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Burlington
Mae Roberts is certain her new life in the suburbs with her family will be everything she’s always wanted. That is, until one of the mothers from her daughters’ school goes missing.
Mae never thought she would fit in amongst the beautiful and rich mothers at Riverpark Elementary. Though, when she’s accepted into their clique and they ask her to be a part of their unofficial neighborhood watch, Mae finds herself slipping more and more into a world of odd dinner parties, secrets and lies, and even rumors of suicide attempts.
It’s only when one of the Riverpark Moms disappears, and then another, that Mae must decide what’s more important—fitting in or uncovering the truth.
A fresh take on belonging, obsession and schoolyard politics, Burlington is a suspenseful debut novel that explores the exclusive world of wealthy mothers and demonstrates how privilege can come at a devastating price.
Mae never thought she would fit in amongst the beautiful and rich mothers at Riverpark Elementary. Though, when she’s accepted into their clique and they ask her to be a part of their unofficial neighborhood watch, Mae finds herself slipping more and more into a world of odd dinner parties, secrets and lies, and even rumors of suicide attempts.
It’s only when one of the Riverpark Moms disappears, and then another, that Mae must decide what’s more important—fitting in or uncovering the truth.
A fresh take on belonging, obsession and schoolyard politics, Burlington is a suspenseful debut novel that explores the exclusive world of wealthy mothers and demonstrates how privilege can come at a devastating price.
First published August 22, 2023
15 people are currently reading
12800 people want to read
About the author
Heather Dixon
5 books102 followersHeather Dixon is an author of contemporary women’s fiction and romance, including Last Summer at the Lake House, The Summerville Sisters and At the Ocean's Edge. She started her career in the marketing and advertising industry as a copywriter and is now a freelance writer by day. Her writing has appeared in a number of established sites, including Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Motherly and others. She has appeared on CBC radio and in print in the Globe and Mail.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
August 2, 2023
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Oh boy. I hate to do this, to a Canadian author no less, but I did not like this book at all. I am not going to waste too much time on this review as I wasted enough time reading this book. Harsh I know, but this book was so stupid. Billed as a domestic suspense I did not find it suspenseful at all. The main character, Mae, spends the entire book caring about what the neighbours think and how they'll react to what she does. I am sorry but why should she give a feck what these asshole people think? I kept thinking to myself, grow a fecking spine already! Mae kept doing the things these women asked of her even if she was uncomfortable with it and couldn't find her voice to say anything about it. I found it so damn frustrating that the women were portrayed this way, they were pushovers and easily led.
The unending descriptions of the joggers, hoodies and woollen hats with pom poms these women were wearing were unending and so repetitive. I get it, they like workout wear and are rich bitches! The writing was pedestrian, banal and amateurish. There were too many unlikeable characters (all of them) caring too much about what other people think. One good thing about this novel, it was a short one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
Oh boy. I hate to do this, to a Canadian author no less, but I did not like this book at all. I am not going to waste too much time on this review as I wasted enough time reading this book. Harsh I know, but this book was so stupid. Billed as a domestic suspense I did not find it suspenseful at all. The main character, Mae, spends the entire book caring about what the neighbours think and how they'll react to what she does. I am sorry but why should she give a feck what these asshole people think? I kept thinking to myself, grow a fecking spine already! Mae kept doing the things these women asked of her even if she was uncomfortable with it and couldn't find her voice to say anything about it. I found it so damn frustrating that the women were portrayed this way, they were pushovers and easily led.
The unending descriptions of the joggers, hoodies and woollen hats with pom poms these women were wearing were unending and so repetitive. I get it, they like workout wear and are rich bitches! The writing was pedestrian, banal and amateurish. There were too many unlikeable characters (all of them) caring too much about what other people think. One good thing about this novel, it was a short one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
August 22, 2023
New Canadian author alert! We love a debut!
This would make a great Housewives spin off. Extremely wealthy and badly behaved women. Book Clubs, here's your next read!
Let's set the scene: Mae Roberts, her husband Drew, and two daughters Ruby, and Isla, have recently moved to a beautiful home in the suburbs. From the outside it's absolutely perfect. That is until one of the moms disappears and nobody's talking.
I thoroughly enjoyed Burlington and read it in just one sitting. The pacing is absolutely spot on! The storyline and these characters had me flying through the pages. With every interaction between the main character, Mae Roberts and the other moms in the neighbourhood, I had such a sinister, uncomfortable vibe.
I couldn't get enough of this book. A fantastic debut that hits shelves in August.
My thanks to Rising Action Publishing for this gifted review copy.
Content Warnings: Suicide, Drowning, Mental Illness
This would make a great Housewives spin off. Extremely wealthy and badly behaved women. Book Clubs, here's your next read!
Let's set the scene: Mae Roberts, her husband Drew, and two daughters Ruby, and Isla, have recently moved to a beautiful home in the suburbs. From the outside it's absolutely perfect. That is until one of the moms disappears and nobody's talking.
I thoroughly enjoyed Burlington and read it in just one sitting. The pacing is absolutely spot on! The storyline and these characters had me flying through the pages. With every interaction between the main character, Mae Roberts and the other moms in the neighbourhood, I had such a sinister, uncomfortable vibe.
I couldn't get enough of this book. A fantastic debut that hits shelves in August.
My thanks to Rising Action Publishing for this gifted review copy.
Content Warnings: Suicide, Drowning, Mental Illness
August 12, 2023
This book is set in Canada and focuses on Mae, mother of two young children whose has just moved to an affluent suburb of Burlington as her husband is starting a new, well paying job. Mae is happy to be a stay at home mother and looks forward to becoming a part of this new community. However, from the start, she feels like an outsider with the other mothers all appearing perfectly groomed and turned out at every school drop off and pick up. One other mother, Alice seems to be more down to earth and she and Mae are drawn to each other. Then Alice 'disappears' and Mae starts to wonder who she can trust.
