WhenMarins son goes missing while Christmas shopping, her entire life is uprooted and she loses sight of who she is. She joins a support group, grows distant from her husband, and leans heavily on her ex-boyfriend turned best friend, Sal. When the private investigator she hired in secret finds out her husbands secret, all of the secrets they’ve been keeping come to light one at a time. As Marin unravels each secret that she keeps and that her husband keeps, she finds out they aren’t the only ones with secrets.

I went into this book blind! I knew I wanted to read it automatically because @jenniferhillierbooks wrote it so I knew I’d like it, but let me tell you, I. LOVED. IT. I haven’t read any thriller quite like this one! Do yourself a favor and when this is published on April 21, 2020, run don’t walk to grab it! And while you’re waiting if you haven’t read Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier yet, do it! (These books are not related, but it was one of my favorite 2019 reads and I will continue to recommend it until I’m blue in the face!) Thanks @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the chance to read and review this ARC! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

What happens when a mother is faced with the disappearance of her son and the knowledge that her husband is having an affair? Does her best friend have anything to do with it? These are some questions I found myself asking while reading this book. I really loved the twist this story takes at the end. Marin and Derek have just gone through one of ThTte worst things that can happen to parents. Their son has been taken. Everyone in this book has secrets and they are not little. They are also connected in one big web of depravity. In the middle is the disappearance of one sweet little boy who just wanted what his mother promised. I began to suspect that the friend might know something about the little boy. The mother and father were not all that likeable and the ending was a unexpected. All in all I liked the pacing and the story as a whole. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishes for the free ARC. I tried not to give too much away so that other might enjoy the reading.

Little Secrets was my first read of 2020 and it did not disappoint!

Marin Machado has it all: a thriving business, a handsome husband, and a son she adores. Her life is perfect until one day, her entire world comes crashing down when her son is abducted in broad daylight. Flash forward a year later and Marin, who is still searching for her son, learns that her husband is having an affair with a much younger women. Determined to keep her fractured family together, Marin will do whatever it takes to hold onto her husband...desperate times call for desperate measures.

This was a great domestic thriller. Flawed characters, unpredictable twists and turns, and lots of little secrets. I highly recommend this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Marin has the perfect life. Husband her own business an beautiful son. The unthinkable happens when Sebastian let's go of Marion's hand. She searches every where the police have stopped looking. A year has passed when she finds out her husband is having an affair. This sparks her to life but how far will she go to get even? 5 star

I wasn’t expecting this book to be as scary as it was. At times it gave me nightmares. I like thrillers but this one was a bit much for me. Still, it was very well written and I was compelled to finish it despite my fears.

Review#2 LITTLE SECRETS by Jennifer HILLIER and reviewing for Netgalley. Wow! Thanks so much to Netgalley for letting me read and review this awesome book! From the author of JAR OF HEARTS comes another fantastic read. When little Sebastian is kidnapped, his mother will stop at nothing to find him...but she may just find that nothing in her life is all that it seems. This fantastic story kept me running from door to door as they opened up all new aspects and possibilities and kept me guessing (wrongly) right up until the explosive end! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Five stars

I must confess that I have not read any of this author's previous books and that is my loss. This author takes the reader through a range of e I'mmotions which will leave them wondering what else could possibly occur. With the kidnapping of her young son, just before Christmas, our heroine leads the reader down a path of emotions that include panic, loss, despair, bitterness, drugs, adultery, and the hiring of a contract killer to resolve her problems. I could go on but believe this story must be read to be fully appreciated. To go on would reveal too much. But keep your eyes peeled for subtle clues scattered throughout like daises
In a meadow.

I have rated this book 5 stars and would recommend it to any reader who appreciates a keen exploration of their inner self emotions.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

What a fun read! Little Secrets was a unique thriller that kept me guessing for quite a while! The author also did an absolutely tremendous job of portraying a mother's grief and willingness to do whatever it takes when her child is taken from her. As a mother myself, I could completely empathize with Marin. I highly recommend this book, and I thank NetGalley for the advance copy.

I was excited to jump into this one, as Jar of Hearts was one of my favorites. But this one went kind of slow for me. Nothing to really keep me on the edge of my seat, only the curiosity of wanting to know what happened to Sebastian.

This was an ok read, can't say I didn't like it, but can't say I didn't either. Completely on the fence with this one..

4.5 stars

I'd heard wonderful things about Jar of Hearts and Jennifer Hillier on Twitter, so I was thrilled to receive an eARC of Little Secrets from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.

I was hooked from the first page.

Jennifer Hillier's story of a woman dealing with the kidnapping of her son hit me right in the heart. I was with Marin when she got distracted by her phone, when she counted down the minutes, hours, days of her son's absence, when she refused to move his belongings because she didn't want to tuck him in a corner and pretend that he hadn't existed.

I can't begin to explain how emotionally exhausting parts of this book read. As a mother of two, I know what it's like to have to take your kids to a busy, public place, to get swept up in the frustration and hunger and crankiness, and at that moment, to have the phone ring. It tore at all the deepest fears I have of that moment in the best possible way.

I couldn't put this book down.

The kidnapping is as layered as the characters, deeply-developed and complex in their motivations. I did find the plot to be a tad predictable, and wasn't altogether shocked by the ending, but it was a refreshing, beautiful take on kidnapping story with intricately-woven strands of intrigue.

