The Baby Group

First time reading this author and wont be the last. Good thriller twists and turns. Keeps you on the edge of your seat just didn't want the Book to end

4 star review of The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran:

Popular group leader of a mom group and blogger/influencer,The Baby Group, Scarlett has the perfect life. A beautiful baby girl named Poppy and a handsome well to-do husband name Ed. Unfortunately, Scarlett's perfect life is about to end. Someone up loads up a video from when Scarlett of was 23 and having a threesome with 2 other men.The only people who seem to claim they haven't seen the video are the friends in her mom's group. Scarlett needs to look into her past to find out who is out to get her.

It's a really thrilling and engrossing read that is filled with lies and deceptions. I really recommend this book.

I would like to think Caroline Corcoran, Avon Books UK, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was an excellent domestic thriller that I enjoyed reading. The storyline literally kept me glued to the pages. I can’t recommend the book enough!

Thank you to @avon_books and @carolinecorcoranwriter for the advanced copy of this via @netgalley
This has been a fantastic read which I haven’t been able to put down. I thought I’d guessed where it was going and then the author completely threw me off track. I was left a little speechless which doesn’t happen very often. I cannot say anything negative about this book. I have loved it!! It’s highly deserving of five stars.
Definitely one I will be recommending.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This was my first book by this author and it was a good one! Lies. Secrets. Hidden pasts all over this book! Twists you didn’t see coming. Relationships you didn’t see coming! Did not have this one figured out at all!

I couldn't put this book down! It was really good! Kept me turning the pages that's for sure!
I defiantly thought I knew what was going to happen, but no! So many twists I love it! Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this! Definitely my kind of book! Can't wait to see more from this author!

#TheBabyGroup #NetGalley
Corcoran knows what her readers want from her. A true entertainer of all time. Highly recommended.
Everyone has friends and here's no exception. Meet Scarlett, Cora, Emma and Asha. They're four mom's to four babies, Poppy, Penelope, Seth and Ananya. They met at NCT and since then they're friends, such good friends.
Everything was going perfect till 4th of May on which a sex tape of Scarlett with her ex, Ollie and Mitch, a random guy from bar is send to everyone who knows Scarlett. The message is clear someone wants to hurt Scarlett badly. Someone wants to destroy her.
Her husband Ed gets a shock after seeing that video and everything between them is changed forever. Ed becomes suspicious of his wife. He thinks that his wife is still sleeping with that Ollie guy. Scarlett thinks the same for her husband that he's sleeping with a girl.
Scarlett loses her job. She's angry, pathetic, emotional and at the same time is paranoid. Now she starts to think that who wants to destroy her. And if someone knows her this secret then maybe someone knows her biggest secret which would really destroy her for forever.
Then she figured out who is behind that thing. Now her doubt is on her three NCT friends who claimed previously thet they didn't see her video.
Someone among her three friends hates her that much but who? To know all the answers you've to read this brilliant psychological thriller.
I personally think that to end Ed's character in that way is not what I expected. But it's ok if you're showing strong female characters.
Characters of the story are awesome. I personally like Emma, Scarlett, Ed, Felicity, Cora and Mitch. Other characters were good but didn't have much role in the story like Asha, Ollie etc.
Narration of the story is flawless. This story is told from three POV's., well these three are main so I mention them. First POV is of Scarlett, second is of Emma and third is an anonymous person. Although Cora's POV cones later but they're major POV's.
Overall this is must read psychological thriller. I really highly recommend this novel to everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.

This is the first book I have read by Caroline Corcoran and it won't be my last! Loved the characters and the story line. Kept me glued to the pages until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley and thye publisher for the advanced copy. I cannot wait to recommend this book.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down , Scarlett a new mum is just returning to work after maternity leave , on her first day back all her colleagues and friends and family are sent a very compromising video from her past , the only people that don't seem to know anything about it are her new friends who she met in ante natal classes and have become close after the birth of their children . Obviously as we read more we come to realise that Scarlett may be placing her trust in entirely the wrong people . As her relationship with her husband Ed continues to flail and more and more people are finding out about Scarlett's past she may actually be in real danger . Brilliant

This is a great take on the thriller/mystery genre.

This will keep you guessing until the end. Whilst I had an idea of who was behind it, I had no idea why or how!

The writing is great and splits between Scarlett and Anon's perspectives seamlessly.

A must read for thsoe looking for a new take on the classic whodunnit

Making friends with new mums suddenly became all the more important for Scarlett when something she did in her post resurfaces (for just about everyone to see). Her new pals haven’t come across it, and for this, Scarlett is grateful. Her carefully planned life, her gorgeous husband, lovely wee baby, great job, are all under attack and she needs people in her life who won’t judge her. But as her need to find solace intensifies – and the plot turns in ways you can’t imagine – Scarlett begins to realise that not everyone is as friendly and empathetic as they suggest. I particularly loved the ending and the bittersweet note that runs through the book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran was a good and quick read. Scarlett thought she had the perfect life, with a adorable child and a successful husband, until someone starts sending a video from her past to her family and co-workers. This book was very well written with lots of twists and kept me guessing. Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another addictive read from Caroline Corcoran. I read her first novel and this one is just as good. I couldn’t put it down.

Scarlett, Cora, Emma and Asha are four women who have just had babies and have formed a group which meets regularly and spends time together as mothers and with their families.

The novel centres around Scarlett who is due back to work and the initial chapters highlight her feelings on leaving her baby, delving back into the work environment and the mixed emotions of it all. However, as soon as she reaches the office, she realises something is wrong. Her immediate boss shows her the sex-video that has been sent to all of her work colleagues, family, clients and many others.

The havoc this creates is enormous including the impact on her marriage and ability to go back to work. She endeavours to find out who posted it online and after meeting the two men in the video she doesn’t believe it is either of them.

The storyline twists and turns and is excellently plotted when the final reveal happens I was stunned.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Caroline Corcoran for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Brilliant read and highly recommended.

The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran is a chilling, thriller that demonstrates how little you really know your friends.

Outside looking in, Scarlett has a great life - beautiful baby daughter and handsome husband, posh job, nice house, her own mom blog and the start of a life as an influencer - until someone emails everyone on her email list a link to a sex tape. The tape is old, but the devastation it brings to her life is new.

Everyone has seen the tape except the women who are her mum friends - Asha, Emma and Cora. She believes she knows these women intimately, has become closer to them than she has ever imagined she would, but she starts to see that something isn't right. There isn't an anonymous person or vengeful ex out to hurt her - the danger to her life, her livelihood and her marriage is much closer. The danger may, in fact, be someone she has called friend.

The Baby Group is very, very good, readers won't want to put the book down. This book will keep your attention for the roller coaster ride it delivers. Told from Scarlett's point of view and the anonymous person out to destroy her, the tale unravels and twists into a dark story about how our past mistakes can haunt us into our futures.

Such a gripping story! I couldn't put this one down. I thought the characters were so well written and believable. Great to see a story like this about motherhood and deception - loved the idea and stayed up late to find out what happened. I highly recommend this book and will be telling everyone about it.

Thank you Caroline Corcoran, Avon Books UK, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book! I know it's an early ARC,, but my grammar pet peeve was all over this book! "Poppy and ME got in the car." However, that doesn't affect my rating for this book. This was a great read, even though I figured out who leaked the video about partway through, I didn't know the rest of what was going on. And there was a lot going on! Scarlett is not a sympathetic character, I really disliked her. But I was kept guessing about a lot of the things that were going on, and the ending was unexpected.

This book was a incredible! I could barely put it down. Twists and turns in every nook and cranny. It was just what I needed to pull me out of my book slump.

this story was just brilliant i so enjoyed Scarlett has it all a loving husband and a baby daughter she has her own blog and is time to go back to work .she has her own mummy group of friends. but what happens when something comes back from your past and ruins everything who do you trust am not saying no more but i so recommend

I absolutely loved this book - it had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I especially liked the different perspective chapters as I thought I knew who it was, but then a spanner would be thrown in the works and I would be left unsure again. This is something that I have not seen in recent books and I really enjoyed it! I would definitely read this book again and recommend it to others. It was easy to get into and I instantly fell in love with the main character. I felt everything that she went through - something only an excellent writer can convey!

Scarlett is happily married to Ed and is due back to her high profile job after maternity leave.
Her past carries a number of secrets which Scarlett has not divulged to anybody.
During her first week back to work everybody that Scarlett seems to know receives a video of a personal secret she has kept hidden. Her life is turned into absolute turmoil as not only does she try to find out who is behind this malice but finds herself quitting her job, her marriage is in jeopardy and Scarlett sinks to a very low place.
The only people unaware of this video are her 3 friends of a year who she met through an nct class. They help her through her dark moments and are there to support her as things get tough.
This book holds a huge twist as we slowly discover who is behind this malicious behaviour and their apparent motives.
A cleverly written book where jealousy and revenge have devastating consequences.

This is the author’s second psychological thriller but the first I’ve read. I really enjoyed “The Baby Group”. It has a good selection of characters, nice and nasty! More twists than a never ending maze! I thought I knew who to trust, only to be proved wrong numerous times. A great read and now I’m going to read her first book “Through The Wall” very soon.

Scarlett is hoping to be an influencer. With almost 8000 followers she is on her way to making money out of her blog 'Cheshire Mum' when her world falls apart. A sex tape of her with two men is sent to almost everyone she knows. Her father, husband, workmates and most of her friends. Only her newest group of friends are kept in the dark. Who could hate her enough to do this?

I raced through this in an afternoon. It is very readable and I liked how it sheds light on the emptiness of social media and how it forces (enables?) many people to put forward a view of their life that is totally at odds with reality. I have to say though that most of the characters were not all that pleasant and I'm pleased that my friends aren't like Scarlett's. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A very interesting and compelling thriller that explores how close we can feel to people that we actually don’t know much about. Someone sends a sex tape of Scarlett to everyone she knows- family, friends, colleagues- everyone except her friends in her new mom group. The video has nasty repercussions through her life and she depends more and more on her ‘mom friends’ until she realizes that she barely knows who they are outside of their mom roles. I thought the author did a great job at making pretty much all of the characters unlikeable but still compelling me to care about what happened to them.

I really enjoyed this book. I've never read anything by Caroline Corcoran but I think I'm going to seek out more of her novels. Scarlett is a new mom. She ends her maternity leave and goes back to a job she loves. On her first day back, an email from an anonymous person sends her life into a whirlwind. Her past has come back to haunt her. Things she thought were buried deep. Her life starts to fall apart piece by piece while she tries to figure out who is doing this to her. While reading, your mind will think it is one person and then another until you get your answer. Great beach read, great book to read on a train or a plane. Wherever you read it, you will enjoy this suspenseful thriller.

This book taps into the fear that many people probably feel in these days of social media shaming: something from the past being made public that you never wanted anyone to find out about. In Scarlett's case it is a threesome caught on camera that comes back to haunt her. As her life begins to fall apart, she tries to work out who would have sent it to everyone she knows.

I found this book an interesting and fun read. It has a lot to say about the way women are treated for their sexual past, how we try to present a particular version of ourselves online and to the world, and the strange kinds of friendships that spring up between women who are thrown together simply by having babies around the same time. Scarlett isn't fully likeable but she is fully understandable, and I appreciated being given such a complex and thorny protagonist. (Her husband Ed, on the other hand, is a terrible and thoroughly unsupportive person.)

I guessed a couple of the main twists, and the eventual revelations were all a bit melodramatic and unrealistic. I also found the book rather overwritten, veering towards purple prose at times. There's a fine line. But none of those points prevented it from being a fun and interesting read.