The book tries to be menacing, but although the plot being an intimidating group of women is quite relatable, the subsequent events just seemed a bit over the top. The book kept me in until the end, but I could somehow see it coming all along, so not really suspenseful in that respect.
Throughout the book I got quite frustrated with Mae and ability to gullibly accept things at face value. For all of these mothers at the centre of the story, there was a surprising 'absence' of children. I'm not sure I can recommend this book, as I really don't think it all ties together well. However, the plot did keep me reading to the end. For me 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
Thank you Rising Action Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.
The book tries to be menacing, but although the plot being an intimidating group of women is quite relatable, the subsequent events just seemed a bit over the top. The book kept me in until the end, but I could somehow see it coming all along, so not really suspenseful in that respect.
Throughout the book I got quite frustrated with Mae and ability to gullibly accept things at face value. For all of these mothers at the centre of the story, there was a surprising 'absence' of children. I'm not sure I can recommend this book, as I really don't think it all ties together well. However, the plot did keep me reading to the end. For me 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
Thank you Rising Action Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.
August 12, 2023
Hi there. I’m Heather, the author of Burlington. I wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of the readers and the reviewers for taking time to read my book. It’s very humbling for a first-time author and I’m so, so grateful.
I also wanted to say something about what type of book this is. When I set out to write it, I wanted to tell a story about a woman who feels vulnerable and maybe a little unsure of herself. Someone just trying to be a good person, a good mother, and looking for their place in the world. I wanted to tell a story of complicated friendship and of a mother’s love and of loss and grief.
I didn’t spend as much time thinking about which exact box it would fit into when I was done, or what I might compare it to, but instead got caught up in the storytelling. As a result, I think it sometimes sounds like it might be a domestic suspense, it sometimes might sound like mystery. I consider it women’s fiction, too. Some of my favourite authors write books that I don’t quite know how to categorize.
In the end, I hope you enjoy it. And, most importantly, I thank you again for being a part of my wildest dreams coming true.
~Heather
I also wanted to say something about what type of book this is. When I set out to write it, I wanted to tell a story about a woman who feels vulnerable and maybe a little unsure of herself. Someone just trying to be a good person, a good mother, and looking for their place in the world. I wanted to tell a story of complicated friendship and of a mother’s love and of loss and grief.
I didn’t spend as much time thinking about which exact box it would fit into when I was done, or what I might compare it to, but instead got caught up in the storytelling. As a result, I think it sometimes sounds like it might be a domestic suspense, it sometimes might sound like mystery. I consider it women’s fiction, too. Some of my favourite authors write books that I don’t quite know how to categorize.
In the end, I hope you enjoy it. And, most importantly, I thank you again for being a part of my wildest dreams coming true.
~Heather
September 6, 2023
My goodness, this was not to book I thought it would be. The main character was extremely wishy-washy and with such weak will, I was shocked for a lot of this. I thought I was getting a domestic thriller or mystery read but this ultimately felt like women's fiction. And let me tell you, even if this was presented as a book club book, I would not have been amused.
The main character, Mae has a personality that mostly consists of wishing to be liked and be in the in-group of mothers in her new neighbourhood. This apparently goes back to her own struggles with fitting in growing up and there's so much harkening back to those times in this story that the thrust and pace of the now would get lost. So, you really have to care about her teen angst and not having resolved it in any way as a 40-something mother and wife to enjoy this telling. I did not care enough. In fairness, she's not the only ridiculous woman in this group. Even the queen bee is ridiculous and I honestly didn't care about the plight of any of these women as it was all self-inflicted melodrama. A couple of bad things actually happened but still, these women acted like they mostly didn't have or didn't know how to exercise their own agency. Mae does finally change late in the final third of the book but by that time, I'd lost all of my good will toward her and was thoroughly unimpressed with her.
It was a quick read, so that was in its favour. And the cover is lovely. It's exactly what caught my attention. Compliments to the book blurb people, it drew me in.
If you must... library borrow.
The main character, Mae has a personality that mostly consists of wishing to be liked and be in the in-group of mothers in her new neighbourhood. This apparently goes back to her own struggles with fitting in growing up and there's so much harkening back to those times in this story that the thrust and pace of the now would get lost. So, you really have to care about her teen angst and not having resolved it in any way as a 40-something mother and wife to enjoy this telling. I did not care enough. In fairness, she's not the only ridiculous woman in this group. Even the queen bee is ridiculous and I honestly didn't care about the plight of any of these women as it was all self-inflicted melodrama. A couple of bad things actually happened but still, these women acted like they mostly didn't have or didn't know how to exercise their own agency. Mae does finally change late in the final third of the book but by that time, I'd lost all of my good will toward her and was thoroughly unimpressed with her.
It was a quick read, so that was in its favour. And the cover is lovely. It's exactly what caught my attention. Compliments to the book blurb people, it drew me in.
If you must... library borrow.
May 21, 2023
Right off the bat, this story gave off 'Stepford Wives' vibes, and I freaking loved it.
Mae and her family of four moved to Burlington, where her two kids attend Riverpark Elementary. The school has a group of moms-- wealthy, beautiful, and full of themselves. They rule the school and the social goings on surrounding it. Mae gets caught up in their creepy little cult in multiple ways. And then her one genuine friend in town turns up missing. The moms and their husbands act so weird about it and there's no end to the scenarios they could be involved in with her disappearance.
These moms are freaks and I loathed every one of them. I even found myself disappointed in Mae and Alice for associating with them in any way. They creeped me out and made me mad at every turn. There was no doubt in my mind they all had something to do with Alice's disappearance.
I was intrigued and interested, though I would have liked a bit more suspense. A lot happened but most of it was bleh, mundane drama that was inconsequential to the plot. More twists would have been better.
