Perfect Parents (formerly "The Surrgoate's Gift") by L.G. Davis
Genre: Domestic suspense
Read: 13th August 2022
Published: 19th August 2022
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
I gave them my baby… but can I trust them?
Giving away my child is the hardest decision I have ever had to make. But when I move into the Thorpes’ stunning home so they can support me through the pregnancy, it seems like they are everything I could have hoped for. They cook me delicious, healthy meals and make sure I’m getting the best medical care. They never question my background, or why I am giving them my child.
But before long, I begin to wonder if something is very wrong with the Thorpes. I try to ignore how Travis lets his hand linger on mine for a little too long, and how Marcia comes to check on me during the night. I tell myself that when they control and monitor my movements, it’s just because they care.
Keeping my baby safe and making sure they are going to the perfect family means everything to me. But when a threatening note turns up outside my door and I begin to unravel the Thorpes’ secrets, I realise I may not make it out of here alive.
After everything I’ve been through, I’m not going to give up without a fight. And I’ll do anything to keep my baby safe…
A heart-pounding and totally gripping read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, I Am Watching You and Shari Lapena.
*This book was previously published as The Surrogate's Gift.
MY THOUGHTS:
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for L.G. Davis' tense domestic suspense tale PERFECT PARENTS (formerly known as "The Surrogate's Gift").
This is just the second book I've read by L.G. Davis and I quite like her easy style of domestic suspense. It doesn't matter if they are sometimes predictable as it's the thrill of the ride I enjoy most. And yet while you may think what direction the story is going in BAM! then you are hit with a twist that changes everything. That's kind of how it was with PERFECT PARENTS. I thought I knew in which direction it was headed...and I was partly right. But it was the driver that fooled me.
The story opens with an explosive prologue that leaves the reader wondering in what direction we are going with this...and then we meet Grace. She's a woman who feels she needs to make amends for the mistakes of her past and the losses which she now bears. It's her heartache and her guilt which leads her to a momentous decision - to become a surrogate. She has just one condition - they must be happy and able to provide the child with a stable environment.
After relentless searching, Grace decides the lucky couple will be Marcia and Travis Thorpe after befriending Marcia in an online forum then meeting her and thus making her decision. The Thorpes have been married for several years but remain childless whilst it is Marcia's greatest wish to become a mother. And Grace, through selfless divinity, wants to give them that gift.
But why? That is the question the reader asks themselves throughout half of the book. It's not until we get about halfway through that the reason becomes clear and then we understand, but Grace declines any monetary compensation when she clearly has barely a cent to her name. She says she isn't doing it for the money so why is she? And then there are the Thorpes, when after Grace is successfully declared pregnant, offer their guesthouse on the grounds of their vast property for the duration of the pregnancy. This solves numerous problems Grace has and she gratefully accepts. But...are the Thorpes as kind as they seem?
It soon becomes clear Grace feels she has made an error of judgement but it's too late as she has no place to return to - no house, no money and no one to go to (except for Sydney who already has a busy home/family life). She feels stifled with no room to breathe as the Thorpes continually pop up offering platitudes, help and annoyingly touching her pregnant belly. Invasion of personal space MUCH! It doesn't matter that the space belongs to the Thorpes, it is Grace's for the duration.
And then she meets Clayton, who runs the local coffee shop in he small town. Without wanting to, Grace lets her guard down with him and for the first time in a long time, is able to be herself. Throughout the ensuing months, he becomes her saving grace (pun intended).
The twist, when it comes, is unexpected, twisted and delicious. It is so disturbing and paranoid and completely senseless but it is so good. I said the story doesn't have to brilliant or unpredictable...it just have to give me a good ride for the duration...and it did. And then, that ending. Those final words... A clever touch. Leave readers guessing but looking over their shoulders.
Despite my thorough enjoyment of this twisted little tale, there was a couple of random things that just came out of left field which was just senseless with no real explanation. Really, if you don't want know the gender of the baby, why would you paint the exterior of your house pink? And purchase various items in hues of pink. And the behaviour of the Thorpes throughout was completely suspect. They were truly a weird couple, I wonder why Grace didn't pick up on that before making her lifechanging decision. And despite me feeling as though they were suspect, what did the rest of the town have against them? It seemed everyone spoke in whispers about Grace being their surrogate and they didn't seem to agree with the whole idea. Why? That was never really explained.
By the end of the book, although I enjoyed the ride I was taken on, the whole thing just felt so incredibly sad. It's not a thriller, more of a suspense, but it just feels so so sad.
The story unfolds through Grace's narrative throughout in both the past and present, revealing just enough at the right time. And it is just so tragic. And I guess when the truth of her past is revealed, the reader can understand why Grace chose to become a surrogate without ever having being pregnant before. It truly was meant to be a selfless gift and yet its truth is just so incredibly sad.
Although the title has been changed to PERFECT PARENTS, I do feel the previous one "The Surrogate's Gift" is far more apt. Because it is essentially about Grace's gift to a childless couple as well as the weirdness of the so-called "perfect parents".
PERFECT PARENTS is not really what I was expecting, though I wasn't sure what I expected, but it was an enjoyable and addictive read that may be a tad far fetched but a thrilling ride that is deliciously twisted all the same. It doesn't have to make sense nor does it have to believable. It just has to be enjoyable. And it was.
Although I have only read two tales of domestic suspense by L.G. Davis I actually quite like her simple yet complex style. I look forward to reading more from her and expect they will be just as twisted, addictive and even a little far fetched (maybe?). But I don't care. As long as they are entertaining and keep me engaged throughout.
I would like to thank #LGDavis, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #PerfectParents in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
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She now lives in Vienna, Austria, with her husband and two children.
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