I very nearly skipped this book. It sounded like A LOT, and I figured with so much going on, it would just feel like the book was all over the place. I didn't want to be confused by a bunch of half-written subplots.

But I requested it anyway. And I am SO GLAD I did.

This book is all about being careful what you wish for. What does that mean? For Elodie, all she wants is to be a published author, especially after the death of her boyfriend, who always believed in her. And Ada, well, she always wanted to perfect life - beautiful house, perfect husband, 2.5 children and a white picket fence.

This book kind of reads like a thriller on crack. Yes, there is so much that happens, but Dandy Smith is so good at story-telling that it call comes together. As the events of this novel continued to get crazier, I could not stop reading because I just had to know how things were going to turn out.

What I loved so much is that this book is so different from most thrillers I've read, and I think that lead to it being so interesting. I would highly recommend!

Summary:
It should have been a harmless little white lie: When Elodie tells her best friend out of jealousy that she had a book deal when she didn't, it wasn't supposed to spin out of control like this. Suddenly, her friends and family think Elodie is a published author - especially her sister Ava, her greatest rival. Only her best friend Jack knows what's really going on, and he wants to help her at all costs. And then, Elodie is abducted - and the only person who could possibly find her is Ava.

My opinion:
I can't believe this is a debut! This gripping thriller had me engaged right from the beginning, even though I couldn't have possibly imagined how dark this was supposed to get. This book is about jealousy, love and the urge to please others. And about whether you're supposed to want children just because you're a woman, and I loved that Dandy Smith talks about this topic. The story is gripping, intense and creepy, and had me at the edge of the seat the whole time, and there is one question that describes the book best: How far will you go?

I'm so excited for what Dandy Smith will come up with next!

Parts of this book reminded me of:
- Dying For Christmas by Tammy Cohen
- The Choice by Alex Lake
- You by Caroline Kepnes

So i started this book and loved the writing but it didnt grab me like I wanted to. Will pick this back up at some point.

One small mistake by Dandy Smith.
Elodie Fray wants to be more like her perfect sister, Ada, the one her parents are actually proud of. When she decided to quit her job and pursue her dream of becoming an author, she thought it would be her time to shine, but a year on nothing has happened. And she's getting desperate.
A good read with good characters. Likeable story. Little slow but readable. 3*.

Dandy Smith's debut novel 'One Small Mistake' will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This dark tale of obsession, manipulation, and complexities of family relationships was beautifully written and nothing like I've ever read. The twists and turns are not what you'd expect.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Elodie and her sister Ada, the reader gains an intriguing insight into their family dynamics, and Ada's 'perfect' life. As the author digs deeper, their rivalry and jealousy are not what it seems.

I absolutely love this book. Dandy Smith did a wonderful job and I hope whoever needs to read this will and enjoy it has much as I did. I cannot wait to read more of her books.

Thank you to Embla Books on NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I spent multiple nights staying up way too late reading this book. I did not want to put it down! This book had me hooked from the very beginning, maybe because I identified so much with the sister relationship in this book.

Elodie Fray feels like the black sheep of her family. She left a great job to follow her dream of becoming a published author. Unfortunately, after many rejections she had to find work at a coffee shop to make ends meet. Her sister, Ada, has it all. A rich husband, big house and she is the master entertainer. Why can’t Elodie’s life be just as perfect? Luckily she has her best friend, Jack, in her life to always encourage her and protect her from her family’s disappointment. After telling a lie when out with a friend Elodie’s life starts to spiral out of control and she goes missing. Although her sister’s life seems to be perfect, cracks start to form in Ada’s life. Can Ada find Elodie and fix their relationship? And can Elodie survive long enough to be found?

The character development was great and I really connected with both sisters. I loved the dual storytelling between the sisters and how the time apart from each other actually brought them closer together. Excellent read!

I absolutely devoured this book right from the start. The story follows Elodie and her quest to get her manuscript published, and her complex relationships with Ada (her sister) and Jack ( her best friend). The characters and dialogue are really relatable and the plot twists get darker as the story progresses. The dramatic,ending is full of wonderful description that really put me right there with Elodie. A fantastic debut, definitely leaves you wanting more.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, wow wasn’t I pleasantly surprised! A wonderful intriguing book with amazing twists, characters that keep your interest and a beautiful storyline! I’ll definitely want to read more from this author.

Huge congratulations to Embla Books and Dandy Smith, a superbly written book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unexpectedly fantastic! I don't even want to talk about how surprisingly great it was.

Thanks so much to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity.

