Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

I would call this book a ‘Mommy Drama’. I went into it thinking that it was more of a Thriller. There is a mystery involved as to how Jess and Ed’s baby, Betsy was injured. For me it was a deep dive into psychological factors such as postpartum depression, and OCD. In the Prologue, an unidentified woman has an internal discussion that makes clear that she is deep in the throes of sleep deprivation and postpartum depression. She is fighting with herself to stop from taking steps to silence her baby.

Ms. Vaughan then introduces us to four women who met in their first birthing class as they all prepared to deliver their first children. Mel, Jess, Liz and Charlotte and their husbands have maintained their friendship over the last ten years, and the through the births of additional children. Liz works as a pediatrician on staff at a British hospital. She is called in to help a less senior doctor with a diagnosis for a possibly injured infant. She pops into the curtained cubicle and encounters her friend Jess with her infant, Betsy. Eventually Liz is forced to call in Social Services to report suspected abuse.

As I stated earlier, this book has many elements. This book touches or tackles many issues. They include postpartum depression, OCD behaviors, autism, infertility, marital issues, work-life balance, and parenting issues. Whew, that is a heavy load of stuff. This is not a light-hearted read. However, I thought it was realistic, and I could relate to most of the characters.

When the layers of this story were peeled back, the motivations and the hurdles each character faced were revealed. Jess and Liz in particular I grew to like more as the story progressed. I am not giving away the ending. I thought I had it figured out, but I was wrong.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading about family dynamics in regular ordinary families. I felt like these characters are typical of the families that I might encounter on a daily basis. Everyone is juggling so much, and just trying to do the best for their kids. Do not go into thinking it that it is a psychological thriller as I did. That might lead to disappointment. Go it knowing you will be reading a well thought through book about many of the complex situations that any of us could face today.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

Oooh I loved this one! Lovely, witty, engaging writing I wanted to savour. The characters were wonderful - they seemed real to me, and I really cared what happened to them. It was a treat to read this story and immerse myself in it as my bedtime reading!

I enjoyed trying to work out what had happened and who was telling the truth. I guessed part of the solution but not the whole thing. I was slightly disappointed that there wasn't a bit more to it - I like my crime a bit darker, maybe, but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.

Wonderful - thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read it.

This book was a little slow moving for me. The character development was well-done and realistic, each character unraveled nicely. I work in child welfare so I believe this made the book a little less shocking or maybe I have been desensitized to the sad happenings of children. I think the author did a good job with the sensitive topic of child abuse and neglect.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for this complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Liz is a pediatric doctor and when her neighbor comes in with her 10 month old that has a head injury the stories do not add up. Everything Liz thought she knew comes into question. This is a very powerful and thought provoking book.

Dr. Liz Trenchard is a senior doctor in pediatrics at a busy hospital in London. She usually works the night shift and finds herself exhausted most of the time. She and her colleagues are all very busy facing constant drama.

One night, her good friend, Jess, brings in her 6-month-old daughter, Betsey to the ER. Liz is called in because the doctor on duty is not sure what is wrong with her. After a thorough examination, it appears she has a skull fracture. Liz is shocked and wonders how she got this because it would have taken quite a force for her skull to have fractured. Jess has two other sons and has always been a good mother.

Liz, Jess, and a number of other mothers met when they were in birthing class together and have maintained their friendship. So, Liz is worried that Jess may have hurt Betsey even when she says the child just fell when she was pulling herself up to the refrigerator.

The head of pediatrics is a crusty old doctor who calls in child welfare who then insist that Jess not be left alone with her child in hospital. Jess is a nervous wreck but appears to be hiding secrets. What really happened to little Betsey?

This book is, at times, hard to read because there are some troubling things revealed that some new mothers go through. Postpartum depression is very common and hits some mothers in different ways. It’s only been in recent years that doctors are realizing how real this is. Jess’s extreme stress is well hidden because she is trying to be the perfect mother. What is the “perfect” mother? All babies are different and this book shows how these differences can challenge each mother. There are some truly dark and hard to read parts in this book, it is told in a way that makes us all want to lend a hand (or two) to a new mother. Well done, Sarah Vaughan.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is a woman's/mother's drama, not the thriller or mystery the cover and description lead the reader to expect. I was bored with the plot and the characters. The writing was good, and this isn't the first Sarah Vaughan book where I've enjoyed the literary style, but it was not enough to hold my interest. I really don't care about the end result because motherhood isn't of any interest to me. I was expecting a suburban thriller.