Really enjoyed!! No waffling or hanging onto tedious details, and what I especially loved was that it got going straight away, a lot of the time a book drags for me at first but this one actually had me gripped from page 1 right up until the very last!
I wasn't particularly struck on Scarlett but that didn't even matter, and was all part of the reasons why this was happening to her, so the author gave a great account here of her character and you kinda understood why someone might hate her and do the things they did (if you were that way inclined to act upon it the way it happened!) Thankfully my Mummy friends (or me BTW 😂) aren't anything like this bunch!
So for that reason it was great to lose myself in this and think Thank god I don't have pals like this 😅😅
Am now most definitely looking out for more books by Caroline. Great Read! Thank you #netgalley

Great book! When I first read the synopsis I didn't think I would enjoy reading it.....how wrong I was! Scarlett a new mum meets new friends when she has her baby. Do they really know each other? Is everyone's life true or is it just a show? The whole book flows really well and I really like the characters. I guessed parts of it but not others. A really good read

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the Arc of this book❤️ Also thanks to the author Caroline Corcoran❤️

Scarlett's life is broken when somebody sends a video of her from her past to everybody she knows... But only people who didn't receive the video was her baby group friends😱 but are her friends as innocent as they seem...?

She has become sort sort of celebrity due to her blog on Instagram about being a mum..and blogs and on her social media accounts but her co workers and family are the one to receive it... But who did it?

Such a compelling and gripping thriller, which kept you wanting more and such a page turner such a great book!

5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Definitely a recommended read!❤️

Will review on Amazon and other websites once published❤️

Thanks again to Caroline Corcoran, NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this arc!!❤️

"I was so fixated on what everybody thought my life looked like that I stopped caring about what I thought it looked like. What it felt like."

Scarlett is a new mother who thrives in the age of social media. Running a successful parenting blog and working for a digital creative company, she is dependent on her online persona. Until, that is, an old sex tape is uploaded onto the infinite cyberspace and is sent to all of her family and friends, destroying her carefully constructed life.

The only people who do not receive or view the sex tape, interestingly enough, are her three new mom-friends whom she has bonded with over the woes of first-time parenting. The story is essentially a mystery as we, the readers, do not know who has a vendetta against Scarlett. We learn about her past that gives little hint about its relation to her present situation.

I must say, this book surprised me. I did figure out one "twist" in particular, but otherwise was guessing throughout each chapter as to who was Scarlett's enemy. I thought Corcoran did a terrific and believable job at fleshing out Scarlett's downward spiral, covering every base of an obliterated life following such a devastating blow to one's privacy.

A few things I have to note. Scarlett rambles quite often, so be prepared for numerous run-on sentences; I had to re-read paragraphs multiple times to understand what Scarlett was trying to say. I also didn't note the chemistry between Scarlett and the people in her life, both her husband and mom-friend-group included. Her husband was just flat out awful; I wasn't able to picture the ideal perfect man she had supposedly married years before.

In all, I did think this was an interesting read that certainly had me questioning the going-ons. Scarlett is easy to emphasize with; I truly felt a kinship with her because I think everyone has parts of their past they wish to remain buried, especially when trying to construct a new life. This definitely won't be the last I read of Caroline Corcoran's work.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!

You can find my review on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3360188134

The Baby Group
Caroline Corcoran
Publication date -9/17/20
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.5 stars!!!

This is a steamy psychological thriller at its finest! Scarlett looks like she has it all, a new raging blog and an adorable little girl and is married to quite a catch. She has found comfort in her new mommy playgroup. When you become a mom your whole life shifts from a career wife to a stay at home mom. You seek out new friendships so that you have an outlet with sharing your new world of having a baby. I was able to connect with these different women in the group and fondly remembered some of my first mommy friends. They helped one another with advice, coffee and sometimes a Moms night out!! Out of know where a sex tape is released of Scarlett with two men from 12 years ago.... it is sent to all of Scarlett’s family, work colleagues and pre mommy friends. It is destroying her life- her career, her relationships and possibly her blog. Who would do such a thing?? This story is filled with twists and turns I never saw coming!!! Sometimes dark this story also was very thought provoking. What a page turner, I highly recommend reading this gem!
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an early release of The Baby Group.

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Who needs enemies when you have friends like these? A capturing story that will have you enthralled from the beginning

A superb read!!!

Caroline Corcoran has a new fan - me!

This twisty suspense thriller is sure to keep the reader guessing and in suspense throughout the entire book!

Scarlett and Ed had a baby 14 months ago - Poppy. Scarlett is tight friends with three other women with whom she shared antenatal classes. Ed, Scarlett's husband, and Scarlett love one another. . Now with the advent of her return to work - Scarlett hates leaving Poppy yet is glad to be working again...

Then the nightmare only begins... Except for her three new friends, Scarlett's world begins to tumble down...

Many Thanks, as always, to Avon Books, UK and NetGalley for a great read!

With friends like these you certainly don’t need enemies!
Lots of twists and turns which kept the pace fast, it was full of all emotions and I felt each and every one of them. The description was spot on without overkill where I can ‘skip’ those sentences.
The characters were believable and I spent the time when I wasn’t trying to guess the end marrying them up to people I knew, fortunately I don’t have many of her friends in my circle of trust.
A good read to get lost in.

Influencer/mummy blogger Scarlett has everything, beautiful daughter, handsome husband, successful career, great house and a bunch of new mummy friends, who are beyond kind and helpful. Or are they?
What is lurking behind the scenes of perfection? Everyone has a past, and this one is dark.

Excellent domestic thriller, fantastic read.

Thank you for the arc of this book!

Wow, what a fantastic read. It was one of those books that was genuinely hard to put down, towards the end I was up Into the small hours desperate to get to the end and find out what happens!

The book is centred around a group of new (very different) mums from an NCT group who have all formed a formidable bond since the birth of their children. The main focus of the book is on Scarlett, who seemingly has it all, amazing home in a leafy suburb of Cheshire, a successful mummy influencer and a high flying media job she is about to return to after maternity leave, when disaster strikes and Scarlett’s world is turned upside down!
A sinister video from Scarlett’s very hedonistic past has come back to haunt her and has gone viral online and sent to everyone she holds close - aside from her mum friends!

Someone is out to get Scarlett and it is down to her to delve into her murky past and her new present to find out who!

The book is superbly written and full of deep twists and turns with an ending you truly don’t expect!

Absolutely fab book!

Firstly a big thanks to Avon for accepting my request to read on netgalley. I loved her debut earlier in the year so was eager to read this.

The title and cover alone are striking and really set the tone for the book.

Dark secrets from the past come to light but who is behind them. And why?

As the pages turn so do the friendships and the trust.

An exhilarating read and i think most mums can imagine the friends in this baby group.

Unpredictable and thrilling this is a great read . Packed with tension you cant help but feel the paranoia scarlett is feeling.

Published September 17th.

Gripped me from the first page. The realism of the relationship between the four women at the start of this book made me reminisce on my maternity leave and the bonds I formed with my fellow baby group mum's. The fond memories end there, for their relationship takes a very different turn. One of lies, deceipt and suspicion. This book will have you on the edge of your seat and unable to put it down until you reach the nail biting conclusion. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

This was a decent read, centered around Scarlett, a new mom who moved out to the country and got herself a group of mom friends. On the day she returns to work from maternity leave, someone sends a sex tape that was recorded ~15 years ago out to pretty much everyone she knows. The rest of the book has Scarlett questioning the decisions that she made, while trying to figure out who did this to her.

The book was fairly fast paced, though there were some times where I felt that Scarlett belabored or repeated points that didn't need further discussion. That being said, she was pretty introspective and some of that content took the reader along with her as she questions herself. I thought she overreacted initially to the sex tape being released- while embarrassing, it was also a long time ago, and I was surprised at how poorly she handled it. There were also a few grammatical errors (namely the use of "me" versus "I") in a couple places throughout the book.

I did figure out who the villain was, though I didn't figure out the reason for it until Scarlett herself did, and I second-guessed myself a couple times. There is another twist when you get to the big reveal that I did not see coming at all. I thought the back third of the book was really fast paced when it all came to a head.

I was satisfied with the ending of this book as well=- I thought the loose ends were tied up nicely, even if it maybe wasn't super realistic.

Overall, I found this to be a good read that was fast paced for the most part, with some interesting twists. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy this - I can’t deny I powered through finding it hard to put down, and I couldn’t wait to find out who dunnit! It lost a star because it was just so unbelievable!! Couple that with some pretty unpleasant characters and you got yourself a decent read - but I did wonder who would actually care that much in this day and age - after all it made Kim kardashian famous! Worth a read - but expect the very unexpected!

This is a great read.
Young modern mum, Scarlett, has a reasonable peaceful life with her husband and baby, in their little country town. She runs a blog which is getting more popular. Leaving her friends behind in the city, she is friends with 3 other mums from their baby group.
On her Scarlet's first day back to work after maternity leave, a sex video is released, to all her work colleagues, friends and family. But not to her baby group. Scarlet's world starts to collapse, and she is desperate to find out who is responsible. With her marriage falling apart, her world falling apart, she doesn't know who she can trust, and who to turn to.
Great story, loved the last third of the book, and just had to keep reading to find out where it went.

The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran is a twisty and utterly addictive read that had me racing to the end with breathless anticipation. This was my first read from this author, but it certainly won't be the last.

Scarlett is returning to work following the birth of her daughter, Poppy, when a sex tape from years before materializes at her job. Scarlett is stunned and mortified. Why has this surfaced now, and who would want to humiliate her in this way? Is she being targeted because of her success as a local blogger? Scarlett is sure that one of the two men featured alongside her in the video must be responsible, but when each denies any knowledge, she begins to question who could possibly despise her enough to hurt her in this way.

Told primarily from Scarlett's perspective, with intermittent chapters in the ominous voice of 'Anon', whose hatred of Scarlett is almost tangible, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

You know, these kind of books really get my back up, but I can’t stop reading them. I love them! The baby group did not disappoint, it had me hooked from the start and guessing until 3/4 of the way through. Would highly recommend

This book is perfect for this generation. Only in this period of time would you hear tales of rogue videos ruining your whole world. The whole book resonates with people today. Realise issues- groups of friends- lack of trust- simple mistakes or events - life changing issues with the online world.
One for those who love modern life.

This domestic noir was well paced and interesting. Other than the repetition of descriptions (how many times do we need to be told about Emma’s welsh accent) I enjoyed this sorry in two sittings.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

On the face of it Scarlett has it all a handsome wealthy husband, a beautiful baby daughter, a house in the country and a successful blog .Scarlett also has a good well paid job in the city and on the day she goes back to work after maternity leave she is shocked to find out that all her colleagues her friends and family have been sent a sex tape made in her past life which was not so successful. Scarlett is in danger of losing it all . This is the story of her downward spiral from her perfect life. The story is also told by Anon one of her baby friends who is the leaker of the tape and responsible for Scarlett’s loss of control in her life.

This book described the absolute horror of Scarlett’s loss of dignity and control and describes the secrets of her past and the reinvention of herself. Anon is also obviously unhinged and is well hidden amongst this small group of friends. It was a good read however at times I found the story overlong and at times too much repetitive information .

A good, easy read book, which alternates between Scarlett, and an unknown protagonist. There were only three potential suspects but there were enough clues along the way that all of them were suspicious at one time. I thought the impact of having such a tape released interesting, especially the impact on the people we are closest to. There were some unexpected twists and overall, a satisfactory ending.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This is a perfect summer book--compulsively readable with some twisted ladies out for revenge.

Newish mom Scarlett seems to have the perfect life: gorgeous husband, idyllic countryside house, adorable one-year old daughter Poppy, a job she loves, and a popular mummy blog. But her past comes back to haunt her when an old sex tape is circulated to everyone she knows. Everyone except her new trio of mom friends.

Now Scarlett has to face the past she's so desperately tried to erase to figure out who's truly out to get her. She begins to question everything and everyone she thought she knew. And when all is said and done, how much does she really know these new friends?

