Member Reviews

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review

I am a big fan of Caroline Bond. She captivates human emotions so beautifully.

This is a story of a group of young adults celebrating the end of high school. Returning from a night out they are involved in a car accident. The book focuses on the recurpussions for all involved.

A sad but wonderfully uplifting story in true Caroline Bond style.

Was this review helpful?

Brilliantly written, heartbreaking story but you really get into each character and what they are going through. Each persons sadness is personal but it’s not a sad read as in making me cry. I liked that it went through each persons grieve, what they did, how they handled it. I enjoyed this and would recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

This was a well-paced, was day to read story of loss, love, redemption, hope and the ultimate lesson in how a life can change in the flicker of an eye.

We are introduced to a group of five friends and their families and the aftermath of a car accident following a night out. The chapters are short and vary in their content as they are told from different perspectives. I always enjoy this in a book as it is so amazing to think of different reactions to situations. Each character had their own voice and there was something endearing about each of them (still not sure about Harry’s dad though).

Harry is the protagonist here and his relationship to those around him. The broken relationship with an absent mother, the mother replacement, the younger sister, the girlfriend and the emotionally stifled father are all covered. I did enjoy this book but there was just something missing for me. I was also disappointed by the reveal, it had been alluded to for some time but felt completely mundane when it was finally acknowledged.

Was this review helpful?

This is the first book I have read by this author, but I have now got to read all her books. Wow, this book is fantastic Every parents nightmare-you child is in a car crash, such a hard subject to tackle, but Caroline does it so well full of emotion and heartbreak. Fabulous. Recommended.

Was this review helpful?

One split second and everything can change.
Five friends in a car next moment they are in an accident, crashed into a wall. All five end up in the hospital with different injuries . But injuries to one of them becomes to much and they die .
This book goes back to when to the night of the prom 20 months ago and tells you all about the teenagers up to the night of the crash.
How do you get over this?
How do the parent/parents of the teenager who dies carry on.
This pulls at every heart string
Brilliant read
Thanks NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

A bit of a slow starter but worth persevering with. Although I did feel that the book does become a little muddled.
Be prepared for lots of emotions.
It is that kind of read.
Thank you to both NetGalley and publishers for inviting me to read this book

Was this review helpful?

One Split Second is a story that anyone could potentially face. A mistake that is made but which has far reaching consequences for many people. A group of young friends travelling home after a party and a car accident that changes everyone’s lives forever. Who is to blame, and how are people able to forgive the person they feel is responsible?
I found this book to be thought provoking and relevant. The relationships between the characters were well developed and realistic. I can’t deny that I was waiting for something else to be revealed and was left feeling dissatisfied that it wasn’t.

Was this review helpful?

What a fabulous book. So emotional and so harrowing. The sort of tragedy that no one should ever have to go through.. I think this book will stay with me for a long time

Was this review helpful?

Five teenagers leave a party after drinking, flirting and having fun turns sour. Tragically, the car they leave in crashes into a wall, causing severe injuries that one passenger will never recover from. The novel explores the effects on everyone involved; the families of the teenagers, the young driver who carries the responsibility for the accident, those who have been hurt and even the local man who tried to help at the scene. Eventually we learn the heartbreaking truth about what happened, but what will really stay with me is the powerful yet sensitive portrayal of grief, guilt and regret. The author skillfully illustrates how terrible loss can divide rather than unite, that what seem like casual acts can have irrevocable consequences and how fragile life can be. But also she offers hope in even the worst of circumstances, the healing of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption. An unforgettable read.

Was this review helpful?

I don't really know what rating to give this book.

I really liked the beginning. But half way through, it was weird as I kept wanting to carry on reading when I got to the end of a chapter, but when I did put the book down I wasn't eager to pick it back up again. Loved the last few chapters though.

This is about 4 friends driving home from a party when they crash the car into a wall. They are seriously hurt apart from the driver Harry, who is just a bit battered. The book follows these 4 characters but also their parents. And it deals with how they cope hearing the news that their child has been in a car crash.

When one of the passengers dies, Harry ends up in jail. The parents of the girl who died want to know how they crashed and what happened before, because they felt there was something Harry isn't telling them.

It turns out that Harry and Jess, the kill who died, had an argument just before they got in the car. I thought there was going to be a big twist, like it may have turned out Jess was actually driving the car or she caused the accident but it didn't.

The last few chapters where really heart wrenching and had me in tears. I really loved the way it was all brought together. I also liked the organ donation part of the book and how Jess helped saved others lives. But I didn't like the last part of the book that showed one of the organ transplant receivers mum get the phone call that an organ was available. I think this bit could have been missed out and just have Jess' parents mention it again.

A really good read but not something that I think will be really rememberable for me

3.5/5 stars

Was this review helpful?

Despite the subject matter of this book, it is an excellent read. Anyone who hears headlines of accidents such as these will always feel for all those involved. A group of teenage friends with their whole lives in front of them are involved in a tragic car crash. This book deals with the aftermath of that accident. It not only looks at the effect on the teenagers involved but the effects on parents and siblings. I didn't really expect to like this book but it really is such a good read because it is so well written. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review such a good read.

Was this review helpful?

I read this book in one sitting as it gripped me from the first chapter. All the characters were very well drawn and Caroline Bond had somehow got into the minds of teenagers as well as their parents. Each character was different and had different but real reactions to the accident. I particularly liked the story of Harry and his relationships both with girls but also with his father. A very well observed and beautifully written book and a well deserved five stars.

