Liz is a pediatrician and is called in to help with an emergency of a baby who was brought in with a skull fracture. The mother’s story is fishy. Unfortunately, Liz is friends with the mother. Even so, others are alerted and there is an investigation.

This is told from multiple points of view, including Jess’s, the mother of the baby. We don’t get a full account of what’s happened until later in the book, with a couple of twists along the way. I’m not a mom, but you can see how stressful parenting can be in some instances. I thought this was really good. It kept me reading and wanting to know what happened to that poor little girl.

When Liz’s best friend shows, Jess, up at the ER with a story that doesn’t quite make sense, she must do what is required of her and call in the authorities, As Jess’s story unfolds, Liz is forced to face the family secrets that sit just beyond her memory.
Great storyline and character development had me hooked on the main characters right from the first couple of chapters! Highly recommended, although sensitive topics surrounding post-partum depression are discussed.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy of Little Disasters in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Vaughan has written characters that are interesting and ones that you grow to like and want to see where they go. When pediatrician Liz is called in to examine a baby that has been crying and vomiting all night she finds her friend Jess there. Baby Betsey has head injuries and Jess doesn't have any answers. Jess is a much admired mother of three.

This wasn't the thriller that I was expecting but rather a story of mothers and their children and what they will do to protect them.

I found this book really interesting. I love any book that deals with a disappearance or two. Good book to read while at the beach

Jess, Liz, Mel and Charlotte met when they were all pregnant, and kept up socially. Jess, the only stay at home Mom, ended up have a third child, unlike Liz and Mel who had two, and Charlotte who was unable to have a second one. Charlotte is jealous of Jess, and the jealousy is made worse as she is infatuated with Ed, Jess’s husband, whom she became close to in University.

Ed works long hours and Jess is left looking after her two boys and her new baby Betsey. She becomes fanatic about keeping her baby safe while also fantasizing about hurting her. And there the problem lies.

It is a powerful emotional novel, one that left me thinking about my own parents, their different roles and how conscientious and supportive I need to be when others are ‘not quite themselves’. I think many of us when we start a family, get so involved we are unable to spend as much time with our friends as we would like to.

The writing is excellent. Each chapter is written by one of the four women, each with their own issues and emotions, and each appearing so different while yet maintaining some degree of loyalty to each other.

Liz is a pediatrician who is still quite close with a group of mothers who were all in a prenatal class together a few years back. Jess is one of the fellow mothers, and unlike the rest, she's onto her third child, who seems to be more than she bargained for. Always the picture perfect mom with a Martha Stewart Living type home, no one ever thought she could be struggling with things with her all together image. Until one day, something horrible happens to this youngest child, and questions start coming up about how it happened, and what role Jess played in it happening.

I had thought this book was going to be a thriller, but ultimately, it was more of an exploration of motherhood, PPD, and secrets of the past. While it was suspenseful, I didn't feel as invested in the story as I hoped, and I wanted more depth of connected to the characters. All in all, however, it wasn't bad, and I'd consider reading more by Sarah Vaughan in future.

Thank you for Simon & Schuster Canada for the digital advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a tricky book to review.
I did enjoy how this book shed light on very real issues facing mothers, how they feel, what goes through their minds. I felt the story between Liz, her mother, and Jess were well intertwined.
Some of the scenarios that went through Jess’ mind when she was at her worst were difficult to read, and yet I realize important as they are a real thing.
I did find it a bit slow at times, dragging in my reading. But it redeemed itself in the end.

I went into this book a bit blind. It sounded really good to me and I was expecting a thriller. What I got was a very emotional and raw suspense/family drama and I'm not mad about it! This was a really great read. I thought it was very well written and thought provoking. I will say right away that this book deals with some very heavy topics and comes with some trigger warnings. Be prepared to read about anxiety, post partum depression, psychosis and thoughts about hurting a child.

In this story we meet Liz, who is a doctor. She sees her best friend Jess as an amazing and put together mother. Then one night Jess brings her daughter into the hospital quite late, claiming she's ill. During her investigation, Liz finds a pretty severe head wound on the baby - serious enough to have caused a skull fracture - and yet her friend Jess claims she was unaware. For obvious reasons, Liz is worried and Jess' story just doesn't seem to add up.

