If you want to talk about a novel that takes you through the depths of just what a mother would do for her child-- WOW! Do No Harm was an incredibly well written story that explores said depths and the world of a mother and just what she would go through for her son.

Disclaimer first and foremost: Some of the reviews I have read really give away way more than what I would like for this story. Thankfully I went in blind and I 100% recommend that every one else do that as well. The story as a whole was genuinely heart-felt but knowing what it wasn't about right off the bat really added to the element of shock and surprise.

The characters in this novel were also a hit with me which seems to be a staple in any Christina McDonald novel. They were complex and deep enough that I kept wondering more about them and wondering what they could possibly be playing in the role of Nate, Emma, and Josh.

Do No Harm is depressing, emotional, poignant, fast paced, and chilling. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time waiting to see how everything would unravel and play out. With Christina's trademark emotionally charged writing, I couldn't read this book fast enough. I've read all of her books as of today and all of them have knocked me off of my feet. If you haven't read a Christina McDonald novel yet-- I'm not sure what you're waiting on.

Emma finds out that her son has an aggressive cancer and needs very expensive life saving treatment to survive. Emma is a doctor with a lot of medical school debt, and her husband Nate is a police detective. They quickly discover that their health insurance barely covers 10% of the cost, and neither of them make enough money to pay their bills and pay for the treatment he needs.

So Emma finds a way to pay for his medical care because saving her son is the most important thing in her world... and she ends up on a dark path of deception, especially as a doctor that took an oath to 'do no harm' and a husband in law enforcement investigating the opioid crisis in their small town. This book will make you wonder what you would do if put in the same situation? Definitely more family drama, than thriller (until the very end), but a nail biting read at the same time.

How far would you go to protect the life of your son? Emma’s son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and the best chance of survival is an expensive form of treatment that neither she nor her husband can afford. Being a doctor has its benefits, though, even if that means illegally writing prescriptions for opioids to pay for her son’s treatment. But with a husband in law enforcement, only time will tell when this ticking time bomb of secret will explode.

This was such a suspenseful read, and I really enjoyed reading it! It kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how everything would pan out. I was a little disappointed when a certain character died because it seemed like an easy out, but overall it was a good read and I definitely recommend it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3561863428

A mother’s love has no bounds. Doctors vows to do no harm. This story teeters on the line of what is right and what is wrong and the only way to choose is to choose true love. A gripping and heart wrenching journey of a mother, who would risk her own life to save the life of her young son, by any means possible. An intense an unexpecting page turner that is good to the very last page. Another great story by Christina McDonald.

A highly anticipatory storyline full of emotion and fantastic plot twists. The layers of deceit, moral ambiguity, and grief are all piled high as Christina McDonald weaves a story sure to make readers question their own morals. The complexity of characterization is utterly brilliant and deserves recognition. Great book club read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #DoNoHarm which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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This is only my third "Christina McDonald" novel and I am a fan!!
The others were excellent reds and I was looking forward to this novel.

Emma, a doctor, her husband Nate, a police office and their sick son Josh. Parents are in a medical situation of saving the life of her sick child.
I experienced so many emotions while reading this story. I was on the edge of my seat. Many times yelling at the characters especially Emma~ what is the matter with you? You are going to go to prison!! Your son will have no mother.

I read a lot of psychological thrillers and try to figure them out. This story had me fearing the worst.
. Then ”Yikes what just happened?”

Christina McDonald did not disappoint.
“Do No Harm” earns 5 stars from me and I give very few 5 star ratings!

Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 16, 2021

This book was fantastic! It tugged at the heart strings and was action packed. I enjoyed the writing style and liked that we had alternating view points from both Emma and her husband, Nate. I really liked the plot of this book focusing on the idea of how far would you go to save your child when the healthcare system is failing us. I thought the overall conversation about healthcare and the opioid drug crisis was done very well.

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I had no business staying up until 1:30 AM reading the second half of the book because I was then awake for almost 3 more hours processing what I had read! A doctor and her detective husband are devastated to learn that their young son is very ill and may not survive his illness. There is a potential treatment, but it is expensive and their insurance doesn't cover it. She lost her parents as a teenager. He abandoned his best friend to the bullies in high school over a petty argument and blames himself for the young man's subsequent suicide. They have kept secrets layered over secrets from each other and as they take their own paths to find the money they need to pay for their son's treatment, the reader learns just what each parent is capable of.

This is not only a psychological thriller with twists and surprises coming fast and furious, but a story of how one's beliefs, morals, decency, compassion and hate can change you.

Emma, a doctor, married to detective Nate, just finds out that their young son has cancer, with the only chance for. a cure is a new, very expensive treatment that is not covered by insurance. In a panic, Emma decides that the quickest way to raise money is to write prescriptions for opioids in a drug ring that her brother is involved in. Meanwhile, her husband Nate is actively working the case to find the leaders and break up this drug ring. Thus begins the deception and scrambling to keep her husband from finding out she is a part of this.

