Breaking Point

Edel Coffey

What a fabulous debut novel! A great storyline which explores the devastating and horrific fall out following an awful mistake made by an overworked and stressed out mother. So scary to think how easy something like this could happen.
Well done to Ms Coffey! Looking forward to see what she does next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

A gripping fast paced thriller. A fascinating read. It reminded me of another book that I had read but it went in a different direction. Well written

This book has a truly unique storyline and one that is very difficult to read at times. Definitely go into this one with an open mind as it is very thought provoking.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

T/W infant loss, cot death

Breaking point is a novel that hit me in the heart; I almost broke into tears at some parts which is unheard of for me.

Susannah Rice - or Dr. Sue is a well respected paediatrician and TV, so on one busy morning when a change in routine and hectic daily schedule lead to the worst disaster any parent could face.

After the loss of her daughter, she was witch hunted - this powerful, successful woman - and put on trial for man slaughter.

What resonated so strongly during this novel is the fact that she was a career woman who had children. Society still thinks that a woman can’t have it all - a career and a family - and be able to do both; whereas a man can. That’s it.

It horrified me that in America career women are often back at work two days - TWO DAYS - after giving birth. WTF!! The fact they have no maternity provisions is disgraceful. No wonder women are at breaking point.

This was a hard hitting novel and will stay with me for a long time.

Breaking Point by Edel Coffey* is a tense novel that isn’t quite a psychological thriller but that's the closest to a genre I can place it in. From the blurb, we know Dr Susannah Rice’s baby daughter dies following a tragic accident. An accident which sees Dr Sue charged with negligence. There were parts of this I liked. Other parts, including the ending, not so much. That said, I am looking forward to seeing what Edel Coffey publishes next.

I had never read a book with a plot like this before & it had me intrigued right from the get go! I was absolutely not disappointed. Heartbreaking in places, Edel Coffey has written a story that tugs at your heart strings in all the right places. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author & recommended this to everyone I know!

When tragedy strikes Dr Sue’s family following an avoidable accident life will never be the same for her or her family.

Wow wow wow what a brilliant debut - this was told so very well and as a parent myself really hit hard and home. I mean who can say that they’ve never taken their eyes off a child in there care for a second. The main character Sue was a busy mum and also a doctor and had so much going on that I did feel quite sorry for her. I also enjoyed the reporters side of the story too and how torn she was with the whole scenario. It was a very emotional read and I did feel sorry for all the characters involved with such a terrible thing that had happened. A great read.

Breaking Point was a fantastic book! The storyline was gripping and kept me wanting to read more!
Thank you to Edel Coffey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A brilliant debut novel
A very thought provoking and emotional story
It is a book you won’t want to put it down
Thanks NetGalley

Breaking Point by Edel Coffey is an outstanding book, with an interesting storyline, which will resonate with many readers. I found it absolutely fascinating and found the stories and histories of the doctor and the journalist enhanced the story. I believe this is a debut book by the author and look forward to reading other books from Edel Coffey with interest.
Highly recommended

Susannah has two beautiful daughters, a high-flying medical career, a successful husband and an enviable life. Her hair is glossy, her clothes are expensive; she truly has it all. But when - on the hottest day of the year - her strict morning routine is disrupted, Susannah finds herself running on autopilot. It is hours before she realises she has made a devastating mistake. Her baby, Louise, is still in the backseat of the car and it is too late to save her. As the press close in around her, Susannah is put on trial for negligence. It is plain to see that this is not a trial, it's a witch hunt. But what will the court say?

Wow, this is such a raw, compelling and emotional read. It does not feel right to say I enjoyed it but I was completely immersed by this read and unable to put it down. This is in no way an easy read, Coffey writes about very traumatic, painful events but I found it powerful and thought provoking and made for addictive reading.

A read like this needs strong characters and Coffey supplies that. I could envisage all of them and I felt something for all of them. They all have their role to play in telling this, not all of them are as likable as others but they are all integral and made me feel something. I liked how Coffey weaves the characters own lives into Susannah's story, we see how their life experiences influence their feelings towards Susannah and I found this very powerful.

'Breaking Point' is a captivating read, it is brimming with emotion and raw pain. This will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sphere for an advance copy.

Utterly heartbreaking.
Reading the struggle of juggling motherhood with full time work, childcare issues and last minute crises is all too familiar for many working parents- where one change can throw the finely honed routine for the day (or even the week).
The book explores the impact on women in returning to the workplace after having a baby but for Dr Sue this is also played out in the limelight of her TV fame and when things go wrong she is hounded by the press. The emotional counterpoint of Adelaide, who knows only too well how Susannah is feeling but is still duty bound to report on the accident and then the criminal investigation is beautifully scribed, with Adelaide struggling with her empathy versus her professional demands.
Wonderful characters, heartbreaking story.

To say I enjoyed this book would be wrong. It’s brilliantly written. A really though provoking read. It’s harrowing and the writer really gets into the head of the subject and does such a good job of relating what an awful situation this is. Edel Coffey is a name to look out for.