This story discusses the lengths at which parents will go to protect their children. It also brings to light the topic of post partum depression, which unfortunately is not widely talked about. I thought this book was really well written and I also enjoyed the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: August 18, 2020
Liz is a pediatrician and has spent the last few years working long hours in the ER, seeing horrible tragedies befall children and their families. Her friend, Jess, is a stay-at-home mom of three children, who, on the surface, seems to be a loving, caring mother. When Jess brings her infant daughter Betsey into the hospital one evening, Liz is astonished. Betsey has a skull fracture, and it is so violent it couldn’t possibly be caused by bumping her head on a table, like Jess claims. Due to Liz’s professional responsibility, soon the authorities are called in and Jess is kept away from her ailing daughter. Now, young Betsey keeps getting worse and Jess’ answers only lead to more questions. Jess is the perfect mother- is it possible she harmed her baby?
Sarah Vaughan’s “Little Disasters” is a horrifying tale of the struggles of motherhood, family secrets, and the stigma attached to mental illness. Hot on the trail of “Anatomy of a Scandal”, “Disasters” is one heck of a gripping thrill ride.
The story is told in alternating viewpoints; both Jess and Liz, varying across timelines, so that the suspense pulls you in, and brings you along from start to finish. We learn how Liz and Jess became friends, and how their relied on each other during tough times as parents, and this is juxtaposed with Liz having to report Jess to the authorities and the suspected abuse. Each chapter is clearly identified, so we knew who is speaking and when.
The novel is well-told, and the characters are likable and honest. Even Jess, who is suspected of abusing her daughter, still has her charming and endearing qualities. This novel is full of suspense, leading up to a surprising conclusion. Vaughan’s “Disasters” checks every box in the “familial suspense” genre.
Although a new author to me, I’m definitely going back to check out Vaughan’s other works, and am keeping an eye out for anything she releases in the future!

I received a copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Jess brings her baby into the ER where it’s discovered she has a skull fracture. Her explanation for how it happened sparks suspicion and the police and child services gets involved. What follows is a story of a family and how they came to be in this scenario. I found this slow moving to begin with but about half way thru it picked up. I also figured out where the story was heading fairly easily.

This is the first book I read by Sarah Vaughan. I'd say it's a pretty intense book, though just a bit repetitive in the middle. But overall does create a compelling story of less talked about aspects of motherhood.
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The novel starts with showing Liz, an experienced pediatrician, in the ER, seeing one of her best friends bring her little girl with a head injury. While Liz is examining the little girl and talking to the mother, she understands that the story of how the injury happened, and her friend's strange behavior don't not add up.
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[Spoiler warning] I don't have first hand experience, also don't know anybody that has gone through postpartum depression, but I think the author does a good job of creating a suspenseful unraveling of the impact and magnitude of postpartum depression aggravated by OCD tendencies.
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I liked the multiple POVs used to tell the story. And the final twists were satisfying and realistic, which I always appreciate. I'd say that the first and last quarters were gripping, and the middle could have been edited and shortened, for a more uniform reading experience.
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I think there should be a trigger warning for pregnant women or mothers with kids under one year old, as some scenes are a bit intense.
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Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't really know what compelled me to pick this up, I'm not usually into this kind of set-up of did-they-or-didn't-they-abuse-their-own-kid, so bear that in mind if you are reading this review.

For the most part the writing was well done, I wish the difference between 'voices' were a little more coherent and didn't love the back and forth timeline. Also, when presenting a chapter as being set in the past I don't expect it to contain any hindsight, then it it's just a memory not that moment in time.

The conclusion was fairly obvious and I didn't get a feeling that making it to the end of the book had really paid off.

I hope you enjoy this if it is your cuppa, but it isn't mine.

Every mother's nightmare, having harm coming to one's child, and fearing for their safety at every turn; or worse, being overcome with thoughts of harming one's own baby.

What a gripping and highly emotional rollercoaster ride! The characters are real and relatable. The subject matter is relevant and eye-opening. We are all susceptible to mental health issues, no one is immune. The highlights are the relationships among friends and learning how to support, not judge and be a listening ear to those who need help.

This story would definitely not be for everyone as it is a very difficult subject . Post partum depression and mental health issues are explored. Therefore it could be a difficult read for some.