If you love Liane Moriarty, you'll love this.
Mae and her family of four moved to Burlington, where her two kids attend Riverpark Elementary. The school has a group of moms-- wealthy, beautiful, and full of themselves. They rule the school and the social goings on surrounding it. Mae gets caught up in their creepy little cult in multiple ways. And then her one genuine friend in town turns up missing. The moms and their husbands act so weird about it and there's no end to the scenarios they could be involved in with her disappearance.
These moms are freaks and I loathed every one of them. I even found myself disappointed in Mae and Alice for associating with them in any way. They creeped me out and made me mad at every turn. There was no doubt in my mind they all had something to do with Alice's disappearance.
I was intrigued and interested, though I would have liked a bit more suspense. A lot happened but most of it was bleh, mundane drama that was inconsequential to the plot. More twists would have been better.
If you love Liane Moriarty, you'll love this.
March 10, 2022
What happens to the mean girls when they grow up? As Mae Roberts discovers they become the alpha moms at the school gates. Play by their rules and you can be part of their mommy clique. But if you start questioning their ways, you might be putting yourself — and your family — at risk.
This suspenseful Canadian debut had me hooked from the very beginning and should appeal to readers who devour Liane Moriarty and Gillian Flynn.
This suspenseful Canadian debut had me hooked from the very beginning and should appeal to readers who devour Liane Moriarty and Gillian Flynn.
June 21, 2023
I requested this arc because the vibes of the synopsis were immaculate. It’s a very specific niche subplot of genre; the whole, something is sinister about this neighborhood, suburban horror. It’s giving, Black Mirror, Stepford Wives, Vivarium. Burlington is your stereotypical white, wealthy neighborhood but when moms start to go missing, no one bats an eye. Unfortunately, this turned out to be 0% horror and barely even a thriller.
I was under the impression that this was a thriller, borderline horror, but this wasn’t that. I realized I was over 40% in and nothing remotely scary or thrilling had happened at all. There wasn’t even any suburban mom drama, literally just listless day in the life stuff. It left me wondering what the point was because nothing was happening. By the time you’re halfway through, nothing has happened except a mom in the neighborhood has gone missing. Not gripping enough to be a thriller and didn’t feel high stakes until the 80% mark. Before the 80% mark, I feel like I could sum up everything that happened in 2 sentences. I don’t understand other reviews that said this was a page turner because I did not get that at all.
This was ok I suppose. This was one of my most anticipated books but nothing ended up really happening in this. Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
I was under the impression that this was a thriller, borderline horror, but this wasn’t that. I realized I was over 40% in and nothing remotely scary or thrilling had happened at all. There wasn’t even any suburban mom drama, literally just listless day in the life stuff. It left me wondering what the point was because nothing was happening. By the time you’re halfway through, nothing has happened except a mom in the neighborhood has gone missing. Not gripping enough to be a thriller and didn’t feel high stakes until the 80% mark. Before the 80% mark, I feel like I could sum up everything that happened in 2 sentences. I don’t understand other reviews that said this was a page turner because I did not get that at all.
This was ok I suppose. This was one of my most anticipated books but nothing ended up really happening in this. Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
February 24, 2023
What a great read! Dixon's writing is fantastic. It's a well-paced book full of tension, suspense, and suspicion. I was theorizing right from the start. It's a story about the lengths people will go to stay on top, or at least look like they are.
A clique-y group of moms in a rich and snobby neighbourhood is bound to make for some good, juicy gossip-y stories! When you move into a neighbourhood like that, as an outsider who wasn't born from money, you have a lot of work to do to fit in. And that's all the main character wants... to fit in, to be accepted, to be liked. But when women start disappearing, she starts wondering why no one is talking about it and trying to solve what happened. The more she digs, the further away she gets from fitting in and the closer she gets to danger. She has to figure out the truth before she becomes the next target while ensuring the safety of her two sweet little girls AND without being labelled paranoid and crazy. It's cover-ups, secrets, and lies in a setting that looks so perfect from the outside, but Burlington is full of cover-ups, secrets, and lies. A thrilling read!
A clique-y group of moms in a rich and snobby neighbourhood is bound to make for some good, juicy gossip-y stories! When you move into a neighbourhood like that, as an outsider who wasn't born from money, you have a lot of work to do to fit in. And that's all the main character wants... to fit in, to be accepted, to be liked. But when women start disappearing, she starts wondering why no one is talking about it and trying to solve what happened. The more she digs, the further away she gets from fitting in and the closer she gets to danger. She has to figure out the truth before she becomes the next target while ensuring the safety of her two sweet little girls AND without being labelled paranoid and crazy. It's cover-ups, secrets, and lies in a setting that looks so perfect from the outside, but Burlington is full of cover-ups, secrets, and lies. A thrilling read!
May 29, 2023
Oh. My. Goodness.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, a huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. I truly loved this book and had a great time reading it. In this whirlwind of a story, we see through the eyes and mind of Mae Roberts, a mom that has just touched down in the neighborhood of Burlington with her family. The school and town are kept in check by a group of rather spirited moms… moms that don’t bat an eyelash when one seems to go missing.
If you like domestic thrillers, neighborhood dramas, mom-cliques, and twists in your reads, I’d definitely recommend this. Loved it.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, a huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. I truly loved this book and had a great time reading it. In this whirlwind of a story, we see through the eyes and mind of Mae Roberts, a mom that has just touched down in the neighborhood of Burlington with her family. The school and town are kept in check by a group of rather spirited moms… moms that don’t bat an eyelash when one seems to go missing.
If you like domestic thrillers, neighborhood dramas, mom-cliques, and twists in your reads, I’d definitely recommend this. Loved it.
June 5, 2023
BURLINGTON is completely unputdownable. I read it in one sitting. Mae was the perfect main character you can’t help but root for with her lovely, down to earth family. I felt like the sense of wanting to fit in in a new town and how far you would or wouldn’t go to do so was so raw and real.
