Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro Book Review

About the Book:

With a healthy newborn baby, a devoted husband, a successful career, and a busy life on Martha’s Vineyard, Brynn Nelson should be the happiest she’s ever been. But Brynn is struggling. Her husband, Ross, grows more distant by the day, and the challenges and exhaustion of postpartum make Brynn feel like she’s slowly losing pieces of herself to motherhood. Pieces that she might never get back.

But it’s summer on the Vineyard, a beacon for wealthy visitors, and a place so beautiful that it seems immune to tragedy and crime. Except for locals, like Brynn, who know all too well that tragedy can strike at any point. And this time, it hits close to home when a friend of the family is found washed ashore. Dead. And Brynn’s already hectic life is turned upside down when Ross is arrested for the crime.

Left reeling with more questions than answers, Brynn’s only path forward is to find out who really killed Cecelia Buckley, even if it means it was her husband. She’s not sure who she’s able to trust anymore. And with the dizzying, endless cycle of sleepless nights, diapers, and bottles, Brynn’s not even sure she can trust herself. She’s not sure of anything anymore, but she won’t stop until she finds the truth.

My Review:

Since the main character is suffering from postpartum depression, there is lots of character rumination. An action scene that moves the plot forward is often followed by a long section of character thought. I felt the novel moved along slowly. There was more depression thinking than I like and I struggled to continue reading. The actual mystery was not as prominent as the exploration of the depression.

This is a book for readers who like more character thought than action. I like more action so this book was not so much for me.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Julia Spiro lives year-round on Martha’s Vineyard with her partner, their son, and their two rescue dogs. She previously worked in the film industry for nearly a decade, before deciding to leave Hollywood to pursue her dream of writing books. Such a Good Mom is her third book. Photo credit: Chandler Cook

Minotaur Books, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. Mine is an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)