I wasn't sure how I expected this story to play out based on the blurb but in the end it was a great read that explores trauma, the aftermath of trauma and all the questions that can most likely never be answered after a horrific event. The questions this author poses the audience range across the spectrum from gun violence, grief, mental health, the justice system and everything in between. This then offers the reader a thrilling read while bringing new viewers to important topics in our world today.

This story gripped me from the start. I couldn't tear my eyes from the book because the story says a lot. It is a perfect mix of women's fiction, drama, and a pinch of romance that unraveled at a semi-fast pace, with relatable characters and themes that got me thinking. This is a debut for the author and I can't wait to read the next one soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and BDA Publishing for the eARC.

Perhaps this was not the right time for me to choose to read Hiding Places. Shootings in general are sometimes hard for me to stomach, but the idea of it being in the ER really messed with my head.

This was a story about a tragic mass shooting and the effects it has on people. The people who witness it and the people who are related or close to the victim. The intense trauma after the fact and how it brought strangers to bond by their grief and anxiety left in the wake.

I found the characters relatable. This is very intense content and heavy subject matter. Overall a good story.

I sped through/skimmed this book in the end because it was really painful for me to read. The writing was decently well written but I found the level of continuous trauma and grief mixed with weird romantic intentions, etc. off-putting. I appreciate that this story imitates life in some ways, but I personally could not get myself fully invested because of how challenging I found this book. For my own emotional wellbeing it just wasn't worth it.

Hiding Places is a genre-blending dissection of a mass shooting and its fallout, from the immediate injuries to long lasting wounds that are less visible and more difficult to treat. It's fast-paced and immediately starts asking some important questions. This star rating represents three and a half rounded up. </b>

Ellie is an ER doctor who takes various posts across the country for short stints, dragging along husband Tom in her wake. When that proves a disastrous decision one Sunday morning at brunch, Ellie is left reeling, traumatized and plagued with guilt, self-doubt, and anxiety. Her only solace is James, another victim of the same event, and his warm network of friends and family. The narrative takes the idea of strangers bonding after an unfathomable tragedy and really runs with it (sometimes stretching my power of belief).

I found Ellie surprisingly relatable. Her thoughts are a mixture of introspection on death and morbidity interspersed with pragmatic moments of tending to James' injuries and trauma rather than her own. As a doctor, her often clinical perspectives, which are a self-protective measure as much as practical responses to the events that unfold in this book, were fascinating to experience.

Grief and trauma response are very subjective, especially given Ellie's predisposition to pragmatic behavior rather than emotional, though I still found myself wondering why a crisis or trauama counselor wasn't consulted in the wake of her experience...

I'd call this a blend of womens fiction, courtroom drama, and a smidge of romance. The story has a lot to say, and admittedly doesn’t always manage it gracefully. There are several social issues manifested on page, perhaps too many for one book to tackle. I had some questions about the realism of procedural aspects of the plot, and sometimes the writing employed some mixed metaphors.

Overall, this was a pleasantly quick-paced story, despite Ellie living in her head as she responds to trauma and life changes for much of it. The prose is pleasantly readable despite the heavy content. It's a thoughtful book, and is thought-provoking in turn.

Hiding Places really impressed me. Its a thriller, but also an exploration of grief, what happens to people who survived a tragic event, and how they may find comfort in other survivors because they feel like no one else will fully understand what they went through. There's also a focus on mental health and the system that fails mentally ill people time and time again.

I feel so bad for saying this, since we didn't even get to know Tom, but I shipped Ellie with James from their second scene together. I'm terrible, I know. I was really happy when their relationship progressed from co-survivors, to roommates, friends and then something more. It felt like such a natural progression, and it was beautifully written.

We get to see Ellie dealing with a lot of anxiety over what happened, if she did the right thing, if she should stay with James or leave, what she wants to do in life now that there's no more Tom, and then amplify that by a million when she gets arrested. Poor Ellie couldn't catch a break for most of the book.

That's why James is so important, he was there to ground her, help her through everything while dealing with his own survivor's guilt and injury. He's such a great character and perfect for Ellie, I think they balance each other out.

Though he also had some scenes where I was wondering what his intentions were, if he really was that kind or if there was a catch.

The story gripped me almost instantly, I read the blurb originally, but haven't given it a reread before I started so I wasn't sure where it was going until the gunman appeared, that was when I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen until I finished.

The ending was satisfying. I saw one twist coming, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment.

I'd love to read more books by this author in the future, I love their writing style and storytelling. And this is a debut by the way, kind of unbelievable with how good it is. I can't even imagine how amazing E. J. Post's sophomore book will be.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book was so good. I absolutely loved everything about it. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel! The writing is excellent, the story is great, the characters are wonderful. I'm gushing, yes.

Ellie is such a likeable, relatable character. She feels like a real person, not a written character. I loved watching her growth throughout the book, seeing her blossom into herself through such trauma and hardship was such a breath of fresh air, especially considering the subject matter.

This book has some heavy content and it was handled with so much grace and compassion. It was a beautiful way to frame such sensitive societal issues and I loved the empathy and understanding from Ellie.

