Liz, Jess, Charlotte and Mel met at a prenatal class, and grew close through play dates and nights out together. Over the ten years of their friendship Liz, Charlotte and Mel always felt that Jess was a perfect mom because she had the cleanest house, cooked the best food, expertly parented her two boys, and got her figure back just a few weeks after giving birth to her third child.

However, shortly after Betsey’s birth, things seemed to change. Jess didn’t spend as much time with her friends; was easily distracted, and was obsessed with cleaning. Because her husband worked long hours, she was left to care for three small children on her own. She internalized everything and, though she grew more and more withdrawn, no one realized she was hiding a secret that would forever change all of their lives.

Through flashbacks and the present time, readers gain insight into secrets from Liz, Jess and Charlotte’s pasts that made them into the women they are today. As the situation with Jess gets darker and more complicated, and Liz struggles with her own issues, it is the bonds of friendship that keep their heads above water.

I thought the storyline between Liz and Jess was compelling and kept me guessing up until the very last page, but I disliked the flashbacks the author used to talk about their pasts. I thought there was too much back and forth going on between the past and present. However, because the subject matter is very important, I will recommend it for Adult readers.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Vaughan doesn't disappoint. A recommended first purchase for all general fiction collections, especially where thrillers are popular.

How well do we know our family and friends? Do we really know what burdens they're carrying or what they're capable of? In Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan GP Liz starts asking these questions when her friend, Jess, brings her young daughter into the ER during her shift with a serious and suspicious injury. Liz revisits memories from her friendship with Jess, starting in their prenatal group and her own childhood marked by the death of her infant sister and sees troubling signs that she may have initially missed. Meanwhile the details of what happened to baby Betsey is revealed through multiple narrators including Liz, Jess, Jess's husband and one of their children, As a thriller, Little Disasters is riveting--I tore through it it two nights but Vaughan makes it more than that. It's also a meditation on motherhood, marriage and friendship including the secrets we carry and the problems we're too ashamed to admit. Little Disasters made me want to check in on my own friends and family which, coupled with its compelling narrative, makes it a worthwhile book indeed.

I did like the writing but sadly I couldn't connect with the plot. I'm not a mother and I don't quite like kids, I thought it would be more of a mystery but the book's principal theme was motherhood. And it was great and well done, but it wasn't my usual cup of tea.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

This novel covered a topic that is rarely covered- postpartum depression, particularly postpartum depression that becomes fairly severe and debilitating. As evidenced in the book, women don't tend to talk about this much and it is shrouded in secrecy and shame. The mother (in this case, Jess) struggles along to care for her baby and her other two children while hiding the mental anguish she is experiencing. Her friends and her husband sense that something isn't right, but don't really question her or intervene. Then the baby gets hurt and things start to fall apart... and the book goes on from there.

As a postpartum doula, I appreciate the fairly unflinching look at how much mental anguish new Moms can suffer, and how they might not share this with others, fearing judgment or just wanting to seem like they have it all together. Reading about what postpartum depression might look like from a list serves a certain purpose, but seeing how it might look in a family situation, and how clues might be missed by friends and family was helpful.

I enjoyed reading this book, although it was of course a bit dark and foreboding at points. I wasn't really into the other storyline with Liz and her brother Mattie, and their Mom.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review a galley edition of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC! I really enjoyed this book and Sarah Vaughan’s writing. From the description I thought it would be more of a thriller, it did have some twist but I wouldn’t say it is a thriller. Little Disasters focuses on family, friendship and motherhood. It has a lot of triggers, covering topics like postpartum depression and mental health. I can understand how this could be a very relatable book for a lot of women. I would recommend this book to a friend.

A nuance look at the difficulties of motherhood. I was instantly hooked from the beginning pages and found myself hooked. I don’t want to spoil much but definitely pick this up if you want to read something different.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was interesting and fast-paced and I found myself eager to ditch my obligations so I could sit down with the characters and find out what happens next. I will definitely be suggesting this one to everyone I know!