While I typically read thrillers, I think this book qualifies better under the mystery category because you are piecing together what happened to Betsey after she is brought into the ER with what is discovered to be a skull fracture. I loved the descriptive language right off the get go. She describes the ER in the first chapter to a T. Going further into the story, it is told from multiple points of view (POV) which gives you background on each character that I think was important as the characters developed. This couldn’t have been an easy topic to write about, because as a reader and a mother, it was uncomfortable to read at times but it is so important to discuss as this happens to many moms, and like Jess’s character, many struggle alone in fear of what could happen if they speak up to get the help they need. While I know some did not agree with having Jess's husband be a workaholic and miss what some may say are obvious flags, I liked that Sarah showed this side of reality because many go through this same scenario. Sarah Vaughan did an excellent job writing about such topic. I really enjoyed that there were a few little twists along with a happy ending. I am rounding my rating up to four stars, because you cannot give 3.5. Overall, this was a really fast paced and enjoyable read.

Little Disasters was unexpected, in that it didn’t feel like a thriller, but rather women’s fiction with added intrigue and a bit of mystery. It is well written and tackles the important topic of postpartum depression.

I found the characters engaging and most often tried to put myself in Liz’s position. I ached for all the characters. At the heart this is a story about motherhood and friendship. I would recommend Little Disasters.

A fast paced, thought provoking read about the complexities of motherhood, heartbreakingly real and filled with characters that jump off the pages. Four couples meet in birthing classes and having their children within weeks of each other, become friends. Jess is the mom that has it all together, at least from the outside looking in. When an accident happens, everything is brought into question. Multi layered and told in several voices, this book is one that will haunt you and might have you looking at situations with a different perspective and much more compassion. Vaughan tackles a very difficult subject matter and does it extremely well.

Let me tell you Little Disasters started out very strong, I was completely captivated and was loving the different perspectives. Those first few chapters that pulled me in, fizzled out. I thought going into this that it was going to be a thriller, but in reality, it was a domestic drama. I wanted a lot more action, and I wanted to have some amazing revelation at the end. Instead I got a lot of family drama and a very disappointing ending. I’m not saying this wasn’t good because it did keep my attention and the author wrote very intense and detailed characters, so I was very attached to them all. I just thought it was very drawn out because of how it ended, if it would have been a big plot twist or a big reveal at the end I would have understood. The whole book led up to an ending that was easy to figure out right from the beginning. I think if this had more action throughout the book it would have been so much better and appealing to read.

One thing these thrillers teach you is the need to tell the truth; lies just dig an ever deepening hole to bury yourself in.

Jess Curtis brings her baby girl to the emergency room where she's attended by her friend Dr Liz Trenchard, who is a pediatrician. It is soon realized that the baby has a skull fracture and Jess' story doesn't seem to fit the injury, nor does it explain why she waited hours to bring her in. Liz's boss insists that the police and social services become involved to determine if this child has been abused. Things quickly spiral out of the family's control.

There are jumps back in forth in the timeline to learn what came before this all began. Keeping all that straight can be confusing especially as the story unfolds and the secrets of Liz's own childhood and family life come into play.

It's fairly easy to guess what the real situation is here but Sarah Vaughan has a couple interesting twists up her sleeve in the end.

The big issue worth discussing here though is postpartum depression and the need to make sure mothers get the help and support they need in this most difficult job of all.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was absolutely thrilled to get an advance look at Sarah Vaughan’s latest, Little Disasters. I was enthralled with Ms. Vaughn’s last book (Anatomy of a Scandal), so I was excited to see what was next.

