Why would you walk away from the one person you can’t live without?As a child, Vicky Hall never had the sort of family she wanted. The least important person in her new step-family, ignored by her mother in favour of her two younger half-siblings, Vicky was always an afterthought. Sitting alone at her graduation ceremony at the age of twenty-one, she vows to create her own family and her own … family and her own life, one which is full of the love and attention she has always craved.
When Vicky meets William and falls pregnant in Greece that summer, it isn’t planned. But the two of them believe they can make it work, showering their child with the love which they believe should be enough.
But when her son Theo is two, Vicky leaves him in the care of her mother-in-law, walks out of her front door and drives to a hotel where she takes a room for the night. She doesn’t return.
It’s unthinkable.
What kind of mother does that?
The kind who is hiding a story you can never imagine.
The Mother I Could Have Been is a heartbreaking story of impossible decisions and second chances, from the bestselling author of The Silent Wife and The Woman I Was Before. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain.
Readers are loving The Mother I Could Have Been!
‘WOW!… An amazing read!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘I wish I could have read this book in one sitting… I literally couldn’t put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Kerry Fisher goes from strength to strength, with The Mother I Could Have Been being her best book yet.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Another great Kerry Fisher read… this book makes you want to hug your loved ones and tell them you love them as you never know what’s around the corner!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘An incredible read. So well written and heartfelt.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Awesome story… grab your hankies! Read in one day.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘LOVED this book so much… Beautifully written and such a great read. Highly recommend.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘5 stars! I absolutely love Kerry Fisher’s writing… Highly recommend The Mother I Could Have Been.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘A cracking good read… Loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘Oh my goodness what a story! …I absolutely was drawn into it from the very beginning.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I absolutely loved this book.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Loved it!!! When I got to the end, I shouted NOOOOOOO!!! (In my head, not out loud.) I couldn’t believe it was over.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘Such a great read. So heart-wrenching. Loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Gripping, heartbreaking, emotional page turner! Wow! … I couldn’t stop reading this book! I was hooked! This book has drama written all over it!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘I’m going to go out on a limb here and say – if I were to ever re-read books, this would be one I would re-read.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Grabs the reader by the shoulders and teaches them a lesson about motherhood.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A heartbreaking yet uplifting novel that gets all of the complexities and misunderstandings of family just right… A fast, compelling read. Recommended!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Another brilliant book by Kerry Fisher. This book was an emotional roller coaster and I couldn’t put it down. A thought-provoking emotional story it had me hooked from the first chapter.’ Goodreads reviewermore
Favorite Quotes:
I couldn’t resist Rowan. He was my favourite by far because he was innately naughty. He hadn’t yet mastered the art of throwing a bomb and not being anywhere in the vicinity when it went off. I adored him.
I sometimes couldn’t believe she was my daughter, with her endless stream of rules and regulations. ‘Who is coming tonight?’ She managed to say it as though I’d have invited all the local miscreants and some dodgy men with an unhealthy interest in children.
You’re brilliant with customers. I love how you tell them to bugger off so politely they enjoy the journey.
It was amazing how clearly I could see the flaws in other people’s mothering but would need surgical intervention to patch up the gaping wounds in my own.
He carried the message like a wise man cupping a gift of myrrh, reverential, with a sense of ceremony, big man coming through with big news.
The woman pursed her lips so tightly, I wanted to tell her that in twenty years’ time, her lipstick wouldn’t bleed, it would haemorrhage .
You are such a drama queen. I don’t even recognise the childhood you think you had. No, Mum and Dad weren’t perfect, but they were good enough. You talk about them as though we were left chewing on scraps in a dungeon, fending for ourselves.
My Review:
I have a new favorite author – despite her heavy deployment of angsty and emotive story threads. I was so absorbed by her brilliantly insightful and evocative writing, complex and profoundly flawed characters, and witty wordplay that I didn’t seem to mind the eye-burning, heart-squeezing, or ire-producing storylines that I typically eschew. I was instantly mesmerized and sucked into this perceptive and thoughtfully crafted tale and resented any intrusion or interruption to my perusal for those unimportant distractions such as sleep, hygiene, whining husband, or nutritional sustenance. Kerry Fisher is a phenomenal writer with powerful word voodoo. I am driven to amass all her clever words and have added her entire listing to my TBR.
This book really opened my eyes to how I treat my own mother. Caro was a sweet mother and her daughter really irked my nerves. I wanted to scream. This book was so realistic. Will there be a part 2?
