Mother May I

Rating: liked it

And here I am to be the dissenter amongst the throngs of 4 and 5 star early reviews for this one. I thought up until the last quarter of the book that it was going to be an "all the stars" review for me as well, but then the climax and ending were so disappointing that it brought it down to the 3.5 star mark.

The first half of the book is fabulous - Bree Cabbat has everything a woman could ever dream of - a loving attorney husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world. Growing up poor, she never dreamed it could be all possible. Then one day she wakes up to see an old woman dressed in black looking at her through her bedroom window. Later that day, she spies the old woman again - just minutes before Bree’s infant son vanishes. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; and if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow. The mystery woman makes contact and tells Bree that to get her baby back, she must complete one small task. She completes the task, but then the pieces of her life start to unravel, and she becomes complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets. Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family - even at the price of tearing her family apart forever.

My heart was in my throat when I read about Bree's baby being taken, her conversations with the kidnapper, and her subsequent actions. All of that was phenomenal. Without giving too much away though, from the point Bree and her friend, Marshall, begin investigating the kidnapping and the connections with Bree's family, I started to get an inkling of how things would end, and I didn't care for it. Much is made about Bree being a great actress (I feel like it is mentioned in every chapter!), and I feel like the potential for a serious "wtf" twist was there - but it never happened. Maybe I'm just depraved when it comes to my thrillers, but I love me a twisted, jaw-dropping moment that makes a book unforgettable. This one is more of a fairy tale, happily-ever-after ending that just left my dark side rather disappointed. I did find the last page musings of one of the main characters thought-provoking, but it still wasn't enough to salvage it for me.

Overall, a spectacular read that brings you right to the edge of the cliff - and then seriously falls off it in a major way. 3.5 stars

Rating: it was amazing

Review originally published on mysteryandsuspense.com

Bree Cabbat grew up with a cash strapped and anxious mother obsessed with protecting her own security and that of her daughter. Bree had never met her father, who by all accounts was a piece of work, but as a gifted performer in amateur theatre she hoped that this might provide a gateway to the future life she dreamed of. But one day she met a man from a rich family and the mutual attraction was immediate. What followed was marriage, children and a privileged life in a nice house a few miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.

When we pick up the story, Bree has two school aged daughters and a brand new baby boy. Her own hopes of a career in musical theatre had never gotten off the ground but it seems that she’s passed her abilities on to her oldest daughter and today she is to attend a rehearsal for a production at her school. Her husband, Trey, is a lawyer and he’s going to be away on business for a few days. The day had started badly when Bree had woken to find a what she thought was a witch staring at her through her bedroom window. However, she’d tried to dismissed this thought as potentially the over active imaginings of a sleep deprived mum. But this was to be a fateful day. Later, as Bree sat enthralled by the action on stage, her sleeping baby is stolen and in place of Robert is a note instructing her to return home immediately and not to inform the police if she wants to see him again.

After a slow start the action had suddenly ramped up tenfold. A panicked search of the school confirmed Bree’s worst fears and hadn’t she spotted a figure suspiciously similar to the witchy woman from her bedroom window in the school car park earlier? With Trey away she is forced to lean on the help a male friend, whose daughter is also in the school production, for support. But what is she to do – to comply and return home might protect her son but shouldn’t she really ignore this and contact the police immediately?

I have to say that I was quite unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster ride I was now to be launched on. There’s a lot of raw emotion here and I was never quite sure how this was all going to end. Added to this there are a number of twists that stopped me in my tracks and made me re-evaluate the ever changing picture I was seeing. And the sense of urgency, of time passing too quickly, became a real thing for me as I found myself rushing back to the book at every opportunity such was my desire to track events, my brain working overtime trying to assess whether the actions being taken were the right ones.

I’m almost never totally satisfied with the ending in mystery novels and to some extent I’m still evaluating how I feel about this one. What I will say is that there’s a secondary narrative that makes its way into this tale which requires a degree of interpretation, though it’s pretty clear where the author is leading us. How readers react to this will, I feel, colour their feelings regarding the final outcome. Either way, I definitely found this to be a well-crafted and gripping story – in fact, it's one of the most interesting and absorbing books I’ve read in a long time.

My thanks to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: really liked it

I read this book in a little over a day because I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

It did feel a little repetitive at times, but I enjoyed it! Not quite as much as her thriller from last year, Never Have I Ever, but there is no doubt that Joshilyn Jackson is talented and switched over from her original genre of books really well.

Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Rating: liked it

3.5. A nice little read about revenge! It's not often I find a new author and want to pick up another of their books but Joshilyn is one. She blended the right mix of plot keeping the reader engaged trying to determine the twist we knew would come. And this one is full of twists!!

Rating: really liked it

Wow. 4.75 stars, 5 if you like dark domestic suspense. I prefer my domestic suspense a little less dark. But it definitely kept me turning pages.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: really liked it

Wow what a book this was! What a mother will do to save her child.
The book begins with Bree seeing a witch in her bedroom window, quickly dismissing it. The next thing we know her infant son, Robert is taken with a note not to call the police and do everything this mysterious person tells her.
Bree joins forces with an old friend as they hunt for their son. The puzzle delivers shocking twists and disturbing lies and secrets.

Definitely one of my favorite books by Jackson! Thanks to Edelweiss for my advanced ebook copy.

Rating: it was amazing

I seldom give thrillers a 5-star rating as most of them I enjoy while reading but soon forget them. This one is special and has many deeper layers to it. On one hand, it's a nail-biting thriller. I actually wanted to get up and walk away from the book at one part, afraid to keep reading and find out what happened. But of course I had to keep reading. On the other hand, it's a tale of morality, a tale of privilege, a tale of doing the right thing for past actions. Quite impressing and nost highly recommended.

Rating: it was amazing

I was given an advance copy of Mother May I by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions are mine.

If you are looking for a quick page turner that'll have you reading 'just one more chapter," this is it! Bree was raised in poverty, but her acting skills helped her reinvent herself and marry into a wealthy socialite Atlanta family She becomes a content mother of three and enjoys her life with her husband. Bree's happiness and security is shattered when her infant son is kidnapped while her husband is away on a business trip.

Bree has been told to not call the police and to do one task in order to see her son again, but things do not go as planned. Bree must join forces with a friend from her rural Georgia past to discover the true motive of the kidnapping, to get her son back into her arms, and to save her family from more harm.

The obstacles and decisions Bree faces as she navigates this nightmare situation will take the reader on a roller coaster ride of suspense.

Rating: it was amazing

4.75 stars

When Bree’s infant son is kidnapped, she’ll do whatever it takes to get him back.

As a long time fan of Jackson’s, I couldn’t wait to dive into MOTHER MAY I even though it doesn’t come out for several months. I am loving her turn to domestic thriller. The plot may sound like one you’ve read before but, believe me, it’s not. Secrets are revealed and Bree questions everything she’s known. Jackson does a great job including current issues as well so this book will be an outstanding book club choice. Be sure to add it to your wish list - you won’t be disappointed!

Rating: it was amazing

Wow. I could not put this book down.

Definitely an amazing thriller that twists and turns as you go. The story was unique-unlike any thriller I’ve read. Highly recommend checking it out. I’m going to guess this will be a popular read in 2021!

Rating: it was amazing

(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)
--
After loving Joshilyn Jackson's novel Never Have I Ever, I definitely knew I wanted to read Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson. Jackson is a brilliant writer, and I was drawn in by the synopsis of this story. I was not disappointed at all!

Bree has everything and wants for nothing. She has three fantastic children, a loving husband, and plenty of money. She starts seeing an old woman that looks like a witch looking through her bedroom window and then again at her daughters' school. When her infant son keeps kidnapped from her daughters' school, it sets something sinister in motion. If Bree wants to see her son alive again, she has to agree to do some pretty messed up things. However, as Bree gets sucked in further and further, she learns some pretty crazy things about those she thought she knew.

First off, the world building for Mother May I was done so fantastically! It was so easy to get sucked into this book. I could easily imagine every little thing that happened throughout Mother May I as I was reading. The pacing was perfect. I found myself never wanting to put this book down. Not once did it ever slow down to become boring or speed up that I got lost. I wanted to make sure baby Robert was safe, and I was also frantic when he went missing and Bree was doing all she could to get him back. I didn't feel like there were any major plot twists. There are a few minor ones though. There is no cliff hanger ending, and all loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. I did enjoy how the book ended though. Mother May I definitely shows was having wealth and privilege can do for you even when you do something bad, so kudos to this book for bringing it to the forefront.

