Two Little Girls by Laura Jarratt Well written, intense domestic drama with complicated dynamics within the family. Highly emotional issues after daughter's tragic death was depressing and hard to read. The final outcome was unexpected and controversial which the author's notes at the end go far in explaining the reasoning behind it. Not a comfortable read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This is a tough review for me to write, because up until the end of the book, I thought I knew what this review would be like, generally speaking. And it wasn't positive. The blurb really doesn't say anything about a mystery/suspense angle, but it's quite prominent throughout the book. And I really struggled with that aspect of the storyline. I was far more interested in the family dynamic and how each of the characters struggled to manage and work through their grief. That's what drew me in and caused me to want to read this. So the suspense piece was really more of a distraction, and a glaring one at times. In the end, I got the connection and how the mystery tied into the grief and recovery, but it was difficult to get to that point. Once I did, it was a bit of an "ah-ha" moment. So I am glad I didn't completely trash this book in my head before I finished it. The characters were fabulous - never in a million years would I want to be faced with the ordeal they all went through. I thought the author did a great job of describing individual facets of emotion and grief from the same incident. Overall, if you can try and separate the different genres that this book represents, it's a wonderful read that really digs into an incredibly emotional and traumatic event.

Keeping this Thriller review kind of vague! If you're a Lisa Jewell lover, this may be for you.

5 things to know:

▪︎ I read this book in one day over 10 hours, it was very hard to put down! Breaks are necessary.

▪︎ Given its storyline, yes it's depressing and if you're a mother it will be a tougher read. It packs such deep emotion in tackling such a sensitive subject.

▪︎ It will without a doubt make an excellent book club pick! Lots to spark up a convo on–which leads me to my last...

▪︎ The ending was very much unexpected and has to be one of the most controversial closings to a book that I've come across in a bit. Oof...you guys! :X

▪︎ Appreciated the 'conversation with the author' at the end.

Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this one early!

Two Little Girls is set to publish on 5/3!

3.5 ⭐️’s rounded up!

What an emotional ride this book was. & gosh, my thoughts are so scattered after finishing it. First of all, this will make a great book club selection… there is so much to talk about and there will be a lot of opinions floating around.

The ending of this book will absolutely not be for everyone. I’m not sure it was for me. But, I applaud the author for going there and for bringing out the emotions in me as a reader. I struggled a little bit with connecting to the mystery of the book. I also struggled understanding Lizzie’s decisions at the end of this book after learning about her desperation to become a mother.

Overall, I was flipping pages pretty quickly from beginning to end and I enjoyed the author’s writing style. I’d definitely read another one of Laura’s books in the future and I’m interested to see how others feel about this one.

A mother on a getaway with two daughters
A car accident
An agonizing decision
What happens after an accident? Who is guilty of causing it? How do you mend physically and mentally? All these questions are explored in this book. It will pull you in and not let go until the end. I was surprised by the ending. If you like mystery/thrillers you will enjoy this book.

Thank you to #netgalley, @LauraJarratt, @SourceBooks for a copy of this book.

A terrific debut novel. One horrible crash leaves a family with just one daughter. For a few chapters readers are left in the dark about which daughter survived. It tears the family apart with each member dealing with the grief and tragedy in their own way. But was it really an accident? Or was someone responsible for the horrific events?
There are many stages of emotion to cycle through in this novel. The ending was really good.
I love,the cover.

If your two children were in a terrible accident and you had to choose to save one, which would you choose? This is what Lizzie has to face when she is in a terrible car accident with her two daughters. As she recovers from her own serious injuries, she must also come to terms with the decision that she was forced to make, choosing one daughter over another. The hardest part is, she doesn’t know why the car crashed and the police are pressing her, insisting that she must have fallen asleep or been negligent in some fashion. We view the terrible aftermath through the eyes of Lizzie. This was an emotional story to read with a surprise ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

In "Two Little' Girls", a mother survives a car crash and has a split second to save one of her two daughters. As a mother, I cannot even imagine the horror of having to make a split second decision as to which child to save, and then having to deal with the guilt and grief over the dead child. This novel artfully explores this journey through heartbreak, along with questions about what caused the accident. An intense, thought-provoking read.

Wow!! I am a huge thriller reader and this one blew me away!! The suspense was palpable until the very end and really kept me guessing.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Two Little Girls from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This book for sure is an absolute page turner that will keep you guessing all the way to the very end. I absolutely enjoyed this book and trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

This book was sent to me electronically for review from Netgalley. This is a book that is difficult to put down...difficult to keep reading...I liked this book...I really liked this story. Innovative...thoughts that I never would have imagined coming into the minds of the characters...some of the story is easy to discern, but there are other parts that I would never have guessed....mystery....intrigue...sadness...gladness...marriage...daughters...clients...This author has found her genre...psychological thriller...red herrings are placed within the story to cause the reader to wonder...who did it? Why? Is it truly a man or is it perhaps a woman? Will it end? WHEN will it end? Will the family find peace? One never gets over a tragedy; one gets through it to begin anew...I can't say enough good things about the writing in this book. Each word has meaning. .If I could change one part of the book, it would be the part where the protagonist has to make a choice. That was chilling...However, that was what the book was about, so there...Plan to spend some time thinking while reading...predicting...wondering...I am glad this author wrote this story...