While the thought of "the ends justify the means" or the moral dilemma explored here is an intriguing plot, I think Emma comes across as quite unlikable with terrible decision-making skills. For example, it took her like 4 seconds to decide to sell drugs, without exploring other ideas or even really discussing other options with family and friends. For those reasons, the plot wasn't as amazing as it could be. What I did find interesting and thought-provoking is the discussion surrounding why so many people have become addicted to opioids in the first place. It is tragic what has been done to some of these people.

Overall, a good book, with a great interesting finish.

Emma is a mother and doctor. Her husband, Nate, is a police officer. Together they have a beautiful son, Josh. Their world turns upside down when Josh is diagnosed with leukemia. The best chance for him to live is with an expensive treatment that their insurance won’t cover. Emma is determined to do whatever it takes to save her son.

As a mother I felt for Emma. She needs to do whatever she has to for her son. Emma risks everything to get the necessary money to pay for Josh’s treatment. She has to make some very tough decisions and I loved how the author navigated me through Emma’s decisions.

I loved this book. The basic plot of a mother going to great lengths to save her son is turned into a thrilling novel.

After receiving an early copy of this book, I inhaled it! The story begins with a stabbing in the dark, leaving one wondering who could have been hurt and how they might have failed. It then jumps to present day when you meet the main characters, Emma and Nate Sweeney, and their son. The story accelerates into high gear with the family faced with a crippling decision: how to save their son who was just diagnosed with cancer. The family rallies around Josh, looking to find an effective cure for him despite the cost. This leads to a series of events that will come to define do the ends justify the means. Thank you for the opportunity to read the book early.

The first time I ever cried while reading a suspense novel was when I read The Night Olivia Fell, Christina McDonald's debut novel. In her latest novel, she has done it again--written a novel which is a jaw-dropping, tense thriller that is also heart-wrenching and emotional. She has given us a story that you can't put down, with nonstop action and deep dark secrets and deception. At the same time, we are introduced to characters who are suffering, who wedge their way into our hearts, who we hope will come out okay on the other side. In this book, we are given so much to think about, and I felt like I had to dig deep to understand the complexities of the story and the people living it. Do No Harm brings us into the seedy world of the opioid epidemic, seeing it from so many points of view--the addicts, the dealers, law enforcement--really causing me to think beyond the black and white of addiction. There are so many fascinating layers to this story, the lines increasingly blurred--good vs evil, right vs wrong, relieving unbearable pain vs the cost (mental, physical, and monetary) of addiction--which begs the question, "Does the ends justify the means?" To say that the characters in this book are complex doesn't even scratch the surface of all of the emotions that they brought out in me. This line really stuck with me, and although it was spoken by Emma, it can be applied to so many of the characters: "But I knew how easy it was to hide the darker side of yourself from others, even those you loved. To hide fear and sadness, anger and hostility. The mask was easy. It was honesty, openness, and trust that were truly difficult to manage." With all of its twists and turns, heartache and fear, in the end this is an emotionally-driven story of a desperate mother, who will let nothing stop her from saving her son.

Another amazing book by an outstanding author!
Emma will do anything to save her young son Josh who has been diagnosed with cancer. Emma is an upstanding doctor following her dream with her Detective husband Nate when their world come crashing down. Josh is in kindergarten and still with a long life ahead if only his parents can come up with the huge sum of money for his lifesaving treatment. They are scraping money together, something that young parents can relate to, just to make ends meet. Emma has a plan to cash in on the opioid market in order to fund the cancer treatment while Nate is trying to solve murders relating to the drug crisis. How far will Emma go to save her son’s life? Is his life worth the loss of others? How long can she keep her double life a secret from Nate before the two worlds collide.
The author is so descriptive that I could see and feel what was going on! It was thought provoking and as a mother, it made we wonder how far I would go and I felt compassion and was letting her off the hook for her transgressions in the name of her son!
Be ready to stay up way past your bedtime because you won’t want to put this book down! Another winner! Thank you Netgalley , Gallery Books and Christina McDonald for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Sometimes you’re dealt a losing hand you might win, sometimes you’re dealt a winning hand you might lose. You just gotta play the cards you’re dealt.
Christina McDonald-Do No Harm

Emma is a doctor and a mother. Nate is a detective and a father. Josh is a little boy, a son diagnosed with a deadly cancer and with that comes expensive treatments. Desperate to save her son, Emma decides to sell opioids to help pay for his treatment. Emma is quickly thrown into a world of drugs, lies and murder. It’s a modern day cat and mouse case as Nate is desperate to solve the case of who is behind the opioid crisis in their town. Will Emma be able to save her son in time? Or will she be caught?

What did I like:
1. I feel like this story was made for tv or movie. I think it would play on the big screen nicely. As I mentioned, its a cat and mouse chase with lots of secrets and sneakiness.
2. Not only does the book touch on the touch topic of opioid addiction, which is a big problem in our country, I liked that it also addressed the patients who are harmed the most. The ones who truly need pain killers to treat the daily chronic pain they have but can’t get it because doctors are afraid to prescribe it.

