Blame

There has been an accident,Two mothers lives are destroyed,Two families are torn apart.

Caro and Anna have been best friends for over a decade.They met and bonded at the baby clinic where they had both taken their baby daughters,two baby girls who were the same age but so very different.The two women have supported each other through the ups and downs of motherhood but now a tragic accident has occurred that has left both families devastated and torn the two friends apart.

The story is told in alternating chapters by Caro and Anna as they reveal their versions of what happened to the detectives who are investigating the accident.As each woman's story unfolds hidden secrets and lies are revealed.Who is telling the truth and who is just trying to pass the blame onto the other woman to save her own skin?.

Sometimes you read a book and feel sympathy for a character even though you know you shouldn't because of their actions.Both of the women in this book are in the wrong for one reason or another,reasons that are hard to go into without giving away too much of the story but I still couldn't help feeling sympathy for both of them for different reasons.

This is a very well written,gripping read,it's not fast paced but it does mess with your head as your feelings for each woman flip back and forth between trust and doubt as the story unfolds.It's very thought-provoking and quite sad at times,I thought it was a very good book although I think that the ending was a bit too happily ever after especially after what one of the friends had put the other through throughout the book.

I have read one of Nicole Trop's books (Three Hours Late) and really enjoyed it so was excited to read Blame.
I love the authors way of writing - and she had me hooked from the first few pages. It isn't fast paced but it's so beautifully crafted that I couldn't put it down. Excellent characters and a brilliant story. I loved it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Ann and Caro met at a clinic where they were bringing their daughters for a one year check-up. The two bond immediately, even though they are very different. Ann’s daughter, Maya, is a special needs child, who needs a tremendous amount of care and attention. Cara, who has a “normal” child, is always there for Ann, providing a shoulder to cry on. Until the day that Caro, driving over to see Ann, hits and kills Maya with her car. Was Caro drunk? She has a tendency to overindulge in alcohol and had blood drawn after the accident to find out if her drinking caused a tragedy. As both women are separately interviewed by police, the story of their friendship and what really happened that fateful day slowly emerges. This story blew me away! I never saw the ending coming. A first rate read

I absolutely loved this book. If you're looking for a book that packs a punch, pulls you in and makes you think long after you are done, then Blame is your book. See my full review at https://laurasbookreviewsblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/blame/

Amazing book . Anna and Caro are two women two mothers and two best friends until a dreadful accident happens. Both women blame each other but who's fault is it really ? Read this book to find out

This review will appear on the link below approx 15th June

Maya was severely autistic; Anna’s days were filled with a routine she tried to keep to but when something set Maya off, there was no controlling her – hours of screaming, kicking, biting – Anna wondered if their lives would be this way forever.

Anna met Caro when both Maya and Caro’s daughter Lex were twelve months old. The quiet desperation which it seemed only Caro noticed meant the caring and attention Caro displayed set her apart from every other criticising parent in the doctor’s waiting room. Anna and Caro were best friends from that day forward. Maya was a toddler before she was finally diagnosed with the condition – Anna only felt relief at finally understanding what was wrong with her and Keith’s little girl. But understanding didn’t seem to make it any easier…

Ten years later and Maya and Lex were both eleven years old. Caro had stopped bringing Lex with her when she visited Anna and Maya – the time Maya had viciously attacked Lex meant she now left her with husband Geoff. But she still visited Anna – Caro was a supportive and caring woman; Anna knew she couldn’t do without her calm sanity. But when tragedy struck, bringing both families to their knees, that strong friendship was broken.

As both Caro and Anna spent hour after torturous hour in the police station – in different rooms; with different detectives – they tried to explain what had happened. But were they telling the truth? What were the secrets that had been hidden deeply; secrets the ex-friends hadn’t known about each other? And who was to blame?

