I was curious about the lives of the three mothers in this story, right from the start. Three very different women with quite different lives and backgrounds, all brought together by living in this community.

One life seems picture perfect, one more fractured and the third, a woman new to the community who brings her own struggles.

It is an interesting story of an accident that happens to a child and the assumption, judgement and blame around that.

I thought instantly that the incident was not as it seemed, and was enthralled until the moment of truth so to speak. I did find it a little anticlimatic from then on and I had hoped for more of a twist, but this book is focused more on the assumptions and judgements that the main character and everyone around them carry.

I enjoyed the story overall and would love for more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by KATE HEWITT is a beautifully written and emotional story that takes place in the small town of Wetherby Connecticutt where a child’s eighth birthday party ends in disaster.
Eleanor Dalton, who strives for perfection as a wife and mother, decides to give her precious daughter Bella a homegrown birthday party, inviting the twenty-eight children from her class, including Kieran, a difficult young boy who has recently moved to the school. She gets her friend and sidekick Natalie, whose daughter Freya is Bella’s best friend, to help her with the party……..
What happens at the party serves to change people’s lives and behaviour as secrets are uncovered and attitudes and ambitions change. Family dynamics and friendships come into play.
I am not going to tell you any more as I do not want to spoil things for you.
I highly recommend this emotional roller coaster in which the author unveils her characters’ feelings in her inimitable way.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

This was a great read that I couldn’t put down. It told the tale of a child hurt in an accident during a birthday party and the new boy at school is automatically blamed but is he responsible and what actually happened to this child. You only took your eyes off her for a few minutes but something has gone down and everyone is jumping to conclusions to make sense of it all. I won’t spoil it but it’s a great read.

I have read many books from this author and enjoyed them all, this was no exception

A beautiful written book that kept me involved in the storyline with great characters.

It showed problems with real friends and difficulties in their marriages, full of secrets.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is a very real book with real life situations. First of all, it shows troubles couples can have in their marriage and how it can effect their children. It shows how friends can get mad and react on a whim. It also shows a true character with different disorders. Now I find in hard to believe that all those doctors could not diagnose Kieran with anything, but his mother could just by googling it. I have a child in this age category and they def do stupid things! I'm glad the book ended up with relationships healing. It was over before I knew it. Didn't realize it was so short!

When a young girl is injured at her own Birthday party the search for answers begins. Who was to blame?

This author did a great job of giving the reader a good explanation and look into who each person was. I felt emotionally invested in the story and found myself rooting for everyone. As a mother myself who kinda goes against the grain, I find myself on the end of rumors or gossip and have also found myself to be a bit of an outcast within Mom circles. This book gave a glimpse into the real life Mom struggles. Trying to be the best, make Mom friends, adding extra tasks on top of our already busy schedules, etc; All in the name of a great life for our children, right? And also the judgement that is put on the families that don’t fit into the puzzle piece idea people have for us or families that have children that aren’t the statues people want them to be. I loved this author’s writing style and pace. It kept me excited and intrigued the whole time and was completely realistic! I have found a new favorite author!

An 8 year old girl is injured at a birthday party and the first suspect is the new boy in her class.
Told in multi-POV of several women (the mom of the injured girl, her best friend and the mum of the boy) we read about far more than the injury itself. There are the struggles of parenthood, finding your place as both a child and then as an adult, marriage and all that comes with it.
A quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed all of the POVs. The writing was good and engaging and I enjoyed the story.

Natalie and Eleanor are best friends, and their children, Freya and Bella are best friends.
Joanna, tim and Kieren are new in town, and Kieren seems to be a troublemaker at school.
Eleanor doesn't want to invite him to Bella's birthday party, but she does.
Bella has a terrible accident - but was Kieren responsible? It happened in a blink of an eye.

Told from multiple POV's, this is a gripping story and covers the parents perception of their children, and the relationships with their spouses.
I felt this was very well written, and the characters are well developed.

It is a brilliant book, and worth reading. I was kept rapt till the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Kate Hewitt was a new Author for me. This book was propulsive and written in such a relatable way. Parenting in this day and age is no easy feat . Making friends as Adults is no easy feat. The clever telling of this story held me from page one to the end. I loved this story.