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Laura Jarratt for the advanced copy of Two Little Girls in exchange for my honest review.

Lizzie is driving home from a weekend away with her two daughters when her car veers off the road and into a lake, causing her to have to make a horrible choice. When the dust settles and she has recovered from her physical injuries, a police inquiry begins. While she tries to work through her grief and keep her family together, dark questions come into play... Was someone responsible for the accident?

I appreciate how well-written (and at times, utterly heartbreaking) this story was. I think my only true "issue" with it is that there is a lot of references to not only Lizzie's desperation to become a mother but how she is as a mother present day. I'm just not able to relate to that and I think it ultimately caused me to struggle to connect to the story.

The resolution of the big mystery of the story was also so-so for me, but I wholeheartedly appreciated the conclusion of the book. I'm always thrilled when everything is wrapped up nicely with no ambiguity to ponder over.

I would definitely read another Laura Jarratt book in the future, since, as previously mentioned, I really thought this was written well!

Two Little Girls is on bookshelves in the US May 3, 2022!

This book left me wondering, as a mother could I chose? The trauma that the family goes through after the accident and how they respond to the aftermath. But was it an accident, who is responsible? Did she fall asleep or is something more sinister in play? I was completely surprised by the ending.

This was a good, albeit very sad, thriller. The plot and characters were interesting and the book was suspenseful. The ending was very emotional. Although it was a sad read, I did enjoy it and will look for other books from this author.

An emotional rollercoaster that deals with grief in intense and tangible ways. A mother, Lizzie, is returning from vacation with her two daughters when tragedy strikes. The tragedy and healing journies are only magnified with questions, mistrust, and heartbreak. The author examines grief and how it looks different for everyone through this family struggling to find answers and put what pieces are left back together. I had a hard time getting into the book and as the intensity heightened wasn't sure I wanted to finish it either, but I am so glad I did. The character storylines are artfully interwoven and I found myself really wanting the family to stay intact in whatever way that means for them after suffering this tragedy.

When Lizzie survives a car crash she immediately thinks of her two daughters in the car. She only has time to save one.. and has to make a choice which one. In the aftermath she tries to cope with the decision she made but other questions arise as well.

This story examines a woman who made a tragic and difficult decision and has to live with the knowledge afterwards. In graduate school grief counseling was one of my favorite courses. I felt the grief in this story was very true to life. Although I’ve read many books with grief recovery as the plot, this one had such a unique plot which is what made me want to read it in the first place. While I enjoyed the psychology and the plot, the mystery was lacking for me. I didn’t feel an attachment to finding out The Who’s and why’s. Watching the family grow together (and apart) within their grief was the best part of the story for me.

“From the moment they are born, you know it will be their life over yours. Their life over your husband’s, and that is just the way of things. But to have to choose one over the other? The vilest of choices.”

Two Little Girls comes out 5/3.

Holy Smokes! This was one of the most emotionally intense novels I have read. I almost abandoned it after the first third of the book because it was so depressing. However, I am glad that I stuck with it for the provocative and creative ending.

Lizzie Fulton is returning from a vacation with her two daughters when a tragic accident occurs that forces her to make an untenable choice: she can only save one child and the decision must be made in a split second. The grief and guilt she feels is compounded by the suspicious and unsympathetic police who want to hold her responsible for the death and her amnesia surrounding the event. As the story unfolds, the fault lines that existed in the family prior to the accident begin to widen and the family is shattered apart by the emotional toll of their loss.

As previously mentioned, the author displays an ability to evoke the spectrum of reactions – shock, denial, anger, grief, despair, fear and withdrawal – through highly emotional scenes. The characters are not necessarily likeable, but they are truly human in their responses to the tragedy. The pacing kept me engaged, although I took breaks from reading when it became too intense.

The controversial ending is not going to please everyone, but I found it profoundly satisfying. I imagine this novel as a great selection for a book club as it is sure to engender much reflection and conversation. Kudos to the author for tackling a challenging subject with such clarity and insight.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

The book is absorbing - However, I had some major problems with this book.

spoiler alert!

First, I would not recommend this book for anyone who is an adopted child or adopting parents. I think a major plot devise will offend them.

Secondly, the book is extremely depressing. Be prepared for numerous characters suffering bereavement and guilt.

I also did not like the way it ended.

Two Little Girls is a fantastic page turner, full of twist and turns.
And if I'm being honest it was one of those that was extremely hard for me.
Which ultimately kept me glued to the pages.
Very compelling novel with the excellent writing and the fast-paced plot thks is one to be remembered. Laura is one fabulous author and I look forward to reading much more of her work!
A thrilling that keeps you guessing until the end.
This book was fast paced, gripping, entertaining, dramatic and just all round amazing. I would like to say that I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen at the end but in reality, I had no idea. Which I think is the sign of a good thriller, right?
The writing is fabulous, had me feeling every single moment of fear, unease, and creepiness.
One thriller you won't want to miss!

Sourcebooks Landmark,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

This book definitely kept me turning the page to figure out what would happen next. As a parent, this would have been a difficult decision to make-to decide which child you will save and which one you will not. I normally do not read books like this because they tend to sit heavy on my heart, but I did find it intriguing.

I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and opinion.