The town of Burlington reminded me of Stepford Wives/Desperate Housewives esque with a small town, lots perfect women, dark, dangerous secrets…and dash of Gone Girl.
Burlington is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. If you’re at all on the fence about buying/reading it, DO IT. Heather Dixon is such a talent.
The town of Burlington reminded me of Stepford Wives/Desperate Housewives esque with a small town, lots perfect women, dark, dangerous secrets…and dash of Gone Girl.
Burlington is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. If you’re at all on the fence about buying/reading it, DO IT. Heather Dixon is such a talent.
August 24, 2023
This was a solid domestic drama debut from a new Canadian author. I really enjoy stories about motherhood, marriage and the challenges of parenting and this one was about all of those things combined.
Perfect for fans of authors like Liane Moriarty or Chandler Baker. We get to know Mae as she moves into a new wealthy suburb and tries to fit in with the elite mom group who are all concerned about being perfect wives and mothers until one of them disappears and suddenly this perfect group starts showing their darker side.
A great exploration of the stress and exhaustion of trying to compete to be what society considers a 'good' mother and the difficulty of making and maintaining friendships as an adult and excellent on audio narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to reading the author's upcoming women's fiction/romance when it releases later this Fall!
Perfect for fans of authors like Liane Moriarty or Chandler Baker. We get to know Mae as she moves into a new wealthy suburb and tries to fit in with the elite mom group who are all concerned about being perfect wives and mothers until one of them disappears and suddenly this perfect group starts showing their darker side.
A great exploration of the stress and exhaustion of trying to compete to be what society considers a 'good' mother and the difficulty of making and maintaining friendships as an adult and excellent on audio narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to reading the author's upcoming women's fiction/romance when it releases later this Fall!
August 12, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, author Heather Dixon, and Rising Action Publishing Co for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
I swear in a different life I lived in a cult-y, rich mom neighborhood because I am too obsessed with books about this topic!! This exact premise of Burlington was what drew me in, and now I'm curious to learn more about the city of Burlington, VT to see if any of the story was based on reality hehe. This was a quick, thrilling read that kept me on the edge of my seat at times. It was fun and juicy without being too over-the-top. I could relate with Mae not feeling like she fit in and trying to find her purpose, even though I am not a mother. However, this book was pretty standard/typical for this type of story. There was nothing really unique or different, and I almost wish that Dixon would have taken some more risks with the characters. I also felt like the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for my tastes, and there were some interesting plot points/characters that I think could have added well to the story if they had been expanded some. So definitely not a bad book by any means, but a typical rich mom suspense story that is good if you want a quick, entertaining read!
I swear in a different life I lived in a cult-y, rich mom neighborhood because I am too obsessed with books about this topic!! This exact premise of Burlington was what drew me in, and now I'm curious to learn more about the city of Burlington, VT to see if any of the story was based on reality hehe. This was a quick, thrilling read that kept me on the edge of my seat at times. It was fun and juicy without being too over-the-top. I could relate with Mae not feeling like she fit in and trying to find her purpose, even though I am not a mother. However, this book was pretty standard/typical for this type of story. There was nothing really unique or different, and I almost wish that Dixon would have taken some more risks with the characters. I also felt like the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for my tastes, and there were some interesting plot points/characters that I think could have added well to the story if they had been expanded some. So definitely not a bad book by any means, but a typical rich mom suspense story that is good if you want a quick, entertaining read!
August 3, 2023
Burlington by Heather Dixon. Thanks to @booksforward for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mae and her family just moved to Burlington. She’s excited to be part of the beautiful and rich neighbors, now that she quit her job and has a new life as a housewife. The other wives seem very different and when a mom in the community goes missing, Mae is suspicious.
This was another fun suburban thriller about wealthy housewives acting poorly. It gets right into the drama and doesn’t let up. While you won’t like a single character, you won’t really be sure who is just mean and who is evil. Keep reading and you’ll find out!
“All Mae wanted was to be a good mother and a good person, but the more time she spent with these women, the more she found it hard to remember how.”
Burlington comes out 8/22.
Mae and her family just moved to Burlington. She’s excited to be part of the beautiful and rich neighbors, now that she quit her job and has a new life as a housewife. The other wives seem very different and when a mom in the community goes missing, Mae is suspicious.
This was another fun suburban thriller about wealthy housewives acting poorly. It gets right into the drama and doesn’t let up. While you won’t like a single character, you won’t really be sure who is just mean and who is evil. Keep reading and you’ll find out!
“All Mae wanted was to be a good mother and a good person, but the more time she spent with these women, the more she found it hard to remember how.”
Burlington comes out 8/22.
August 26, 2023
2.5 --> 3
𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥
Thank you #partners @booksforwardpr & @risingactionpublishingco for the #gifted copy and including me on this campaign.
𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻
𝗕𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘅𝗼𝗻
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟴/𝟮𝟮/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: The Stepford Wives meets Mean Girls in this debut novel by Canadian author Heather Dixon.
Mea and her family of four are moving up in the world, out of the city of Montreal and into the wealthy suburbs of Burlington, Vermont. But Burlington isn't a typical town, and Mae struggles to fit in with the appearance of perfection all around her. The old saying "More money, more problems" seems to be ringing true for Mae.
The cult-like group who call themselves the MOB (Mothers of Burlington) take Mae under their wings -- even though a few of them are less than happy about it. But when two MOBs wind up missing, Mae suspects there might be something sinister about this group of women.
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: It pains me to write this, but I need to be honest....