Blame is another gripping psychological drama by Aussie author Nicole Trope; intense, shattering, emotional and heartbreaking, I couldn’t imagine how difficult Anna’s life would be. The book is set over two days with the back story set into the minute by minute investigation. A traumatic experience, relived and drawn out by two women whose lives had shattered around them. I loved Trope’s previous book, Hush Little Bird – it was exceptional; but I felt this one wasn’t quite in the same league. That said, I have no hesitation in highly recommending Blame to all fans of the genre.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

Caro & Anna were best friends for over a decade until a tragic and devastating car accident.
What an absolutely outstanding read. Very absorbing and quite emotional in places.. 5* from me.
One to recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Really loved this. Could sympathise with both mothers. Liked how it alternated each chapter with both Mothers. Didn't have a clue how it was going to turn out. Will definitely be looking out for more books by Nicole Trope. Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this book.

A fascinating story of friendship, betrayal, family and tragedy. I found this book so sad. I was emotionally hooked from the very beginning and just couldn't look away! As each chapter tells the story of one of the two main characters, you find yourself switching loyalty and questioning your assumptions. As a character-driven book the pace is not fast but it carries you along none the less. The author deals with very difficult subject matter in an understanding and sympathetic way and has written a great story to prove that the truth is not always the truth!

A great book that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers, Allen & Unwin, for giving me an electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

Actual rating 3.5 stars

This is at times a hard read due to the subject matter. It deals with tragedy, illness, alcoholism and much more.

The setting is a police station for the main part, and two seperate interview rooms. We meet Caro and Anna, former friends separated by a terrible accident. But as we delve into their past lives during the interviews, we begin to see that all is not as rosy as it would appear.

The author draws us into the lives of these two women, how they met and became friends, their children and husbands. We also find out far more about the circumstances leading to the accident.

The story goes back and forth between the women, at times it became a little too jumpy for me though. As time went on I found myself not sure who to believe as the stories differed so much. The ending, in my opinion, is brilliantly done.

I came away from this read feeling that I hadn't bonded with either main character until the very end. The ending gives the reader quite a few different messages. The first is that nothing is so bad that it can't be overcome if you have the support of your family. And the most important thing, that true friendship can withstand absolutely anything.

I did enjoy the read but felt it dragged a little at times. Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to netgalley and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to have read this great offering.
It is said that it takes a village to raise a child. And that is really true, so when you get a friend that can understand your problems and challenges when their child is the same age as yours, you hold on to your friendship.
But what if something happens to your friendship and your world is turned upside down while blame is dished out.
Great read and highly entertaining.

Such an awesome book! With twist and surprise! I recommend it with no problem!

Anna and Caro met 12 years ago when their girls were 1 year old. Through out the years they have been there for each other but each has been going through they're own private hell. Anna has Maya, an autistic child on the most severe spectrum, and Caro has had multiple miscarriages.
Everything comes to a head one day when Anna asks Caro to come around and on arriving Caro accidently runs over Maya. But what really happened.....

I found this story a slow build. Set over a few days when the women are questioned at the local police station, there are flash backs to their relationship over the years.
It wasn't until I was quite into the story that I found it gripping and hard to put down. I can't begin to imagine the pain that both Anna or Caro have gone through in their lives but I felt it was portrayed so well. I have such empathy for them both.
Have only read one other previous book from the author which I loved, so it means I have a few to catch up on.
I certainly recommend ' Blame' and thank Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.

I don't very often like a book that keeps a slower pace with little twists turns and surprises however there was something captivating about this book despite it being so. both characters despite being infuriating and at times a little self serving were still likeable and I wanted to know the reply story of that day. well written and sympathetically done overall I enjoyed this book.

What an emotional roller coaster ! This book certainly takes no prisoners! Anna struggles to cope with Maya, severely autistic daughter. She never gets enough sleep, she has been bruised and battered by her but her whole life revolves around her daughter. Caro has been the only person who has reached out to her and attempted to lighten her load in some small way, even if it was just phone calls and visits. However Caro has her own battles, which have resulted in her reliance on alcohol.
When Maya dies after running in front of Caro's car both Anna & Caro's lives are never going to be the same.
I loved this book. The author captures the lives of Caro & Anna so well that I was equally sympathetic to both of them. I read it through in a day. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book. I will be looking out for more from Nicole Trope