There's nothing terribly unique about this book, exactly; it's a fairly standard drama about lies and cheating and trying to outrun your past, but I really enjoyed the narrative. Scarlett is a lovely protagonist. She's thoughtful about her actions, regardless of how other see her, and her grief and shame about what's happened to her comes to life on the page. I really felt her pain. And I liked how, though you can sort of put together who the "bad guy" is, you're left second guessing until everything's revealed. This was a book I had a hard time putting down once I picked it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Book UK for providing this copy for review. I enjoyed it so much that I went off to buy Cororan's Through the Wall, which was advertised at the end.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Scarlett has the perfect life until something happens to change all of that. This was a good read and had my guessing right until the end. Really liked it.

*This arc was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review*

This book circles around a group of moms, the baby group, who live in Cheshire.
The main character Scarlett is pretty new to the area and is quickly welcomed in by the group of women but things take a turn for the worse when someone uploads a very private video of her to all her friends, coworkers, and family but not to the baby group. The books main focus is around her trying to figure out who she can trust, how she can save her marriage from falling apart due to this video, and maintaining her mommy blog all while finding out who would want to ruin her life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I thought I had figured out midway who uploaded the video but the author threw me for a loop. I would highlight recommend this!

Oh Scarlett, we never really knew you. All of you. And that’s the point. Insta, Pinterest, Facebook and probably lots of sites I dont even know project the image we want - perfect, successful and duly filtered. To those reading the upmarket mommy blog written by Scarlett in the expensive suburb, she has it all and to the other three mothers in her hastily thrown together mummy group she could also be seen as superficial, narcissistic, self-absorbed and judgmental, depending on their viewpoint, or our viewpoint directed by our personal circumstances. A thoroughly enjoyable, nerve wracking psychological thriller where more and more is revealed through the viewpoint of Scarlett and the anonymous voice of the person out to destroy her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Wow! I've never read anything by Caroline Corcoran but I'm definitely going to purchase more of her novels. This was an excellent read. Didn't take me long to finish it at all. I could not put this book down. It was a compelling and chilling read. It really makes you question who you can actually trust.
I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A tense thriller kept me reading late into the night.An author whose books I will be devouring.Will be recommending to all multilayered thriller lovers,#netgalley#avonbooks Uk

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: The Baby Group, by Caroline Corcoran, is set to be released by Avon Books UK on September 17, 2020, but I couldn’t find a preorder date or release date on Amazon or B&N for the United States at this time. The book is a mystery/thriller novel about a woman named Scarlett whose world crashes in around her as she prepares to return to work after maternity leave...because someone in her baby group, whom she considers a close friend, is ready to watch Scarlett's life go down in flames.

PLOT RUNDOWN/BASICS: Scarlett is a 35-year-old wife and mother, living with her husband Ed in the (very) small town of Cheshire, England. For the past year, her life has been centered on her maternity leave with her daughter, Poppy, who is just shy of her first birthday when we first meet Scarlett. Finances are becoming tight after spending twelve months at home with her child, and she's reluctantly ready to leave her days of baby classes and coffee meet-ups with her four baby-group friends to re-enter the business world. She's worked on becoming a successful Instagram blogger and has 7500 followers, but while she receives free baby equipment and swag for running Chesire Mama, she's yet to turn it into a money-making venture. In her previous pre-mom life, Scarlett was a star in the world of marketing and social media at her job in Manchester...and while she's filled with dread at the thought of leaving her daughter with a stranger during the day, she feels the tiniest bit of excitement at the thought of spending her days conversing with other adults and making her own food choices. Her husband, a successful accountant for a large firm, is also stoically pushing Scarlett to rejoin the workforce and take some of the financial pressure off...which she finds frustrating, considering his seeming lack of interest in sharing the parental responsibilities at home, even as they enter a dual-working partnership.

Scarlett's former friends and coworkers have seemingly fallen by the wayside in recent months, and she's becoming exceedingly close to three women she met in her antenatal classes during the last months of her pregnancy - Cora, Emma, and Asha. They created phone trees, group texts, and eventually playdates...and having 3 babies the same age has led them to spending multiple weekdays together doing mom-and-me activities and taking some of the pressures off of motherhood. They order each other coffee drinks, hold babies for bathroom breaks, and even feed each other when they're breastfeeding. Scarlett realizes that she's honestly sad about losing her regular playdates with her new friends, but she assumes that they've gotten so close that they'll remain good friends even as she tries to resume a normal working schedule in Manchester, with a 30-minute commute.

But Scarlett's entry back into the workforce begins with a bang that blows up her entire life. Her blog shows her perfectly curated life at home with Ed and Poppy, and her gatherings with her mom friends and their children...but before she was married and "properly posh" Scarlett, she was "wild-and-free" Scarlett. Someone who partied all night, drank and did drugs during the day, and who once - in a fit of grief and rebellion after losing a pregnancy - agreed to a filmed three-way with her boyfriend and a male friend. And that film was not destroyed, nor did it disappear. And now, as Scarlett discovers while re-entering the halls and offices of her employer, it's been resurrected...and sent to literally every person she knows. All of her coworkers, her father, her husband, her in-laws...everyone, it seems, except her new mom friends.

Scarlett works hard to maintain the facade for her mom friends, keeping mum about the tape...but the rest of her world falls in around her. Her husband, who has always been uptight and private, becomes disappointed and distant. Together they hire a lawyer, who tells them that they can eventually remove the video from online...but that first, she should work to gather concrete evidence and figure out who has motive to destroy her life by posting it in the first place. But just as Scarlett begins her investigation, we as readers learn - through chapters written by someone titled "anonymous" - that the threat to her marriage, her job, and her role as a dedicated mother is much closer to home than she could have imagined. Because one of the three women in her baby group is the person who is actively trying to destroy her life...and she'll go to ANY lengths to keep her from finding a way to pick up the pieces, including revealing even more damning secrets that Scarlett is desperate to keep hidden from her past.

MY THOUGHTS: This was my first book by Corcoran, but I will pick up and read almost any British thriller I can get my hands on. The version of the book that I read was the British release, and it took me a good 30-50 pages (and the occasional use of Google) to get used to all of the non-Americanized slang like "WAGs" and "Noughties music" and all of the British pop-culture references. (And as someone who has read so many British novels that I regularly think of elevators as lifts, parking lots as car parks, and "bloody hell" as a great curse...I was stunned at how much work apparently goes into translating a British novel for us across-the-pond readers.)

Corcoran writes in a very stream-of-consciousness way, where it seems as if we're literally hearing every single thought that goes through Scarlett's head as she lives through the experiences in the novel. If you're used to a thriller novel that has more mystery and an unpredictable narrator (think "The Girl on the Train," "The Woman in the Window," or just generally Ruth Ware), this can be disconcerting or hard to get used to...but I was able to appreciate the raw honesty and emotion that this evoked after Scarlett's life starts to fall apart. She spirals through grief, shame, and a desperation to find out who is doing this to her and why...and in the process, reveals many raw truths about the difficulties in being a wife and mother right now. In regards to leaving her daughter with a child-minder during the day, she says, “I’ve overdone it. Even I know it. But if you pack enough bags, the feelings of guilt can perhaps be squashed under their weight. If you buy enough stuff, perhaps what you can’t purchase - time with your daughter, sanity, a mind that isn’t running away with thoughts about the right time to get out Doggy Dog - isn’t as obvious.”

Scarlett’s journey in this book becomes as much a voyage of self-discovery as it does an earnest desire to find out who is trying to ruin her life and marriage. She begins to realize that she doesn’t know her friends from the baby group as much as she thought she did - “We might not have each other’s job titles down, but we know each other’s judgments,” she says. And these judgments among women - the harshest critics, it seems, of other women - seem to be the impetus for what is happening to Scarlett. Her former boss sends her a text to tell her that no one is judging her at the office, and her response? “And I laugh. Because everyone is judging me every day, everyone is judging everyone every day. What they’re posting, what they’re wearing, what they’re ordering, where they’re going. What their job is, who they’re married to, what car they drive, what make their bag is. Sling a sex tape into the mix though and you up the stakes.”

Those snap judgments often lead to fractures in relationships, especially when combined with a heavy dose of anxiety, likely mental illness, and our imperfectly incorrect impressions of other people. Throw these things together in a fiction novel, and you get an unsuspecting victim of an explosive powder keg of rage, which is what happens to Scarlett. She is betrayed by people she believed were her friends, and she has to learn when to stand up for her marriage, her choices, and her friends...and when to let go. By the end of the book, she’s undergone an intense and dark personal transformation...but there is a ray of hope that, just maybe, she walks away in a better situation than you would have imagined existed in the deepest dregs of the story.

To be completely honest, I was doubtful at first that I would like this book; the language and style of writing was a bit much for my liking at first, but I was really won over by the time that Scarlett headed in for her fateful first day back at work. I found myself nodding along with Scarlett’s brutal and honest observations about marriage, relationships, and motherhood, and about what it’s like trying to be honest with the world (especially on social media) about who you are without seeming TOO happy and successful (smug), or TOO depressed and unlucky (ungrateful): “What a precarious balance it is, I think, of being happy in public but not too happy. Celebrating your wins but not being smug. Making it clear that you’ve had your allocated amount of shit times without spending your life moaning. I am drained, thinking about it.” Scarlett’s experience in The Baby Group is an extreme version of what happens when you spend more time worrying about keeping up that delicate balance than you do learning about the people you allow into your life.

Wow!! What a book - totally absorbing, thrilling and heart stopping. Caroline Corcoran manages to convey all the emotions the protagonist is feeling - at times I was holding my breath. A brilliant psychological thriller that I will be recommending to all my friends.

Well written story. Kept me engaged the entire time. A page turner for sure! Looking forward to reading more books by this author!

The Baby Group is about Scarlett, an mummy blogger whose embarrassing secret from the past is revealed and turns her life around. She navigates her marriage and baby group trying to discover who did it, and why.

This was my first "mummy" novel (if there is such a genre) and I didn't mind it at all. The book is told from the point of view of various characters, and each chapter takes you closer to the truth.... which is totally not what you were expecting! The twist is really good and the ending is satisfying, although bittersweet.

Definitely looking forward to Caroline's next novel.

Disclosure: I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

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I really enjoyed ‘The Baby Group’ having been drawn in by the promise of a plot based around the unique friendship that comes with the meeting of women bonded by a shared entry to motherhood.

Where this NCT group takes a departure from the norm is that this one involves a sex tape! We quickly learn of Scarlett experiencing the ultimate mortification - having a sex tape, which had long since been relegated to her youth, anonymously emailed to her work colleagues, friends and relatives!

Told through the dual narrative of Scarlett and ‘Anon’ we are quickly led to believe that one of Scarlett’s mum friends bears a serious grudge against her! But who and why?!

The plot was gripping, the relationships between characters felt real, relatable and authentic. This was the sort of book that was easy to get into, and once it had your attention it had no problem keeping it!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book. Scarlett has finished her maternity leave and is back to her trendy marketing manager job in the city all the usual things she is worried about worried she's lost her edge and is to mum to be the cool trendy person she was before. Little did Scarlett know those were the least of her worries as when she arrives into work she is shown a blast from her past (literally) a video of her an ex boyfriend and another man in more than one compromising position. Her set tape from 15 years ago has been sent to everyone in her life. Everyone that is except her 3 mum friends Emma Asha and Cora. Who has sent out this sex tape and why, sdsrlett needs to look closer to home than she expects.

I loved this book so much its such a page turner I found myself up all night reading until I woke with my glasses still on my face clearly I didn't want to give into my tiredness resd until my body gave in. This story was really interesting and its been a while since I've had a book thats in first person, i find these books alot more personable as if the story is being told to us or we are reading someone's diary. I loved that you got Scarlett's thoughts before she actually replies some of which will have you in stitches if you're anything like me.