This talented author has written a page turner. Red herrings keep the story intriguing. Realistic characters add to the mystery. A mother who doesn’t know what her son might do. Problems with other parents and children. Do not try to guess the ending too soon. Thanks Netgalley.

I adore Kate’s novels and this one was another heart rending read. I felt so sorry for Kieran and his mum, but it’s also hard not to feel sympathy for the other characters. Everyone is battling something it seems. I really thoughtful and heartbreaking novel!

During a birthday party a little girl is injured and the obvious culprit is the new troublemaker boy.
The story not only revolves around the accident and the children but also reveals the problems in Eleanor's idyllic life with her seemingly perfect marriage, the disparate friendship between her and Natalie or the difficult situation Joanna lives in her home with a depressed and absent husband.
Narrated from several POVs, the novel shows us the web of events that lead to the accident that uncovers all the underlying problems in a believable and sometimes heartbreaking way.
Undoubtedly an interesting and satisfying read.

A good story! This very short novel is actually the various values of life: material as opposed to inner values, that is the values not overly showing. Through a child's accident during her birthday party, the lives of a few families will definitely be changed for ever... The plot was successful in showing the seriousness of more than the obvious situation involving Bella's accident. As a reader, I did feel the tension growing in the families. A quick but well written novel.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

This was my first read by this author, the writing was very good. This one kept you wanting to read more and very engaged. Must warn that it’s an emotional read.. you will be on a roller coaster with this one ..

Some kids are quiet and well behaved. Some are the opposite. Those are often punished and parents are being called to the school for conversations with the principals. And when something goes wrong, everybody points the fingers at those children. There is no doubt in their mind there could be another explanation...

Sometimes though you should put your own behaviour under the microscope and ask yourself whether you like what you see...

Life is precious and fragile and when, even for the blink of an eye, you are distracted, it can shatter in a million pieces. 

This is a gripping emotional story, where friendships end and others begin. A lot of people cleaned up their own backyard. It's too bad something horrific has to happen first. 5 stars

Thank you

Must-read... The most terrible thing about reading it was violent, heartbreaking, and real....I loved every single page.....

In the Blink of an Eye is another compelling drama from Kate Hewitt, and I was gripped by the complexities of each and every relationship in the face of tragedy.

Joanna has recently moved into a new area with her husband and seven year old son, Kieran. The circumstances would be difficult at the best of times, but things are complicated by Kieran's behaviour at the school, and the other mothers are wary. A birthday party will bring all of the children together, but an accident will leave one child fighting for her life, while the finger of blame is pointed squarely at Kieran.

Told from the very different perspectives of three mothers, relationships are tested and the lengths that one will go to protect their own child are thoughtfully examined and explored. Fans of Big Little Lies will delight in this one. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

This is a gripping story of adults and kids all in over their heads. An accident at a birthday party pits adults against adults, adults against kids and kids against kids. Joanna, Tim and Kieran are new in town and Kieran is having some behavioral issues. Natalie and Eleanor are best friends, albeit there is a power disparity between them. Eleanor is living the "perfect" life and intent on not letting any cracks show. Natalie is trying hard to hold it together being separated from her husband. Eleanor's daughter is injured at her birthday party and fingers are pointing to Kieran and Joanna. The blame to be had could be spread all over. This story is has multiple point of views and is well done. There's a lot going on with everyone out does show how a little kindness can go a long way for some people. This isn't my usual genre, but I enjoyed this very much.

After moving to a new location, the protagonist's son is having difficulty settling down, so she is relieved when he is invited to a children's event. Until things go horribly wrong, a little girl is badly hurt, and her son is found to be in at the centre of the brouhaha.

But can what is being alleged here possibly be true? Surely he isn't capable of such behaviour? As a parent, some truths can be hard to accept, but what IS the truth here?

This is a compelling story about how a child's behaviour can stretch the limits of parental love. Unless that love is either clear-eyed or unlimited. Or indeed, perhaps both...A good piece of storytelling, this gets 3.5 stars.