I was given a free ARC from etGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review. A strong bond of friendship ruined by a tragic accident. Who is to blame?
The book is mainly based around the police interviews of the two friends, both of whom reflect back on the past and their friendship. Whilst it's well written it was slow and the first half of the book was a bit monotonous at times. I genuinely felt sympathetic for Anna as I am sure having a severely autistic child must be very difficult. I also liked the empathetic way the author deals with Caro 's alcoholism.
The book is brutally honest, shockingly so at times. 3.5***

Different from my usual genre i found this book a really good read . It tells the story of Anna and caro who meet when their girls are babies . They form a strong friendship over the next 11 years and Caro is a constant support to Anna who's daughter Maya is severely autistic until a fatal accident rips their lives and friendship apart . Told from both of their viewpoints as they are interviewed by police , who is to blame and who is telling the truth. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my arc .

Two women, best friends, mothers, wives. Two very different lives. A dreadful accident. A dead child.
Most of the book is set in a police station where these two women are being interviewed as the police try to find out what happened and who is to blame. The narrative of the story alternates between Anna, who is the mother of the dead child, and Caro, her best friend. The author uses this to great effect as their lives are revealed. There are some really big issues in this book and they are all dealt with sensitively, ad I did feel an empathy with both women, despite some of the things that had happened. We see the impact of autism, infertility, alcoholism and damaged relationships. We learn about their sadness, their relationships but above all, their friendship. The alternating narrative could have been confusing but the author used it well - I always knew which character was telling the story. The book has a great ending - both women are impacted by the accident and serve their "sentence" - but at the end of the day we see the redeeming power of friendship. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Blame by Nicole Trope

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caro watches as Anna calms down her daughter, the other people in the doctor's waiting room are looking on, making judgement, having no idea themselves the strain on Anna, as she tries to calm Maya down, her autistic 12 month old child. From this day on they become close friends, fast forward 10yrs, and that friendship is about to be broken. The story is told through both ladies being interviewed, two separate life's intertwined through the past decade, how did they end up here?, each in a cold room , being interviewed by police, one devastated by the loss of her child, the other, being the cause of it. This is where we learn how the story got to this point, two women, each with their own version of what happened , it was an accident, wasn't it? , secret's that are revealed, the heartache kept locked away for years. A story of sadness, finding the strength to carry on, you will find it hard to take sides, there is no winner here and you will be taken through a range of emotions as their story unfolds, and is forgiveness even possible?....but then again, how do you salvage anything from such a tragedy?. Highly recommend this book, Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to review this book, and also to the publishers and TBC for all their support.

View all my reviews

Since meeting at the child health clinic when their daughters were babies, Anna and Caro have been best friends, supporting each other through the tough times. Caro has watched Anna struggle to manage the ever growing needs of her autistic daughter Maya, whilst Anna has noticed Caro turning to the comforts of alcohol after her multiple miscarriages and the stillbirth of her son at eight months. They have laughed and cried together, watched each other’s children, poured out their deepest fears and secrets. Until Maya is killed in a terrible accident, tearing the friendship apart.

Blame tells the story of the two women in the form of flashbacks as they are being interviewed by police investigating the events leading up to Maya’s death. It is a credit to the author that the story flows seamlessly despite changing from present to past and covering different time frames as both Caro and Anna recount their pasts, from the very beginning of their friendship to the bitter end. As the story unfolds and different details of both women’s lives are unveiled, the reader is being torn between sympathy and doubt as the women reveal some of their deepest secrets and the events surrounding Maya’s death are being cast in a different light. Who really is to blame? The more we find out about each woman, the more we doubt that the accident was as straight forward as originally believed. As Trope shines the spotlight on a characters, the shadows also appear. Very well done!

I cannot begin to imagine what Anna’s life with Maya must have been like, and yet felt closer to Caro, who wore her heart on her sleeve and shared her emotions freely with the reader. Both women appeared genuine and rounded, each with their own unique personality, which made the story extremely readable and addictive and emotionally gripping. I could not put the book down! Whilst it is slow moving in the recounting of events, the power of the story lies in its emotional charge rather than the action, and presents a real rollercoaster ride of emotions for the reader. Trying to put myself in either woman’s place was sheer horror and the author conveys this feeling well, a no-win situation where their backs are against the wall and the only way out is to blame the other for the child’s death. Hidden in the pages, but no less interesting, are the dynamics of both women’s marriages, and there are also some surprises in store here – but to go into detail would spoil the fun, so I won’t give any more away here. I thoroughly enjoyed Blame and read it greedily in one go. You won’t regret picking it up!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book and I would give this book a 4.5 if I could. I have another book by Nicole Trope in my Kindle which I have not read yet but after reading this, I think I will give it a go soon.