This would've been a DNF if it wasn't a committed review for a book tour. It had SO much potential, but the execution just didn't do it for me. 🥺 It felt directionless, like the author was figuring it out along the way. And it's completely mismarketed as a thriller. Its more like a slow burn domestic drama with a dash of mystery and thriller at the very end. 90% of the book is about a woman being manipulated by a group of women... I expected some big reveal, some reason WHY they were manipulating her. But in the end, it was all unexplained and I was left wondering what the heck was the point. Just weak sauce, the whole thing. Sorry. I tried. 😭
I did decide to give it 2.5 because the writing isn't bad... it was just the story that didn't work for me.
𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥
Thank you #partners @booksforwardpr & @risingactionpublishingco for the #gifted copy and including me on this campaign.
𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻
𝗕𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘅𝗼𝗻
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟴/𝟮𝟮/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: The Stepford Wives meets Mean Girls in this debut novel by Canadian author Heather Dixon.
Mea and her family of four are moving up in the world, out of the city of Montreal and into the wealthy suburbs of Burlington, Vermont. But Burlington isn't a typical town, and Mae struggles to fit in with the appearance of perfection all around her. The old saying "More money, more problems" seems to be ringing true for Mae.
The cult-like group who call themselves the MOB (Mothers of Burlington) take Mae under their wings -- even though a few of them are less than happy about it. But when two MOBs wind up missing, Mae suspects there might be something sinister about this group of women.
💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: It pains me to write this, but I need to be honest....
This would've been a DNF if it wasn't a committed review for a book tour. It had SO much potential, but the execution just didn't do it for me. 🥺 It felt directionless, like the author was figuring it out along the way. And it's completely mismarketed as a thriller. Its more like a slow burn domestic drama with a dash of mystery and thriller at the very end. 90% of the book is about a woman being manipulated by a group of women... I expected some big reveal, some reason WHY they were manipulating her. But in the end, it was all unexplained and I was left wondering what the heck was the point. Just weak sauce, the whole thing. Sorry. I tried. 😭
I did decide to give it 2.5 because the writing isn't bad... it was just the story that didn't work for me.
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September 14, 2023I love a good neighbourhood drama story! This one revolves around Mae who has recently moved to a new suburb with her family. She initially tries to make friends with the mothers at the new school where her children attend but she finds the women a bit intense and intimidating. The more Mae integrates into their inner circle the more apprehensive she becomes especially when two of the mothers go missing. Surpislngly no one seems to be too worried about them and this is when Mae decides she has to do something. This was definitely an interesting suspense story that I flew through.
August 30, 2023
TITLE: BURLINGTON
AUTHOR: Heather Dixon
PUB DATE: 08.22.2023 Now Available
SYNOPSIS:
Mae Roberts is certain her new life in the suburbs with her family will be everything she’s always wanted. That is, until one of the mothers from her daughters’ school goes missing.
Mae never thought she would fit in amongst the beautiful and rich mothers at Riverpark Elementary. Though, when she’s accepted into their clique and they ask her to be a part of their unofficial neighborhood watch, Mae finds herself slipping more and more into a world of odd dinner parties, secrets and lies, and even rumors of suicide attempts. It’s only when one of the Riverpark Moms disappears, and then another, that Mae must decide what’s more important—fitting in or uncovering the truth.
THOUGHTS: Heather Dixon’s psychological thriller BURLINGTON is addictive, and I was sucked in to this world Mae Roberts is so desperately want to belong to. I enjoyed the tense vibe that was maintained throughout and the pacing was great that kept my fingers flipping those pages to the wee hours of the night. This is a great debut read about the wealthy suburbanites behaving badly with so many unlikable characters you will find yourself glued to this book once you start.
AUTHOR: Heather Dixon
PUB DATE: 08.22.2023 Now Available
SYNOPSIS:
Mae Roberts is certain her new life in the suburbs with her family will be everything she’s always wanted. That is, until one of the mothers from her daughters’ school goes missing.
Mae never thought she would fit in amongst the beautiful and rich mothers at Riverpark Elementary. Though, when she’s accepted into their clique and they ask her to be a part of their unofficial neighborhood watch, Mae finds herself slipping more and more into a world of odd dinner parties, secrets and lies, and even rumors of suicide attempts. It’s only when one of the Riverpark Moms disappears, and then another, that Mae must decide what’s more important—fitting in or uncovering the truth.
THOUGHTS: Heather Dixon’s psychological thriller BURLINGTON is addictive, and I was sucked in to this world Mae Roberts is so desperately want to belong to. I enjoyed the tense vibe that was maintained throughout and the pacing was great that kept my fingers flipping those pages to the wee hours of the night. This is a great debut read about the wealthy suburbanites behaving badly with so many unlikable characters you will find yourself glued to this book once you start.
November 7, 2024
Why on earth did I put off reading Burlington by Heather Dixon for so long? I had a hunch I would love it, and I was absolutely right!
I went into this book thinking it was a thriller, and although it is suspenseful, it did not really fit into that genre... but never once did my unmet expectations detract me from enjoying this story! After reading what Dixon said about Burlington, it's just not a book that fits perfectly into one solitary box, and she never wrote it to do so. It's one of those overlapping genre books, the kind of which I enjoy, and I found myself loving this book all the more for it! Instead of the thriller vibes I expected, it's a little bit domestic suspense, a little bit mystery, and a little bit realistic fiction. This book is about motherhood and friendship and everything those relationships entail!
I instantly connected with main character Mae Roberts in short because I related to her lifestyle so much; stay at home mum life, school drop offs, conversations with friends, and the fear of not fitting in all resonated with me. Our lives mirroring one another's was the perfect dose of reality injected into this work of fiction and honestly made me question the conformity in my own day to day life! Mae continuously represented a universal truth of motherhood: constantly thinking about her upbringing, making decisions to avoid her young daughters repeating that same childhood. As I sorted out what genre this book was, and as the story progressed, occasionally I questioned if Mae was an unreliable narrator; she never contradicted what she said, but I enjoyed how there were times of overlapping timeline events that made me question her slightly. (These missteps really fit the book well, as memories are never linear, especially once motherhood comes into play!)