For pediatric physician, Liz it is business as usual until her friend Jess shows up in the ER with her daughter Betsey. The little girl is in distress and Liz recognizes that she is suffering from a skull fracture. Jess has no answers that fit was has happened and Liz is honor bound per protocol to report this. The book goes in between Jess and Liz's life to form a glimpse into their pasts and finally moves into the present. I thought the book was well written and really enjoyed the last minute change to the ending. I will definitely be recommending this one and will be reading more from this author in the future. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

Really enjoyed this nuanced look at motherhood, and how mental illness can change the way mothers can view children. This was a very suspenseful thriller and it held my attention until the last page. I especially enjoyed Liz, the doctor, and her thoughts and narration. I liked the way many of the narrators were unreliable because it kept me guessing what might have happened. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers that deal with parents and children.

This was a heart wrenching book about family secrets and new mothers feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Liz and Jess have been close friends since their oldest children were born, when one night, Jess brings her new baby into the emergency department where Liz is working with injuries that don’t jibe with her explanation. I cried a few times while reading this book. The author is skilled and evoking emotions.

Little Disasters looks at motherhood from two different perspectives. Liz, a working mother, and Jess, a stay at home mother. When Jess brings her daughter into the hospital one Friday night worlds are turned upside down. Liz isn't sure if she should believe her friend of ten years or her the red flags she is presenting. This story focuses on friendship, family, and motherhood.

The premise of this book was intriguing to me, but I have to say it did not hit the mark for me. There were some surprises at the end, but halfway through I did lose interest. The writing and character development were good, but I this story just did not resonate with me.

Little Disasters, by Sarah Vaughan, is one of the best books I’ve ever read! It will stand out as a literary sensation of the year! Little Disasters is a Must Read for 2020! Sarah Vaughan raises the level of excellence with this book, and Little Disasters will be the book that everyone is talking about! 5+ star! It will stay with you long after you finish reading it!

I think other readers will enjoy it because people can relate to it in different ways, on so many different levels. The characters and plot are so realistic, and everything is woven together so intricately and so perfectly that you are easily drawn in. The characters are so personable that I felt like I knew them as friends, could understand their decisions and actions (whether I agreed or disagreed), and could relate to their triumphs and struggles. Within Little Disasters, Sarah Vaughan leads you through nearly a decade of the best and worst aspects of love, family, friendships, relationships, envy, depression, rage, success, joy, failure, motherhood, and so much more! Even though the book description gives you a realistic portrayal of what the book is about, it doesn’t fully prepare you for how amazing it is! It goes so much deeper and is so much better! There are several times throughout the book when you will have “ah ha” moments that will make you question and think twice about what you would’ve done if you have been in their position, or see the obvious comparisons between different characters and actions that the characters themselves couldn’t see that are very important. How long should you allow a baby, toddler, or child cry to learn to self soothe before intervening? Are we 100% certain we know the reason our child is crying 100% of the time? Do you think corporal punishment is acceptable in any situation, and where do you draw the line? Can the negative impact of corporal punishment be worse than those from emotional abuse? In what ways does your own childhood experience shape how you parent your children? How well do you really know your best friends? Are you really there for them when you say “call me if you need anything”? These are some of the simplistic questions that will cross you mind as you read the book, but that’s only at the surface level.

