Boy, does this book hit hard on the early days of being a first-time mom. 🥺 This book could be a struggle for one going or recently gone through PPD... but it could also be healing.

I loved the murder mystery along with the heavy mom stuff. I somewhat guessed the twist but only about 25%. It's definitely a great read!


Thank you to Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for an advanced audio copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

This book was raw. I might be 5 years out of post partum, but the feelings of PPD are ones I can't forget. This book brought it all back up for me. I think that unfortunately those feelings tainted by overall experience with this book because I struggled to get through it. The narrator was enjoyable and Julia Spiro truly struck a chord with me.

When a well liked local server, Celia, washes ashore dead, the small town of Martha's Vineyard is shocked. Brynn Nelson, confused and drawn to speak to her husband, goes to his family business office. While there, he tries to tell her what's really going on but the police arrest him for murder.

What will Brynn do? She knows her husband is innocent but is also in the depths of possible post partum depression while carrying for her newborn son.

This is a great read!

Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity!

This story captivated me from the start with Brynn in the throws of motherhood and struggling with postpartum depression. He husband, Ross, does not seem to be helping as much as she needs but that are starting to communicate a little better when he is arrested for the death of a young woman who is a friend of the family. He tells Brynn a cryptic message to try to clear his name, but all the evidence points to Ross being guilty.

I really enjoyed Brynn's story and her struggles are something that I have recently felt as well being a new, first-time mom. Although I did not struggle the way Brynn did, its easy to see why she did. I knew what the ending was pretty early on just because of how the characters were so I was not shocked but I was waiting to see how it all played out. Overall, a pretty good read.

This book is about being a new mother and all that it encompesses. Postpartum depression is a big theme here and dealing with a newborn. The mystery is there and interesting but not a big chunk of the book. I did not mind that though. I felt this book was interesting and relatable and covered many different topics. The narration was pretty good too. I give it 3.5 stars.

I actually really enjoyed this story! I liked the motherhood/post partum aspect of it combined with the thriller. It got a little repetitive at times, really driving that point home, but overall, I was engaged throughout. I can't say that the ending was a complete shock because I predicted it about 3/4 of the way through, but it was still an enjoyable and satisfying ending. I almost wanted the ending to be a little darker after all the discussion of the struggles of motherhood, but it was still good.

Such a Good Mom is a thriller about Brynn, a new mother struggling with post-partum depression. She is trying to make sense of her feelings about her life and at the same time uncover the truth about the death of a young woman close to the family. Her husband is arrested and thus begins the drama of the unfolding. I enjoyed the writing and thought Spiro did an excellent job capturing the lived experience of postpartum depression. This book was as much about murder and mystery as it was about motherhood. I thought the audiobook narrator Abigail Reno did a great job conveying the desperation and pain Brynn goes through.

Book Review: Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro

Such a Good Mom is a suspenseful book that kept me guessing until the very end! Filled with unexpected twists and turns, it’s a thrilling read from start to finish.

Set on the glamorous Martha's Vineyard—a place full of wealth and status—the story takes a dramatic turn when a body washes up on the shore. Brynn, a new mom, soon finds her life turned upside down as Ross( her husband) is arrested for the crime. Brynn believes it’s all a tragic mistake, but as she navigates this new reality, she begins to realize things aren’t what they seem on the island. Ross's family is supportive and tries to help her heal, but old secrets start to surface, and tensions rise as people turn against one another. Brynn is left questioning who she can trust as she struggles to adjust to this chaotic new normal.

The narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life. The pacing was smooth, and I found the narration easy to follow, which made listening a pleasure.

If you're looking for a story full of mystery and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Such a Good Mom is definitely worth checking out!

I'll start by saying I think the book should've been titled differently. Brynn couldn't wait to me a mom. But after a difficult delivery she was overwhelmed and thinks back to "what if" she'd never had him. What kind of a mother was she? She's convinced she's not good at being a mom and struggles with postpartum depression. The book puts a lot of focus on nap and feeding schedules along with her comparing herself to other moms that make it seem easy. She's exhausted and now her husband has just been arrested for murder. She already felt like she was parenting alone, and now she really is. I really feel like this book could've been titled something more geared towards the murder plot with a side of Brynn's struggles. I was given an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books.

