I literally devoured this in under 12 hours. It was just that good! What started slow quickly picked up and delved into multiple twists and turns! This is the third book of Bleeker’s that I have read and while they have all been extremely different (I have yet to read Working Fire), they all have one thing in common - they are all excellent. When Veronica starts therapy to grieve the loss of her husband, she meets both Gillian and Mark in the waiting room and what happens next will definitely interest you!

When I first picked up this book, I was really intrigued by the story, and excited to read a book about a mother who was dealing with postpartum depression. As you all most likely know, I dealt with that after I had my son, but this book just...it fell flat after that. In The Waiting Room by Emily Bleeker, what starts out as the story of loss and PPD, turns into some weird flipped around tale of deception, gaslighting and lord knows what else.

After the death of her husband, Veronica hasn't been able to touch her infant daughter. She's afraid something bad will happen if she does, so her mother stays with her in order to give Sophie the care that she needs, but as Veronica deals with her paranoia, the novel gets stranger and stranger. 

One day, Veronica comes home to find out that someone took Sophie, and the police aren't interested in finding out who, because they think that Veronica had something to do with it. This sends Veronica on a wild goose chase for her daughter, with some random woman that she met in the waiting room of her psychiatrists office. 

The twist in the middle of the book wasn't shocking to me, as it was pretty obvious from the get-go, what was really happening. Maybe I just read too many psychological thrillers, but to shock me, you must have some really good tricks up your sleeves. I always want to enjoy Emily Bleeker's books, but I feel like they are so blah, I probably won't be reading any more of her work. 

I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. I didn't enjoy the story that much, and I actually don't even think I finished the book. It wasn't worth it to me.

Thank you to Lake Union for providing me with a free copy of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

This has been one of my favorite psychological thrillers that I have read this year. Right away, Bleeker creates a wonderful atmosphere of a mother that is struggling in her postpartum journey. Veronica's anxiety and depression was written to be raw and real. I really felt that I was with her during these struggles, which made me want to root for her to overcome and get the help she needed. As the novel progressed, I was left in states of shock because of how well Bleeker kept the reader engaged while not giving away too much too fast. 

The thing I loved the most about this novel was that I didn't see the twists that were coming - at all. I had three different theories and they were all so wrong. The ending didn't feel rushed, and it made sense. I also really enjoyed how the epilogue didn't tie everything up perfectly. The characters struggles didn't disappear, instead there was growth shown in Veronica's character and the knowledge that there is still growth to happen.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheWaitingRoom.

WOW!!! ok, wow! I'm actually speechless after finishing this book, which only took me 3 days it was that fast-paced and suspenseful!! The first chapter alone makes you wonder what the heck is going on and forces you to continuously read page after page to see WHAT is going to happen with Veronica and her baby. I honestly feel like saying anything more would just give to much away. If you are a big fan of psychological thrillers (which I am) you will not want to pass this one by. I really enjoy reading books that keep me guessing throughout the entire story, without too much slow-paced action in the middle, and this book did not disappoint! There are so many twists in this book that just when you think you know what is going on, you don't! I found myself literally saying 'WOW" out loud when I came across a new twist. Highly recommend!!

Thank you NetGalley, Emily Bleeker and Lake Union Publishing for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Postpartum depression has Veronica in it’s grips after her husband’s death and her daughters birth. She hasn’t been able to function and is even able to hold her baby daughter. She reasons that everything is being caused by her despair, but it is really? After a break in, Veronica finds disturbing sketches in her studio and she begins to fear for herself, but mostly for her daughter. So when her daughter goes missing, Veronica becomes the main suspect. Veronica realizes she can only count on herself to find her daughter.

This book had me from the very first chapter, I can’t imagine waking up to an empty house when your husband is supposed to be home looking after a baby. I zipped right through the first half and was shocked by the very fear that Veronica has of her baby daughter, not only can she not hold her baby, but she can’t even stand to be in the house when she is crying. This has to be the worst feeling ever and it is so nice to have another book touch on postpartum depression because more and more women experience this every year. It is a tough subject to touch on, but it does need to be talked about and be more accepted.

The twists at the end of this novel really shocked me! I don’t even know what I can say without giving anything way. So I’ll just say I was honestly blown away by twists and I loved every minute of the ending. This book was one I’d definitely recommend because I couldn’t stop turning the pages and I felt despair for the main character Veronica and the situation she was put in.

Pick this one up August 28th!

Veronica is a new mother who hasn't been able to hold her infant daughter Sophie since the tragic death of her husband. Her mother steps in to care for Sophie while Veronica undergoes therapy. Then one night her daughter disappears and Veronica becomes the number one suspect. New information is revealed as Veronica desperately searched for her daughter until the shocking ending of the story.
It's amazing what the mind will do to cope with tragedy. I admit I was judging Veronica as an awful mother in the beginning, but as I learned more of her story, my opinion started to change. I thought I had guessed the ending a few times, but there were so many twists I never saw coming. This one's a tear jerker for sure! Thank you to Emily Bleeker and NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

I must say that Emily Bleeker is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. I believed The Waiting Room seemed like a classic family drama, but there were more than a few surprises in store that made me quickly lose track of time. This is definitely one of my contenders for the most gut wrenching climax. I would highly recommend this as a good choice for a book club option.

Lots of twists and turns. It kept me wanting to read more. I never saw that twist coming near the end of the book. Fantastic!

Wow! Just Wow!!! I'm a huge Emily Bleeker fan. This book truly hit home. I suffered from Post Partum Depression ~ not to the extent of Veronica ~ but I did understand some of her emotions.

As with a lot of other readers, I was disappointed until I hit the 35% mark ~ then it got good.....it got really crazy amazing good.