I felt that all the characters in Mother May I were well rounded and developed. It was easy to relate to Bree throughout the book. As a mother myself, I felt her fear and worry at her son being kidnapped. (That's one of my worst nightmares!) I never once blamed her for what she did to make sure her son would be safe and so she could get him back. I'm pretty sure I would do the same as she did. I loved that she came from humble beginnings as well. I loved her backstory. Marshall was such a stand up guy to help out Bree. It was obvious how much he cared for Bree. I admit that I was wary of him throughout the book. I kept waiting for him to somehow be involved in Robert's disappearance. Trey seemed like a stand up guy with how he treated Bree and how much he loved her although Trey was another one I was wary of. I also kept thinking he had something to do with Robert's disappearance. Coral was another one that I could kind of understand her hurt for what happened to her daughter. While I don't agree at all with what she did as an act of revenge (not a spoiler), I knew her heart was hurting for her daughter and what she went through. Coral was a fantastic antagonist though.

Trigger warnings for Mother May I include rape, sexual situations, drug use, drinking, murder, suicide, death, child murder, swearing, and kidnapping.

With such wonderful characters and fantastic world building, Mother May I is a book deserving of such high praise. It goes to show how unfair the world is and how money talks in a well done story. I would definitely recommend Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson to those aged 18+ who are after a book with a fantastic storyline and a great cast of characters.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a paperback ARC of Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson. I was under no obligation to write a review.)

Rating: liked it

Although I don’t believe that someone my age should waste her time reading a dull book beyond page 50, I continued reading MOTHER MAY I even though it was still boring me at that point. But sometimes, if you stick with it, books get better. In this case, that turned out to be true around page 90.

An old woman kidnaps Bree’s infant son, motivation unknown. Of course, her husband is out of town and she cannot go to the police. I say “of course” because this is so common in mysteries/thrillers, too common and too convenient (for authors).

Joshilyn Jackson, the author, lets the reader know early on what’s going to happen with two important characters. That is, the mystery is predictable.

As I say, though, the story will grab you beginning somewhere around page 90, if you can wait that long. After Bree tries to follow the kidnapper’s instructions, she finally enlists the help of two people, one a former cop and the other a lawyer. This is when the story gets good, and I applaud Jackson for not doing what too many authors do: insist their main characters keep secrets. (She still doesn’t go to the police, though, but could Jackson have written this book if she did?)

The former cop, Marshall, is (another “of course“) in love with Bree. But he is (of course) a master at finding kidnapper and kidnappee. It still wouldn’t be nice, though, if he took Bree away from her husband, would it? Can you predict what will happen? I could.

The end, too, is convenient and predictable. Jackson could have stopped sooner.

I won this book through the Librarything.com Early Reviewer program.

Rating: it was amazing

This was a rare book that I could not put down. It's intensity is breathtaking. From the beginning sentence until the last one you'll be drawn into a deeply plotted story of revenge. Well done!

I received a copy from LibraryThing for my review.

Rating: liked it

As much as I love this author, this one was not her best! The story is about a lady named Bree and someone took her son Robert. It is split in 3 parts. The first part is great and exciting. Parts 2 and 3, not so much. The story ends on a good note though. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Rating: really liked it

Read my full review here: https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/mot...

The beginning of Mother May I reminded me of The Chain, which I had just finished a few days prior. The two books weren’t too similar beyond the kidnapping aspect, but it was a nice segue!

This book was quite the page-turner. It flew by, and there weren’t really any boring or slow parts. It was paced much faster than Never Have I Ever, which was more of a slow burn. The best part is that it starts off terrifyingly realistically--the way the baby was stolen could be straight out of a news report. This story will make you want to double check that your doors are locked and that your kids are safely in their beds (...I assume. I don’t have kids.)

The characters were very well written and well developed. Bree grew up poor but was able to fake it until she made it, and now is living the perfect life. She was no damsel in distress, though--when her child was taken, she did everything she needed to in order to get him back. Her ability to stay cool and collected in the face of tragedy made her a compelling main character. Mitchell was my favorite character, and I was torn between rooting for him to get the girl and wanting Bree to be able to repair her marriage.

My only complaint is with the way the book ended, but I won’t spoil it here. If you’ve read Mother May I, click the spoiler link above for my thoughts.

Overall, Mother May I was an intriguing, fast-paced thriller that grabbed my attention early on and held it all the way through the end.

As an aside, I love how well the cover compliments Never Have I Ever. I’m going to have to purchase that one to display them side by side!

Mother May I will be available on April 6, 2021. Many thanks to Library Thing and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.