What a heart breaking read. I couldn't wait to finish it, but still didn't want to finish it to be honest.... Recommended for anyone who love a good solid tearjerker.

Interesting book... I've read a lot of this genre recently, so this book was an easy click. I liked the characters and how I could connect with their raw emotions.

Caroline Finnerty’s A Mother’s Secret is a heart-wrenching emotional drama readers will still be thinking about long after they turn the last page.

Aidan Whelan’s world changed in a heartbeat when he received the devastating news that his wife and daughter had been involved in a tragic accident. Aidan sees his perfect life shattering in front of his very eyes as he finds himself having to deal with this devastating trauma. However, when he gets to Dublin City Hospital, he realises that there is more to this story than he had initially thought…

Helena’s marriage to her husband James was far from perfect. They’ve been struggling for a very long time and Helena wonders whether they will ever manage to go back to how they were. However, Helena’s marriage problems fade into insignificance when she receives the heart-stopping news that James has been involved in car crash. Rushing to the hospital, she bumps into Aidan and discovers that his wife Rowan had been in the same vehicle as James at the time of the accident.

Why were Rowan and James in the same car? What was their connection? And what really happened that fateful morning? As Aidan and Helena try to solve this puzzle, they form a close bond and as secrets are uncovered and harsh realities faced, they start to wonder whether both of their families can be saved or whether it’s simply too late.

Caroline Finnerty’s A Mother’s Secret is a must-read for fans of Kate Hewitt and Diane Chamberlain. A complex, heart-wrenching and poignant tale about dangerous lies, devastating deceptions and the power of forgiveness, A Mother’s Secret is a subtly layered and highly involving page-turner that is thought-provoking, shocking and immensely readable.

A beautifully woven novel, A Mother’s Secret is an emotional rollercoaster ride from a talented writer to watch out for: Caroline Finnerty.

I really love this author’s books and I started reading this book without having read the blurb so the opening chapter came as a complete shock to me!

Right from the first page I was completely consumed by this novel. The characters are so real, and I felt for all of them. The story is told from several peoples’ points of view and it’s so difficult to put this book down, just wanting one more chapter..

The setting was particularly perfect for me, as it’s set in my home city, so I could envisage all the places so well For me, it really added to the authenticity of the story

The secret that Rowan has been keeping is revealed quite early in the book, but the aftermath of the crash, and how everyone deals with the complexity of the relationships and the consequences of their actions makes for a book that is full of emotions and very human.

This is a book to read when you have no other plans, as it’s completely impossible to put down.

For me, it was a heart-breaking, emotional and all-consuming read. Can’t recommend it highly enough.

A very touching story, of how lives can change in a minute and here are so many questions that need answers before the healing can commence.
A gripping and absorbing book from start to finish.

An amazing book that makes you feel for the characters and what they are going through at various points. I’m definitely going to read more by this author. Well written!

I really enjoyed this well written book and what an emotive storyline. Both heartwrenching and heartbreaking and really lets you appreciate what you have. I loved it.

Having read a few of Caroline Finnerty's books in the past I looked forward to this newest one. And it didn't disappoint.
Based around Aidan and Rowan and their 3 children- when Rowan's is involved in a serious road accident the family are thrown into turmoil . You would think that's the baseline for a story of healing and recovery but several twists and turns on the way lead to heartbreak and tough decisions for some of the main characters.
Thought provoking heartbreaking and very enjoyable read . Looking forward to Caroline's next book already

A gripping read a page turner I could nor put it down I feel very emotional reading it I was there with characters just brill so easy to follow a page turner loved it

Great Irish story of two families involved in a car crash and the consequences as the secrets start to come out. Compelling emotional read with great characters and storyline, writing well with the two povs and I will definitely be looking for future books by this author

