Not Her Daughter

A Novel

By: Rea Frey

Narrated by: Samantha Desz

Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Emotionally powerful and wire-taut, Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey raises the question of what it means to be a mother - and how far someone will go to keep a child safe.

Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes. Brown hair. Missing since June.

Emma is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper.

Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal. When a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her - far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.

Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now she’s gone without a trace. As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But what about Emma’s real mother, back at home?

©2018 Rea Frey (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“In Not Her Daughter, Frey pulls off a difficult task: balancing a nail-biting plot with a thought-provoking question - is a crime committed with the best intentions still a crime?” (Kimberly Belle, Internationally Bestselling Author of The Marriage Lie)

"The plot twists here are brave, the themes are both poignant and unsettling, and the resolution is deeply resonant. A page-turner with heart!" (New York Times best-selling author Kate Moretti)

"Brings to mind Jodi Picoult...thought-provoking domestic drama." (Booklist)

Wouldn’t recommend

Completely unrealistic. It had to potential to be a more compelling story about motherhood, but the character development was limited and the ending just ridiculous. It was enjoyable, if you could suspend reality, up until the ending.

Ending Unrealistic

great narration
Children services should have been notified by school
the ending surprising and unrealistic

Just meh.

So much of the plot was not believable in my opinion. The storyline drug on and on and it never really resolved for me. I really didn’t like or sympathize with any of the characters with the exception of Emma, but I didn’t even feel that her character was convincing. Disappointed.

Great read that ends in a suprise.....

Just when you THINK you know what will happen? Well you don't! I loved it. The ending was kinda rushed though.

Addicting listen

Enjoyed the moral struggles, and the flawed characters. The combination made the story interesting and asking, "so what happens next?"

Will she or won't she....

The book kept me guessing the whole way about what was going to happen to Emma. This is a great listen. Interesting story, good narrator, compelling characters. Loved it!

loved this book very much. it took me all over

it was a really really great book. it kept me on the edge of my seat

really?

Are you kidding? See a kid with an over stretched mom a few times and its ok to steal her child? Then, you can keep her? no way! Abusing a child is never ok, but this wasn't as if she were living in a basement being tortured, she got slapped. It isn't as if this mom was so far gone that she couldn't have been helped. Absentee dad who doesn't help and obviously favors his son is no better than she is. If you suspect a child is being mistreated, you call the authorities or offer to help! This is an irresponsible novel and the author missed a huge opportunity to show how a good friend can help a struggling parent to remember why she had a child in the first place.

An excellent character study of what it means to be a parent.

The characters are well fleshed out and Rea paints a word picture that I can easily see in my mind. I feel as if I know these people and the struggles they face.

Awesomeness Great Story

Loved it best book I read this year. A must read!!! It would make a great book club book.