Call Me Mummy by. Tina Baker

Glamarous beautiful Mummy has everything a woman could want... except for a daughter of her very own.So when she sees Kim - heavily pregnant, glued to her phone and ignoring her eldest child in a busy shop - she does what anyone would do. She takes her. But little foul-mouthed Tonya is not the daughter that mummy was hoping for.

Meanwhile Kim is demonised by the media as a ‘scummy mummy’, who deserved to lose Tonya and ought to have her other children taken too. Haunted by memories of her own childhood and refusing to play by the media’s rules, she begins to spiral, turning on those who love her.

Though they are worlds apart, Mummy and Kim have more in common than they could possibly imagine. But it is five-year-old Tonya who is caught in the middle...

Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Serpents Tail/Profile Books, and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

There are 3 main characters in Call Me Mummy, there is Mummy, Kim, and Tonya. Mummy is rather stuck up, a bit posh I would say. She sees Tonya in a shop and feel she isn’t being watched as best she could, so decides to take her and run. She’s always wanted a child, and we find out more about this as the book delves into her past. Kim is young mother to 2 children, and has a baby on the way. She has a troubled past which has spread in different ways into her present life. Her boyfriend Steve is usually at his mates, or on his computer. She has Tonya and Darell to take care of, and sometimes needs to turn to her friend for help, who’s child has extra needs.Tonya is a cheeky little 5 year old, who takes crap from nobody. She reminds me of my niece to be honest, and I loved it. 

This story centralises around Mummy kidnapping Tonya, and keeping her a secret at her house. I was shocked a few times throughout the book, and there is a big twist I didn’t see coming. And the ending was great. I loved Tonya, and was so worried for her throughout, but you get the feeling for only being 5, she is darn smart. She knows how to get away with certain things, and when to do what ‘Mummy’ tells her. 

‘Mummy’ and Kim have more in common than they know, we are shown their backgrounds in flashbacks, their childhoods, and most of it isn’t great. It’s a scary, but a sad read deep down. I said a few days ago that the book is weird and fucked up, and Tina Baker agreed with me! So I must have nailed that one

Grab it and read it, you will not be disappointed, maybe a little freaked out.

Thank you to Viper books, Tina Baker and Netgalley for my free ebook :)

Out 25th February 2021