The riveting way this story was written made for an extremely propulsive and quick read; it hummed along towards a perfectly fitting ending in all its small town look-the-other-way glory!
What happens when you mix Stepford Wives and Mean Girls? You get Burlington!
Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the complimentary copy to read and review.
I went into this book thinking it was a thriller, and although it is suspenseful, it did not really fit into that genre... but never once did my unmet expectations detract me from enjoying this story! After reading what Dixon said about Burlington, it's just not a book that fits perfectly into one solitary box, and she never wrote it to do so. It's one of those overlapping genre books, the kind of which I enjoy, and I found myself loving this book all the more for it! Instead of the thriller vibes I expected, it's a little bit domestic suspense, a little bit mystery, and a little bit realistic fiction. This book is about motherhood and friendship and everything those relationships entail!
I instantly connected with main character Mae Roberts in short because I related to her lifestyle so much; stay at home mum life, school drop offs, conversations with friends, and the fear of not fitting in all resonated with me. Our lives mirroring one another's was the perfect dose of reality injected into this work of fiction and honestly made me question the conformity in my own day to day life! Mae continuously represented a universal truth of motherhood: constantly thinking about her upbringing, making decisions to avoid her young daughters repeating that same childhood. As I sorted out what genre this book was, and as the story progressed, occasionally I questioned if Mae was an unreliable narrator; she never contradicted what she said, but I enjoyed how there were times of overlapping timeline events that made me question her slightly. (These missteps really fit the book well, as memories are never linear, especially once motherhood comes into play!)
The riveting way this story was written made for an extremely propulsive and quick read; it hummed along towards a perfectly fitting ending in all its small town look-the-other-way glory!
What happens when you mix Stepford Wives and Mean Girls? You get Burlington!
Thank you NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the complimentary copy to read and review.
September 26, 2023
This book was terrible. I usually reserve 1 star for books I actually can not even finish. However, I did finish this one simply to see if the ending was as stupid as I thought it would be.
This book has the most basic, juvenile writing style as well as content. It feels like it was written by a precocious high schooler, imagining what it’s like to be a grown up, applying all the dumb high school drama ( that to be fair does exist w grown women ), who then throws in the dumbest murder and gaslighting plot ever.
The main character, Mae, is an idiot, and it is impossible to believe that anyone would act in the way that she does . There are characters that literally “disappear “ by going into mental health treatment centers without telling their families they are doing so, that are then reported as missing with the police. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous plot devices ever. As is the fact that these grown women are having to seek mental health treatment because they are being bullied by other grown women.
This whole book is one giant eye roll. There is not enough suspension of disbelief in the world to make this book entertaining or a quality read.
The biggest summation of the level of writing in this book is that the author literally wrote “ The End ” at the actual end of the book. I’ve never seen that done in a book that wasn’t written for elementary school kids . If that doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what does.
On top of aaaaallllll this it’s repetitive and boring. Recommend a hard pass on this “thriller”. Spoiler alert…. It’s no thriller.
This book has the most basic, juvenile writing style as well as content. It feels like it was written by a precocious high schooler, imagining what it’s like to be a grown up, applying all the dumb high school drama ( that to be fair does exist w grown women ), who then throws in the dumbest murder and gaslighting plot ever.
The main character, Mae, is an idiot, and it is impossible to believe that anyone would act in the way that she does . There are characters that literally “disappear “ by going into mental health treatment centers without telling their families they are doing so, that are then reported as missing with the police. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous plot devices ever. As is the fact that these grown women are having to seek mental health treatment because they are being bullied by other grown women.
This whole book is one giant eye roll. There is not enough suspension of disbelief in the world to make this book entertaining or a quality read.
The biggest summation of the level of writing in this book is that the author literally wrote “ The End ” at the actual end of the book. I’ve never seen that done in a book that wasn’t written for elementary school kids . If that doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what does.
On top of aaaaallllll this it’s repetitive and boring. Recommend a hard pass on this “thriller”. Spoiler alert…. It’s no thriller.
September 20, 2023
This book is such a page-turner! From its propulsive writing style to its commentary on motherhood, Burlington is an impressive debut! It gave Big Little Lies vibes and I couldn't get enough. Can't wait to read more from this Canadian author!
August 22, 2023
Mae is sure her new life in the suburbs with her family will be everything she's always wanted until one of the mothers from her daughters' school goes missing. Mae never thought she would fit in amongst the rich mothers at Riverpark Elementary. However, when she's accepted into their clique, Mae is slipping increasingly into a world of odd dinner parties, secrets and lies, and even rumors of suicide attempts. Only when one of the Riverpark Moms disappears, and then another, Mae must decide what's more important--fitting in or uncovering the truth.
Burlington is a suburban neighborhood operated by mean-girl mothers who withhold the standards in their community. When newcomer Mae moves in, things shake up when the Riverpark Moms disappear. Mae's relatability drew me to her desire to feel accepted by her peers. I, for one, didn't care for any of the secondary characters. They were untrustworthy. Their true intentions toward Mae were suspicious. The only one I momentarily gravitated to was the one who disappeared. Go figure? The missing case was unsettling and odd due to the town's lack of care. I didn't blame Mae for investigating the abnormal reaction, especially because her husband wasn't much support. Mae was fearless in taking that on while maintaining her neverending motherly duties.
BURLINGTON had an even-paced anticipation that attributed to me finishing the novel in two sittings. The Stepford Wives came into mind due to the secret nature of the disappearances. While reading, I had a hunch and was pleased that some of my assumptions came to fruition. I valued the steady suspense following the reveal, but the plot could have had more twists to spice it up a bit. The finale wrapped up nicely but lacked the long-lasting force I hoped for. As a whole, Heather has a knack for building unreliable narrators and atmospherical settings. I can't wait to see what she writes next. I love suburban drama, so BURLINGTON is an excellent addition to this thrilling trope!