What I didn’t like:
1. I had a hard time relating to the characters and I felt like they could have been developed a little more. It was also told in two points of view, Nate and Emma’s but the chapters weren’t labeled. So it was hard to distinguish sometimes between the two.
2. While the plot and storyline was a good idea, I felt like the delivery was lacking. Relationships and friendships would appear out of nowhere and the timeline didn’t always make sense. The story would jump ahead days or a week at a time and the reader was left to figure that out on their own. As an example, someone was thrown into a river and then the next chapter that person is found and its indicated they’ve been in the water for 6-8 days but that didn’t follow the pattern for the rest of the story. I think titles like “X days later” or something would have been helpful.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Wow, what an ending! I had in my mind what I was going to say for my review as I was reading this book, but then as I neared the ending, everything changed! A question I often ask myself is what constitutes my rating? Is it the writing done by the author? How much I enjoyed the book? Is it determined by if I can relate to the characters or story? The answer is really that it depends... I absolutely can’t relate to the story and definitely not to the mother, Emma. I was disappointed in her actions over and over again but, really, it doesn’t matter because her poor choices made a REALLY GOOD book to read! The author was very creative and talented and I was surprised at the unexpected twists and sudden intensity at the end! Great job!

I have enjoyed all of Christina Henry’s work, but this one might just be my fav! The character development was amazing, and the plot was realistic, unique, and absolutely well researched. Some have you shaking your head, as you read the misinformation they spread throughout different areas, this does the opposite! It keeps you on the edge of the seat, holding your breath, and gasping in shock; all while covered in goosebumps! Very emotional, as are all her books! I highly, highly recommend! As many say, 3rd times the charm, and while Henry’s first two were great, I think this one out-blew them! Do not start before bedtime, in fact clear schedule, as I promise it’s one of those that needs read in one sitting!

Will buzz around and use lower Amazon reviewer number on release date!

I will always read anything this author puts out. I just love the way she writes, the way she tells a story. That being said this was my least favorite of hers.

The characters were too much for me. She (Emma) was so very alone, an orphan. He (Nate) was the strong white knight that “completed” her. The child (Josh) was just such a doll. Yet, there is a darkness to Emma.

There were twists. Some I saw coming, others not so much. I did like the ending though. That was dark and twisty!

Again, this author is wonderfully talented. This story was more “emotional” than her two previous stories. It was still quite good and entertaining, and I’m sure it will be a big hit, I just liked the two prior books more.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Gallery Books for a copy in exchange for a review.

Wow. This is my favorite book by Christina McDonald so far. It was such an emotional read for me. It hit me on all different levels and I could tell she really did her research on all the issues in this book. I loved how she addressed the opioid crisis and how it has affected people who live in chronic pain like me. I’m also a medical mamma, so I understand the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. It was beautifully written and gave a voice to those who suffer while also keeping you in suspense!

When I first started querying, The Night Olivia Fell was one of my comp titles. I devoured that book and loved the gritty, real-life relationships McDonald developed. When I saw Do No Harm available, I immediately hit request and was thrilled to be approved.

Emma is a respected doctor and Nate is a detective on the cusp of a promotion. They have a wonderful son and a happy relationship--until, that is, their lives are turned upside down when their son Josh is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. On borrowed time and faced with an insurmountable debt, Emma has a choice to make: break the law, let herself be drawn into a complex underworld of drugs and opioid distribution, or turn down the only treatment that could possibly save her son's life and lose the only family she's ever known.

I really enjoyed this book.

As I've come to expect from McDonald's work, no character can be taken at face value; nobody is wholly good or bad. Nate is a wonderful foil for Emma, trying to do the right thing and proving that no amount of good intentions can fix the unfixable. You can't make money appear out of thin air. You can't take away chronic illness. People aren't infallible creatures.

The duality of Emma's personality is what makes this book work so well. On the one hand, she's a loving wife, successful doctor, doting mother, and admired member of the community. On the other hand, she's had a troubled past and isn't above using her position in order to save the most important thing in her life. She doesn't stick to her morals as you might expect of the leading female role in a thriller/suspense. Rather, she examines her morality and makes a decision based on what she thinks she can live with. Is she willing to break her husband's trust, the implied societal rules, the law in order to save her son?

Yes, she is, and that leads us to another interesting aspect of this book. Drug use in this country is a rampant social issue that affects a significant portion of the population on a daily basis. Opioids, in particular, once readily available and over-prescribed, are now regulated and noted for their addictive qualities--a fact McDonald leans into hard. There is no delicate handling of this subject. We see characters struggling with addiction. Chronic pain. Illegal immigrants drawn into dealing because they have few options or become trapped. We see "regular" people, teachers, and doctors, and store owners, involved in this underbelly of drug activity--and I think this is so important. Movies and TV portray drugs as cartel clashes and turf wars, but McDonald's characters emphasize that dangers don't always come from "the outside," and people can do bad things for good reasons. Good and bad, indeed, are subjective and always changing.

I think many readers will relate to this book. It's entertaining and dramatic without being indulgent, and it breathes an authentic complexity into its characters that is too often overlooked.

Smart, dark, and fast-paced, Do No Harm has teeth and and grit and isn't afraid to bite back. Out in February, I see this one rising the charts again and look forward to more from McDonald.

Big thanks to Gallery and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.