I found this book to be a little hard for me to get into at first, I didnt gel with the characters but I'm so glad I kept with it as I really enjoyed the court scenes. I enjoyed the plot and the writing style, overall a good start for a debut novel, I look forward to the new from this author

The book is told from 2 perspectives – the first is Susannah – or Dr Sue as she’s known to millions. She’s a successful paediatrician at a New York hospital, an author of parenting books, and a regular on TV, with a handsome husband and two small daughters. One day – due to stepping up to help her husband by dropping him at work – her usual rigid routine is changed, and consequently she forgets to drop her 6 month old baby to nursery. She’s rushing to get on with a busy list of patients – and because baby Louise is sound asleep – doesn’t realise she’s still in the car seat when she parks at the hospital. Dr Sue hears the alarm going off – when Louise must have woken up – but just assumes it’s a dodgy car alarm and turns it off and asks her secretary to book the car in to the garage. It’s lunchtime before she realises that Louise is still in the car – but by then it’s too late.

The other perspective is Adelaide Gold, a TV news reporter who is assigned the story to cover by her boss. However Adelaide has history with the hospital and Dr Sue herself – as 10 years previously Adelaide’s baby also died, and Dr Sue was the paediatrician at the time. Adelaide’s side of the story covers both now – and what happened a decade ago – and it flicks between the two time periods well, explaining what happened back then and how that has shaped Adelaide’s life.

In the aftermath of Louise’s death – Susannah returns to work and finds solace in her work which has always been a really important part of her life – but this is then used against her when the police decide to prosecute her for manslaughter.

The case is really interesting – and flags up lots of things about working mothers / guilt – and you do wonder how much of it would have happened if it had been Susannah’s husband John who’d left Louise in the car? It’s as if Dr Sue is being used as a scape goat for professional women who don’t want to stay at home and bake cookies.

It also brought to my mind the parallels with the real life events for Madeleine McCann’s mother, Kate McCann, who was heavily criticised for not showing emotion when Madeleine went missing in Portugal 14 years ago – whilst others said it was her professional medic training kicking in. Admittedly Kate didn’t wear designer clothes / handbags / shoes – but some of the digs were very similar.

The court proceedings themselves are written well – and you can imagine it being a TV drama – with the prosecutor playing up to the court room like an entertainer rather than necessarily telling the truth. I guess I was supporting Dr Sue in a ‘there but for the grace of God’ type way as a busy working Mum – whereas the prosecutor’s took great pleasure and pride in the fact this wife stayed at home and was a ‘proper’ mother. I found it really difficult to second guess what the result of the trial by jury would be – and didn’t get it right.

I also enjoyed seeing how Adelaide developed – finally facing feelings that she’d essentially squashed down by keeping busy with work for a decade.

Finally I enjoyed the final chapter – 2 years after the end of the court case – and seeing what had happened to Susannah, Adelaide and their family and friends in that time.

Overall a really good read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Part of me thought this book was good, the other bit wasn't quite so sure. Yes, the idea of cases like these are tragic, upsetting, and not an easy read. Should the mother be on trial as a representative of working mothers - not so sure. Should she be sent to jail as a warning to other mothers? Well, the idea of that is patently wrong, as she should be tried on the merits of her own case, not to be sent down as a moral story to other working mothers.
Where this story slightly fell for me, was in the idea that this woman was representative of working mothers. Yes, a tiny few, maybe. But her sheer wealth, as demonstrated by listing the cost of various items of clothing, accessories, showed that she was in a different league to most. Could she perhaps have used this wealth to buy her way out of the situation? And no, I don't mean what you may be thinking, but in terms of childcare, taxis, etc. Perhaps. But that wouldn't have given us this salutary tale.
Altogether, I found it quite sad, really.

A heartbreaking innocent mistake changes everything !!

Susannah is a busy working mother. She has two beautiful children and has a high flying career in medicine. She has it all !! But on the hottest day of the year she makes a devastating mistake, that changes her life forever !!

After a hectic morning Susannah drives to work on autopilot. Hours later, after her car alarm has been repeatedly going off she suddenly realised she didn’t drop her youngest daughter at nursery and she is still in the back of the car. It is too late to save her and Susannah must face the fact that her daughter is dead.

The press are closing in and suddenly Susannah finds herself on trial for negligence. What will be the outcome of the trial ? Will Susannah survive the pressures ?

This is a great book about a devastating event. A great book about a mothers guilt and the loss of a child. Definitely a great book to read and will be looking out for this author in the future.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Well this book is not for the faint-hearted so prepare to sit up and take note of this debut novelist.

One hot and frantic morning Susannah Rice gets into her car, drops her husband off and then drives to work, what she forgot in this busy day would change her life forever.