I loved the book and the wonderful characters.
Pager turner? Absolutely. Family relationships and dynamics are always interesting and make for great stories, this one included. Loved the author’s wittiness (there are some beautiful quotes that truly show her penmanship) and her ability to flesh out such real, complicated, and flawed characters. A pure emotional ride that leaves you wanting more. My first book by Kerry Fisher but not my last read.
I am Cora. This touched me so much. Very real dynamics of family.
Two heroines, different generations, seeking to do what’s best: emotionally profound
4.5stars
Vicky and Caro — two women of different generations and with divergent family situations but united in their need to reunite with estranged family. Vicky, the younger of the two, began her problems by distancing herself from her mother. Her emotions are conflicted when she herself becomes a mother and faces criticism and a lack of support from her partner and his family. I found Vicky a confused soul, full of self doubt and afraid to trust her parenting abilities. Caro, a settled mother and grandmother, deals with a daughter full of resentment, anger and jealousy. Her struggle to keep her family together is no less compelling than Vicky’s dilemma.
Author Kerry Fisher has written a deeply profound tale of the complicated relations between mothers and daughters, but also how their issues impact the rest of their families. I was really drawn into their story. Realistically, there are repeated disappointments and missteps, but also some moments of joy and loving reminiscence. Ultimately, despite their setbacks, happy times and healing are promised in the final Christmas scene, none more so than in the reappearance of a beloved granddaughter.
Kerry Fisher is a new author to me and, based on my enjoyment of The Mother I Could Have Been, I will definitely be looking for more of her work.
Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
This is Vicky’s’ story. She lost her father at a young age, which was bad enough. But her mom remarried and had 2 more children. Vicky always felt like the odd person out. She perceived her mom spending all time and efforts on the younger children.
When her mom did not even attend her graduation from school, she decided then and there she would one day have her own family full of the love and attention she has always wanted.
On a trip to Greece, she meets William a free soul, sort of a surfer dude. But then Vicky gets pregnant and everything changes. She is welcomed into William’s home with his mother and father and they absolutely adore the baby, Theo.
William grows up in a hurry and spends many hours at work. He encourages Vicky to work part time so they can afford to get their own placed. William’s mother becomes Theo’s carer.
Once again, Vicky feels adrift as William’s mother encourages Theo to call her mamma .. and teaches Theo to cry and scream if Vicky even tries to pick him up.
She endures until she can no longer endure. Believing she is not a good mother and that Theo would be better off without her, she leaves … never to return.
Not an easy thing to do .. leave a young child that you love with all your heart and soul. What kind of mother does that? The kind who is hiding a story you can never imagine.
This is a heart-wrenching tale of dysfunctional families, toxic relationships, second chances, love, miscommunication, impossible decisions. Get the tissues handy … you’ll need them.
This is so well written, I read it in one day. It was hard to put down, and when I did put it down, all the characters remained in my head … and in my heart. The characters are finely developed … and credible.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological family drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Kept my interest and I liked the surprise at the end.
The Mother I Could Have Been
by Kerry Fisher
282 pages
Publication date: November 22, 2019
Publisher: Bookouture
4
First off let me start by warning you that before you start this emotional read make sure you have a box of tissues ready. Because you are going to need them as you dive deep into the mother daughter relationships. The author has such a way of writing that you feel all of the characters emotions as you alternate chapters with the pov from Vicky and Caro.I hated a lot of the characters but they are what makes this story what it is. I really struggled getting into this story at first. But it does get better, alot better so hang in there. I think this book would make a great movie with all of the explosive family drama it has . I wanted to drag Barbara , Vicky’s very mean and controlling mother n law through the book and punch her in the face. As like most people when I first started this book I was like how can any mother just up and walk away from their child . But between Vicky’s mother and her mother n law the poor girl didn’t stand much of a chance. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And as with any book you read PLEASE leave the author a REVIEW. Reviews are very important to authors and is what keeps them writing.
#TheMotherIcouldHaveBeen #NetGalley
The character study of how different women approach motherhood had a touch of thriller to it and was an enjoyable read. I liked the way that each of the women’s stories eventually dovetailed; that was put together nicely. I also thought it was interesting how Vicky and Caro (and even Barbara) learned from each other. I did think that the book was rushed toward the end and seemed to end abruptly, but I appreciated the detail and thought that went into examining why mothers make the choices that they do for their kids, even when they may be misguided. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.