I found the characters very relatable, even as someone without children, i could really see the way in which the need to present yourself as all together for those around you is common. It brings into play the roles of motherhood and the judgements that individuals place on themselves and the perceived perfection required from others. People often don't want to hear how much we are struggling its easier for everything to be okay. So I found the way Scarlett handle herself post see tape leak very relatable.

Further it touches upon different types of mental health issues that can often be misjudged by ourselves and others; anxiety, prsd, post natal depression, ocd and a breakdown. I feel Caroline Corcoran really wrote these well and subtly as not to over shadow the story but so they are there.

The character Anon is every few chapters. They're the person who has blown Scarlett's life apart. It's very interesting to have these inserts because having read a lot from Scarlett's perspective, seeing how she is coming across to others is great and why infact this person has done what they've done to her.
I did manage to guess who the character was but I didn't get the rationale as to why they did what they did so that was great to find out. Plus an added twist which I did see coming but still fun to read.

I believe when I read about this book it was advertised as a thriller I would day the last few chapters had a thriller element to them but I would have to say this book is very much chick lit which isn't a negative at all just don't expect a crazy thriller because that's not what you will get.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters especially Cora she absolutely cracked me up! I felt that the storyline is every woman's worst nightmare you see taoe being sent to everyone you know including your father and parents in law along with your colleagues. I personally couldn't think of much worse strong lesson on how decisions made whilst young and dumb can come back to haunt you.
The reason I cannot give the book 5 stars is purely this, the book is extremely repetitive. I'm not sure if Corcoran is trying to ram home the change in Scarlett but at points I got very annoyed by it because yes I do knoe that. Thanks though for reminding me ! Again!

A well deserved 4 stars

Thank you Avon Books UK and Nethalley for the ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Ha well that’s one way to start a book. That opening sentence definitely draws a reader in! It tortured me not being able to read this in one sitting, The Baby Group gripped me so much I (almost) pulled a sickie to stay home!

Following mum blogger Scarlett, her sex tape has been released and she’s mortified! Her friends, family, colleagues and even clients have seen it. Her newest friendship group hasn’t been sent the video and she hides within not telling them of her pain. Who send the video and are they closer than Scarlett thinks?

You really question all of the characters. You know it’s someone from within the baby group but who? They’re all so suspicious which made this a delight to read. I love a book that leaves me guessing until the end!

Scarlett was slightly annoying but didn’t deserve any of this. This book is a little evil but I loved it!

Scarlett, the yummy mummy blogger, currently on maternity leave and enjoying the baby groups with her NCT friends, Cora, Emma and Asha, has a great life. Baby daughter, Poppy and husband, Ed, finish her family. When she returns to work her world crashes when a sex tape is leaked to her work colleagues, family and friends. Something she did a decade earlier is now ruining her life. Who sent it and why? Who can she trust but thankfully her friends are there to help her.
Wow! I was hooked on this book straight away. The writing flowed and the story never lost pace. It was one of those books, I love, when you can imagine as a three part tv show and who would be cast in each role. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

The book is a pretty standard drama about lies, cheating and striving to conceal your past, but still an enjoyable, easy read, that I am happy to recommend.
Scarlett is thoughtful about her actions, regardless of how others see her, and her anxiety and embarrassment about what happens to her comes to life in this story. Although you can work out who the baddie is, you second guess yourself until everything's finally revealed.
I want to thank NetGalley, Avon Book UK and Caroline Corcoran for a pre-publication copy to review.

Scarlett’s perfect life crumbles when a video of her is sent to almost everyone she knows. Her friends in her new mom’s group say they haven’t seen the video, but Scarlett isn’t so sure. Who in her past would do something so underhanded? Who wants to bring her down a peg or two? You know the old saying “keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer”.

I really loved this book. It was a hard to put down mystery for sure but I would not classify it as a thriller. I could really relate to these characters because I was a young mother once and I did participate in "baby groups" although my groups did not have this much drama! The characters were interesting and the book was well written. I could not figure out who the bad guy was which is often easy to do. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a good mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed Through The Wall, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of Corcoran's newest novel. And what a novel it is! Absolutely chock full of twists and turns, with a deeper, relatable theme of what it is to be a woman. What it feels like to be made to feel ashamed of yourself, your body, your past. What it's like to feel alone, to be betrayed by those close to you. Fast-paced, twisty, and moving.

A twisty turny tale of the past coming back to haunt you in a very 21st century way. I really enjoyed The Baby Group. It's brimming with scandal, secrets and the big questions of who posted Scarlett's sex tape keeps you reading right to the end. Just when I thought I had it figured out another twist would derail me, which is perfect for a thriller.

On top of the twists and turns there's a good message about people's real lives versus their blog or instagram selves, and that nobody is every as perfect as they seem.

A good read and I'd pick up another by Caroline Corcoran any day.

Solid 4 stars.
This was a fun book to read about 4 ladies who have become friend through their baby group. Unfortunately, somebody in the group is out to get Scarlet. Which friend will it be!?!?!

The Baby Group is the latest in a long line of books filled with horrible people doing horrible things to each other. Scarlett, the main character, returns to work after a 12-month maternity leave. But before she even gets to sit down, her life is upended by a video that contains evidence of her sordid past. Who would do this to her? And why are her three newest friends, the titular Baby Group, the only people in her life who weren’t sent a link to the video?

Throughout the book we see the many realities that people can paint the world with, along with the harsh judgments that we cast on others. The book also points out the disloyalty that often results from anything controversial coming to life.

There’s one thing about the book that concerned me. Without getting into spoilers, it felt like one character was stereotyped in a way that could potentially have racist connotations. However, this wasn’t overt enough for me to know which way the author really meant it, and I don’t want to cast the same type of harsh judgment on another person that the characters in the book did. I bring it up here primarily because I read an advanced copy and I thought the author and publisher should be aware of how this characterization may be perceived to others.

My one concern aside, this was a quick, uncomfortable read (as it should have been). The twists worked pretty well, and I didn’t see all of them coming.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Wow...this book was very interesting. I really liked it. The plot of the story was fun and it was definitely pretty twisty. Makes you wonder what actually goes on in mom groups. Very enjoyable with great characters and keeps you hooked from the beginning.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book! It's the kind of book I will recommend for my book club. It's very tense and has a lot of twists that shocked me. I would recommend it for fans of mystery/suspense.

I liked the idea of reading a mystery/thriller involving a parents group, but this title did not format correctly on my Kindle and it was too distracting to read.

This is a really good domestic thriller. Really fast paced and edgy. What really I liked about this book is it has a really great story and at its heart are very real characters too. It really manages to reflect the feelings of being a new mum and everything that comes with that but without sacrificing any of its story. Definitely a recommended read.

Scarlett is a new mum with a new group of baby mum friends. She appears to have the perfect life but one day a shocking video of her is sent to everyone she knows. The only people who it hasn’t been sent to are her new friends in her baby group, Fiona, Emma and Asha. Scarlett is forced to face her past to try and discover who is out to take her down. But who can she really trust.

I love thrillers, domestic noir, or neighborly mystery, what ever you want to call it, it is great! Women are notoriously their own worst enemy. But women are even meaner to each other. Scarlet (ode to Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet letter) is new mommy but has a secret leaked that has ruined in her int he eyes of people she knows,. But her collection of friends in the mommy group seem to be over supportive. The perfect life Scarlet built is now a house of cards. You will read this fast paced novel in one sitting to see who the bad guys...or gals...really are. A fantastic twisty read whether or not you are a "mommy and me'.

Definitely enjoyable but I felt sometimes that I was getting bored. It’s your typical mommy group thriller but that really doesn’t make it any less thrilling. The ending was also incredible.

Wow! What did I just read!? The Baby Group, by Caroline Corcoran, is a cringe pager turner! Well crafted, believable characters drive a tale of friendships, lies and hidden pasts. Who sent the compromising video to all of Scarlett’s family, friends and colleagues? An awesome read!

I received a galley copy of this book from Netgalley The Baby Group focused on a group of new mothers who became instant friends after meeting in an antenatal group. The main character had something about her past shared with friends, family, coworkers, and clients that caused her life to unravel. The book was about the main character trying to figure out who shared the information and why. The main character wasn’t very likeable - self-absorbed, superficial, and dismissive of others. The other baby moms in her group were not very likeable either, so it was hard to empathize with any of them when their lives disintegrated after the information was shared.

I loved the storyline to this book. The women felt like a 'true' group of new mums finding their place in the world, and also finding out who they can/can't trust! Such a good twist at the end!

Sex tape...kept me interested. Glad there she left her husband, hated him from the beginning. Really explores postnatal world and trying to integrate back into the working world. Good read. Thanks for ARC

Listen, I hate dance music. But by gawd I loved this thriller! It was addictive. I knew who was behind the whole thing. Then I didn't. I worked it out. I was wrong. It was just so GOOD. Have already passed the name onto several people who enjoy a great book. Look forward to many more by this author.

Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oooh! this book really takes on the insecurities felt by so many new mums, mixed in with the current trend for seriously oversharing private lives via social media.
"Social influencer" Scarlett and her mummy group are close- or are they?
As Scarlett, who overshares her entire existence through filters on social media, finds herself the victim of a brutal online attack, with a private video going viral overnight she suddenly discovers that her friends and followers also change, leaving her with an altogether less than supportive network and a mystery to solve -who hates her that much?
Cleverly written with everyone a suspect in turn the lies carry on mounting up and the truth is just as twisted as the journey to reach it.
Compulsive reading that may just stop some people being quite so keen to plaster their life all over the internet!

This was an interesting premise on motherhood and the demands motherhood can have on you if you don’t have a supportive circle of friends.

When Scarlett goes back to work she’s feeling a bit guilty for leaving her daughter with a childminder and she’ll miss her quickly formed friendship group of the 3 other women who were in the same antenatal class as her. The ones she could rely on to take the baby for a quick dash to the loo or to get in a quick sip of coffee. All the baby’s and all the Mum’s what great support. Yet, Scarlett is good at her job in marketing and the big city calls. Until she arrives at work. Something is up. The mood is strained. Is that guy from accounting staring at her? Then the hammer falls.

Back when she was 22, Scarlett pushed some boundaries and today the past catches up with her. Every single person in Scarlett’s life has received a copy of her and her sex tape from a lifetime ago. Everyone that is but her new mum friends. Atleast that’s something. Humiliated and without the clients confidence in her Scarlett’s first day back appears to be her last. She needs to tell her husband Ed and see if she can get her tape taken down off the Internet. Her straight laced husband is no help and he thrives on the blame game and distancing his wife. The men she was in the tape with both swear up and down they didn’t do it and if they were going to post revenge porn why would they have waited 13 years to act? Fair point. With no new leads or no real proof Scarlett comes to a dead end as she watches her well constructed life crumble around her.

But through her new friendships she can be vulnerable and find support.
Right?

Fiona, E.ma, Scarlett and Asha met before their babies were born. The soon had their own little clique. After the babies were all born they still continued to meet. They'd talk about anything with each other. Problems breastfeeding, teething, husbands., going back to work.
They were exceptionally close. They loved getting wine and spending evenings at each others homes. These friendships developed and Scarlett was extremely happy. She had lost her mother earlier. Her sister was getting ready for her wedding and her father had remarried and had a new family. She was feeling alone and thos small group filled that space for her.
When a sex video is released to all her colleagues, family and friends she is devastated. The only ones who didn't seen to get it was the mums in her group. Now the question is should she tell them about it before they discover it's existence on their own?
A twisted psychological thriller that makes you think twice about how much you truly know people.
Intriguing!

This was a great domestic thriller with great twists. It left you guessing and try to figure out who sent the sex tape.