This is big news as Susannah is a well-respected paediatric doctor with her own television show and Adelaide Gold is the journalist tasked with covering the story. The only trouble is she is battling her own linked issues from years earlier.

This is a well-written and thoughtful story which takes the reader behind the headlines whilst never forgetting that the purpose is to entertain the reader.

Definitely a debut not to miss.

Dr Sue is well-known. A busy paediatrician, a busy mum, a busy wife…and someone who is accustomed to paying in order to maintain the illusion of having it all. The story opens by allowing us an insight into the lives of Dr Sue and her family, which marks them as relatively normal (if we ignore the level of wealth they have).
On the day we meet Dr Sue things are more hectic than normal. Work is pressured and events are not quite running as smoothly as they need them to. This is the day that will change her life forever, as she forgets her six-month old daughter is in the car when she goes into work. The temperature is high…and her daughter dies.
We follow her as she is put on trial for negligence resulting in the death of her child. We see the devastating impact such an experience has on her and her family, and we also see how this event impacts on reporter Adelaide Gold who has her own interest in this case.
I found the descriptions of the initial event impactful. Nothing could prepare you for that sight, and the trial/story around it allows us to reflect on so many elements that will touch readers. At times it was incredibly hard to read, but I think the way it explores grief and some of our issues surrounding working parents and attitudes to childcare was very necessary.
While this had some elements that could seem melodramatic, the portrayal of the characters and the closing stages of the book kept me hooked. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this before publication, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only parent who reads it and hugs their kids a little harder afterwards.

This is a really thought provoking and interesting read. The story really comes into its own in the second half of the story when we follow the court case of Dr Sue. It really makes you think about the pressures put on women in modern society.

When top children’s specialist, Dr Susannah Rice, forgets her 6 month old daughter is in the back of her car, while rushing into work to potentially saves the lives of other children, tragedy strikes. Top TV news reporter, Adelaide, knows about the loss of a baby and is set to follow the court case through to its conclusion.
This is a gripping book with a very interesting court case. It explores the guilt and changes to relationships that can occur as a result of losing a child, as well as the public’s strong feelings in such cases. A recommended read.

This was a really thought provoking book. I enjoyed it a lot despite the heavy subject matter and I felt like I couldn't put it down.

The characters were strong and complex. I liked the differing narratives between the two main female leads.

The pacing was excellent and I enjoyed it from start to finish. It did end up a little too neat and tidy at the end for me for such a heavy book but I did like the message it gave about the pressure of women to be everything.

Great debut offering.

Susannah is a successful paediatrician, and parenting guru, with a nice husband and two lovely daughters. One day, too many thoughts in her head and changes of drop off and travel to work plans results in her forgetting to drop her baby at the crèche. In sweltering temperatures, she sees patients, unaware of what she has done.
The ensuing court case reveals misogynistic attitudes to women at work, successful mothering and the dichotomy of an ambitious working mother.
A gruelling and insightful book investigating the attitudes that pervade society towards parenting and the role of the mother, set against the unrealistic view that working mothers care less for their children than they should, whilst showing than men who are ambitious in the workplace are rarely portrayed as uncaring fathers.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Well the blurb lives up to the book. Debut book from a new author loved it... Thanks for the opportunity to review Netgalley and the publisher... Will look out for more from this author

We've all been there when life gets so hectic that we don't know if we coming or going. Where we are so exhausted we can hardly put one foot in front of the other but we have to go on. It was here where Dr Susanna Rice found herself. Trying to juggle too many balls, being a family expert on television, having to produce one new parenting book every year and that was not even her actual job which was Professor of paediatrics at Saint John's hospital in Manhattan. Throw in a husband and two children and you know tragedy is just around the corner.

This was such a sad and heartbreaking read because these things happen and more often than we think. It must be the most awful thing to have to live with and I don't know how people can survive that guilt? How do you go on with your life?
A story that definitely raises many questions and evokes a lot of emotion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A very unique and compelling read, certainly gets you thinking. Definitely included a lot of triggers for me personally but would still recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book which I was looking forward to reading.
Looking at the other reviews I am clearly going to be a lone voice and Billy No Mates with this book. It is well written and the characters are three dimensional and well crafted.
The author is Irish but but the novel is set in the USA and written in American English. Not sure why but I do applaud the author for writing in the language of the setting and (it seems to me) getting the language right.
The characters in the book are all dreadful. and I'm not sure the author likes them very much either. Heavily stereotypical every one of them.. Dr Sue is loathsome. Unable to empathise with others it seems. It's all me me me, I'm the only one capable of diagnosing this patient- cue smug superior feeling at junior doctor who is asking for help. Patronising? Moi? Methinks if you own a $ 40,000 Cartier watch, can afford to burn a $3000 Dior dress after one wearing and the shoes (price not mentioned but we do know that none of them are less than $400) you might just be able to afford a taxi? Does the nanny not drive? Oh dear god the petulance at having to help out another human being who also just happens to be her husband who you are supposed to love...Completely unbelievable as was the rest of the plot as it unfolded. Supposedly highlighting the plight of working mothers- really? Because the majority of working mothers clearly all wear designer clothes and expensive watches.. This book does zero to highlight their plight, nothing to address issues and zilch to persuade anyone that there are real problems to be faced. As for the ending well I shook my head in complete disbelief.
As I have to give a star rating I'm afraid it's 1. Others love it so -we are all different

