This book is based after the aftermath of a school shooting. The plot is interesting but felt flat in places. The ending was very predictable.

Great little novel here, lots of twists and turns and the characters were solid, fast paced with a great ending it’s one to watch out for!

The blurb for this does not give much away, I will not do so either as it makes sense why there is little detail when you read the book. It did mean I started this not knowing what to expect but I really enjoyed it. From the beginning we know something has happened but we are not sure what until Hewitt reveals the truth. Even then, there are multiple levels to be revealed and this has a complex plot that plays out. I thought the characters were good and the plot devastating.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance copy.

An emotional tale of family secrets which slowly become unravelled following a school shooting.

Being fond of fast paced thrillers, this book was just too much of a slow burner for me and unfortunately, for the first half in particular, I questioned whether I would even finish it. Whilst the storyline itself is good, I just didn't find myself eager to read it and continued out of a sense of duty rather than enjoyment. Perhaps it would be better suited to those who enjoy a drama as opposed to a thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

'A good mother will do anything for her child... maybe even kill for him'

This is a story of the aftermath of a school shooting and how a mother deals with the death of her son... every parents worse nightmare!

This is a book that really sat with me and got under my skin, as a mother to three secondary school children it felt so easy to place myself in Sara's shoes and it wasn't a place I wanted to be!

Told in dual timelines spaced a year apart, it was rather slow for the first part of the book but the second half does speed up and gives an unexpected ending *no spoilers*

Admittedly it did feel rather flat at times but the actual plot definitely pulled at my heart strings. Personally I felt that the past story was alot more gripping than the present story which seemed to drag on alot more in my opinion.

A well written story of grief, guilt and trauma that even though paced slowly to begin with, once it gains momentum it's a real page turner.

With thanks to netgalley and Canelo for the ARC.

The plot grabbed me straight away but where it fell down was it didnt fell like a thriller to me. I also found it to be predictable , which was very disappointing.

This book had me stumped. Sitting smug and thinking I had it all thought out, the author put me in my place. Finally we have a thriller that will keep you your toes.

A good read
The book is narrated by the two main characters Sara and Scott
All about the events of twelve months ago and their move to Rielder Forest
Thanks NetGalley

Lots of twists and turns keeping you turning the pages late into the night.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book

This was a fun read. I would suggest to others. I was locked in from the beginning. My friends were trying to get my attention, but this book had it!

An intense book about family relationships and the aftermath of trauma . Sara is the mother of two sons, though it is gradually revealed that they were all involved in a shooting at the boys' school and all is not as it first appears. Sara has severed ties with their previous life and they are now living in an isolated cabin in the Kielder Forest.
Sara is working at an art/therapy centre . Her neighbour, Travis, is also working there as a teacher, come therapist. He seems keen to start a relationship with Sara and to also provide counselling, though it is hinted that he has been warned off doing this because he is not qualified to do so.
Slow moving, until the last few chapters, this book is a thoughtful read with a couple of unexpected turns in the story . The characters are well portrayed and the emotions in the past and current situations well described . I felt that not all loose ends were tied up and several questions raised by the events.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is a first time read for me by this author and I was not disappointed. Although it started out a little slow, it didn't take long for it to pick up and pull me into the story. This is a suspenseful and gripping story about the aftermath of the tragedy of a school shooting and how a mother deals with it and how she can help her son. Despite the fact Sara and her family have moved to a new place, there is still a darkness hanging over her family because of that earlier tragedy. The story was well-written and interesting and held my attention from beginning to end. The plot was intriguing and there were some twists and turns which kept me thoroughly engaged. It's a compelling page-turner with a twist you won't see coming. A gripping story you won't be able to put down! I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more by this author.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The Other Son by J.M. Hewitt I loved this book and it was a really good book. I wasn't sure at the beginning but once I got through the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't put it down, So I am glad I stuck with it.

Sara and her family needed a fresh start after a tragedy that ruined many lives. They have found peace since arriving at their new home in the Kielder Forest National Park twelve months ago. That is, unless you count the dark cloud that has settled over them, and the crippling tension behind closed doors. Sara tries to pretend everything is normal, but in reality she is haunted by a devastating truth about one of her children.Sara and her family needed a fresh start after a tragedy that ruined many lives.

Travis has a reputation as a counsellor skilled at helping troubled teens. He has been watching Sara. He sees her fragility, and believes that he can fix her and her eldest son. Like his mother, Scott barely speaks, and has a look in his eye that hints at unimaginable trauma. If Travis could only get close to Sara she would see that he can protect her, and put an end to their suffering.

🔴 Trigger Warning: School Shooting, Massacre 🔴

I highly recommend this book so stick with it, it will not disappoint.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion

Thanks netgalley for letting me read this very emotional and sad story.
Did I feel sorry for Sarah who had lost her other son.
Sarah had two sons but one was her favourite.
They were both at school when one of the boys from the school came to school with a gun and started ramdonly killing the children.
Which was came home and which one was killed, it was the other son who came home.
Sarah could not recover from loosing her favourite son, she ran away with Scott the other son, and tried to live her life, but itv was not possible until she found out the truth about what happened that terrible day at school, and she knew that she had to protect her son who,escaped at any cost.
This was a brilliant read really enjoyed it.

This was pretty good and definitely gripping but I felt the characterisation just didn't match the story. The ending was also a bit rushed. Good but I have read better in the genre.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest review and opinion. J.M. Hewitt knows how to take a scary topic (School Shooting) and draw you in and pray it never happens to your family. I thought the book started off a bit slow but stuck with it and was so glad I did. Great read and I look forward to reading additional books by this author.

Sara and her family needed a fresh start after a tragedy that ruined many lives. They have found peace since arriving at their new home in the Kielder Forest National Park twelve months ago. That is, unless you count the dark cloud that has settled over them, and the crippling tension behind closed doors. Sara tries to pretend everything is normal, but in reality she is haunted by a devastating truth about one of her children.
Travis has a reputation as a counsellor skilled at helping troubled teens. He has been watching Sara. He sees her fragility, and believes that he can fix her and her eldest son. Like his mother, Scott barely speaks, and has a look in his eye that hints at unimaginable trauma. If Travis could only get close to Sara she would see that he can protect her, and put an end to their suffering.
Yet below the surface, Sara is anything but weak. No matter what, she won’t give up on her child. And when she is cornered, she will go to extreme lengths to protect her most precious boy.

****TRIGGER WARNING-SHOOTING*****

The trigger warning is for school shooting.
This is a slow burn but boy does it really ramp up!!!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own hone\st voluntary review.

I really struggled with this one I found it a slow burn which made it hard for me to engage with and it just didn't have much going it was stagnant and I found the plot predictable, just wasn't to my taste..

A unique story. I recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller or mystery, to add this book to your list. Your pulse will race as this story takes you on unforeseen twists and turns as the mystery is unfolding; be prepared to hang on tight.

The Other Son was a complete page turner for me. It drew me in and I needed to keep reading as I needed to know the ending. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my ARC.