I received an ARC copy of this book to review. This is my honest opinion.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. It tackles so many hot button issues and provides a very accurate depiction of postpartum depression/early postpartum days, in my experience. Motherhood is such a powerful and exhausting experience, and the other aspects of your life don’t just stop because you become a mom. “Such a Good Mom” portrayed this in a very honest manner that I suspect most mothers can relate to. It had twists and turns that I definitely did not see coming and it kept me interested right until the end.

TRIGGER WARNING: Post Partum Depression

Such a Good Mom comes out April 29, 2025
Julia Spiro’s Such a Good Mom is emotionally raw and gripping and blends psychological suspense with Brynn’s battle with postpartum depression, weight of impossible choices and marriage. Brynn Nelson is a woman who wears many hats, she’s a new mom, an author, and a wife. Brynn and her husband Ross and her baby live on the island of Marthas Vineyard, near by Ross’s family. Martha’s Vineyard a beautiful sun soaked island has hidden secrets that will eventually come to light. The vineyard, where summer life comes with lots of harsh realities, betrayal and loneliness. Brynn and Ross both grew up on the Vineyard, but were part of two very different social classes.
Spiro does an amazing job capturing the true reality of life after a new baby, the sleepless nights, and the self doubt Brynn has with being a new mom. Brynn Nelson should absolutely have it all she has a beautiful newborn, a loving husband, a successful career writing books, instead Brynn feels like she’s in over her head. A family friend Cecelia Buckley was found dead, increasing Brynns fragile emotional state. Her works is shattered when her loving husband Ross is arrested as the main suspect in Cecelia’s death. Will their marriage make it? Will Ross’s family continue to interfere with the murder investigation? Ross’s mother and father seemed like the perfect roll models for what life should be, but they were hiding secrets, secrets that people who shouldn’t know found out and were likely murdered for.
Spiro does an amazing job balancing the suspense of a murder mystery and Brynn’s postpartum battle.
Spiro does an amazing job writing relatable characters that are complex and raw. Brynn is flawed, raw, and just like any new mother. This novel highlights Brynns search for Cecelia’s murderer, but also how she is trying to find herself again soon after becoming a mom. Martha’s Vineyard is a perfect setting for this novels emotional depth and the tensions that are arising. It truly shoes the hidden darkness that has been kept away for so long as well as the beauty that the island has to offer which all the beautiful homes and all the beautiful beaches.
Such a Good Mom isn’t just about Brynn becoming a mother, but her journey for finding herself again after birth while combining it with a psychological thriller. It delivers a fast paced mystery, but Brynn’s journey is really relatable for many. Brynn’s journey is one that may will relate to, and see themselves in, its for the ones who lost themselves along the way.
Julia Spuro is extremely talented in her writing and this is an unforgettable read, you can tell it was truly written with passion and from the heart.
This book is one of those books that I will remember. I will look back and think about the story and the depth of it. I think the audiobook narrator Abigail Reno did an amazing job bringing this novel to life, and really capturing the turmoil that had become Brynn’s life while Ross was arrested for murder.

If you like:
* Relatable struggles of becoming a mom
* Murder mystery
* Martha’s Vineyard
* Secrets

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Julia Spiro for the ALC(Advanced listening copy) of this novel.

I received the audiobook from Netgalley and so enjoyed it. Such a Good Mom is a mystery, but also a story about being a mom. I'm a mom of 3 and very much related to the difficulties of postpartum depression that Brynn suffered from. Brynn not only had to deal with struggles as a new mother, but also a murder that affected her family very closely. Loved it all, from the beginning to the end. Great story!

𝘚𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘮 by Julia Spiro

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, Julia Spiro, and NetGalley for this ALC audiobook!

🎤 Narrated by Abigail Reno

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:

A major portion of this book focuses on Brynn navigating motherhood while dealing with postpartum depression. I felt like so much of that was relatable. Being a new mom can be scary, right?

There's not a lot of time spent on the actual mystery/murder. That pretty much takes a backseat to Brynn's baby worries.