Please stick with this book. I almost DNF 'd it.....but stick with it. It is so worth it ~ I promise.

Thank you Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing (you are awesome) and Emily Bleaker for the privilege of reading an ARC Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book went places I really didn't expect to go and I can honestly say I did not see that ending coming. Much better than expected . Above average for e-book thriller .

The Waiting Room offers an insight to how the human mind copes with trauma. I struggled to relate to Veronica at times and found the story somewhat fragmented.

The end saves the novel and pulls the story together. A good twist, if a little far fetched.

A good suspense with a couple of surprises you'll never guess—who is Mark? what REALLY happened to Sophie?--this book keeps rolling at a rapid pace throughout. The speed of the character's decisions, actions and reactions caused me to hone in on details rather than ignore them, bringing me to the point of knowing who, but not quite why.

A solid 3 star read, but I would be much more likely to recommend Emily Bleeker's first novel, Wreckage, instead of reading this one.

My Review of “The Waiting Room” by Emily Bleeker Lake Union Publishing, August ,2018

OMG!! WOW!! KUDOS to Emily Bleeker, Author of “The Waiting Room” for an intense, captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, chilling thriller. “The Waiting Room” is a novel, that is a page turner, riveting, and I couldn’t put it down. I read this in one sitting. After reading the conclusion of this novel, I am absolutely flabbergasted, shocked, and have to admit that I never would have expected this ending!!! The Genres for this novel are Psychological Thriller, Suspense and Mystery and Fiction.

The author describes her cast of characters as complex, complicated , quirky and dysfunctional. Veronica Shelton, a famous illustrator is a shell of her former self, after her husband dies in an accident, at the same time that she has given birth to a baby girl. Veronica’s mother comes to live with her and helps her take care of the baby. Her mother insists that Veronica go for grief counseling to better come to terms and deal with her loss and life.

In the waiting room in the therapist’s office, Veronica meets some quirky people. Veronica constantly deals with the fear that she is a bad mother, and that her baby would be better off without her. Veronica can’t even hold her daughter.Soon very strange things seem to be happening in Veronica’s home. There are twists and turns.

One day Veronica comes home to find her baby daughter and mother gone. There is also blood at the scene. Immediately Veronica calls for help. Is Veronica a victim or suspect? What is going on? This story reminds me a little of the movie “The Sixth Sense”. WARNING: Don’t read before bedtime.!!! I would highly recommend this frightening and suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy stories with shocking conclusions. I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review!!

3.5 stars

A first by Emily Bleeker but it won’t be my last. It’s always exciting for me to read books by authors I’ve never read before because every author has their own way of writing a book. Some tend to focus more on the thriller aspect in a thriller novel, and some tend to focus a little more on the emotional aspect, but the thriller aspect is there.

For this book, I found the first bit a little boring and t it was until about halfway through the book where things started getting interesting. It really picked up from there and I loved the second half so very much! It was thrilling and the pace was much more faster.

The ending for me was a bit of a shocker and the conclusion really did ends well and Bleeker even added a little shocker during the last few pages. I have to say that it got a little emotional and I’m not going to lie I did tear up a bit and it was just wrapped up so well. I would’ve liked a little more thrilling moments maybe in the beginning of the novel just so it would start strong and finish strong as well but I was not disappointed while reading this.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. This is a story about a mother desperate to find herself and her child with the help of her friend Gillian. The main character Veronica really got on my nerves, but i feel in love with her friendship with Gillian. I love how Ms. Bleeker intertwines the characters as the story develops. Despite the annoying Veronica, this book's plot twists had me reading until the end.

Sadly, not my favorite Emily Bleeker book by a HUGE margin. I have read her 3 other books and while this book was unique and unlike other domestic thrillers I have read, I just didn't love it. I hate the idea of another "crazy female" story line and the main twist I had pegged from the beginning. I am bummed that I felt I trudged through it. If you had given this to me without an author's name on it, I would NEVER have guessed it to be EB's. It really didn't seem like her writing at all to me. Hopefully I am the minority in my opinion and others enjoyed it more than I did.

Very grateful to Emily Bleeker, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Looking forward to reading her next book!

TheWaitingRoom #NetGalley

Thank you for letting me read this book. What a sad story as we go deeper in to the world of a breveaed mother who has just lost her husband and is unable to touch her child. The writing describes a life of sadness and emotional pain with unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and could not work out the ending. I recommend this book for a good read that will have you in tears before the end .

In my Goodreads reviews of psychological thrillers, I routinely mention that I enjoy unreliable narrators. Fortunately for me, this novel delivered on that and more. The Waiting Room is an empathetic portrait of a mother with postpartum depression. Veronica cannot even make physical contact with her child and hasn't in months because of her anxiety and depression. While sometimes Veronica's actions are hard to understand or digest for readers who haven't gone through postpartum depression (like myself), Bleeker does a good job of portraying the complexities and depth of Veronica's mental illness. Then her baby goes missing and the police suspect her, which was very tense and made for this book being a page-turner. I also thought Veronica's art was an interesting minor part of the plot, and how it was a visual representation of her mental illness because she frequently didn't remember some of the illustrations she would discover in her home.

I absolutely did not see some of the twists coming and unfortunately I can't explain much more in this review without spoiling a lot of major reveals. I also totally adored the character of Gillian. Bleeker vividly brought her to life for me as a reader. This was my first novel of Bleeker's and I look forward to more!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I've never read this author before but something in the description made me want to read it. From the minute I picked the book up to the minute I finished it, it kept me intrigued all the way through.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an E-ARC of this book. The pacing is fantastic and the twists unpredictable. I will be recommending this book to everyone.