Her Daughter – Jen Craven

Summary

When my best friend’s teenage daughter comes to see me, I know something is wrong. With tear-filled eyes, she says she’s pregnant and begs me not to tell her mother. I know I’m betraying my best friend but as I look at Chloe’s terrified expression, I don’t know how I will find the strength to say no…

No matter what life throws at me, I have always been able to depend on my best friend Rachel. In nineteen years of friendship, we’ve never argued or fallen out. So, I’m wracked by guilt over my decision to keep her daughter Chloe’s pregnancy a secret. I don’t want to break Chloe’s trust but, if I don’t say anything, it could destroy my relationship with Rachel.

I hoped Chloe would find the confidence to tell her mom, but days have passed, and the guilt is eating me alive. As much as I want to support Chloe, I don’t know how much longer l can lie to my best friend. I spend every day completely gripped by a panic that sends my heart racing.

The pressure only worsens when I discover that Chloe has one more thing that she’s been hiding. Something that could destroy the perfect life I’ve worked so hard to build—the family I love so much and the career I’m so passionate about.

And then I realize that Chloe isn’t the only one with secrets. Rachel has been lying to us all…

The three of us are more entwined than ever but when the truth comes out, what will be left of our friendship and our families?

Review

Chloe, Rachel’s daughter, makes a shocking discovery: she’s pregnant. Rather than confiding in her own mother, she turns to Monica, Rachel’s closest friend, for support.

The book held my attention from the start with its smooth and effortless writing style. The first half focused on building the intricate relationships between the characters, leading me to anticipate a gripping plot.

However, as I delved further, it became clear that this was not a thriller, despite being categorised as such in NetGalley. Like many other readers, I found myself eagerly waiting for a murder, revenge, or some sort of crime. Alas, it never came. I would also have loved to have read this in first-person POV, like in the synopsis. There’s just something about it that makes me enjoy books more.

Despite this disappointment, I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse range of personalities displayed by the characters and how they were all connected at their core.