This was such an interesting read! It captivated me right from the start and I couldn't put it down. Mostly because I just had to know what the heck happened. It's a pretty heartbreaking story, a bit of an eye opener about how some mothers suffering from postpartum or extreme anxiety might feel.

Jess is a stay-at-home mother of three, her youngest, Betsey is just 10 months old and proving to be a way harder baby than her two boys. Having a third baby has tipped the scales for her and she's not cruising through motherhood as effortlessly as she once had. Her husband works in excess and is hardly around and the isolation and overwhelming sense of having to handle everything alone is taking it's toll.

Jess's close group of mom friends have always thought she was the super-star mom. Until one evening Betsey is brought into the ER with a severe head injury and an explanation from Jess that just doesn't add up. Is Jess not who her friends thought she was?

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story as it slowly reveals all the events leading up to the head injury and it keeps you flipping through the pages. I definitely had a hard time putting this one down and the story left me with lots of think about. A few trigger warnings as there is some discussion about child abuse, infertility and postpartum depression. Definitely recommend!

Little Disasters is a book that has so many aspects to it.

It's a book about friendship, about motherhood, about postpartum depression, about relationships and its part mystery but more drama.

Anyone that is or has raised children from the newborn stage and upwards knows how exhausting motherhood can be.

Its a book about 4 friends that had their children around the same time. One of their babies gets hurt at home and Liz one of the group has to call Social Services.

The characters all have their own story, they tell it well as you hope and pray for Betsy as she lies in intensive care.

Secrets can shatter families, relationships but will the truth strengthen them.

Little Disasters is well worth the read and I know this book will stay with me for quite awhile.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada, Atria /Emily Bestler books for a thought provoking read .

I found this thriller quite repetitive and easy to catch on - i loved the cover and the synopsis, but the actual novel fell flat

I could not put this book down! I found the writing quite compassionate and really liked how well each of the characters were developed. The reader had insight into every character’s perspective. An emotional, realistic story line. Would definitely recommend to parents ( of any gender ) or “parents to be“.

Little Disasters Review

WARNING ⚠️ this book deals with some pretty strong topics like postpartum depression/anxiety/psychosis, intrusive thoughts, thoughts of violence all involving children.

As a mother who suffers with anxiety and depression and even occasional intrusive thoughts this book really hit home. I truly enjoyed it and it felt so realistic! It reminds of of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty in the writing style and the close knit community of privilege feel. I enjoyed the alternate perspectives done by chapter. What a great read. I would recommend this one if you are a fan of books such as Big Little Lies.

SYNOPSIS

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.

Firstly, Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC. I’ve never read anything by this author, and I’ll say I was pleasantly surprised. I’ll say that it wasn’t what I expected when I requested it; I got the impression it was more a psychological thriller, and I’ll say it wasn’t as mysterious/psychological as I expected; now that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy because I did. It was a fast read that definitely hooked me from the start. I felt heart broken for Jess and the pain she went through as a mother dealing with sever postpartum depression (although I tend to believe she had more post part in psychosis due to the actual thought of harming her baby). I suppose the thriller part comes out at the end, but I just thought it wasn’t entirely necessary because the issue was resolved, and it didn’t play anything on the outcome of the situation. Overall it’s a good book, I just think it’s more of a book about family, relationships, and motherhood rather than a thriller.

When a friend brings her baby to hospital with a head injury, Liz is sure it was just an accident. When her superior takes over, he is immediately suspicious and demands Liz call the authorities. Liz is torn between doing the right thing professionally for the baby, without breaking the bond of her friendship with Jess.

When exhausted Jess shows up at the hospital with her baby, she’s grateful that her friend Liz is attending and hopes it will be a quick check, in and out. However, when she learns the baby has a fractured skull, and the authorities are on their way, Jess is filled with fear and dread.

When the police become involved, the investigation unravels truths and reveals more than what the group of friends bargained for.

Addressing issues and getting behind the societal norms around Post-Partum Depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, parenting, Little Disasters broaches—with grace and finesse, their grim realities.

Sarah Vaughan delivers an excellent storyline, relatable characters, and carries off a page-turning, one-sit read.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the read of Sarah Vaughan’s, Little Disasters.

Opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.