What truly makes this story, though, is Hillier's wonderful writing style. Scenes leaped of the page, and I'd be surprised if someone doesn't make this into a Netflix series in the near future. Cinematic, clever, and dripping with emotion, Little Secrets is a 2020 Must Read.

Wow! And I do mean WOW! This book was incredible. It was well written, emotional, dramatic, suspenseful and a true page turner. I literally devoured it from start to finish. Very high recommendation from me to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller. I do warn that as a mother, the topic was heart wrenching at times, but that just made it that much more irresistible.


*This ebook was an ARC I received via #NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, so many surprises and twists!

If you like dark, twisty and edge of seat suspense.... this is it!

This novel was so riveting from the very first chapter! What I thought was going be a typical kidnapping, missing child tale, turned into a thriller not to be missed.

"Exhale. Deep Breath in. Exhale."

It is a roller coaster of suspense that has a .... this could really happen..... in a reality is stranger than fiction kind of way.

Emotion filled, spine-tingling chills, and high five that Karma baby!

Last thought- This will be a HIT in 2020.

On paper, Marin Machado has it all. She has a successful, thriving business; an adorable 4-year-old son, and she’s been happily married to the love of her life for two decades. One day, it’s all taken from her when her son suddenly disappears at Christmastime. Her business begins to take a slight dip and her marriage, well, her husband starts to cheat on her with a woman half her age. Instead of falling deeper into despair like the old Marin would have, she gets angry. The problem is, when she gets angry, does she place her trust in the right people?

I flew through this book on the train, and when I was done, I went back to re-read the ending. I thought this book was great. It was well-crafted storybuilding and I’m glad the author didn’t try to paint Marin in a positive, glowing light. She was a destructive force and was clearly responsible for some of the problems in her life. Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reading copy. The book is scheduled for release on 04/21/2020.

Little Secrets starts with every parent’s nightmare―the disappearance of a child in a crowded store. That gut punch of an opener jumps to a twisty tale of trauma and grief and revenge, with empathy for everyone involved. Suspenseful and compelling, You will be obsessed with this unputdownable read. complex characters, heart-pounding suspense and a stunning conclusion. Little Secrets will leave you completely floored. You don't just read this book; you inhale it.

I appreciate the advanced copy. I finished this one on January 10, 2020. If I’d have gotten it a week and a half sooner it would have easily been my favorite book of 2019.

Hillier is in full command of her craft. There are so many things at play in this novel, a kidnapping, an affair, murder-for-hire, extortion, and hustles. And every thread is carried to a satisfying, shocking, and brilliant conclusion.

I am quite guilty of skimming over the climax of many books. When the story leaves the heads of the characters and turns up the action, I tune out. Not for this story.

Do yourself a favor and check this one out. It’s not Hillier’s first or even fifth novel, but it’s her best and it’s the one that could make her a household name.

A mother's four year old son, Sebastian, is kidnapped from right beside her, in a busy shopping area. Marin will never forgive herself and will never stop looking for her son. Sixteen months later, she's still living the nightmare of her missing son and knows that she is barely hanging on by a thread. She's already attempted suicide once and if she ever learns that her son is dead, she knows she'll kill herself. 

Marin's marriage to Derek is in shambles. She knows he blames her for losing sight of Sebastian and knows he's walking on eggshells, afraid to set her off, knowing that another suicide attempt is right around the corner. The couple hardly ever talk to each other, moving through a life filled with grief and guilt. 

I'm not going to say anymore because I read this book without knowing much more and it was a thrill to read. I only put it down to sleep last night, I did not want to stop reading it. Jennifer Hillier did such a fantastic job of stringing me along, I want more books like this one, real thrillers that keep me on the edge of my seat. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

The beginning and ending were well written. Having been to the Seattle market I could picture the hassle and bustle especially at Christmas time. This was so vividly described in the first few pages with all the sights, sounds , smell etc. The middle part of the book got bogged down at times but the author was adept in focusing on the lives of Marin, Sal, Kenzie, Derek and other minor but relevant characters. The ending was eventful but looking back made perfect sense. The kidnapping of a child is utterly traumatic and the author was able to convey this . A modern day read with Facebook , instagram and instant messaging . Sometimes the people we think we know are total strangers.

Marin and Derek are at Pike Place Market with their son, Sebastian shopping. Marin stops to answer a text and Sebastian is gone. Later after going through tapes with the police and security, they see him walking out with someone dressed as Santa Claus.

Who can you really trust? Things are not what they seem or the people you thought you knew so well.

"A strange thing happens when you're going through something terrible. It's as if your body and mind separate, and you cease to become a whole person."

This is the first book I've read from author and it won't be the last!
Twist and turns just when you think you might have it all figured it out!!!
Thank you to St Martin's Press, author and NetGalley for the eARC

Never read a book by Jennifer Hillier but I will be checking out more of hers soon! This book was a journey. It hooks you right at the start, you HAVE to figure out what happened to little Sebastian. As the story unfolds, more mystery and questions are brought to light and now you need those answered too! I could not put the book down. I found the ending a little underwhelming but overall, fantastic read. Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Little Secrets in exchange for a review!