This book is about two women, two friends with two families and lots of problems. One Anna, has a severely autistic daughter who aged nearly 12 is still unable to speak and has serious behaviour problems. She often attacks her mother and hurts her. While Caro has a daughter, she wanted to have more children and her inability to deliver a live child has turned her into drinking. The two women have been friends for ten years and shared a lot of memories and experiences.

One day though a tragedy happen. Most of the book is set two weeks after the tragedy while the two women are interviewed by two different teams of police investigators. When interviewed the women reminisced about the last ten years of their lives.

Although very different, this book reminds me of "We Need to Talk about Kevin" by Lionel Shriver. It mentions things that most mothers would think at least once (especially if their children are not the dream kids they expected to have) but they do not have the courage to tell anyone else. What if a mother struggles to control their kid and in a way resent them? In both books the fathers, who did not have to deal with the kid 24/7, displayed that unconditional love for their kids that the mothers could not feel and feel guilty for it.

The other issue this book raises is that people who care for others (often women but could also be men) are often left struggling on their own. They find it difficult to ask for help, especially a mother might find it humiliating having to admit that she can't cope when caring for her child. Even when the child is extremely difficult and aggressive, society is not very kind to mothers who can't cope. And people around them don't want to look for the sign that something is wrong. Sometimes help arrives on time, other times it is too late. I thought that this aspect of the book was very realistic, at least you know it is, if you have known people in similar situations.

Overall I recommend this book to people who like psychological dramas and are interested in what make people tick. It is a good one for book clubs as it opens a few cans of worms that can be discussed.

I absolutely loved this book! Couldn't put it down. The fact that the main action takes place over just two days, and yet it is still compelling reading, is a testament to the skill of the author. I have read a number of books which have autism as the main storyline, although this is also a book about friendship, relationships, loss and addiction, and this is definitely one of the best. Told alternately by friends, Caro and Anna, we are kept on tenterhooks as the events leading up to a tragedy are revealed from different viewpoints. Neither woman comes across well but it does make you question how you would behave in the same circumstances and it's impossible not to feel sympathy for both. One of my favourite reads of 2016.

Excellent story about friendship, love, and loss. Talk about DRAMA with a capital D. Loved everything about this book!!

Reading the blurb for Blame it sounded like my type of book. Two friends, a tragedy, secrets and lies. What could be better? Not much where this book is concerned, especially given how unexpectedly emotional it was too. It is well written, well plotted and has a clever way of letting the story unfold that drew me in from the first page.

It starts with Anna going to the police station. Her daughter is dead, killed by her best friend Caro in what sounds like a tragic accident. Only she and Caro were there and police want to understand what happened. It seems simple enough – so why is Anna so nervous and why is she telling herself to stay calm and stick to her story? It’s a story Caro, who is in the interview room next door, tells differently. Yet it’s one she is convinced no one will believe.

With each chapter alternating between their two witness statements a much more complicated story than it initially appears to be is told. For Caro and Anna life hasn’t turned out as they planned and it has all culminated here. As I came to understand this, I started to feel for them. I also started to wonder just where the truth lay. Needing to find this out kept me turning the pages. As I did I went back and forth, first blaming one character then the other as their actions were revealed, both by their friend but also by themselves as they each seemed to realise that the truth was easier to tell than the lies they had been.

The police who took their statements, the husbands who tried to support them, were catalysts and so not fully formed (though they were detailed enough that I didn’t feel something was missing). You see them only through Anna and Caro’s eye. Both women were really well drawn though. I could picture them in my minds eye and they felt very real for me. Human, which is what this story was, and why it was more emotional than I thought. It wasn’t just about secrets it was about honesty and misunderstandings, friendship and love, fear and pain. It is why I enjoyed it so much and why I would say it’s a recommended read – loved it!