This book tackled many difficult subjects, but did so in a way that I thought was respectful and measured. Told from the perspectives of various people, but primarily of the two main female characters, the story focuses on unexplained injuries to a baby, and the impact this has on a friendship between the two female leads. Both lead characters have vastly different lives, but each had elements that I found relatable. I found each lead, as well as the secondary voices, interesting and complex. Each woman has varying views on everything from vaccines to diet for their children, but the reader understands that there was a friendship there despite the differences.

I found the book intriguing, letting people see the central plot through the eyes of different characters, and providing enough information so that you thought you knew where it was going, but couldn’t be certain. Though the story is primarily told from the two main female characters, other perspectives were included, which I felt added to the overall story.
Like with Anatomy of Scandal, Vaughan’s writing kept me turning pages- even when the book was uncomfortable or difficult to read. The characters, though not always likable, were real in their struggles and views, and you could easily see them as real people that you would encounter in daily life or hear about.
This is a tough story, that examines the fault lines of friendship, and was at times an emotional read. That said, it was well paced, thoughtful, and really made me think long after I had finished the final page.
I would highly suggest this book to someone looking for a family drama, that tackles tough, real-world subjects in a delicate and sympathetic way, with an added element of mystery. I thought Ms. Vaughan delved deep into some issues that aren’t easy to talk about or consider, and made you feel a part of the story. It was as interesting and well-written as I have now come to expect of Ms. Vaughan.

Overall, if you are looking for a good family drama, with real-world issues, and a book that will keep you thinking long after you finish, this is the one for you. I am looking forward to the next book Ms. Vaughan puts out, as she is 2/2 in my book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to review this before it came out

I found this book to be kind of hard to read. I understand the mother protective instincts and would do many things to look out for my children. Yet I found this kind of disturbing. To read about the extreme levels of frustration, anxiety and post-partum depression. The book was well researched and written, it just didn’t appeal to me too much because of the subject matter.

This is a story that could feasibly happen to anyone. Liz’s friend Jess brings her daughter into the ER one night. She is cagey and jumpy about what happened, and Liz finds herself forced to report her daughters injuries to social services. I had one part of this story worked out nearly from the start, but the author threw in a twist that I definitely wasn’t expecting! Definitely a slow burn, but a great read.

4 Nothing Is Ever As It Seems Stars!!!

This is my second book by Ms. Vaughan and once again I’m impressed with her story telling ability and character development. This book really centers around Jess, her infant child Betsey and Liz her friend and doctor and what happens when Jess brings Betsey to the hospital one night because she can’t get her baby girl to calm down. And so begins a journey that either of these women were expecting.

This book is at times gripping in its storytelling and at other times had my heart hurting for not only Betsey but Jess and Liz too as we get snippets of what their childhoods were like and they weren’t great. There’s also the stigma of what happens to women after giving birth that is addressed in a way that hopefully removes the pre-conceived notions of what post-partum depression looks like.

I loved how the story is told from the alternating views of Jess and Liz because it adds an all important layer of helping us understand why these women are the way they are and their need to be perfect even if it’s not expected from others in their lives.

There’s some twists and turns in this book that I wasn’t expecting that really shocked me. This is solely attributed to the way Ms. Vaughan tells a story. She’s very detail oriented and drew me in further and further with each chapter and with that I was totally invested in getting the answers everyone was seeking! Even if you’re not a mother this book is a definite must read if you love a story that will take you on a journey that you might not have been expecting but when it’s over you’re going to be glad you took the time to read it!

She is a stay-at-home mother-of-three with boundless reserves of patience, energy, and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything. Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface—and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself. The truth can’t come soon enough.

From the very first few pages of this book I was hooked. Not only does Vaughan create a story filled with heartbreak, honesty and friendship, but she also makes the reader question the people they know and thrusts us into the realisation that not everything is as it seems, that even your closest friends have secrets of their own.

Little Disasters is a fast-paced, heart wrenching story that will have you gasping over and over again. Simply brilliant.

Jess is perfect in everyone's eyes. She is beautiful inside and out, her house is clean and she is an amazing cook. She also handles her three kids like a boss. That's what people see on the outside, and we always say that people see what they want to see. If they looked closer they would see that Jess is struggling after having baby #3, Betsey.