🍃I saw this cover and title and as a new mother jumped on the chance to read this book… I was thinking this would be a cute motherhood story or maybe a memoir with some secrets I needed. I should have read the synopsis. Why do I always do that?
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🍃This was nothing like what I was expecting. This book starts out sad and scary in Dublin, Ireland. James, Rowan, and Milly are in a car crash and all three are rushed to the hospital. BUT we don’t know why all three were in the car together. James’ wife is notified, and Rowan’s husband is notified.
Right from the start the reader is jarred into a state of what’s going on with this book.
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🍃Helena is a General Practitioner Physician and she’s just had a miscarriage. She’s struggling so much that her office asked her to take a short leave of absence to get her emotional state together. Then she finds out her husband was in a car crash. My heart just broke for her.
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🍃I don’t want to spoil any of the story so I’ll stop there. The characters were very deep and thought out. I was intrigued and confused by their backstory, and immediately wanted to know how the story would unfold.

So many secrets through out this story. A tragic car accident will change so many lives. A heart wrenching story that kept me turning the pages. Loved all of the characters, expect one. Different POV from Aidan and Helena kept it very interesting. Loved the ending. This book takes place in Ireland.

This is the first book that I have read my Caroline Finnerty and will not be my last.

Oh My Goodness! This book is gripping, emotionally driven and very well written. Set in Ireland, the author takes you along on an emotional journey filled with secrets. This is the first book by Caroline Finnerty, but will certainly not be the last. This book kept me hooked from the beginning and drew so much emotion from me throughout. It is a must-grab!

I have never read a book by this Irish author but this book was so engaging that I will definitely be watching for more books by Caroline Finnerty. I loved all the characters in this book and it had lots of secrets throughout. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this heartwarming novel in exchange for my honest review.

The plot of this emotionally charged drama centres around three characters Helena, her husband James and Aidan who was the father of three children Callum (14) Jack (10) and Milly (3) and married to Rowan who had been friends with James since they had met at University. A fatal traffic accident in which Rowan is killed and James and little Milly both sustain serious injuries is the catalyst for a tale of hidden secrets, grief, parenting, selfishness and poor judgement that will pull at the reader's heart strings and cause you to experience a wide range of mixed emotions.

Helena was a complex character who, even before the accident had been struggling to cope with her overwhelming feelings of grief due to her infertility issues. Helena had always wanted to have a child of her own, a little baby for her to hold in her arms and shower with love and affection but despite all the treatments and courses of IVF, her dreams always had the same heart breaking conclusion. Helena had always trusted James but as the details of the accident began to emerge, she struggled to comprehend why her husband had been in the car with Rowan and Milly on that fateful morning. Had he been cheating on her? Had Helena's desire to have a baby driven him into the arms of another woman?

Aidan was also mystified when he was informed who his wife had been with at the time of the accident but that was only one of a number of issues that he found himself dealing with in the aftermath of Rowan's death. Whilst struggling with his own feelings of grief and guilt, he also had a young daughter who was fighting for her life in the hospital,a overbearing father in law who took every opportunity to aim barbed digs in Aidan's direction. Then there was Callum who appeared to be lost in a raging storm of teenage angst mixed with overwhelming feelings of anger and grief.

A all to realistic vibe of authenticity permeated the pages of the scenes which were set within the walls of the hospital. Our own daughter spent a number of months in the ICU when she was first diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis and I remember all too vividly the sombre atmosphere, the only sounds being the beeps of the various machines that were sometimes the only thing that were keeping a patient alive. The lonely meals in the canteen and the eerie atmosphere of the hospital corridors after darkness had fallen.

Despite not liking Aidan when he was first introduced into the story, I found myself liking and feeling a lot more empathy towards him than I did either Helena or James. My absolute favourite character was little Milly, she was so adorable and the author's characterisation of her youngest character were so realistic and believable.

This is a beautifully written,character driven drama which is set in Ireland and has a plot that is emotionally charged, powerful and at times heart breaking. The author is obviously a very talented writer and knows how to weave together a story which draws the reader into the lives of her cast of well rounded and realistic characters. I admit that it did take a while for this story to hook me in but that was more to do with my own state of mind than the actual story itself. Although the ending was a bit too rose garden and rainbows for my liking, I did enjoy the journey through the trials and tribulations of the author's characters lives and I would gladly read more of this author's books in the future.