Fabulous book and such an extremely difficult subject. How to navigate life’s tragedy. Unbearable pain and remorse written so beautifully and sensitively

Rating: 2.3/5

The synopsis for this novel is strikingly similar to Kia Abdullah's "Next of Kin", which I read a few months ago: A successful professional woman leaves a young child in the back of a car on a swelteringly hot day, resulting in tragic death from hyperthermia. Is the woman culpable? That will be decided in a trial by jury!

Even though the core subject matter is so very similar, the approaches taken are markedly different - as is the extent to which they are successfully executed. "Next of Kin" is one of my favourite reads of the past year - and one which I would have no hesitation in recommending to all fans of well-written fiction of any genre. In contrast, "Breaking Point" has all the potential to be a compelling, heart-rending drama, but there are too many occasions where it falls short for one reason or another and it ends up being a bit flat.

There are themes touched upon in this novel that really should be deeply emotional and engaging, such as infant death, systemic racism and sexism, and societal attitudes towards working mothers. These make for the kind of subject matter that should not only be captivating, but also make for difficult, disturbing, or even harrowing reading. Sadly, in "Breakingh Point" these topics are rarely as hard-hitting as they could and should be. Instead they become blandly diluted and the content often reads more like a screenplay for a lightweight US tv drama series. There are some unnnecassary detours into the realms of romance that just serve to undermine not only the brevity of the core storyline, but also the characters of the two leading female protagonists, Dr Susannah Rice and Adelaide Gold. In these instances, instead of strong, independent career women Susannah and Adelaide come across as fawning females conforming to the self-same gender stereotypes that one of the central threads of this novel is challenging.

On the whole, this is certainly far from being a bad book and I have no doubt that some readers will love it. For me it just didn't make the most of the subject matter and, when compared with the very similarly themed "Next of Kin", this doesn't stack up favourably.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

4.25⭐️
An emotional thriller by a debut author. It’s a very strong debut.

Susannah Rice has it all, with a hectic schedule that is timed to the second to achieve everything. She has a high social profile as Dr Sue who gives parenting advice as well as her job as a paediatrician and mom to 2 young children.
One diversion from her routine coupled with an emergency call was enough for her to make a dreadful mistake with the worst consequence. Her baby is dead from being left in a hot car.

The gamete of emotions are portrayed brilliantly and the reader is totally immersed into the emotional fallout of this one tragic mistake.

The other main character is Adelaide Gold who is covering the media frenzy. The second thread is her domestic story and problems.

The beginning of the story is similar plot premise to a book I read recently. It’s something that given the right set of circumstances you can really imagine happening.

The characters are so well written and I found Adelaide especially engaging. I didn’t feel for Susannah as much as I expected. I think it was her frosty demeanour. It is very character driven and very well delivered. The ending increased my score.

A favourite quote
‘A good old fashioned witch hunt’

I would recommend this book.

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.

Susannah has it all: two beautiful daughters, a successful husband and great medical career. But on a hectic and also on the hottest day of the year, Susannah makes a grave mistake. She forgets her baby in the car and it is too late to save her.

Susannah is put on trial for negligence. And as it seems the public and the press made a verdict before a trial even started. But what will the court say?
Women non-stop juggle between family, career and everyday routines. And what happens when this fast-lifestyle is suddenly stopped with tragic event? How to deal with death, grief, guilt and public judgments, till the breaking point.

Powerful, heart-breaking and emotional novel.

This is a wonderful book that deals with eh issue all women face when. they enter the work force. When we are little girls our parents tell us that we are capable of doing anything and everything in the world and we believe that to such an extent that we do not ask for help even when we are dying. We always have this need to prove that we are capable and admitting that we need help in any form would be admitting defeat or show weakness in some form. As a society we are forced to put on our masks and deal with everything that comes our way. I simply loved this book as it dealt with all the choices that women are meant to make without even thinking about it. We are told that we have a choice but its never a choice. I usually never give 5 stars however this book deserves it as the author has touched upon a topic that women face everyday and I am sure will continue facing it always.