Was this review helpful?

Caroline Bond is fast becoming one of my new favourite authors. I read The Forgotten Sister and I was hooked, so was excited to learn about her new publication One Split Second, and even more excited to given the opportunity to read an advanced review copy in staves via the Pigeonhole!

This was a wonderful read I wasn't disappointed -what a cracker of a book! The story centres around a group of five teenagers who are about to leave high school and start new paths on journeys to work or university. Coming home one night after a party, there is a dreadful accident which alters the course of everyone's lives within the group, and also their families, forever.

This was an intensely emotional book that was sometimes difficult to read. It was exceptionally well written with an excellent and totally believable plot. Although initially, I found the prospect of getting to know five different families of characters rather daunting, I was soon able to cope and it wasn't long before I was at ease with them. Each was brilliantly drawn by Caroline Bond - distinct, full of depth and with their own idiosyncrasies.

In this study of human emotion, the reactions of each individual involved was completely different, and this was perfectly portrayed. I wanted to send reassurances to everyone, including Harry’s father, who wasn't the most personable character in the story.

The ending was brilliant as it brought the story full circle. This was an absolute pleasure to read and even if the plot had been less stimulating I would have devoured these pages with equal gusto and enthusiasm. One Split Second is a brilliantly executed book in every aspect and if family dramas give you a buzz then this one would be a perfect choice. I’ll certainly be looking out for more from Caroline Bond!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request, from Atlantic Books/ Corvus via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion. Thank you also to Pigeonhole and Caroline Bond for the opportunity to read this book!

Was this review helpful?

A book that gripped me from the start and kept me enthralled Right to the end. A story that you would hope did not happen to you and yours . A parents’ nightmare. One night a group of young people go to a party , leave to come home by car but have an accident that involves a fatality.
Not everyone reacts in the same way either in the case of the youngsters or the parents . This is about their reactions and interactions. How they cope or don’t cope. There are questions posed. Does anyone know what actually happened and what led to the accident? What are the relationships between the youngsters growing from children into adulthood.
The characters are believable and well portrayed whether you like them or not. A thought provoking read

Was this review helpful?

An interesting story with engaging characters. It had a great start and a decent ending but flagged a bit in the middle. A good book for a holiday read if we are ever allowed holidays in the future.

Was this review helpful?

This had me hooked from the beginning. Caroline Bond is a superb author. Her characterization is excellent. This book tests our judgement on quite a few things. Firstly, in my opinion is it necessary for a 17-year-old to have such a fast car. Secondly, drink driving is a no. However, at 17 it’s one won’t hurt then another. It’s realising when to say no, enough is enough or to have none at all. We have all been young and think we are invincible. Thirdly to drive when we are angry is just as dangerous. Put all of these factors together and there is only one awful outcome. Harry, the driver swerves and has a terrifying accident that is going to change all their lives. There were two characters that annoyed me. Jake, one of the friends and Dom, Harrys dad. After the accident Jake seemed to disappear from the rest of the book. Why did he choose to abandon his friends at such a dreadful time? Dom, what can I say about him? As cold as ice. Unable to show his feelings. Could only think about himself. The two characters I adored were Fran and Marcus. They taught me through this novel that to be able to forgive after everything that has happened left me with hope. This book made me cry at times and also made me smile. A Split Second, anything can happen to anyone. Thank you, Caroline Bond, for a truly amazing read.

Was this review helpful?

Very well written story about a tragic accident. What happens in one split second will change the lives of so many people. Who will die and who will live? How will the survivors and their families cope?

Was this review helpful?

The book begins some days after the accident as a body is wheeled out ready to provide hope for some as they receive donated organs & despair for the family.

Five teenagers went to a party. On the way home it crashed into a wall & the story tells of the aftermath. Exploring the lives of the victims & their families, it is impossible to to become involved with them all. It is a powerful story that will live in the memory for a long while. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. I thought it was superbly written and I was hooked from the start. I found this to be an engaging, heartbreaking and poignant read, which follows the characters after a horrific event, and the consequences that follow. I felt the author captured their feelings, thoughts and emotions very sensitively and eloquently. It is about forgiveness, hope and love. A roller coaster of a read and one I highly recommend. I think this story will stay with me for a while and I have to say is one of the best books I have read this year.

Was this review helpful?

Oh this book! Beautiful yet heartbreaking.

It starts "Thirty Two Days after the accident", with a young person being wheeled out of intensive care on their final journey. Right in at the emotional deep-end we go.

We then go back to an accident where a group of young friends crash a car into a wall. The ensuing events are a real masterpiece in exploring character emotions and responses to that fateful event. There are multiple perspectives and so so much pain. Each character is on their own journey and dealing with things in their own way.

The added dimension is that we know that Harry, the driver, is hiding something. As we try to figure out what he is hiding we are also feeling so much for the others involved. We also spend some of the time unsure who was wheeled out in that first section.

It sounds cliched, but the journey the characters go on is fantastically written and feels so authentic and sensitively handled.

I've added all of Caroline Bond's books to my to read list.

I read the bulk of this through The Pigeonhole until I realised I had a Netgalley copy and couldn't resist reading ahead sometimes, when a stave finished but I wanted more. That's how absorbing this book is.

Thanks to The Pigeonhole, Netgalley, the publishers and Caroline Bond for this ARC.

Was this review helpful?