An emotional fast paced book with twists. Keeps you hooked till the end. An excellent debut and author to look out for. The aftermath of a tragedy is well written and the emotions drip from the pages. Thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Although this isn’t my usual kind of thriller, it was so intense I had to keep reading.
Had me on the edge of my seat! If you’re an avid thriller reader I highly recommend

An emotional, tragic and dramatic read that I found hard to put down. It's a hard subject matter for a parent to read but you just have to keep reading to the end.

It will take me a while to get over this amazing storyline. I don’t think I have ever cried so much reading a book. Superbly written with characters that it was possible to relate to and even comprehend their actions and feel empathy for the situation they found themselves in. It is a book that will stay with me.

After the Storm is a compelling exploration of resilience and the complexities of human emotions in the aftermath of personal tragedy. The novel masterfully weaves together the stories of several characters whose lives are upended by a devastating storm, both literal and metaphorical. The storm serves as a powerful metaphor for the chaos and unpredictability of life, with the author skillfully exploring themes of grief, forgiveness, and the search for meaning in the face of overwhelming odds. A beautifully written and emotionally resonant book that offers a profound look at the aftermath of disaster and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate character-driven stories with emotional depth.

I really liked the premise of this book but unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations.

I liked the multiple POV narrative and felt like it added to the tension as every time something was close to being revealed, it switched POV at the next chapter adding more detail to the plot.

I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters and found some of them really unlikeable but I guess that was the point.

The writing itself felt a little flat for me and descriptive language that I found effective lost it's impact when the same phrase/word was repeated several times within a chapter. I've never seen the word insidious used so many times in a single book.

The book wasn't an unenjoyable read but I predicted most of the plot twists fairly early on which took away from the fun of the book.

This was a difficult book to read, given the subject matter it deals with. That said it was a compelling read, the emotion was very well written and the twist at the end very unexpected.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It took me a while to process this book in order to write a review. This book is very heavy and there are trigger warnings. The biggest trigger warning is death of a child. This was so well written that my heart literally broke and the characters felt so real that I wanted to reach through the pages and hug them. You get a front row seat into a parents extreme grief over the loss of their child and the affect it has on every aspect of their life. This is not a happy or feel good book, but it’s so well done you shouldn’t miss out. I will not forget this book or these characters for a very long time.

Well written and compelling but a really hard read, and an uncomfortable one. Deals with a lot of themes which some readers may not enjoy.

Two children went into the sea but only one child was saved. The repercussions of this event floor both the family of the survivor and the child who was lost. Charged with Investigating this death are DI Sue Willmott and Sergeant Mike Adams. A tragic accident or more?

Chris and Linda have to come to terms with losing their son - Linda cannot and her husband, Chris, a police officer, is determined to find out what really happened and take whatever action he deems necessary to find answers. The police need to find answers before he goes too far.

A hard book to read - no winners here; all parties are deeply affected and the real truth just sad.

I loved this thriller because even though I tried to guess the end it still escaped me. It's full of twists and turns but it touches a really sensitive subject, the death of a child and the moments after it.

I’m mystified by the 4- and 5-star reviews. I struggled to get into the book. The writing was repetitive and flat, and it took a long time to get to the main event. There was a lot of “telling” of how difficult it was for mothers, but I couldn’t really feel the emotion. Disappointed overall because the setup seemed great.

After The Storm is book like I’ve never read before.
Andrew and Sophie look after their friends, Chris and Linda’s little boy, Joe whilst they are at work. One morning in horrendous weather Andrew and Sophie go to the beach with Joe and their daughter, Maria. They wouldn’t have gone in such bad weather but Maria begs and begs to go. When they get there not content with flying a kite they want to go in the sea but it’s very rough so they settle for a part of the beach which is slightly disconnected from the sea. With the parents watching they have a great time but Andrew and Sophie are distracted and the children are nowhere to be seen.
This book was absolutely heart wrenching, I don’t think I’ve ever really shed a tear when reading but this book broke me more than once. The way this is written makes you see both sets of parents POV and how quickly someone can spiral into despair. I’m not going to go into the storyline too much as I think you’re better off coming in cold so it gives you more of an emotional whack. I will be looking out for this author in the future!
I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I read this story and it really touched me having experienced a similar loss within my family when I was a teenager, it's not an easy read as It does cover a few heavy topics that are emotive and triggering.

It portrayed the loss and aftermath of a tragic and devastating accident with the challenges and repercussions that follow.

A vivid emotive read that was intense and moving.

An emotive read , I feel physically wrung out after finishing this book .
Andrew and Sophie and their daughter Maria and Joe their best friends’s son visit the beach , the weather isn’t the best and neither was their decision to go to the beach .
Maria is a headstrong girl and basically has her parents wrapped around her little finger so that is why they are at the beach .
Joe’s parents both work hard and feel guilty at leaving him with their best friends , Chris Joe’s dad is a police officer and Linda his mum is a paramedic.
Maria and Joe are in the sea but things go drastically wrong and Andrew has to rescue them , but he only manages to bring Maria out of the waves .
What happened in the water? How could Joe lose his life?
Are Andrew and Sophie neglectful will they be charged with a criminal offence ?
The disintegration of Chris and Linda life is a hard read .
The writing is excellent it was difficult to finish the book due to the raw emotion but I had to read until the end .
Loved the twist at the end .
A hard read at times but a satisfying one .
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

Although this book comes with trigger warnings I very nearly gave up after the drowning as the descriptions of the grief were very vivid and I questioned myself as to whether I wanted to continue. I did read the whole book but cannot say I enjoyed it or could recommend it to a friend. However I appreciate the writing skill and the author’s bravery in tackling such an emotive subject.

Two families and a tragedy that affects them both. A great debut book that pulls you in and pulls at your emotions throughout the book.

📗📙 BOOK REVIEW 📙📗 Genuinely one of the best debut books I’ve read! I even made the author ‘pinkie promise’ it really was a debut!! 😂😂. It’s an emotional read but also extremely gripping.
This book shows that the closest of friends, can become enemies … “Family First” 🙌🏽❤️. Cross a couple of days off in your diary and enjoy the read! Thanks to Maddie from @harpercollinsuk, for emailing me a copy.
This book is going to be a hit…..
💜 https://amzn.eu/d/bLePNSk. 📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙

What a debut!!!!
This really is one to read, the story pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let you go, a heartbreaking story capturing the aftermath of a child’s death and the reality of how it affects everyone involved, especially those involved in a cover up, burying lies and navigating the world post loss.

This is a character driven book that really gets in your feels. I will definitely be looking out for more from this author. Bravo!

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my arc.

A tragic story of two families. Chris, Linda and their son Joe, and Andrew, Sophie and their daughter Maria are great friends of many years. While Chris and Linda work in emergency services, Andrew and Sophie are only too pleased to look after young Joe. The children get on and the arrangements work well. Until, one day when tragedy strikes and Joe drowns. The aftermath is the basis of the story and highlights the impossible grief that follows such a terrible loss. Uncomfortable to read at times with awful pain and sorrow pouring off each page. How does anyone begin to find any kind of normality or peace after such an awful tragedy? As the pain takes its toll, events take a turn for the worse, if that were possible and the second half of the book escalates in a fast paced culmination of enduring trauma. I guessed quite a few of the twists but this was well written and the agony of all involved was heartbreaking.