A special thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

When we are young we often do silly things and don’t expect them to come back to haunt us when we are all grown up and now have a responsible job and a loving family. When a sex tape is sent to everyone Scarlett knows apart from her new friends at baby group her life starts to fall apart and as things spiral she starts to wonder if someone closer to home is out to destroy her and if they are who is it and why? This is a very twisted tale and it made me distrust everyone involved all the way through the book.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book - I couldn’t put it down... fast paced and with plenty of intrigue, I was engrossed until the end. The book follows the story of Scarlett: happily married, new baby and enviable life in the county. Surrounded by “mum” friends at home, and ready to return to her much loved job following maternity leave, she really has it all. Until a years-old sex tape is sent to everyone she knows. As Scarlett’s life unravels, her previous ordeals and trouble are revealed - who would deliberately cause so much pain? A super read.

If you want a more dramatic novelization of desperate housewives then this is the book. An amazing original plot of someone trying to escape their past and wondering who they can trust. You’ll be wondering where the sequel is after the day it takes you to read this great thrilling novel.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced read!

This is a great thriller that keeps you guessing. The book follows the life of Scarlett as she transitions back to work after having her first baby. She joined a baby class and became good friend with three ladies, her mommy group. Unfortunately, on Scarlett's first day back some very graphic personal content was sharing to everyone she knows. Disrupting her whole life. The rest of the novel involves Scarlett investigating who could have wanted to destroy her life while leaning on her mommy friends.

This book was amzing. So gripping got an thinking all the way though the book. I had to force myself to put it down. It just shows you can't trust anyone not even the ones closest to you. Well worth the read its a 5* all the way. One the best books I read this year

This a book with lots if twists and right up to the very end I still had no idea who it was! Its such a good plot line and the ending is fab! I sympathised with all the characters throughout and couldn't put this down. It's a real fast paced read, couldn't recommend enough!!

Mommy-blogger Scarlett Salloway has it all, a loving husband, a successful career, a beautiful home, and a new baby whom she adores. With a life like this, what could go wrong? Plenty. When someone posts something from her past for all of the world to see, her life comes crashing down around her, and just when it seems that it can't get any worse, Scarlett knows that it can...because she has another, more terrible secret that she would do almost anything to keep hidden.

The mystery of who did this to Scarlett keeps the reader turning the pages late into the night. I could not put this book down. Set in England, I loved Caroline Corcoran's writing style and her characters. I would recommend this book to mystery-lovers everywhere.

Thanks to Net Galley, Caroline Corcoran, and Avon Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Scarlett seemingly has the picture perfect life but once you dig a little deeper you uncover a troubled past which has been hidden. Scarlett’s life is rocked when a tape from her past is uncovered and the race is on to find the culprit. I very much enjoyed this book and the twists - at every Anon passage I was trying to look for hints and clues as to who it could have been. Brilliantly written by Corcoran and would definitely recommend for other fans of mystery novels. I will be keeping my eye out for books of hers in future! Thank you Avon for the ARC and opportunity to read The Baby Group.

Really good read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.

This is a story about motherhood, lies and betrayal. You never really know who you can trust is my feelings when reading this book. The main character is Scarlett after having a baby, she like many mums meets up with the other mums from the baby group. Scarlett has a past and unfortunately it decides to rear its ugly head in a very dramatic and life changing way for her, but who is behind it?and will Scarlett's life every be the same again? There are twists and turns, and it had me gripped, I had my suspicions, but I was wrong. Another good read from Caroline and I look forward to the next book.

A pacy read, I think when you get a group of characters like this, you're always in for a bit of a ride. Loved the twists and turns. A great book for anybody looking for a story they can't put down

Wow. Great novel. Kept me hooked from the first page right through to the last. Great character development throughout

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

I wasn't sure what to expect but this was a great thriller. Fast paced and kept me invested. This is the first book I have read by Corcoran and I loved it!

Someone releases a video of Scarlett, one she doesn't want anybody to see. Who did this to her? This story reads from the point of view of Scarlett, and the person (not identified) who released the video. Who can she trust? Who are her friends? How will she recover from this?


You will not see the twist coming!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a perfect example of a suspenseful domestic thriller! Just when I thought the story was going in one direction, it spiraled down a path I didn’t see coming.
Scarlett’s life seems perfect. Women envy her idyllic family and everything that comes with it. The facade is shattered when her worst nightmare comes true. A scandalous video from her past is sent to everyone she knows. Scarlett is forced to face her demons as she uncovers the truth. People and situations are not always what they appear in this story of self discovery through deception and betrayal.

If you want a more dramatic novelization of desperate housewives then this is the book. An amazing original plot of someone trying to escape their past and wondering who they can trust. You’ll be wondering where the sequel is after the day it takes you to read this great thrilling novel.

Thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. An enjoyable read though I found it hard to like the main character at times. Scarlett is a new mom who is a victim of a hate campaign. Having joined a baby group she is on the receiving end of some nasty messages. Predictable at times but entertaining none the less.

This was so well=paced, and had a really absorbing voice in the mummy-blogger protagonist - it really felt different, and fresher, than other similar thrillers. The ending was a little predictable, but there were enough twists and turns on the way to make it a solidly enjoyable read!

This was a great read, gripping and full of life darkness that makes you realise how exposed we can make ourselves when using social media. It makes you feel mortified for the character when “the” video first comes out in the open. I did guess who the perpetrator was but that does not spoil all the other storylines that are going on too in this book. I think the characters come across as believable as in their complacency, bitchiness, resentfulness and duplicity.

A fast paced story but I didn't like the character of Scarlett ! That didn't stop it being a good a good read though.
You just never know who your friends are !!

When I told my daughter I was reading a book called "The Baby Group" she laughed as I am 48 and way past the point in my life when babies interest me (replaced by puppies) but the description of this book really intrigued me. So at 4pm yesterday I started to read and at 9am this morning I finished it (with some sleep in between) I really enjoyed the book. Didn't realise the plot until the end and thought it was really well written and definitely kept my interest.

I really, really enjoyed this, despite the fact that it was obvious who was behind the campaign of hate.

The characterisation is well drawn and even when I guessed who was responsible, there were plenty more twists still to come which kept me hooked. This is one of those books where I put off doing all the things I'm supposed to do because I want to know what happens next...

Maybe it's because I remember what it's like being a new mum and adjusting to a completely different world, but there was something about this which really spoke to me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

This is the first book I read from this author and it surprised me in many ways. The characters are believable and the the plot very engaging. It hooked me from the beginning and as the story kept escalating I couldn’t put it down until I knew the end. I’d definitely recommend this book and will read other books from this author.

As a preschooler mama myself, I recall the baby stage so well! Isolated from your "old" life, not sure what day or time it is, and desperately wishing for someone who gets what you're going through. This is the position that main character, Scarlett, finds herself in after giving birth to Poppy. Thankfully, she finds solace and friendship in her antenatal group of 3 fellow new mothers. Scarlett is wealthy; an influencer and social media expert with a gorgeous husband and beautiful life. However, her party girl past comes crashing into the picture-perfect family life she's built...in the way of a sex tape emailed to everyone she knows. Who would do such a thing? As Scarlett's life falls further and further apart, will she ever find out who's behind such a terrible act?

I found The Baby Group to be an interesting take on the domestic thriller genre, and I respected how accurately the author interpreted the emotions and difficulty of the infant stage. I also really enjoy the focus on the "influencer" life, which I feel like is a new angle in this genre. The big "twist" was a bit unsurprising, though the "why" I didn't see coming! I wish there could've been a bit more focus on the after, but overall - I was satisfied. I read this one quickly, breezing through it in about 3.5 hours! An enjoyable, light read. I recommend!

Thank you to Caroline Corcoran, Avon Books, and NetGalley for my ARC in return for a honest review.

This book was fascinating because it focuses on Scarlett Salloway, a mother with an Insta-worthy life and a beautiful husband and daughter. Scarlett is not a likeable character, coming across as haughty and self-absorbed.

At the beginning of the novel, someone releases a sex tape Scarlett was involved in years previously, and sends it to everyone she knows. Everyone except the women she went through childbirth and the early days of motherhood with. These are the women she talks to everyday, and the only ones who aren’t aware of the massive bombshell that is ruining every other relationship in Scarlett’s life.

Or aren’t they...

I love a great psychological thriller that I can’t guess the ending of, and this book certainly hit that mark. A truly enjoyable read.

Many thanks for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I must admit I found it infuriating trying to work out why, who and what was going on! I did guess some parts but others were a surprise.

Scarlet is a new mum, a popular blogger and she has a group of friends that she does mum things with..... coffees, baby groups etc. But someone is out to get her, literally wants to destroy every she’s worked hard for by exposing her darkest secrets. Who is it though?

Well written, I read it quickly because I really needed to know the full story! Would highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. This book can be summed up in one sentence. You never know who someone really is.....and you can't trust anyone! It is twisty...it is current!
In the beginning, you feel sorry for Scarlett. She is a mom and wife doing her best. It is a little "woe is me" sometimes. By the end of the book, I wasn't sure if I felt sorry for her. It is a tad predictable...until the last chapter. I'd give this book a solid 3.5 which I'll round up to a 4. It would be a great book club read for new moms!

Scarlet and her husband seem to have the perfect life with their gorgeous baby Poppy. Scarlet is a popular blogger and loves sharing pictures of her perfect family with others online.

She is enjoying meeting up with her friends Cora, Emma and Asha, who she met at her antenatal group. Although they are all very different they have bonded through their babies and have remained close friends.

When Scarlet goes back to work, which is stressful enough leaving her baby, she is in for a massive shock!! An old sex video of her with her ex boyfriend and another friend has been sent to her colleagues and friends. Who would do this evil thing to her, betraying her trust and leaving her feeling so vulnerable!!

Scarlet turns to her antenatal friends for support, thankful that they were not sent the video.

I love thrillers that keep you guessing, I changed my mind about who did this to Scarlet several times. I couldn’t put this book down and read late into the night as I just had to finish this great read!!

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Such an addictive read! This fast paced thriller had me hooked from the very beginning and I read it within the day, desperate to know how it ended. Scarlett is your typical mummy blogger but with a hidden past and it was difficult not to feel sorry for her as her background was revealed and her life started to unravel. The mystery within this book was so well written, I found myself suspicious of everyone at different points in the story and still hadn’t quite got it right in the end. Overall this is a book I will be happy to recommend, it isn’t too taxing on the brain yet has enough twists to keep the plot strong and the characters interesting. And if your reading it thinking Baby Group mums are evil, just wait till you meet the ones at the school drop off.

Scarlett has the perfect life, at least that is how it appears in her blog Cheshire Mum. She is a new mum with a handsome husband and a country home supported by her fellow new moms, met and bounded with at prenatal instruction. But is anything ever that perfect? Caroline Corcoran has crafted a solid story that has enough suspense, twists and turns to satisfy the reader as well as a few surprises along the way. I would recommend this read and I now will be looking for her previous book to see if it is as good or if #TheBabyGruop was just a one off. Thanks to Avon UK for the review copy.
#NetGalley

Scarlett is a rich and successful mom to a 11-month old girl. She is on maternity leave from her amazing Digital Marketing job and runs a successful online blog called Cheshire Mama. Cheshire is the name of the village where she lives, some 1 hour away from the hubbub of the city, in a huge listed home on a private road. She's friendly, outgoing, ever ready to click a picture and post it on her Instagram feed.
Her friends from NCT - outgoing and brash Cora, quiet and apologetic Emma, and small cleanliness freak Asha - are her 3 am friends now, now that she doesn't have any "old" friends to fall back on after becoming a mother.

Eventually, she joins back to work, and the day she does, she has a huge shock in store.

Someone has mailed her boss and her co-workers a sex tape in which she is with two people - both males. The video is sent to her husband, her friends from work, and her father as well.
Everyone, except her NCT friends. And Scarlett has no idea who did this or why.

