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Mother May I

Mother May I Book Cover Mother May I
Joshilyn Jackson
Fiction
William Morrow
April 6, 2021
Advanced reader copy
336
Free from publisher

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

My review:

Overall this was an enjoyable read. The premise of what would you do if someone kidnapped your child was well portrayed. The characters were likable enough, even those who we were perhaps not supposed to like? It was certainly suspenseful, and I read it quickly to see how it would all play out. I did have a couple minor issues with the number of times we heard about people acting their parts, and how the main protagonist used to be an actor. Also the ending was just too contrived to fit the happily ever after that it had. I can't give it away without spoilers, but it centers around the husband Trey, I wasn't buying the convenience. Having said that, the writing was great, the intrigue definitely there, and the story kept me invested in soaking up every last word. There were also a couple of reveals that I definitely didn't see coming that kept me on my toes! The desperation over finding the baby was palpable (particularly from the mother Bree), that part was very well done. Also, the subject of revenge from a mother played out in a most convincing way.

This is the second book by this author that has veered into the thriller category. While it certainly was fast paced, and had me flipping pages, I can't help but miss the style of her older books that were full of southern charm and wit. This seems to be a pattern developing among a lot of my previous favorite authors (sigh).

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