DNF'd after about 20% or so. In this day and age, I feel like a book like this should be marketed as though it's going to have a lot of anti-government libertarianism and religious pedophila. It was a true bait and switch because the blurb mentioned nothing about the serious issue of the father getting very close to committing suicide in front of his 15 year old daughter.

I have no interest to see if the story gets better. I skipped far enough ahead to various parts and wasn't impressed.

Things haven’t been easy for fifteen-year-old Sam Cotton. She’s just recovering from the death of her mother when her father Jesse has a mental breakdown. She’s taken out of his care and given to a foster family, the Bradfords. The Bradfords live in the middle of nowhere and seem like pious, God-fearing people. But Sam soon notices some disturbing things. The forbidden rooms. The strict rules. The cameras that track her every move.

When Sam discovers that two girls previously fostered by the Bradfords have disappeared without trace, she realises she may be in grave danger. Sam is smart and resourceful. And she’ll need to be - because the Bradfords have a dark secret. A secret which will thrust Sam into a terrifying nightmare from which she may never wake.

This one started off on the slower side, but after I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Great plot, such a creepy vibe - made my skin crawl in some places. Great read!

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

I am going to begin with posting the possible trigger warnings for anyone who may need them.
"This book contains scenes that may depict, mention or discuss: pedophilia, sexual abuse and suicide".

This book is wonderfully written. It immediately pulled me from my hectic life, to my mind picturing this book in detail like a movie. An edge of your seat page turner.
This author is my new favorite!

A fifteen-year-old girl, has delt with losing her mother. It is now just her and her father who has his own mental health issues.
One day, she is ripped from the life she knows and is taken to live with another family. A family that is highly respected and admired by the town. If only they knew what went on in that home.

I had a really hard time getting into this one, it felt very young adult in the writing style and I didn't believe the father's POV chapters at all. Once we got into the foster home and got more of Sam and less of Jesse, it was more palatable, but I would have liked to see a bit more maturity in the prose itself. Overall, not a bad read, just maybe not the right one for me.

Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect family? THE OTHER FAMILY by THEO BAXTER is exactly an answer to that, that challenges our understanding of a family that appears perfect, but beneath the façade lies a labyrinth of deception.

The book contains sensitive themes, so readers should be prepared for emotional and possibly triggering content. I love the fact that the book brings about real-life situations, revolving around Identity and Self-Discovery, Secrets and Betrayal, Family Dynamics, The Past's Influence on the Present and Moral Ambiguity. The tone is suspenseful and it builds tension. One of the main characters Samantha, is taken to live with a new family after things didn't go as planned. She later on learns dark secrets as time goes by, about this other new family that she was supposed to be protected by. Characters face difficult choices that raise questions about right and wrong, exploring the lengths one might go to protect their family. One of my favorite quotes is, "It is better to fight than to live in oppression".

I do not find any critiques about the book. The writing style is perfect as it brings Descriptive language,character-driven narration and Realistic Dialogue. The dialogue feels authentic and relatable. I feel like I am part of the book as the book skillfully builds suspense throughout the story, using pacing to keep readers engaged and eager to uncover the unfolding secrets.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy suspenseful narratives with a focus on character development. I perfectly rate the book 5 out of 5. Thank you THEO BAXTER for allowing me to access the book via NetGalley.In the end, THE OTHER FAMILY is not just about the ties that bind us, but the secrets that can tear us apart. Why don't you grab a copy and make a difference?

Thank you to NetGalley & Inkubator Books for the chance to read this book!

NGL reading the "triggers" I was a little worried about this one.. wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stomach this book or not, THANK YOU SO MUCH Theo for doing this as tastefully and respectable as you could!! If it started going into too many details about some things I was fully prepared to DNF this one! But Gladly I didn't have to do that, it skirted around the subject enough where you knew what was happening without having to read about it in detail, so I appreciated that. Very good book, pretty fast paced easy read, finished most of it in one sitting before bed. I predicted a little bit of a different ending in my head but this one was alright too, the other I guess could be a little too obvious of a "happy ending". Next time I'll be sure to call him and discuss the ending with him before he finishes the book! haha

Before this book I knew who Cole (his brother) was as an author, but I'll def be adding Theo to my list as authors to look out for! Can never have too many thriller writer's on my list! Excited to read more by him!