Burlington is a suburban neighborhood operated by mean-girl mothers who withhold the standards in their community. When newcomer Mae moves in, things shake up when the Riverpark Moms disappear. Mae's relatability drew me to her desire to feel accepted by her peers. I, for one, didn't care for any of the secondary characters. They were untrustworthy. Their true intentions toward Mae were suspicious. The only one I momentarily gravitated to was the one who disappeared. Go figure? The missing case was unsettling and odd due to the town's lack of care. I didn't blame Mae for investigating the abnormal reaction, especially because her husband wasn't much support. Mae was fearless in taking that on while maintaining her neverending motherly duties.
BURLINGTON had an even-paced anticipation that attributed to me finishing the novel in two sittings. The Stepford Wives came into mind due to the secret nature of the disappearances. While reading, I had a hunch and was pleased that some of my assumptions came to fruition. I valued the steady suspense following the reveal, but the plot could have had more twists to spice it up a bit. The finale wrapped up nicely but lacked the long-lasting force I hoped for. As a whole, Heather has a knack for building unreliable narrators and atmospherical settings. I can't wait to see what she writes next. I love suburban drama, so BURLINGTON is an excellent addition to this thrilling trope!
August 22, 2023
My oh my, oh my! This book is JUICY, friends! Grab a bag of popcorn, some chocolate, and a glass of your favorite wine because Burlington by Heather Dixon will suck you right in. You’ll want to devour it in one sitting, so snacks are essential! You all know how much I love my mama dramas, domestic suspenses, and your (not so) friendly neighborhood shenanigans. Well, Burlington delivers on all of the above. It also gets bonus points for including all of my very favorite themes: motherhood, marriage, and complicated female friendship.
Mae Roberts and her young family are new to the town of Burlington, and she quickly meets an exclusive group of beautiful and wealthy women at her children’s school. They’re known as the Riverpark Moms, but I dubbed them the Mean Moms because they’re cliquey, manipulative, bossy, and reek with privilege. (Well, mostly the Queen Bee and her few minions.) Women in the elite group start to go missing, and Mae is equally shocked and disturbed that nobody is really doing much about it. So naturally, she takes matters into her own hands, starts asking questions, and does a little investigating of her own. What she uncovers will make your jaw drop!
Dixon’s debut novel is suspenseful, mysterious, dark, twisty, and absolutely perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, The Whispers, and Greenwich Park. I couldn’t put it down! Burlington is out TODAY, and I give it 4/5 stars!
Mae Roberts and her young family are new to the town of Burlington, and she quickly meets an exclusive group of beautiful and wealthy women at her children’s school. They’re known as the Riverpark Moms, but I dubbed them the Mean Moms because they’re cliquey, manipulative, bossy, and reek with privilege. (Well, mostly the Queen Bee and her few minions.) Women in the elite group start to go missing, and Mae is equally shocked and disturbed that nobody is really doing much about it. So naturally, she takes matters into her own hands, starts asking questions, and does a little investigating of her own. What she uncovers will make your jaw drop!
Dixon’s debut novel is suspenseful, mysterious, dark, twisty, and absolutely perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, The Whispers, and Greenwich Park. I couldn’t put it down! Burlington is out TODAY, and I give it 4/5 stars!
July 9, 2023
Burlington by Heather Dixon is a crisp domestic mystery liberally sprinkled with elements of suspense, mom cliques and family drama. Families in Burlington are not typical Vermont families. Kids go to Riverbank Elementary where there are unspoken rules. Slim moms wear expensive clothes and houses are showpieces. Moms ostracize those which don't fit in and new moms face initiations of sorts. Mae Roberts is aghast at their odd behaviour but quickly realizes she must comply to certain expectations and choose loyalties. She, husband Drew and daughters have a new house and new life and want to make the best of it. Dinners and meetings abound. When a mom goes missing, the topic is hushed. But she was not the only one to have disappeared.
What I liked best is the tension which drove me to read Burlington in one sitting. Though not at all fond of the characters, especially the juvenile moms, the mystery kept me riveted. The disturbing thing is, there are exclusive neighbourhoods with cliques in real life. The author has written in gaggy angst and arrogance very well and evoked disgust in my mind. I needn't love the characters to enjoy a book.
My sincere thank you to Rising Action Publishing Company for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel.
What I liked best is the tension which drove me to read Burlington in one sitting. Though not at all fond of the characters, especially the juvenile moms, the mystery kept me riveted. The disturbing thing is, there are exclusive neighbourhoods with cliques in real life. The author has written in gaggy angst and arrogance very well and evoked disgust in my mind. I needn't love the characters to enjoy a book.
My sincere thank you to Rising Action Publishing Company for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel.
dnf
September 8, 2023DNF audiobook at 30%.
I love a good suspenseful school Mom thriller (like Big Little Lies) but this one just fell flat for me and I had to stop at 30%.
I love a good suspenseful school Mom thriller (like Big Little Lies) but this one just fell flat for me and I had to stop at 30%.
August 16, 2023
*Paperback
Thanks to @booksforwardpr and @heatherdixonwriter for sending me an early copy of this book. It was a total page turner. I was totally saying “…just one more chapter” several times waaaaay after my bedtime lol.
This was Heather Dixon’s debut novel.
This book has Stepford Wives & The Real Housewives vibes…chock full of cattiness, backstabbing, finger pointing and frenemies.
I totally could’ve finished this book in one sitting. It kept my attention the entire time and the characters (there were numerous) were easy to distinguish from one another.
I was entertained the whole time but sort of wish there was a bit more at the end.
This is a quick & easy read that’ll help you crush your reading goals.