Dandy Smith writes an interesting thriller in her novel "One Small Mistake". Elodie is an author and wants to write a thrilling book. She willingly takes a risk to make things interesting for her book. It turns into a deadly mistake. This is a short book with an interesting plot. There are many scenes that take the reader's breath away with the author's descriptive narrative. If you are looking for a short read and an explosive thriller this book might be the one for you. Thanks to #NetGalley#One Small Mistake for the opportunity to read and review this book.

One Small Mistake is a great book. It was quite unlike anything I have read before. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for my ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and would love to read more by this author. The characters are well developed and interesting, and you can’t help but develop an appreciation for some of them. The plot was also unlike any other book I’ve ever read which was interesting. I also feel the writing was well done, something I look for in a book by an author I’m not that familiar with.

Elodie wants to be more like her older sister Ada. She wants her parents to be proud of her. So she leaves her job in marketing to pursue a career as an author. But after a year, she’s still no further forward and makes a small mistake on a drunken evening with a friend. Everyone believes she has a boon deal and with no way back from the lie, things start to spiral. This book will draw you in from the start, it will get under your skin and you’ll be compelled to turn the pages until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books and the author for the chance to review.

This is one dark but addictive book.
Plot twist indeed and took me down a different path. The characters have a lot of depth and what you feel about them about the start surely changes as the timeline evolves. I thought it was well done when the story was told by both sisters rather than one so we learn both view points and perspectives.
I really enjoyed it as it maintained a good balance between the plot and shock value which can be hard to do.

Sibling rivalry, jealousy, making and living with choices and following dreams are central to One Small Mistake, Elodie Fray is a young single woman who quits her Marketing career to focus on her passion, writing. She sometimes questions her choice when she weighs what success means in her mind, such as her married sister, Ada, with a beautiful house and address while she works at a coffee shop to pay the rent. Their relationship is strained and staged for appearances. Older sister Ada is doted on and Elodie is left to her own devices.

In the midst of family drama there are other relationships simmering, too. Choices are made and serious problems ensue. Suspense and tension escalate and reach a crescendo at the end. Though parts of the story are predictable, to me the story is more about the characters and choices they make.

This book does contain adult situations and abuse.

My sincere thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this arresting book.

I received an E-ARC copy of ‘One Small Mistake’ by Dandy Smith through NetGalley from the Publisher Embla Books. Thank you to the publisher for my copy. A brilliant debut release from Dandy Smith.

This book follows two sisters:

Elodie Fray – She has left a marketing job to pursue her dream of becoming an author. When she hears from her agent that her latest attempt at obtaining a publishing deal falls through, she is devastated. During a drunken night with her best friend, she ends up telling a lie, little does she know how this will escalate.

Ada Archer – She is a housewife married to a wealthy husband and has everything she ever thought she wanted.

When Elodie suddenly disappears the whole family and community are distraught and they all come together to try and find her before it is too late.

What follows is an intense storyline where Ada must unravel the mystery of her sister’s disappearance.

Will she find the truth in time?

The story is told by both Elodie and Ada in different chapters, it also shows you the timeline at the beginning of each chapter, so it is easy to work out how long has elapsed. It also builds the tension up to the explosive and emotional ending.

This story is really intense in parts, and I found myself trying to look away as if it was a hard to watch a scene in a film. The author has you right there in the moment with the characters.

I loved that it was about sister’s and although they are not that close at first, it is nice to see the feelings they have for each other even though they have hidden them.

Overall, an intense and emotional psychological thriller that makes you wonder how much you can truly trust the people close to you.

What a tense read with plenty of surprise twists near the end that I really didn't see coming! Elodie Fray is an aspiring writer, but the publishing world keeps shifting the parameters of what it wants and a deal remains elusive. Feeling jealous of her sisters' 'easy' life, drinking one too many drinks at a flash soirée at her sisters and trusting in the advice of a childhood friend, Elodie makes one small decision that changes her life forever. A fraught and dramtic spiral of events awaits. #onesmallmistake #dandysmith #embla #tensethriller

A story of sisterhood and family against a backdrop of horrendous obsession and madness, One Small Mistake is a difficult book to read and finish. As we realize what will happen when Ellie agrees to a proposition from her best friend we shudder at the prospect. We read letters written by her sister, Ada, who actually is a surprising strong woman written during the angst experienced by the family.

I thought this book was pretty different to any other book, I have read before, and that was good. I did find it a bit long and rambling at times, not so good. Overall not a bad read and I think 4 stars is a fair rating. I wouldn't put anyone off reading it.

What a nail biter ! This will keep you on the edge of your seat! WHAT is happening is scary . expectably in todays world !