This book gave a wonderful insight into Autism and the daily grind of coping with a severely Autistic child. I have a grandson with Aspergers which is at the low end of the spectrum, another grandson who has suspected Aspergers and my other daughter has a foster child of 13 with Autism. None of them are as bad as Maya. Both my daughters need a lot of support as we all struggle to tune in to how their brains work. It's hard work for us all and the OCD and need for strict routines is essential. There's very little help for such children which the author brings out so well but basically you are on your own! One of my daughters finds it difficult that people display open disapproval thinking you are a bad mother who can't cope with her child. There are other interesting issues about alcoholism, relationships and betrayal and all handled so sensitively and compassionately as the two women are interviewed by the police. It was an excellent format to learn about these women's difficulties as they openly discussed them. My only criticism is that perhaps there was some unnecessary dialogue - a lot of repetition but it didn't spoil the book except it slowed down the plot.

This was a very intense book, an interesting look at some very difficult issues. I felt sympathy towards both Anna and Caro. The scenes where Anna described what it was like to take care of an autistic child made me really appreciate those mothers who really are in that situation, it can't be easy.

A very compelling read, I found it hard to put down! I liked the alternating narratives format.

This book took us through the lives of two friends: both having different family issues. Both ladies struggle with lack of support from their families and feel alone: Anna who has Maya who has severe autism, whilst Caro struggles with pregnancies. Their love and support for each other is tested to the ultimate level.

What a well written book - I adored it. This novel covers a number of very difficult and emotive subjects brilliantly! Along with extremely well rounded characters, the book also has a great plot line. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Such an unexpectedly enthralling read - I finished it in one sitting as I was desperate to know what happened and how everything unfolded.

It was brilliantly written and a superb story, I could feel the frustration and upset and I wept at the conclusion. Such a beautiful ending to the book - would absolutely recommend.

This book was so heart wrenching (in a good way), I could not put it down. I love that it had multiple POVs, and that you can see how people see the same situations differently. I originally requested this book because I saw it compared to Jodi Picoult books, and he is one of my favorite authors. I feel this book lived up to it's hype in my opinion!

I have to start by saying I am a big fan of Nicole Trope’s books & eagerly await each new one, so was thrilled to be offered a copy from Netgalley to review. Such a complex story it is difficult to put down my thoughts hence this review has taken a while.
The story builds around a terrible accident that has already occurred, simply put, Maya, Anna’s extremely autistic daughter, has been run over & killed by Caro, Anna’s best friend. Each woman is being interviewed by detectives to find out what really happened because of course it was an accident, wasn’t it? The story evolves of how the women met at the baby clinic, and how over the ten years of being friends each has had her share of problems. Anna has struggled with autistic Maya dominating her life whilst Caro suffered a traumatic miscarriage, finding solace in the bottle & becoming an alcoholic. It is questioned whether she was indeed drunk the day she ran over Maya, but after declining a breath test in favour of a blood test, over the days of the interviews the police are still awaiting the results.
The two main characters are vividly portrayed & my heart went out to both of them. I desperately wanted a good outcome but the situation was such it looked impossible. As they share their stories with the detectives it slowly emerges what really happened that last fateful day. The ending was utterly gripping, I couldn’t put the book down and my emotions were all over the place. Although difficult subject matters are confronted this was a tale well worth reading.

I was riveted to this book right from the very first page, up until the final page. It was a brilliant , thought provoking and emotional book. Many thanks for the ARC. Reviews left on Amazon UK, Amazon.com & Goodreads.

Thank you to Netgalley and Allen & Unwin for letting me read Blame by Nicole Trope. I found the first two chapters a bit slow for me as usually I have to be gripped from page one. I persevered and I'm so glad I did. What an emotional ride and what a beautifully written book. My heart went out to both the main characters and their individual tragic stories and beyond that a real friendship. the last chapter had me sobbing uncontrollably. l highly recommend this fabulous read and give it five stars.