Thanks to @booksforwardpr and @heatherdixonwriter for sending me an early copy of this book. It was a total page turner. I was totally saying “…just one more chapter” several times waaaaay after my bedtime lol.
This was Heather Dixon’s debut novel.
This book has Stepford Wives & The Real Housewives vibes…chock full of cattiness, backstabbing, finger pointing and frenemies.
I totally could’ve finished this book in one sitting. It kept my attention the entire time and the characters (there were numerous) were easy to distinguish from one another.
I was entertained the whole time but sort of wish there was a bit more at the end.
This is a quick & easy read that’ll help you crush your reading goals.
September 21, 2023
Why was there so much discussion about hair care routines and how often the housewives washed their hair?!
This is probably one of the most nonsuspenseful, suspense novels in publication.
This is probably one of the most nonsuspenseful, suspense novels in publication.
September 6, 2023
This book started off with good intentions but fell all the way off and I think I hated it.
THINGS TO NOTE:
— no way do people behave like this normally. If you’re not writing a fantasy book then make your characters believable. This was just so farfetched, I read the last 20% looking like 😠
— the author tried way too hard to make this a twisty thriller but literally threw all the crazy shit at the very end and you’re left feeling like ‘wtf?’
— the MC’s past is mentioned a bunch of times, and is dangled in front of us as if something tragic happened, but we never find out??
Thank you to Rising Action Publishing Co for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
THINGS TO NOTE:
— no way do people behave like this normally. If you’re not writing a fantasy book then make your characters believable. This was just so farfetched, I read the last 20% looking like 😠
— the author tried way too hard to make this a twisty thriller but literally threw all the crazy shit at the very end and you’re left feeling like ‘wtf?’
— the MC’s past is mentioned a bunch of times, and is dangled in front of us as if something tragic happened, but we never find out??
Thank you to Rising Action Publishing Co for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2023
Burlington, by writer Heather Dixon, tells the story of Mae Roberts, a mom and wife, whose recent move into a posh suburban neighbourhood in Vermont comes with more than she bargained for. As she tries to gain entry to new social circles and make new friends she quickly discovers that Burlington may not be a place she wants to fit into. The moms she meets seem to have it all: looks, wealth, and perfect children and husbands, but when one of them go missing the cracks in their flawless facades begin to show. This was an enjoyable fast paced read and I found myself relating to Mae and her feelings of exclusion and social anxiety. Her quest to find out what happened to the missing mom added just the right amount of thrills and I was following the clues right along with her. This was a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author!
August 24, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley & Rising Action Publishing Co. for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
I’m struggling to come to terms with what this book was supposed to be. I think Dixon was aiming for psychological thriller but every detail was given from the first page so there wasn’t really any surprise or twist or shock.
Mae is mind-numbingly dull. I kept falling asleep reading about the minute details of her day and how pleased she was with her many shopping trips and cleaning and school runs. And it’s not because she’s a stay-at-home mum - it’s because she’s so fucking boring. She would change her mind within the same sentence and I was just expected to go along with her constantly changing mood and mindset?
None of these characters were interesting but it’s hard to tell if this is due to their inconsistent personalities or because we’re viewing them through Mae’s self-centred perspective.
I’ve been told I should add some positives about the book if I want to rate it two stars. which I guess means I need to drop it down to one star? Because I honestly in this moment can’t pick out anything I liked about Burlington. Which is unfortunate.
I’m struggling to come to terms with what this book was supposed to be. I think Dixon was aiming for psychological thriller but every detail was given from the first page so there wasn’t really any surprise or twist or shock.
Mae is mind-numbingly dull. I kept falling asleep reading about the minute details of her day and how pleased she was with her many shopping trips and cleaning and school runs. And it’s not because she’s a stay-at-home mum - it’s because she’s so fucking boring. She would change her mind within the same sentence and I was just expected to go along with her constantly changing mood and mindset?
None of these characters were interesting but it’s hard to tell if this is due to their inconsistent personalities or because we’re viewing them through Mae’s self-centred perspective.
I’ve been told I should add some positives about the book if I want to rate it two stars. which I guess means I need to drop it down to one star? Because I honestly in this moment can’t pick out anything I liked about Burlington. Which is unfortunate.
July 18, 2023
3.5 stars.
Burlington is a debut from Heather Dixon that involves a thrilling mystery taking place in an American suburban neighborhood. The story focuses on Mae and her family as they relocate to a new, beautiful home in Burlington. She becomes involved and fascinated with the lives of the other wives & mothers in this town, but when a woman goes missing, things take a turn.
The setting of this book was fantastic and described clearly, I really enjoyed the feeling of reading about these suburban housewives and the shady stuff happening behind the scenes... The mystery gets darker and deeper the further we get into the story.
Personally, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, the writing style was not my favorite at times and I just didn't feel fully invested in the story a lot of the time. I think I was expecting the mystery/reveal to go in a different direction than it did and it wasn't as strong as I was hoping for it to be in the end. But, Overall, it was a solid and quick read that I would recommend to fans of domestic thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for providing me with an electronic ARC of this book to review.
Burlington is a debut from Heather Dixon that involves a thrilling mystery taking place in an American suburban neighborhood. The story focuses on Mae and her family as they relocate to a new, beautiful home in Burlington. She becomes involved and fascinated with the lives of the other wives & mothers in this town, but when a woman goes missing, things take a turn.
The setting of this book was fantastic and described clearly, I really enjoyed the feeling of reading about these suburban housewives and the shady stuff happening behind the scenes... The mystery gets darker and deeper the further we get into the story.
Personally, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, the writing style was not my favorite at times and I just didn't feel fully invested in the story a lot of the time. I think I was expecting the mystery/reveal to go in a different direction than it did and it wasn't as strong as I was hoping for it to be in the end. But, Overall, it was a solid and quick read that I would recommend to fans of domestic thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for providing me with an electronic ARC of this book to review.
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