Aside from that, this book was just a great read. It was fast paced and exciting, and I loved the bit of romance sprinkled in, without it becoming a full blown romance novel.

I am so impressed with this book and can't wait to see what else EJ Post has for us in the future!

This was a very enjoyable read, right from the beginning. One that I wasn't able to put down until I finished! The main characters were so easy to fall in love with. Will be recommending this book to everyone!

The cover pulls you in!

This book is tense, and the gun control aspect in the book I loved! The comparison to today is so real!

The touch on mental health and the impact on generations was great!

Readers that love Jodi Picoult will love this book! The characters are easy to like in this book!

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review

I really enjoyed this book. The quick pace and the relative comparison to today’s society. The help needed in our mental health system and the quickness to judge. Great book!

Hiding Places is a tense, topical read that touches on gun violence in America, the challenges of our healthcare system, an evolving perspective on mental health, and the impact of generational trauma. The plot and characters were immediately engaging; fans of Jodi Picoult will enjoy this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! This book touches on several important societal issues in a compelling and meaningful way.

I immediately loved the FMC, Ellie. She felt relatable and honest. Often times we deny our true feelings and identity or fib and make excuses. Ellie doesn’t! She faces her truths and digs deeper. She’s secure yet vulnerable, which is exactly my type of FMC!

I liked the MMC but often questioned his character. I believe this was the author’s intention and she nailed it!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, true crime, social/political issues with a touch of (closed door) romance.

Thank you NetGalley, BDA publishing and EJ Post for the opportunity to read this wonderful Arc! I look forward to more books by Post.

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I really appreciated the real life factors that Americans go through, (shootings, healthcare, trauma etc). The FMC was amazing, a savior to some and an enemy to others. Ellie worked through her trauma and became stronger. Bandit was also perfect ♥️
This was beautiful writing, dramatic but not overwhelming. I’m going to look for more from the author

Hiding Places by E.J Post is a blinding novel which is at once a reflection of contemporary soceity and the attitudes and behaviours displayed during and following the aftermath of catastrophic tragedy that has become sadly an almost daily occurrence in the US

Ellie and Tom had an idyllic life, hardworking, a happy marriage, lovely home and planning to have another child, until one fateful day, when a gunman walks into the diner where Ellie is due to meet her husband and their lives are changed forever. Ellie, an ER physician assistant, takes action, actions which will open wounds on multiple levels and not just her own

Ellie is a heroine to some and the worst villain to others, all under the glaring scrutiny of media and gossip, affecting every single part of her families life. A glaring commentary on contemporary soceital behaviours

Post's writing style is fluid and yet dynamic, dramatic yet gentle and all at once, honest and observant. I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone and especially those who have an interest in gripping thrillers, true crime and politics/ sociocultural issues.

Thank you to Netgalley, BDA Publishing and the incredible author E.J. Post for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

#netgalley #hidingplaces

This book! I expected profound and emotional, and I was not disappointed. Hiding Places is such a gorgeous, heart-wrenching portrayal of a young woman finding her footing after a traumatic event that steals every comfort she's ever known. It's going to resonate with everyone who has their own "hiding places" (so...everyone?? basically). And the social commentaries on mass shootings and the broken healthcare system in this country are spot on. As sad as it is, as a US citizen - if you don't have experience with one, you have it with the other (or both, increasingly). I loved Ellie and James, the golden retriever vibes of Benjamin, and the actual dog, Bandit.

I give this book a solid 3 stars. I could see what the author was trying to accomplish with the story, but there was just a little too much happening all at once. They were trying to provide commentary on mass shootings, the poor state of mental health services, the court system, and then trying to add a dash of romance that wasn't really necessary. I feel like James (MMC) could have been anyone when it came to this story. He didn't really stand out and I would have loved to had a little more from his point of view, being a victim along with the FMC. He was just kind of "there." It was obvious he was struggling with everything as well, but he was never truly touched on.

Ellie was a solid main character but for all the emotions that this story was trying to pull out of the reader, I didn't feel it in the writing. With that being said, the story did hook me and kept my attention. I was curious to see how everything was going to play out. The pacing was solid and I had no issues following along with the story lines. The ending did surprise me and I enjoyed the little twist.

This author will be one I keep an eye on for sure and I'm excited to see where their next story leads.

This was fantastic. I couldn’t put it down because I was so invested. I loved every second of this ride. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Publication date: April 16th, 2024
Page count: 304
Genre: domestic thriller
Setting: Chicago

Ellie is a traveling ER PA. While her husband is visiting her locum in Chicago, they have lunch at a restaurant. A shooter enters the restaurant, killing Elli’s husband, but she saves the life of a stranger James, and kills the shooter. Despite being seen by some as a hero, she is arrested, loses her job, and goes on trial.

The narrator was likable and I enjoyed the writing. However I did not find the book to be much of a mystery/ thriller- but more about grief, PTSD, society issues and romance- which isn’t the escape that I am looking for when reading a book labeled @mystery/thriller”.


Thank you to author, publisher, NetGalley for advanced copy. This is an honest voluntary review.