Member Reviews
A good domestic thriller. I am not a huge fan of this type of thriller, but I was not disappointed with this book.
I really loved this book! It follows Abby, Nichole and Jenna, three mothers that are all connected through their children. Abby's daughter Isla gets killed in a hit and run, and there are many possibilities as to who did this crime.
I went into this book very interested, as the description sounds amazing and I love multiple POV's, but it definitely exceded my expectations. I didn't expect that outcome at all and it had me hooked from start to finish.
Now, I think there are a few things that may or may not trigger some of the readers, so I would recommend reading trigger warnings.
All in all definitely a 4.5 for me, I loved it and will be reading more books by Hannah Beckerman!
4 star novel.
[(spoiler)3 stars due to stereotyping a child with ADHD (hide spoiler)]
Anna becomes worried when her daughter Isla is late coming home from a party.
Anna's husband died suddenly of a stroke only 5 years ago, leaving Anna struggling with daughters Isla and Clio. Isla, 17, is an excellent student, top tier athlete, and beloved friend. Clio, 14, is rebellious and has begun to despise being compared to her older sister.
Nicole is Anna's BFF. They've been close since their kids were born. Nicole's husband is a workaholic, and with the women so close, their kids have all grown up together. Nicole's sons Nathaniel and Jack are the same ages as Anna's daughters.
New to their school and community this year is Callum and his mother Jenna. At 17, he was accepted with a full scholarship to their prestigious school. He made friends easily and began dating Isla, though Anna has made it clear she's not a fan and considers him not good enough for her daughter.
Told in before and now timelines, we learn how interwoven these families have become, the various jealousies and misunderstandings, and finally, how all of these various interactions lead to Isla's death.
This was a quick and very entertaining read, and I became suspicious about each of the characters in turn, without having guessed at the ending.
(spoiler)*RANT: [I don't care for the author's use of a child with ADHD.
It is explained that the child has become withdrawn and self-conscious after being diagnosed with ADHD 6 months prior. It says is that the mother "got him tested" because he'd been disorganised and forgetful and that he now sees a psychologist to "manage the diagnosis". This sounds good, right?
But no. It's later reiterated that the psychologist isn't helping him with his symptoms (the disorganization/forgetfulness), nor the blaringly obvious signs of depression. Mom plans to call the psychologist to see "whether his feelings about his ADHD diagnosis have changed at all". And later she has "underestimated how upset he has been about his ADHD diagnosis."
All of this to say that mom "had him tested", they confirmed a diagnosis, and then... put him in therapy not to help manage any of the aforementioned symptoms but so that he'd just... learn to be cool with the diagnosis? Nothing to explore any treatment options?
I guess I just can't see where this helps the novel, because she's not otherwise portrayed as a bad mom.[end of rant] (hide spoiler)]
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
4.5 ⭐️ !
I really loved this book! It was raw, thrilling & full on addicting. I finished in less than 24 hours because i just needed to know the ending! After a teenage girl, Isla, is the victim of a fatal hit and run accident, secrets are revealed about her friends, relationships, & life leading up to the accident may have impacted her fate. Told in the POV of Isla’s mom, her ex boyfriends mom, and her mothers best friend, details emerge all leading up to one big reveal 😬🤯 definitely gave me Freida McFadden vibes! If you love her, add this to your TBR!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and kept my interest. I cannot imagine what these mothers went through and the choices they made to protect their children.
17 year old Isla is killed in a tragic hit and run accident. For her mother, Abby, it's the second loss in five years, having lost her husband five years ago. Nicole is Abby's best friend and is trying to be as supportive as she can. And Jenna is Callum's mum, the ex boyfriend of Isla, who has a secret she is hoping to keep concealed. But no one is prepared for the truth of what happened...
I really liked this book. It was well written and the characters three dimensional. I did feel that Jenna wasn't as fleshed out as the other two mothers, but it in no way interfered with my enjoyment of this book. Highly recommended.
It’s nice to read something a bit different from Hannah; an enthralling whodunnit with the personal touch of really feeling and understanding the three families involved in the tragedy. I didn’t guess correctly which is a bonus, but even if I had, it wouldn’t have taken away from the enjoyable evening I had reading this. It’s definitely a gulp in one kinda book.
Ooooooo book readers! You need to get this book in your TBR list right now. This book is full of secrets, and twists, and so many suspenseful moments, I could not put it down. Hannah Beckerman needs this book made into a netflix series! It'd be so good! Loved every chapter.