As the world around her slowly disintegrates, she tries to keep her NCT friends from knowing this terrible secret, which in turn, would open a can of worms that no one can contain.

What I liked:
The language was fluid and it was a quick read - always a plus for me as I'm strapped of time ALWAYS!

The characters were well fleshed out. Scarlett's NCT friends, Ollie, Mitch, and Ed were all people with their own struggles and battles. I LOVE well-defined characters.

The ending was good. It tied up loose ends. Gave valid explanations for everything.

What I didn't like:
Why did Scarlett have to find evidence of who sent the video (as suggested by her lawyer)? Isn't it the work of the police?

Some situations seem improbable. Like the one where Scarlett breaks down in front of Ed and then all the four of the NCTs go to the bar and drink themselves senseless. Hello? What about your babies?


Anyway, these points apart, the book was good. Nothing mind-blowing, but if you're looking for a quick mystery read, this book is the one for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC copy.

Scarlett has a great life. New baby. Perfect husband. Perfect house. Perfect job to go back to. Then her life is turned upside down. Who would do this? An old friend? A new one?

This book kept me guessing over who the bad person was and each chapter left me wanting to read the next one to find out more! A gripping story that you hope never happens to you!

Helloooo spicy domestic thriller! I was so pulled into this book that I read it all in one sitting!

Scarlett seems to have it all - a lovely little daughter named Poppy, a handsome, well-off husband Ed, and a successful mommy blog that's been bankrolling her maternity leave and pumping up her local celeb status. Her closest group of friends (the baby group) is Cora, Emma, and Asha, three moms from her ante-natal class with which she's been sharing everything since her pregnancy. When a video from Scarlett's past is sent to all her coworkers/friends/family/husband's family, her life is derailed and she's on the hunt to figure out who is out to get her before her deepest secret is revealed.

I didn't love Scarlett (especially as she devolved into alcoholism - that felt like an overdone trope of the unreliable female narrator), but I am generally fine with not loving the main character as long as the plot is good, and I was sufficiently intrigued to not care about my personal feelings of Scarlett. I will say that I appreciated how reflective and open to realizing her own faults she was towards the end. I also liked that she was imperfect and had a past. We ALL have a history, and I thought it was relatable and fantastic that she had a pull-herself-up=by-her-bootstraps situation going on. Her sordid past wasn't necessarily relatable, but parts of it were and the character herself was written in a relatable manner, I felt.

I was kept guessing the ENTIRE time as to who released the video, and I won't say that the end ~delighted~ me, but the twist was good, and I was at least a little bit surprised. I really liked how seamlessly the author casually offered up numerous niblets for why multiple characters could be the one after Scarlett. I really was on the edge of my seat for the final scenes. I liked that we were given a taste of her "new" life at the end, and more insight into certain scenes from earlier in the book that needed some explaining once we knew who the culprit was.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank Avon books UK, Caroline Corcoran and Netgalley for the advance copy of The Baby Group an for giving me this opportunity to give an honest review.

This story about Scarlett whose life is perfect until a video is posted to all her friends and family but she does not know why this is happened. So she tries to investigate who has posted it! The only people that have not received this post is the baby group she belongs to in her village. Where she is an influencer and a blogger on her perfect life.
This is a great read with its twists and turns as you try to guess who is trying to ruin Scarlets life. It is a dark domestic thriller which gets you thinking about how much of your life we put out there for everyone to see. The story moves at a good pace that you want to keep reading. I would definitely recommend this book and will be reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this thriller by Caroline Corcoran. It has a fast pace, good writing and interesting characters. It kept me guessing til the end.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Caroline Corcoran, Avon Books UK, and Netgalley for an ARC of The Baby Group in exchange for an honest review. This book was definitely entertaining and keep me on the edge of my seat at times. I would highly recommend reading this book.

A disturbing read on so many levels. The multiple strands of the nature of love, friendship, what matters and trust all interweave to create a tense thriller that starkly demonstrates the fragility of the things we think we hold dear. As characters begin to lose their sense of reality, the tension builds, as does the reader's, as worlds begin to collapse.

This was brilliant! Fast paced and kept me gripped throughout. Very apt with lots that can go on now-a-days because of social media. I read this in a couple of days and would definitely recommend

This was a page turning thriller that I really had no idea which way it would go.
The suspects are narrowed down throughout the book but you’re still left looking for clues in each chapter and the ending was a genuine surprise.
The main character had depth with secrets and a past yet still managed to be relatable

This book focuses on the emotional journey of a woman whose sex tape is leaked after many years - she is now a respectable employee, a mother and a wife. It explores the relationship between the wife and husband and the awkwardness very well.

However, it does not touch on the police investigation at all - I don't even remember if she goes to the police with it. I am halfway into the book, and there are just some flaccid attempts to find out who may have done it - so far, only two 'suspects' and with just one meeting with each of them, she is convinced its not them.

The book later picks up quite a bit.... there are twists and turns and multiple POVs.

It's an interesting read!

Fantastic thriller by a seasoned author. The book has great plots, twist, and turns just when you think you know bam another great twist. Highly recommend

This is the first book I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more from her.

Scarlett is living a charmed life: happily married and a new mum - Scarlett has everything that she could want. But when a sex tape of her is posted online and sent to almost everyone she knows, her seemingly perfect life starts to fracture.

As she tries to discover who posted the sex tape, her life begins spiralling out of control. However, when she realises who the culprit is, she is flummoxed to discover their reason why.

A good tale of jealousy and revenge with a nice twist at the end.

Is t a baby group supposed to be where you make new friends and have lots of support when your baby arrives? Read this chilling book and think again. And never trust anyone!!

Scarlett has an 11-month-old baby and through NCT is now part of a little group of mums with babies the same age, meeting up regularly.
Upon return to work, Scarlett is mortified to find that the same day a sex tape she made many years ago has been leaked to work, friends and family.
This Book follows Her emotional journey though dealing with that, her meetups with the baby group crowd and relationship issues that such a mortifying event brings.
Trying to work out who leaked the tape is part of the story and there are enough twists to keep you hooked.
Well worth a read

This was different a glimpse into a yummy mummy lifestyle lve looked at them in the coffee shops and wondered how they have either the time or money to treat themselves as they always seem to be huddled in their favourite corner taking loudly surrounded by their designer nappy bags - in the book this lifestyle was at the front but it covered a darkness of jealousy and a desire for revenge - loved the book and will recommend it on my book page mygoldenbookclub as soon as it’s published - looking forward to reading the next book

I really have to digest this one because that ending was unexpected! I'm almost afraid to spoil the book by saying too much. I loved that there was depth to the women in this novel and that the expectations placed on them or the expectations that they place on themselves was just another layer of tension under the domestic thriller. In fact, the women in this book are terrifying and that's what felt so real, sadly. The cult of sudo-celebrity and the worshiping masses who fall over Instagram bloggers played a nice part in the catalyst of the "all hope is lost" moments. And can we all just agree to never record a sex act so things don't come back to haunt you later? I liked the balance of characters that were not likable yet I still needed to know what happened next. It was a page-turner and one that I'm hoping a friend reads so we can chat about it.

Throughout the book, I kept theorizing which of the three woman in Scarlet’s baby group could have obtained and posted her sex tape and why. There were various instances when one of the women acted suspiciously. I even suspected that all of the women could be in on it together and had some vendetta against Scarlet. Having a past and being a very different person now is a relatable story indeed in that many of us have had our wild college days and then grow up to become wives, mothers. etc. Once more information from Scarlet’s background was revealed I thought maybe she had unknowingly been with one of their husbands. Since there is a limited cast of characters you can mix and match to figure out how they were all tied together. It was sad to read woman going after other woman and the constantly lying to one another while acting as if they were all friends. It really made me think about how we may paint a pretty picture of what our life looks like when a lot more is going on that meets the eye. There were many twists and turns up until the very end where more and more gets revealed. I would suffer from major trust issues if I experienced what these women went through with each other!

The one thing that I kept thinking over and over while reading The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran was that Scarlett is thinking what so many other women out in the world are thinking, but that we don’t say it out loud. Some of it is too raw or would seem too mean to say, but it’s still the truth. Corcoran does a fantastic group really delving into Scarlett’s inner being, ugly parts and all.

I found myself nodding my head in agreement and enjoying Scarlett’s long winded inner monologues for most of the book, but when there was about 30% left I had to stop myself from skimming to get to the exciting conclusion that suspense and thrillers are known for. And even though I knew very early on who had released the video, I still enjoyed reading Anon’s thoughts getting more twisted and manic as the book progressed. Even with knowing the person behind Scarlett’s misery, Corcoran still gives a big twist that I didn’t see coming and I really reveled in the psychopathic nature that was shown in this person.

As Michael Corleone said, “ Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” But what happens when your friends are your enemies… you’ll have to read The Baby Group to find out!

Thanks to Net Galley for this Advanced Reader Copy. I started out really not liking The Baby Group. It uses a lot of British- isms.. and for some reason, I was having a hard time with that, but I got swept in. The main character , Scarlett, is a Career woman who has a baby and finds herself with an entirely new group of moms and babies to socialize with. Her group forms fast and she never really developed strong bonds with these other moms and she never really got to know them. Suddenly something from her past shows up on the internet and ruins her job, her marriage, and her Instagram Mommy Blogger presence as an influentster..This is about where I was where I didn't like the book, but then the levels of who and why this was happening to Scarlett surfaced, and I got really captivated. It was a good solid beach read....distracting and easy

Meet Scarlett's 'Mum friends.' There's Cora, Emma and Asha. After having her daughter, Scarlett is desperate to connect with other Mums to help her through this new stage of her life. Almost too desperate to become friends, Scarlett assumes nights out drinking and talking all about her life means they are all best friends. Little does Scarlett know she finds herself caught up in a fake net of jealously.

Scarlett is all-consumed by social media. She attempts to dismiss her difficult past using Instagram to show that all is well, good and easy in her life. However, this is very much the opposite. A reckless act in her youth begins to haunt her so much that she can no longer escape from.

The Baby Group is a must-read book for anyone wanting a bit of drama. It made me want to keep reading to find out more. The chapters alternate between Scarlett and Anonymous which tells two tales of the story creating drama out of Scarlett's past.

After enjoying her debut Through The Wall I was excited to receive Caroline Corcoran’s next read.

This book is definitely enough to make you doubt everyone and everything you thought to be true, being skeptical and avoiding ever trusting new friends!

I found the book started off well, was a little slow in the middle but picked up pace again and managed to hook you back in at the end with some twists and turns. On the whole the characters are all pretty unlikeable and some of the content made you think REALLY! However it was an enjoyable read.

Be careful who you trust is the motto for this story.

Scarlett seems to have the perfect life until something from her past is leaked to her nearest and dearest and it’s a race to find out whodunnit before any further damage is caused.

The ending was the absolute best but a shame that was kept a secret from Scarlett!

Scarlett has the perfect life. Until on her first day back at work following maternity leave, she discovers a sex tape of her has been leaked. To all her friends, family and colleagues - except her baby group mums. As the pace increases the book leaves you desperate to know who is out to get Scarlett! I did manage to guess part of it but not all the twists so I was kept on edge til the very end. Having an almost 2 year old, maternity leave and baby groups is still all very recent so I loved that element of the story - and I am so glad I made the lovely friend I did and not these crazy ones! 😂 my first book by Caroline Corcoran but I look forward to reading more 😊

This book is everything it says it is and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have recommended to a few likeminded readers. Brilliant book, it will have you gripped

What an opening sentence! I went into this book blind, and ended up reading something completely unexpected. Full of drama and dread, this book takes a group of mothers and subverts the idea that all they do all day is change diapers. Instead, they are fully realized people with desires who have to confront the women they were before they had children and their identities changed. I liked how the book highlighted the expectations placed on women, especially when Scarlett returned to work. "It's one of the ten thousand or so double standards in our life now," Scarlett says of her husband. The ethical question of posting your child for content is also raised by her blog "Cheshire Mama" which I felt was an important issue to discuss given the nature of the book. I never would have imagined her privacy would have been invaded on her first day back at work, but this book likes its twists! I enjoyed the anon chapters, which really showed a dark jealously and mom-shaming. Other secrets crept out and made for a deliciously suspenseful book! It kept me guessing the whole way through.

