The Midwife – ARC Book Review

Welcome to Pinewood Hospital. I’m here to take care of you…

The bright yellow walls of the maternity ward are plastered with posters of perfect families. Surrounded by happy looking couples, I’m painfully aware I’m about to give birth all alone. As I stroke my bump, I can’t stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. But when my midwife Jackie introduces herself and holds my trembling hand, I know she’s here to help. I instantly relax around her, even though I can’t shake the feeling we’ve met before…

As I sit in my small, rented bedsit that evening, my phone rings and I’m shocked to hear Jackie’s voice. I don’t recall giving her my number, but I have been forgetful of late. When she invites me to an antenatal group, I’m quick to make up an excuse, but she won’t take no for an answer.

Jackie promised me there would be a big group, so why is there only one other nervous looking mother here? I catch Jackie studying my face when the woman asks me questions about my baby. Does Jackie know the secret I’ve been keeping?

As my due date approaches, I find myself turning to Jackie more and more. I even let her talk me into her delivering my baby at home. She says she’s delivered hundreds of babies this way, and she’ll give me the birth I deserve.

My baby and I are in safe hands… Aren’t we? 

I usually enjoy reading Victoria Jenkins’ novels but this wasn’t her best thriller book.

The story is about two women–Lauren who is pregnant and Jackie the midwife. Lauren has a secret and soon, someone knows about the secret that Lauren gets threatening letters. Jackie is also determined to know Lauren more.

This book wasn’t as great as her other novels. This started slow-burn and it was also slightly boring in my opinion. What made the story interesting was towards the end, when Lauren’s secret was revealed. There weren’t too much twists or any unexpected turns that you would normally expect in a good psychological thriller and for me, the whole story kind of felt bland to me. The characters were in ,my opinion was boring as well. The plot was good but I really felt the execution of the whole story wasn’t great.

Overall, this was an OK thriller that is worth three stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.