When Betsy is acting out of sorts Jess takes her to the hospital. Her friend Liz works in pediatrics who she met years ago in a birthing class. As soon as Liz begins to examine Betsey, she notices that Jess's story about what happened doesn't add up. If Betsey fell down like Jess said she did then she wouldn't have a skull fracture.
Told from multiple points of views you yourself will begin to wonder if Jess harmed her baby on purpose. There is a mystery to solve on what really happened that day Betsey was brought into the hospital. Was it Jess? Her husband? One of their older kids? The author does a good job of keeping you guessing until the very end when the truth comes out. I didn't see it coming!

Thank you Atria for the early copy of this book.

Well, this is not a thriller. It's more of a family drama/suspense/mystery. I definitely don't recommend this book to a new mom or anyone with anxiety!

Liz is working in the ER one night when she finds out that her friend Jess brought in her 10 month old, Betsey. Betsey turns out to have a cracked skull - how did this happen? Jess is not forthcoming with her story and quite sketchy, so authorities are called and an investigation starts.

There are multiple POV and timelines going on, which gives the reader the backstory on Liz and Jess. I liked the connections the author made between Jess' present and Liz's past. There are a few twists towards the end that you might not see coming, which made this book a 4 star rather than a 3 star for me.

I will say that the subject matter is tough. Postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD is very real and as a mom of two little kids, it was all too familiar to me. I can definitely see how Jess was petrified of hurting her baby, and I think that some people would not do well reading this. I am glad that it was written though, because this is a subject that doesn't get much attention but is common.

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Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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This book was real. At times it was uncomfortable. Post-partum depression can happen to anyone. The subject matter is so important. It is not discussed enough. Women suffer in silence. ⁣⁣⁣
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⁣Jessica’s baby is brought to the hospital suffering from a head fracture. Once the baby is cared for, the attention turns to Jessica. Her version of events doesn’t fit in more than one way. It is clear that there may be more going on behind closed doors than people otherwise realized.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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While I implore everyone to educate themselves on this topic, to speak about it openly, to normalize it, I did not enjoy this book. It is listed as a mystery/thriller, but it felt like it had been miscategorised. Yes, there are elements of unknowns in the book. But, at its root – it is about a woman who is struggling alone and is so afraid to let down the guise of being the perfect mother, wife, friend etc. It is a story about mental health and the stigma that surrounds it. It is a story about how drastically wrong things can go because mental struggles are not given the same attention that physical ailments are.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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This is all to say. The story of a woman struggling with post-partum depression is noteworthy. It needs more words on pages to help women realize that they aren’t bad mothers. They are not alone. But for me, this book didn’t work. The unknowns (which led it to being a dubbed a thriller/mystery) were so minimal that it felt like a footnote. An afterthought.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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The bulk of the story made me feel like a spectator of a woman suffering and making decisions fuelled by struggling in silence. I wanted to insert myself in the narrative and tell her that while my struggles were not identical, I understood. I’ve suffered. My friends have suffered. ⁣
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So while I will not encourage you to rush out and read this one, I do ask that you check in on one another. That together, we make a conscious effort to recognize that life is hard. That it is okay to not be okay.

This is my first book I have read by Sarah Vaughan, and I am now interested in reading more. This book is well-crafted and engaging. I had a hard time putting it down.

This is a story mostly about two mothers, both part of a friend group that bonded over childbirth. Liz is a doctor, and while on the job one evening, she must attend to Jess's baby, who has been brought in with a head injury. When Jess's explanation of how the injury occurred does not add up, Liz must report her friend to the authorities, which leads to an investigation and causes ripples in the relationships between the mothers.

I find the plot of this book to be very interesting. I found myself wondering how I would behave in the situation that Liz is in. Would I report my good friend to the authorities? It's quite a difficult situation in which to find oneself. I also find the relationship between Jess and her husband engaging. The husband finds himself questioning whether his wife could hurt their child. It's all rather intriguing.

While I would not describe this book as "action-packed," I nonetheless struggled to put it down. I wanted to keep reading to see what really happened to this baby girl and what would happen to these families and friendships.

I highly recommend this book to fans of domestic thrillers that deal with motherhood. It's a solid 4 star read for me.