Simply amazing- this book is compelling, harrowing and full of moments that made me think, “what would I do?”
The themes around this book are quite hard hitting, the tragedy early in the book and the following grief really makes the reader think. I really enjoyed this read and it’s definitely a book that will stay in my thoughts for sometime

A few months ago I was offered a widget of Breaking Point and grabbed it after just taking a glance at the synopsis. When I started reading it I came into it with no expectations at all and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. This story definitely raises some really interesting questions that made me reflect upon today’s society.

Dr. Susanna Rice is a really successful paediatrician, with books and tv shows about parenting and raising kids. She’s mother of two girls. One morning, after her daily routine is disrupted, she must run into work, forgetting her baby in the car. When she realizes it’s too late to save her and in addition to her guilt and grief she must face what can only be described as a witch hunt.

I must confess that at first I could not feel any kind of sympathy for her, but then I thought “who are you to judge her?”. Juggling a high pressure job with motherhood and childcare must be difficult enough without the added stress of people judging your choices or telling you how to do it.

The story delves into the tremendous pressure on women to return to work after childbirth (I was truly horrified when they talked about women going back to work the day after having a baby, as if that should be the norm), and the lack of support given to them once they do.

During Susanna’s trial there were several moments that made my blood boil at the same time I wondered how it was even possible for the judge and the press to go along with them. The prosecutor was absolutely disgusting!

The ending had a bigger surprise than many thrillers and it left me truly astounded.

The characters were well fleshed out and their grief was really palpable.

Breaking Point is not an easy read because of its subject, but it’s done in a raw and emotional way, bringing to the fore some really thought provoking issues.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Group/Sphere for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book examines working mothers, TV stars and culpability when something goes wrong. Susannah goes on trial for negligence. when her baby dies after she'd forgotten she'd left her in the car after her strict routine is disrupted. I found it quite a harrowing read but it does deftly examine the pressures which women face and the pain Susannah goes through. Thought provoking.

The book gets off to a cracking start, fast and intense. We get to know the characters very well, very quickly. There is a real and empathetic depth to the characters throughout.
The story is harrowing and deeply emotionally involving as Susannah struggles to cope with grief, the media witch hunt and the impending trial. I was reading through the tears and couldn't read it fast enough.

This is a stunning debut, when I first read the blurb I thought this was very much like the Kia Abdullah book that I also have recently read. But apart from the main outline of the story this takes a completely different take on the situation. Both really good in their own way. This one concentrates on the female/male relationships and I can really relate to this. The way the story developed was thought provoking and the ending just summed it up.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Warning – this book has trigger points and is not an easy read due to the subject matter.

This is the second book I’ve read in the past six months about a tragic event surrounding a child being left unattended in the back of a car during a heatwave and despite the horrific themes, Edel Coffrey has written a sensitive and emotional debut novel told from the point of view of the mother and a female journalist who is covering this story.

Breaking Point is the devastating story of Dr Sue, a high profile paediatric doctor at the top of her career with a huge media following, several best-selling books and on the face of it, a perfect life, marriage and career – a women who actually “has it all”, but one morning all that changes when she forgets that her 6 month old baby girl is asleep in the back of her car and leaves her in the car park to go to work.

This story is based in the USA, where there is no official maternity leave, healthcare is expensive and new parents are forced to go back to work as soon as possible. Professional women are expected back within days of giving birth and taking any additional time to bond with their babies is frowned upon and could potentially affect their careers. Dr Sue, having had both her children in her early 40’s and being the head of Paediatrics in a busy hospital, is trying to juggle her responsibilities to the sick children she treats and be a mother to her much loved daughters.

That one moment which has the worst possible outcome changes everything for her and puts her firmly in the public eye as enemy #1. This seemingly perfectly presented public figure who advises parents on how to keep their children safe and healthy may have deliberately killed her own baby daughter.

Whilst the reader watches Dr Sue’s fall from grace, sees her grief and guilt in full raw detail there is another powerful narrator watching this from the other side.

Adelaide is the female TV News Journalist sent to cover this “major” news event from the discovery of baby Louise in the hot car to the courtcase and the final jury verdict. Adelaide, however, has a traumatic past of her own, one she has spent years running from and this story has brought every single emotion back, forcing her to confront every mothers worst nightmare.

It feels strange to say that I “enjoyed” this book because of the subject matter, but I felt that the author brought each character to life and enabled them to tell their own stories in a brutal and raw way full of emotion.

There were moments in the courtcase when as a mother myself I felt myself nodding along with the jury, especially when the experts talked about “Forgotten Baby Syndrome”. I have in the past left my mobile phone or coffee on the roof of my car and driven off or forgotten to secure the baby seat in the car, so when you google FBS and see that during 2018 and 2019 a record number of 53 children died after being left in a hot vehicle this story is frightening realistic.

I would definitely recommend this powerful and totally plausible story.