Thank You NetGalley & Publisher for this gifted e-ARC!

Her life was perfect. Until the video. Scarlett's golden life suddenly unravels when someone sends a shocking video of her to everyone she knows. The only people who claim they haven't seen it are the friends in her new mothers' group: Cora, Emma and Asha. Scarlett is forced to delve into her past to discover who is out to get her. But as her circle of trust gathers around her, she has to ask - are her friends as innocent as they seem?

I love a good thriller that keeps you guessing.
I'm not going to lie, the first bit was a little boring to me...... but i kept reading and the pace of the book did pick up. Thank Goodness. Because I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to finish it.

It kept me interested mainly to find out who is is behind the craziness... but also to know why? The story is told from Scarlett's point of view and the anonymous person who is out to destroy her. There are so so many secrets and past stories which are revealed as the story progresses.

Really enjoyed it!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Sometimes your past can come back to haunt you. Scarlett seems to have the perfect life - life in an idyllic village, a husband, baby and a rewarding job. All of this comes crumbling around her when a secret from her misspent youth is revealed, leaving Scarlett adrift and not knowing who she can trust. I really enjoyed the multiple layers of this story - the struggles of being a working mother, shifting relationships, family dynamics and the power of the internet. An enjoyable and intriguing domestic thriller with an action-packed climax.

This book surprised me at how gripping it really was! I didn’t expect it to be quite so thrilling and chilling! Books, especially thrillers, are either hit or miss with me when they involve children, but this was definitely a hit! A great domestic suspense, which was well written, unique, and compelling! Unputdownable throughout! If you are like me and are not much of a kid involved thriller, give this a try, I promise you’ll love it! Predorder today, highly recommend this very well written, chill inducing, tense story!

What would a 30 some year old woman do, when her past comes back to bite her, from something she did over a decade ago?
Welcome to the life of Scarlett, popular Mom blogger, who has it all, a handsome husband, a year old daughter named Poppy (sorry, I thought of "Trolls" when I saw this name), a beautiful house, and a successful marketing job after 18 months worth of maternity leave. She meets a small group of women at mom classes and they become her best friends. She is the city mouse moving to the country and not knowing anybody as well as she thinks. Someone, somewhere, wants to ruin her life after she's supposedely ruined theirs. She starts loosing it all, one thing at a time, after a sex tape is leaked from a long time ago when she was at a partying, self destructive, time of her life.
I wanted to feel sorry for and like Scarlett, but the truth is, I could not. It's like she never grew up, and she remained naive and selfish most of the time. It took most of the book for that light bulb to go off over that pretty blonde head of hers. I got halfway through the book and wanted it to end already. Who wants to read about lots and lots and lots of fighting with someone's spouse? It seemed never ending and got boring fast.
The conclusion was pretty good and not something I suspected. Overall, it was an okay read, but definitely not something I ever got fully engrossed reading. Thank you NetGalley for giving me another free book for an honest review.

Scarlett is on maternity leave from her high-flying job in Manchester. Herself and husband Ed have moved from Manchester to a small village in Cheshire to be nearer to Ed's family and thinking it will be a better place for daughter Poppy to grow up.. Away from her Metropolitan friends and lifestyle Scarlett befriends 3 women at her New Mother's Group ,Emma,Cora and Asha .

Scarlett's life seems perfect,she has a very successful Blog ,she is about to re-start work in Manchester and has a beautiful house and a handsome husband. That all starts to fall apart when a video of her from her younger ,wilder past of her having sex with 2 men is sent to her family,friends and associates,though none of her "Mum's group". As her life implodes she at first hides what's happening from her new group of friends.then relies on them for support.
As her enviable lifestyle implodes Scarlett is forced to go back to her somewhat murky past looking for answers, not realising that her tormentor has already done the same and it becomes obvious that for reasons she can't understand they're determined to destroy her life.

This a well-written and entertaining book , I spent a few hours of my life reading it from start to finish. There is a lot more to all of the main characters than meets the eye and the story never falters as Scarlett desperately tries to identify her tormentor.

Thanks to Caroline Corcoran , Avon Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was a 4.5 star read for me and kept me hooked throughout most of the novel.
This novel took many realities of people that create a career on social media and how people interpret these people constantly. I loved the characters of the book because they were made to connect with every person in some manner.
The only reason that this book did not receive a 5 star for me was that I was able to guess most of the ending and then thrown in randomly was another "plot twist" that I found confusing and misplaced for the novel. I found myself asking why? Although I felt like it looked at the theme of not judging a book by the cover, which something a lot of people forget when getting to know others around them.
This novel made me excited to pick up more books by this author and I am excited to see how much more from her!

Scarlett has the perfect family life... or does she??
This book is edgy & gripping, I loved it! There were times when I thought I'd worked it all out, then thought I was completely wrong. I suspected almost every character at some point, which is unusual for me, so I enjoyed the suspense. I couldn't put it down once I got past the first couple of chapters, sat up late reading & then got up early to get a bit more of the book fix. Definitely a book that I'd recommend.

Relevant and nerve wracking thriller.

The book is well written with two perspectives which makes it a gripping read. One is the protagonist and the other is an anonymous person with less than good intentions.

Great psychological thriller.

“The Baby Group” was well written and drew me in. I did figure out many of the twists and turns of the story but I still had to finish to see if I was right. The writing style was different than I am used to, but the book was enjoyable.

A subject that’s very out there at the moment. Everyone’s worst nightmare. The book was fantastic to read. It was exciting and thrilling. I couldn’t put it down. Was desperate to find out who done it . The book was very enjoyable and very well written

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Baby Group’ written by Caroline Corcoran in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Scarlett has a beautiful home with husband Ed, adorable one-year-old Poppy, her blog ‘Cheshire Mama’, and a job she loves working for an up-market digital marketing agency. On her first day back following maternity leave she can’t understand why her colleagues aren’t speaking to her until her boss Felicity shows her a sordid video detailing something in Scarlett’s past that she thought no one knew about. Ed, her family, friends, colleagues and clients have all been sent a copy, everyone except her three friends, Cora, Emma and Asha. As everything she holds dear starts to unravel, Scarlett has to decide who hates her enough to want to ruin her life?

‘The Baby Group’ is the first novel I’ve read by Caroline Corcoran and when I started reading I thought it was going to be another in the chick lit vein, but I was so wrong! The further I got into the story the more I realised it’s a very cleverly written thriller with a strong plot, intrigue and twists and turns, culminating with a dramatic and unexpected ending. This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel and one I can definitely recommend.

The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran- Scarlett’a golden life suddenly unravels when someone sends a shocking video of her to everyone she knows. The only people who claim they haven’t seen it are her friends in her new mothers group: Cora, Emma and Asha. Scarlett is forced to delve into her past to discover who is out to get her, she has to ask- are her friends as innocent as they seem?

I was given this book as an arc to read courtesy of Netgalley . As a new mum I found parts of this story extremely relatable and I really enjoyed the story. The story’s characters are very well developed and very real and relatable. I found this story really reflects the ups and downs of being a new mum and also how quickly your life can be turned around. This book had me hooked as I really wanted to find out who the culprit was and why. The story switches between two narratives (Scarlett and the anonymous person who is out to get her). There is lots of drama, secrets, twists and turns throughout the story which kept me gripped and made me struggle to work out who the culprit was. I found the ending of this story quite unexpected and would give this story a 4 ⭐️ rating.

A well written thriller with a plot that has many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I was looking forward to reading another Caroline corcoran book and it was good although it reminded me of a book I recently read called "The Cows" by Dawn O'Porter. Same set up. Sex tape but Cc's book was concentrating on finding who posted it rather than just dealing with the fallout like in "The Cows". It's obvious of the outcome but why is another story.

It does keep you interested and some of the banter that the 4 friends have as new mums is priceless. Maybe life experience? It's great to have it reduced to choosing from 3 friends to find out who did the deed. I was totally wrong with my guess, so that must be good writing!

I did much prefer "Through the Wall" though but I'd still not hesitate if I see any future books by CC.

The Baby Group is a gripping, one sitting read! The premise reminds me of movies like The Simple Favor, the 'mum with secrets' trope and I really liked how the author fleshed out the frustration, fear, hopelessness, joy, and fulfillment of parenthood! The book makes POINTS about slutshaming and social media use and I only wish our heroine could've had a scene where she gets to blast everyone, but alas, life rarely works that way! I liked that the heroine- Scarlett often comes across as unlikable. She was a very real character, flawed, annoying, sometimes loveable, you'll pity her and find yourself uncaring, but you'll also be reminded that women deserve dignity and respect irrespective of their 'likeability'. My one wish w this book (and w thrillers in general) is that the motivations of the antagonist were stronger. The reveal of their reasons felt anticlimactic to me and had me say "isnt this an overreaction"- but the book still had me glued and I finished it in a matter of a few hours! I'd easily recommend it to those looking for a fun thriller!

Thank you so much for the chance to read this prior to it’s pub date !
Loved this one and since I go into most of my books blind i was shocked to discover that the title is not necessarily what the main theme of the book is and I love it !
Scarlett’s life seems perfect. Fancy house, handsome husband, adorable daughter and successful blog on motherhood !
Of course this can only mean one thing - everything comes crashing down as a arc take of her younger self is set out to everyone she knows -
Almost everyone ! Her new mommy friends from her ante natal classes have been spared the tape! That made me suspicious 😒
Scarlett’s marriage quickly falls apart as she is desperate to find out who did this to her ?
At one point - I suspected every single character and hated on them 😩
I felt for Scarlett and appreciate the parts with Scarlett’s inner monologue ! The mommy group’s characters were relatable in some ways and it really made me question how do we really know who our true friends are !?
Amazing twists, secrets, lies, decrepit and the ending left me satisfied! I’m not an easy person to please with my endings so this was a win ...
If you are looking for a family filled drama read that you won’t be able to put down - grab this one ! Can’t wait to read more by this author !

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an E-ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Having read Caroline’s excellent first book, Through The Wall, I jumped at the chance of reading her second book.

I was not disappointed! Kept my interest from the first page to the last.

Ed and Scarlett decide to move to a small village after their baby daughter is born, out of the city. Scarlett has a very popular blog about being a mum and hopes to start earning money from it. She meets three new friends at her NCT class and life is looking good. Until she finds out video of her in a compromising situation made many years ago has been sent to her family, friends and her work colleagues.

Totally devastated, she has to find who has done this; who has ruined her life.

There are many twists and turns which will keep your guessing!

I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers.

I saw good things about this book on twitter so I was ecstatic when I was accepted to be able to review it!

Such a good story! It was clever and So relatable. As a mum, I could really put myself in the mums shoes! Caroline describes mum life perfectly, I found myself agreeing and sighing along at some of the things the mums would do.
(Relating to mum life)

As for the actual storyline it was thrilling and I couldn’t stop reading to find out the ending! Throughout the whole book i was questioning each character and changing my mind after each chapter. It’s the perfect ‘who done it’ read!

Thank you for the opportunity - if you like a good ‘guess who’s the culprit’ read this is the book for you :)

Who do you trust? In this book .. no one! MC Scarlett's life was perfect until someone sends a shocking video of her to everyone she knows. The only people who claim they haven’t seen it are the friends in her new mothers’ group. Scarlett is determined to find out who is out to get her. This is just horrible, which makes it very real and relatable; some characters you hate and some you like. Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.