I did think this was a good book, but I don't think it's a "light beach read" given the subject matter.

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro is simultaneously an homage to motherhood and a love letter to Martha’s Vineyard. Abigail Reno’s narration is beautifully performed.

Strong imagery and solid characterization make for an enjoyable read. Spiro writes, “How could anything bad happen in such a beautiful place? How could anyone feel pain and suffering on an island where the sunset was so vivid, painted in bright hues of apricot and coral, that it seemed to be pouring right out of the sky and into the sea?”

Spiro’s use of epistrophe, anaphora, and parallelism create a lyrical quality. For example, “But she knew that tomorrow, nothing in her life would be quiet. Tomorrow would be full of noise. Tomorrow, she would have to talk to the polce. Tomorrow, she'd confront Ginny about her meetup with Ross…Tomorrow, she'd have to face questions from Annie and Marcus…Tomorrow, the island would begin speculating and hypothesizing…Tomorrow, Brynn would try to find the orange sun.Tomorrow.”

The novel is a gritty, honest look at motherhood through the lens of postpartum depression, exhaustion, and self-doubt.

“She might even, somehow, turn herself into a good mom, instead of the bad one she was sure she was.”

After news of a murder spreads through the island, gossip is rampant. Through the daze of a newborn’s incessant needs, Brynn tries to believe her husband in spite of all odds.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing an advanced review copy of the audio version of this title for an honest review.

Little bit thriller, Little bit human experience.
Most if us know how difficult the first days of parenthood can be. It’s easier with a supportive husband & family. Our main character is really lacking in the support category. She feels like she’s losing her mind. Things are about to go from miserable to unimaginable!!! Who is telling her the truth?

The best part of this book is the candid and accurate portrayal of postpartum depression and especially the stigma attached to it. The main character, Brynn is overwhelmed with her newborn son yet pretends to be managing, compares herself to other parents and is afraid to be honest with her closest friends. And then her husband is arrested for murder and in a brief interaction with Brynn, he asks her to look for clues to discover who the real killer is and so the murder mystery begins. As Brynn slowly unravels clues, she gradually begins to open up to her friends as she figures out who she can trust and eventually determines how and why a young woman was killed.
I enjoyed the depiction of the difficulties faced by first time parents and the importance of supportive family and friendships. The murder mystery part of the story was only so-so with really no major twists or surprises. I thought that the portrayal of wealthy privilege of. the residents of Martha’s Vineyard was overdone and mostly ridiculous and unrealistic. For this reason, it was hard for me to become engaged in the solving of the murder. And while unnecessary to the story, it was nice that Brynn recognized at the end that even though she consciously chose her in-laws over her parents, she discovered that her own mother was the person that she could rely on the most.
I would rate this book 3.5 stars overall rounded up.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book and did not enjoy the narration at all. The voices, especially the males were poorly done and distracting.

2.5*
Books that have the main character - who is not a police officer / investigator - solve the mystery are silly to me. I really enjoyed Brynn's story re new motherhood, but the mystery part of the story was very lacking for me.

I enjoyed reading this book and I also enjoyed listening to it!

I didn’t think I was a fan of mysteries, and this book changed my mind! It had a perfect amount of suspense without a bunch of gory details or terrifying moments.

Thank you, MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy. In return for an honest review..

This was so good!!! For any moms out there especially if you suffered from post partum depression this is sooo relatable. I thought oh I know who it is… then there was a twist! I couldn’t stop listening until it was done!

Who have this author my diary?! Hehe just kidding...kinda. I'm a author/stay at home mom so I immediately could relate to the story. But instead of my first kid, I am postpartum with me third. However, I read to escape, and am not a fan of so many recent books focusing on the nagatives of motherhood. I'm not in the mental space to enjoy that type of storyline right now and feel like it's been really overdone with thrillers as of late. It's becoming cliche. There was also a lot of info dumping right off the bat and tons of telling rather than showing. So, although I love thrillers that tackle motherhood, this didn't feel fresh and just wasn't the type of story for me right now. I did like tha narrator though and thought she did a great job voicing the book.