Plot: Liz, Jess, Charlotte, and Mel (along with their husbands) meet at a childbirth class, and stay friends for nearly a decade. Liz and Mel (and their husbands) have 2 children, although Mel’s marriage bitterly ends. Charlotte and her husband have one child, and Jess and her husband have three. Over the years, the family dynamics change in both subtle and drastic ways. Liz goes back to work as a dr, while Jess is a stay at home mom of three. Liz’s husband is a teacher and is able to share the parenting responsibilities that come as a result of her having such a demanding job. Jess and Ed have somewhat traditional gender roles, where they’ve silently agreed that Ed will work long hours to pay for their family to thrive while Jess stays home too take care of the children. Although the four women stay in touch, their schedules are all demanding in different ways, so it isn’t as easy to get together as it was when they all had one child that was close in age. They try to at least stay in touch though.
Liz is working a late shift in the emergency room one night when Jess brings her youngest daughter (less than a year old) in with a traumatic head injury. Sometimes its easier to keep secrets from your friends though than it is to keep secrets from strangers because you know your friends well enough to try to get by with only small parts of the truth...and they often believe you on the basis that you’re friends. Although Liz knows that Jess isn’t telling her everything, it is unthinkable that Jess would’ve done anything intentional to hurt her daughter. Nonetheless, Liz’s boss determines that the call to child services a must be made, so Liz has to make the report. The rest of the book is a whirlwind told between the primary characters point of views. No matter what opinions you form, or what you think happened, the ending will surprise you in ways that you never saw coming! I highly recommend this book!
A HUGE thank you to Sarah Vaughn, the publisher (Atria/Emily Bestler Books - and Simon & Schuster eGalley), and Netgallery for allowing me the privilege of reading this review copy. My review is honest and voluntary...and I cannot emphasize enough that you must read this book!

I really enjoyed this book! A lot of twists, turns, jealousy, & lies. Couldn't put down; kept me up reading til late in the night until I was finished.
Recommend to anyone who enjoys suspenseful drama!

3.5 stars - this is so well-written, great characters, nicely-paced but it's not a thriller in any sense. Which is not bad! It's just that the cover and the blurb, etc. sort of hint the book will be something it isn't. Sarah Vaughan is a terrific writer and she can absolutely draw you in and keep you moving from chapter to chapter but if you're waiting for action, you won't find it here.

I would recommend this to fans of Jodi Picoult. There were a LOT of difficult scenes to read, some I cringed at, because they were very realistic and horrifying. And you know there are people out there who harm their children and mothers who, in post partum depression, fear that they will harm their children.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc to review.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Based on the description, I thought this book was going to be a thriller, but it was more like a moderate-to-fast paced drama. In any event, I enjoyed it. There is one twist that you won’t see coming!

Without spoiling anything, the book follows two adult women (Jess & Liz), close friends, as they navigate a crisis when Jess’s baby is injured and Jess herself is suspected of having inflicted the harm.

The author paints a vivid portrayal of the postpartum struggles that many women experience and has created compelling and realistic characters in Jess and Liz. I enjoy reading about the bonds between women, and this book definitely delivered on that!

My only real issue with the book has more to do with me than the book. The story is set in London, and there were SO many English turns of phrase throughout this book that sometimes this American had to pause for definitions!

This is a dark look into motherhood and what mothers will do and go through. It had good writing and a good storyline, but it didnt really sit well with me at this moment in time and based in the ages of my children. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read this quickly but I did not enjoy it. It’s full of triggers and if my kids were any younger I would have quit. As it was, I finished it. But I cannot recommend it. I did not like or identify with any of the characters.

I related easily to the characters in this book, and quickly became invested in their stories. About halfway through, I was worried that the plot had become predictable. But the end is definitely a twist I didn’t see coming!

4 STARS!

Wow! This is an excellently-written drama/mystery that I flew through in one day! It tells the story of Jess, a mother of three who has a newborn baby who is inconsolable despite all her efforts to comfort her new child. She feels like a wreck and unable to manage all of her children.

Jess has a group of friends and since the birth of her newborn, Betsey, Jess has felt isolated and scared of her inner thoughts. One of her close friends, Liz, a pediatrician, helps her as best as she can when Betsey is taken to the ER by Jess with a head injury. But because she knows Jess, she is unable to help the baby and the care is shifted to another doctor. When the doc performs a scan, they discover an injury on the baby's head that doesn't match Jess's story, which results in child services becoming involved.

The story is then told backwards and alternates between the voices of Jess and Liz. Eventually, it is discovered that Jess had a difficult childhood that explains her desire to be perfect. Liz also had a hard childhood, but she will ultimately be the one who finds out what happens to Betsey.

Twisty and suspenseful "Little Disasters" is a quick read that had plenty of heart-gripping pages. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mystery and drama.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley.

The novel is set to publish on August 18, 2020.