This book was OK but read like a young adult read- I actually thought I must have accidentally chosen from that genre. The book centers on Samantha (Sam), who is pulled away from her alcoholic father Jesse and placed in a foster home where 3 other girls are already living. Beyond the fact that she strongly believes that she should not have been removed from her home, she immediately finds that something is not right with her foster parents. Though the story is primarily told from Sam's point of view, you get a few chapters from Jesse dispersed throughout.

The story is an oft-used trope about scary foster homes and doesn't really stand out in the genre. Sam was a likable character and I appreciated her chutzpah. While the subject matter was blithely grim. he language and dialogue used felt most suited to a younger audience. I was never able to figure out the reasoning behind some of the major things that happened, like why Jesse wasn't given a fair chance to plead his case and why Sam was picked for that particular home. The story moved at a fast clip with short chapters, and the ending, though a bit predictable, worked for the rest of the story.

Overall, while I would recommend this book for younger readers but it didn't really stand out for me. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First book I've read by this author and suspect it won't be the last.
Not the most pleasant of subject matters but the author manages to handle child abuse and paedophilia without going into overly graphic or disturbing detail. A real eye opener however as to how people in a position of power can manipulate others for their own gain and whilst the book is a work of fiction, there is little doubt that events such as this do happen in real life.
Certainly a real page turner and sets you thinking and you'll certainly bond with the victims of the abuse

i truly feel this book would be better suited for a younger audience. i really loved the concept of this story but sadly the book fell short for me. i wasn’t a huge fan of the dialogue, but found that it did get somewhat better towards the end. i did enjoy the short chapters and how they ended in a way that kept me engaged. all that being said the book wasn’t bad, just not for me.

I struggled with the first half of this book. As someone who has worked with the foster systems and the courts who make those decisions, I found the anti-government themes and flaws in the procedures to be very off putting and misleading. In the first few chapters of the book, a single father's right are immediately terminated upon the first hearing with the judge in which the father and daughter knew nothing about. The second half of the book picked up with more plot development and action but this still wasn't my favorite read and almost became a DNF. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC of this book.

It's rare that I give up on a book without finishing it, but in this case I really should have. There was nothing in the book to hold my interest. The descriptions are as generic and vague as possible. The plot drags. I just can't recommend this one.

Theo Baxter always does a fantastic job in writing this type of psychological thriller, I thought the characters worked well overall and was glad it was so well done. It had a tension and worked with the world that I wanted in this type of book.

As always with Theo Baxter's books I found myself gripped and drawn into the secrets and dangers of the family.

Love Theo Baxter so was very excited to get started and knew I'd be onto a winner. This is a bit of a slow burn at the start but once the pace picked up, it delivered everything I could want. Twists, turns, secrets, lies and more. A quick read but a really enjoyable one

Just woah! 🤯
This was my first book by Theo Baxter and won’t be my last! I had a hard time in the beginning, very slow, but the second half really picked up.
I knew something bad was going to happen, but I was NOT expecting that. I was truly flabbergasted.
There was a HEA.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Inkubator Books for advanced copy.

Wow! That was one incredible book; I couldn't put it down. A fast-paced popcorn thriller with really dark themes. This was my first Theo Baxter novel, but it won't be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers

I am obsessed with Theo Baxter. I devour his books. This is the second time i received one of his NetGalley books, and I finished it in a day.

This story was great. Loved the main character and her relationship with her dad and his friends. I also love the fact that it showed flaws in many government systems that affect kids.

Thought I wouldn't like this book took me a while to get into it . I'm so glad I never gave up it was a brilliant read . I would highly recommend this book and author.

I really wanted to like The Other Family by Theo Baxter. The description promised a captivating psychological thriller, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver. The characters and dialogue felt flat and lifeless, making it impossible to connect with Sam and Jesse or care about their story. The writing itself was overly simple and lacked the depth or sophistication that makes thrillers immersive.

For me, a good thriller should pull you into its world, but this one never managed to transport me off the page. By the time I got a third of the way through, I realized I wasn’t invested at all and gave up.

If you’re looking for a gripping, atmospheric read, this one might leave you disappointed.

What an amazing book, I could not put it down until the very last page. With twists like no other this is such a thrilling and engaging read.