A thoroughly enjoyable, nerve wracking psychological thriller where more and more is revealed through the viewpoint of Scarlett and the anonymous voice of the person out to destroy her.

This was a domestic thriller with lots of twists and turns and fu!I of surprises with characters who were believable and life like. The story showed just what can happen.when jealousy can get out of hand a d how things can take a turn for the worst and how you think you know who your friends are but in reality you don't know what's reAlly going on behind closed doors this was my first book by this author and will definitely read more

I liked this novel. It was full of unexpected twists and turns. Very entertaining. The character development was great.

The Baby Group by Caroline Corcoran is a fast read with a great plot, and the entire time I was reading, I kept thinking “who?” and “why?” Scarlett is a new mom with a group of mom friends. She seems to have this amazing life but someone has it in for her because a tape gets circulated of her in a compromising position. You can imagine how upset Scarlett is when that happens!

Take a look:

Scarlett’s golden life suddenly unravels when someone sends a shocking video of her to everyone she knows. The only people who claim they haven’t seen it are the friends in her new mothers’ group: Fiona, Emma, and Asha.

Scarlett is forced to delve into her past to discover who is out to get her. But as her circle of trust gathers around her, she has to ask – are her friends as innocent as they seem?

I love books like this- quick reads that keep the reader fully interested in seeing what happens next! Lots of fun and highly recommended!

Scarlett, from the outside, appears to have it all, a picture perfect life. On the day she's due to return to work from maternity leave, whilst a little anxious but looking forward to her return, everything changes. It's brought to her attention that a sex tape of her has been sent to colleagues, family, friends excluding those recent friendships from the baby group... and the story begins....

What else do they know? Is this her only secret, threatening to unravel life as she knows it. The baby group takes us on a journey on who may have done this to her and why. Leaving Scarlett questioning most people, including those closer to home. Causing her to be edgy and out of character, with the potential to lose everything she has now.

More a mystery than a thriller, it was a good read but the pace wasn't as fast as I'd hoped. A few twists and turns at the end, but worth reading.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This was my first book by this author and it was a good one! There were lost of twists that you don't see coming. A past full of secrets and lies. You will enjoy reading this book.

Lies, deceptions, more lies and half truths...I don't remember when was the last time I've about this many lies in one book..
The Baby Group is definitely a book worth reading. Although I didn't like the characters the story itself kept me guessing.
The reader is practically inside Scarlett's head throughout the story, we can hear all of her thoughts, nothing is left out.

I will read more books from this author, I enjoyed her writing style very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

There is jealousy. There are lies. There is betrayal. And then there is The Baby Group.

Scarlett is an influencer, author of the successful Cheshire Mama blog, wife to Ed and mother to the adorable Poppy. She’s been home on maternity leave with Poppy for almost a year and now it’s time to return to her job as a digital marketing manager. However, as soon as she walks in the door, she’s ushered into a private room by her boss Felicity. A twelve year old sex tape of Scarlett and two men has been emailed to everyone in the office. If that wasn’t enough, it has been shared with her clients, her family and her husband Ed. Scarlett falls into a nightmare.

Only her three best friends, Asha, Emma and Cora, members of her baby group, have not seen the video. As Scarlett revisits her past, trying desperately to understand who could have done this to her, her friends provide much need emotional support. It is not until the final pages of The Baby Group that we understand the dark motives behind the destruction of Scarlett’s life.

This domestic thriller is a disturbing read that forces you to question who you trust and how much of your life you share on social media. This book stays with you long after the final page has been turned. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Caroline Corcoran for this ARC.

<i>4.5 stars</i>

Caroline Corcoran's The Baby Group is an amazing book.

Can a seemingly innocuous setting -- a group of new mothers who previously bonded during their joint ante-natal classes -- be turned into one of mystery, back-stabbing, extortion, jealousy, betrayal, and more?

The short answer: YES, a definitive yes.

Our MC is Scarlett. She's one of the four mama's of the aforementioned group, and she runs a successful blog about her life as a new mom (she's one of those Insta-moms we see a lot of these days) while she's on extended maternity leave. However, the day she returns to her place of work, a digital marketing firm, she finds herself utterly humiliated -- someone has mailed a sex tape that she made when she was young and dumb to everyone in her contacts list, except the other three mamas of her baby group.

This is how the story starts. It starts with Scarlett's trust in the rest of the world disappearing in a second, as she battles with humiliation and pain. Her husband won't talk to her anymore, her friends and family can't look her in the eye anymore -- the only people who still treat her the same are her oblivious baby group friends, and she starts clinging to them.

But soon things get murky, and Scarlett starts noticing discrepancies in what her three new-best-friends say. They all have a secret life as well, and as time goes by, Scarlett is sure of only one thing: it's someone from this baby group who's obliterated her life. (She no longer has a job, she's been isolated by her family, her marriage is on the rocks, and so on.)

Things heat up as Scarlett starts actively attempting to get to the bottom of things. There's the blackmail, the gaslighting, and all those emotional manipulations -- there never was a dull moment in this book.

Initially, we mistrust everyone. As we meet new characters, we wonder if this is the person who did this to Scarlett. And then there's the mystery of Scarlett's life itself -- what is she hiding? What did she do to someone which made them do this to her?

This book was a constant mental exercise, in the best way possible. It kept me on my toes, and had me anticipating what would come next. I absolutely loved it! And just when I thought I had figured it out along with Scarlett, there was a twist that came out of the blue, and whacked both me and Scarlett right in our midriffs.

All the characters were well fleshed out, and while we knew enough about them to wonder if they would actually have done it, we also didn't know enough about them to completely have no suspicion towards them.

I have nothing to say for this book, except have very high praise for it. If I could narrow down my praise to just three things:

● The right tempo
● The perpetual mistrust and mystery
● The nail-biting-ness of the writing

This was my first Corcoran book, and I absolutely enjoyed it! I can't wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend The Baby Group to thriller buffs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me a chance to read this book!

Scarlett's life is turned into a nightmare when a video of her as a young woman is sent to nearly everyone she knows. The story follows her search into who has done this to her & her family. The opening chapters grabbed me & I couldn't put this book down. I love the style of writing with it's intensity & emotion. The writing is not too descriptive, which is a style I enjoy. Follow the twists & turns of Scarlett's life. A recommended read.

Gripped from page 1, this first person tale is every parents worst nightmare - that their kids would end up being caught doing something so silly. Scarlett is caught and has to leave her job as a result. A tangled web of intrigue as we try and puzzle who hates her enough.

This story is a definite example of keeping your friends close and your enemies even closer. I was hooked from the get go and I devoured each page. The friendships made although looked close and safe, they were certainly not. Heartbreaking at times. Loved it.

Very gripping domestic thriller. Scarlett, a popular mum blogger, meets Cora, Emma, and Asha through the antenatal class. Their forced friendship happened as each of them needs a friend in between their busy life with toddlers. Scarlett's life crashes when her sextape when she was 23 yo leaked online. Someone obviously hates her too much and wants to see her ruined. The story was told from Scarlett's point of view and the anon who was the character who tried to ruin Scarlett's life. Undeniable tickle my curiosity of who's the culprit.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for electronic ARC of this book.

Scarlett is a woman who appears to have it all. Great husband, new baby, fulfilling job to return to after maternity leave, successful mom blog and new friends in her mom group. But Scarlett's life is about to change. Everyone has secrets, some in the present and some in the past. All these secrets are about to surface. A great read about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. But who exactly are the ones you can trust? this one will keep you guessing!

Thanks to netgalley, Avon Books UK and Caroline Cocoran for the fun read.

Scarlett is an influencer on Instagram, lives in a beautiful house, with her dashing husband and her baby and is just about to go back to her high positioned job after maternity leave. On her first day back, everyone is looking at her oddly and she is called into her manager and friend’s office to be shown a sex tape that has been sent to everyone in the company starring her, an ex and another man. Scarlett tries to keep her life together, while realising that everyone she knows has been sent the video, other than her 3 baby group friends.
I really enjoyed this book, although I found it slow to start. Initially, it seemed that each chapter was Scarlett realising that another group of people had seen the video and then another group and so on. Once it developed into finding out why she had indulged in the threesome and the disintegration of her relationship with her husband and the strengthening of her relationship with the baby group, I became more interested. It has a very exciting and satisfying conclusion which made me pleased I had continued to read the book.

Most of us who went a little wild in their 20's, can remember those nights filled with dancing, drinking, partying, living life to the fullest. For our main character, Scarlett, in The Baby Group, those party days and nights have never quite left her. They are a part of her, a part of her she misses since becoming a mom. Scarlett has a perfect job, perfect marriage and even a perfect mom blog. She also has, what she thinks, are the perfect group of mom friends that she met in baby training class. The moms have seen each other constantly exchanging baby stories and just supporting each other through the first year of their babies lives. Scarlett seemed to them to be the "perfect one" until the day a video gets leaked online of Scarlett in her party days. But when Scarlett turns to her trusted friends for support, can they be trusted, or are they all pretending to be just as "perfect" as Scarlett. Is anyone genuine in her mom circle after all? I highly enjoyed this mom drama/friendship rollercoaster of a ride plot. Scarlett was a very well written character, and I think anyone that is a mom may be able to relate to her at times in the story. The story makes you guess throughout the whole thing whodunit? 4 stars!!

Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC

A sex tape is posted to colleagues, friends and family and Scarlett’s world falls apart.
Who on earth would do such a thing and why? I did start to suspect the who but certainly not the why.
Not sure how I felt about Scarlett. On the one hand I felt sorry for her predicament but she did come across as very self centred.
Intriguing nonetheless

This book really surprised me. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it but I did. It was so thrilling, & full of suspense.

This is a must read book for fans of domestic suspense thrillers. I devoured this book in one sitting it was so good. An excellent story which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ever wonder what it would be like to have your perfect, IG filtered life blown to smithereens for all to see? Well, beautiful and successful mommy blogger, Scarlett, is about to find out when a sex tape made in her former life is emailed to everyone she knows.
Finding little comfort at home, and not knowing whom she can trust, she looks to her new “baby group” mom friends for the support she desperately needs.
This was an engaging story, especially as I’ve been the new mom who had depended on my own “baby group” friends to keep me sane while home taking care of babies. Thankfully, no sex tapes have emerged.
It wasn’t tough to figure out who was sabotaging Scarlett, but the “why” and “how” was fun to discover.
Thanks to #netgalley and #avonpaperback for this ARC of #TheBabyGroup in exchange for an honest opinion.

This is a thriller that you will not be able to put down, you will become addicted to each character and their story. When Scarlett's golden life begins to unravel quickly after video surfaces she is forced to figure out who is with her and who is against her. Scarlett must face her past and it's not going to be pretty.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Scarlett's life seems perfect. She has a loving husband and a new baby daughter. She also has a successful parenting blog. One day she receives a sex tape that had been recorded when she was younger. It has been sent to everyone she knows. Everyone has seen the rape except the women who are her new mum friends: Asha, Emma and Cora.

The story has a decent pace. Tge four women met at antenatal classes and they have remained firm friends. The story is told from Scarlett and the anonymous persons perspectives. Scarlett's life seem perfect but the facade is shattered when the sex tape is sent to everyone she knows except for the baby group friends. Scarlett has to delve into her past to try and find out the answers. Is her friends as innocent as they seen.? This book is packed full of secrets and lies.to keep you guessing.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and the author #CarolineCorcoran for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scarlett is a new mom and like most new moms is in a baby group with other women. She thought they were all friends until one day someone sends a sex tape to all her contacts. Every one including her family friends and job. Just not her Mom group. A bad one one from her twenties of which was a threesome with two men. Scarlett has everything a blog, a wonderful husband and she lives in an upscale neighborhood in England and can be anyone she wants to be. Scarlett must find out who did this before everything falls apart and everyone knows all her secrets.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.