Book Description:
A perfect mother. A loving daughter. A secret that could destroy them both.
New mother Eve is overwhelmed with love for her baby son, Kai. As she swaddles him in a fluffy white blanket, she shudders at a memory of her own childhood. She hasn’t seen her heartless mother Lydia in years, and she hasn’t told a soul about what really happened the night her baby brother died in the squalid little house she grew up in…
When the phone rings in the dead of night, Eve’s heart pounds as she hears the voice at the other end. ‘Hello Mother’, she replies, an ice-cold chill creeping down her spine. She grips her son’s tiny frame close to her trembling chest as she reluctantly agrees to let her mother visit.
But when Eve has to make an emergency call from Kai’s bedroom early one morning, she curses herself for allowing her mother back into her perfect little family.
‘Kai was fine when I checked on him a few hours ago.’ Her mother says, breathlessly as she watches her daughter’s face change from fear to rage.
Why was Lydia in Kai’s bedroom during the night? And as Lydia pleads her innocence, could it be that she’s not the most dangerous mother in this family?
Fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife, will absolutely love this gripping and addictive thriller. Her First Child will have you hooked from the very first page!
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Her First Child' by Sheryl Browne.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sheryl Browne, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 8th December 2022.
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'My Husbands Girlfriend', 'The Invite', 'Do I Know You?' and 'The Liar's Child' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife, will absolutely love this gripping and addictive thriller. Her First Child will have you hooked from the very first page!' I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' and 'The Wife' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sheryl and if this is half as good as 'My Husband's Girlfriend', 'The Invite', 'Do I Really Know You?' and 'The Liar's Child' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists a prologue, 65 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in the UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Eve, Lydia and Chloe. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
'Her First Child' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sheryl discusses/includes mental health, Munchausen syndrome by proxy and domestic abuse.
Wow!!! What did I just read!!! What twists and a half fairplay, I most certainly was NOT expecting any of that!!! Anyway, we shall return to that!!! This book is extremely well written and completely drew me in from start to end. The synopsis, title and cover worked perfectly with the storyline.
One of the best books I have ever read!!! Don't even think about even looking at the first page until you have cleared your schedules as you won't be able to put it down!!
The storyline was extremely compelling and I was completely addicted from the beginning starting with a prologue putting my heart in my throat to absolutely explosive ending!!! I started it this morning and finished it in a day!! It was filled with Mysteries, infidelity, secrets, cover ups, twists, lies and surprises and and had me completely absorbed throughout. This book ticked absolutely every single box!!! It was filled with suspense, lies, romance, twists, heartbreak, deceit and shocks!! It had me on tenterhooks on the edge of my seat and biting my nails to get to the truth. I absolutely loved how it completely shocked me at the end!! There's not much worse in a book than when you have already figured out what is going on by 50%!! I love that the fact that Sheryl has done her research shined throughout. One of my pet hates is when an authour picks a subject to include in their novel but hasn't done any research, it litters the books with mistakes and errors and it can spoil a storyline. This book is not only an epic psychological thriller filled with twists and turns that I would have never expected all the way to the end but it is also quite sad and heartbreaking when it comes to the end and when we find out what really happened to who and why. In this book Sheryl discusses a very important subjects that include mental health, Munchausen syndrome by proxy and domestic abuse and manages to weave them all into an addictive, realistic and emotional storyline. I won't go into too much detail and Sheryl explains it all beautifully in her letter at the end of the book so make sure you continue to the end to read it. A huge well down to you Sheryl you should be extremely proud of yourself!! I would love to see this book turned into what would promise to be a massive hit movie!!
This is only the fourth book that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but for the second time I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Tamsin Kennard who did a great job bringing this story to life. I would listen to it in the car, in the gym and while walking at any opportunity and Tamsin did a fantastic job on both male and female characters voices!!! I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Sheryl but also to listening to more books narrated by Tamsin!
It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.
Absolutely addictive, unputdownable and most definitely EXPLOSIVE!!!
The characters were vivid, realistic, unique and very compelling. Throughout the book I liked, disliked and questioned most of the main characters unsure of who was to blame and who was doing what wrong and right. After I had done all that I was still wrong!!! Throughout the book I flicked from feeling sorry for either Eve, Dom and Lydia and then by the next chapter I thought that same character seriously needed help or were just horrific. I became suspect of them all. There was an additional character my heart completely broke for at the end but I won't be saying any more on who or why as, again I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I felt the book ended perfectly the way it did and everything was explained with no loose ends, another pet hate of mine. Well done Sheryl!!! The perfect eclectic mix of strong and realistic characters came together to make this book a real page turner!!!
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the prologue and first two chapters of Sheryl's 'The Affair' which promises to be just as addictive as this book and I cannot wait to get stuck into it!!!
This book would make a truly captivating movie which I would love to see and I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by Sheryl. Congratulations Sheryl on yet another amazing read!!! Here's to your next success 🥂
This is exactly why Sheryl is one of my favourite authors. I love every book yet she still manages to make them better and better which is not an easy feat!!
Overall a page turning, gripping and addictive psychological thriller that will shock you at times and break your heart on others!!
Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Domestic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Thriller, Noir Fiction, Crime Fiction, Contemporary Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl' , Shalini Boland, 'The Girl On The Train', 'The Wife', Lisa Jewell and anyone looking for an explosive novel with a bombshell twist!!!
369 pages/ 9 hours and 25 minutes
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, £16 for audiobook and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
@SherylBrowne @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Netgalley
Author Bio:
Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has also obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller HER FIRST CHILD comes to you from BOOKOUTURE. Her previous works include the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, along with contemporary fiction novels, The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love.
To find out more about Sheryl, go to www.sherylbrowne.com
Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Sheryl Browne here: https://www.bookouture.com/sheryl-browne
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BJVG79H1social
Apple: http://ow.ly/VRSm50LS5vP
Kobo: http://ow.ly/AcJv50LS5vR
Google: http://ow.ly/efqM50LS5vQ
Audio:
Listen to a sample here:
You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo
Comments