Thoughts on "Her Daughter's Mother"

The All-Important Disclaimer: Though I did receive a free copy of Daniela Petrova’s novel, “Her Daughter’s Mother,” this is NOT an advertisement, but an honest book review. I did NOT receive monetary compensation for this post. If you order a copy of “Her Daughter’s Mother” via Daniela’s website, I will NOT earn a dime, as I do NOT have an affiliate link with her site.

When Daniela Petrova’s debut novel was released in 2019, she reached out and asked if I’d like to receive a copy. Intrigued by the title—Her Daughter’s Mother—and wanting to support a fellow infertility warrior, I accepted her offer. Though she did not ask me to write a review, I know she was hopeful that I’d share her work with the Not So Mommy… community.

Protective of you, fabulous ones, I don’t simply share books via social media without also sharing my thoughts on those books via a blog. When I received Her Daughter’s Mother, the gorgeous cover immediately caught my attention. The reviews on the back cover, however, used words like “poignant thriller,” “twisty thriller,” and “gripping.” These descriptions made me question if this was my kind of book.

You see, I abhor anything scary. Normally, I read before bed. But I stick to light-hearted novels, mostly romances. I was concerned that a “twisty thriller” might give me nightmares. I considered taking the book when we traveled to Mexico. Though The New York Post and Oprah Magazine claimed Her Daughter’s Mother was one of the “Best Beach Reads of 2019,” I was worried that it wasn’t my kind of beach book, as I really didn’t want a suspenseful thriller to raise my anxiety. Her Daughter’s Mother needed to be an afternoon read for me. And so, it sat on my “to read” shelf for years.

This past week, I finally mustered the courage to open the cover and begin reading. What do I think of Her Daughter’s Mother? Well, here are my thoughts…

My Thoughts on Her Daughter’s Mother

Megan Miranda, author of All the Missing Girls and The Last House Guest, claims Her Daughter’s Mother is an “unputdownable story.” And she is right. I read the first six chapters in one sitting. I grabbed the book again during dinner and read two more chapters. In fact, I finished all 308 pages in just five short days.

Now, Her Daughter’s Mother is NOT trigger-free. As a childless woman, I must give a WOBBLE WARNING. Infertility, miscarriage, relationship struggles (of various types), treatments, littles, death, depression, and more are discussed throughout Her Daughter’s Mother. In fact, I was triggered twice to the point of irritation. One of those almost to anger. The other, I just shook my head in frustration. And I wobbled once to the point of tears. Despite this, I was completely hooked and fell in love with the characters.

Why I love Her Daughter’s Mother

The authenticity…

There is an authenticity to Her Daughter’s Mother—especially concerning the infertility battle. In this childless woman’s opinion, that authenticity occurs because the author—Daniela Petrova—struggled with infertility herself. One of my favorite parts of the book was the exploration of the male perspective on infertility through Tyler’s character. Though I realize each infertility journey is unique, it was validating to read a fiction story which accurately showed the true struggle—a realistic portrayal of this medical condition.

The descriptions, the emotions…

I don’t want to give away too many specific details in an effort to avoid spoilers. I will say that Daniela has a way of drawing you into the scene with her descriptive writing. She paints a picture through her words. And there are TONS of emotions. I already told you that I felt irritation, anger, frustration, and sadness. But I also felt suspense, concern, doubt, validation, happiness, contentment, and joy. In fact, at one point, I laughed out loud. No matter the emotion I was feeling, I literally did not want to put this book down!

The ending…

I will give one, tiny spoiler…

The ending is spectacular.

My kind of thriller…

Even if, like me, you wouldn’t normally read a “thriller,” I hope you’ll take a chance on Her Daughter’s Mother. I’d be astounded if you were disappointed. It’s one of the best novels I’ve ever read. And I now agree that it really is a “best beach read.”

Or rainy afternoon read.

Or sitting by the fire read.

Really, it’s a best anywhere read!