A Mother's Secret
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A Mother's Secret
by Caroline Finnerty (Goodreads Author)
4.48 · Rating details · 69 ratings · 22 reviews
A gripping, emotional book that asks the question: What does it take to be a parent?

In one split second, Aidan Whelan’s perfect world is changed forever when his wife Rowan and three-year old daughter Milly are involved in tragic accident.

Helena O’Herlihy and her husband James have been struggling in their marriage but a knock on the door telling her that James has been in ...more
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Kindle Edition, 318 pages
Published February 8th 2022 by Boldwood Books
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February 10, 2022 – Finished Reading2 Show more
Review If there’s one thing that I like doing, it’s discovering new authors and Caroline Finnerty is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘A Mother’s Secret’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of book that I would enjoy. Well I was spot on because I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Mother’s Secret’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘A Mother’s Secret’. In fact as soon as I started to read and I got to know the characters, I knew that there was little chance of being able to put the book down for any length of time. I had my own theory as to what was going to happen and so of course I had to keep reading to see if I was right or if I had gone off in the opposite direction. I guess I am just nosy because as more secrets and lies came tumbling out of the closet, I kept turning those pages to see if there were any other surprises or shocks in store. This was one of those books that stayed with me whether or not I had the book in my hand. If I wasn’t reading the book, then I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book to one side then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I seemed to race my way through the story. I found ‘A Mother’s Secret’ to be a tense, gripping and emotional read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘A Mother’s Secret’ is extremely well written. I found Caroline’s writing style grabbed my attention from the start and drew me into what proved to be one heck of a compelling story. For me the story (quite literally) started with a bang and from then on maintained a steady pace, which suited the story that Caroline is telling. The story is told in the form of chapters ‘voiced’ by particular characters and tells the story from their point of view. I love the way in which Caroline makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate. I was so wrapped up in the story and convinced by it that I felt myself going through all the emotions that the various characters were going through.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Mother’s Secret’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Caroline’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5*out of 5*

Little secrets grow up into BIG lies…

A gripping, emotional book that asks the question: What does it take to be a parent?

Brand new from the bestselling author of The Last Days of Us.

This is the first book I have read written by this author and I am a new fan! I just added her other books to my TBR shelf on Goodreads. I was completely captivated by this novel about family and secrets, relationships and tragedies. There was so much to love about this book - the characters, the plot, the twists and turns, and of course the writing itself. I flew through this book quickly and easily and gobbled up every single word eagerly. A Mother’s Secret is quite emotional and my heartstrings were tugged often as I read about these poor families and what they endured. Though I did not completely agree with the decisions made by some of the characters, I was enraptured and curious about what the end results and fallout would be. I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do in some of these situations and what my life would be like. Secrets are almost never a good thing, and they often rear their head at some point causing a big mess to clean up. Secrets among family can be even more damaging and hurtful, such as what we saw between these two families.

I really enjoyed this book! Such great characters and so many secrets. Well written and executed.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

My first book by Caroline Finnerty.

I like how the story starts with Rowan’s perspective and suddenly she’s gone in a crash taking her secret with her!

Rowan’s husband, Aidan, not only has to deal with her death, little Maddie being in a coma and handling his two boys, but he’s confronted with the news that his wife cheated on him with James.

Helena, James’ wife, is already coping with the fact that she can’t have children and her husband’s attempt to look at a surrogate without her knowledge. Now she learns that James and Rowan had a sexual encounter. affair. Even though this was before they were married, she still feels cheated on. She also empathizes with Aidan and spends time relieving him with Maddie’s care at the hospital.

But something makes Helena probe further wondering if Maddie is James’ daughter. And there begins such a roller coaster of emotions – heartache, anger, love, struggles with parenting, selfishness and letting go….

I had to read straight through to see how the story was going to end. The author has dealt very well with the struggles of the main characters with trying to deal with their strong emotions and do what appears to be the right thing

A gripping tale and told with a lot of sensitivity.

Emotional read. Great characters, and storyline, told in an emotional way, but still enjoyable to read and find out more.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.