yet there’s some unexpected characters who just shine, it was obvious from the start the direction this would take however the ending did surprise me - this is actually quite difficult to review without giving away many spoilers but the author did a great job of feeding bits of information that allowed you to see how much of this would go due to the behaviours of the characters. There’s a lot here that seems far fetched but hey it’s fiction and as a story it works and it was certainly fresh and original.

The most annoying woman in the world has the dumbest idea in history and is surprised when it upends her life. That’s the basic plot but the author makes it into something quite riveting. The interplay between characters and the historical abandonment issues add a layer of complexity which is fascinating to explore. This author writes really well and has a knack for convincing dialogue.

The Perfect Plan is a heartfelt book that tests the strength of bonds between family and friends. With themes of grief, betrayal, and guilt, the story delves into how far people will go to achieve their idea of happiness. Lies and deceit unravel against a backdrop of loyalty and forgiveness, while wittiness and emotional depth keep the narrative balanced. The high stakes of motherhood and marriage make the risks feel all the more personal. A compelling mix of drama and warmth, this book describes the resilience of relationships in the face of life’s toughest challenges.

The Perfect Plan by Caitlin Weaver had me utterly spellbound from the first word to the last. Tension is suffocatingly thick, family drama appears in every nook and cranny and female friendship is pushed to its limit. Sometimes a thriller blurb is better than the book but in this case, it's the other way around. The blurb is a mere taste of what is to come. Be forewarned. You will be hooked!

Fabiola, Liz and Alice have been best friends for years. Liz and her neurosurgeon husband decide the time is right to have a child but they must sift through surrogate applications for the right fit. Liz's best friend Fabi has three children of her own and had smooth pregnancies. She offers to be Liz's surrogate but has to get her family on board, including her entrepreneur husband who is convinced that one day their money challenges will be solved. Problem is, some of the characters have personal history. But thankfully for the reader, the past adds so many delicious twists to the story. So do the family dynamics. The author is highly successful in streamlining the plot and subplots into one incredible package which was such a pleasure to read. I didn't agree with some of the choices characters made and a few descriptions are gratuitous but overall, this was one heck of a rollercoaster ride I didn't want to get off of. The kids' personalities were realistic and I appreciate that they were included.

My sincere thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an early digital copy of this grippy novel. Time well spent!

Another hit from Caitlin Weaver. I couldn't put this book down. There were somethings I predicted early on, but that didn't stop me from devouring this book. I loved all of the characters, and the friendship between Fabi and Liz. I look forward to more books from Ms. Weaver.

Wow this was GOOD!!!! I loved the characters, the storyline, and the setting of this book. It was fantastic! Be ready for a ride with this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Perfect Plan by Caitlin Weaver due to be published January 15, 2025.
I had previously read Such a Good Family and Things We Never Say and loved them so looked forward to this one!
Fabiola, Liz, and Alice are best friends. When Liz (who married Fabiola’s childhood friend, Peter) decides to hire a surrogate, Fabiola volunteers, even though she still harbors feelings for Peter. What could possibly go wrong?
I loved this book – the true meaning of friendship and love with two lifelong friends, a mother’s misplaced love, and the resilience of young people. It was a great read!
#NetGalley #CaitlinWeaver #StormPublishing #ThePerfectPlan

What a domestic thriller this title is! The book hooked me from the beginning, and I stayed up late to reach the end. I think Weaver covered a lot of scary and real points about relationships, motherhood, pregnancy, etc. I enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.