Not my usual genre for reading but thoroughly enjoyed this book.
In some ways a hard book to read due to the storyline, tragedy, illness, alcoholism are amongst other matters. But a great fast paced book that makes you want to race to the end
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Blame è un interessante romanzo raccontato secondo due punti di vista, o meglio, seguendo, a capitoli alterni, le due protagoniste, Anna e Caroline "Caro".

L'azione si svolge quasi interamente all'interno di un commissariato di polizia, in cui le donne sono state convocate affinché si faccia luce su un incidente che ha portato a conseguenze terribili.
Gli interrogatori sono il pretesto per raccontare degli eventi importanti della storia delle protagoniste, in particolare la loro amicizia e il loro essere madri.

A prima vista Anna e Caro sembrano molto diverse: la prima deve affrontare ogni giorno la prova dell'essere genitore di una bambina dai bisogni particolari, sempre più ingestibile e, soprattutto, difficile da amare; la seconda, invece, ha una figlia sana e sembra avere una vita soddisfacente ma, soprattutto, è l'ancora di salvezza di Anna, sua migliore amica - e forse unica - nonché confidente e presenza costante.
Tuttavia, proseguendo con la storia, ci rendiamo conto che non tutto è come sembra. Anna ad un certo punto mi è parsa terribile nel voler ad ogni costo incolpare Caro, mentre questa ha rivelato vari particolari della sua vita che non mi aspettavo.

Le due protagoniste sono molto ben caratterizzate; in realtà nessuna delle due mi ha conquistata, ma di sicuro sono dei personaggi molto realistici, e certamente numerosi lettori, soprattutto lettrici, si potranno immedesimare in loro, almeno sotto alcuni aspetti.
La storia infatti racconta non solo di un'amicizia, ma anche della difficoltà di essere madre e moglie, la solitudine nel crescere un bambino con esigenze particolari, la sensazione di essere incompresi e sottovalutati, l'incomunicabilità con il partner e la famiglia.

Il libro mi ha davvero preso, soprattutto nella prima metà e verso la fine - la conclusione mi è piaciuta molto -, e praticamente l'ho divorato!
Ha solo mostrato un po' il fianco in alcuni dei capitoli centrali, in cui l'ho trovato ripetitivo e mi è sembrato che ormai ci si approfittasse troppo del pretesto dell'interrogatorio per raccontare la storia delle due donne.
A parte ciò, Blame è uno dei romanzi migliori che abbia letto ultimamente, e mi ha reso curiosa rispetto agli altri romanzi della sua autrice.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Allen and Unwin Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and open review.
This was one of those books that I literally could not put down. From page 1 I was totally gripped.
It is the story of two women who were best friends and the accident which pulled them apart.
It is told from the points of view of the two women, Anna and Caro.
This is a fast paced psychological thriller which takes you on and emotional roller coaster ride.
I would highly recommend it and intend to read more of Ms Trope's books.

This was a very complex plot with many twists and turns. Really brought home the difficulties in raising a disabled child. Written with a great sense of empathy fantastic book.

Blame centres on how a moment in time can change our life forever. We don’t see that moment coming but we can never undo it.

There has been a tragic accident that involves best friends, Anna and Caro.

They both tell their stories in separate police interviews – not just the night of the accident but their own personal stories. The two stories are very different and have inconsistencies but who is telling the truth?

<i>”I know that what I’m saying is strange, that you can’t understand it, but let me explain, let me keep explaining, and then it will be your job to figure out who is telling the truth – me or Anna.”</i>

So we get two heart-wrenching stories, one from a mother at breaking point the other from an alcoholic. I know that one of them is lying as I pick up inconsistencies in her interview. But is it only her or are they both lying and the other is just better at it?

Both characters are unlikeable to begin with but one I came to warm to as the story evolved.

Although there were no ‘shocking’ surprises this was a great contemporary drama, easy reading and had me glued to the pages until the very end.

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was definitely a topic with an interesting outcome. The power of friendship is an amazing thing. The power of guilt is even greater. Being a parent is a hard thing but being a parent to a child with special needs takes more patience then some can give.

My Rating: 5/5

When I finished reading this book, I immediately had to tell someone about it. It is one of those books that you have to talk to someone right away, a perfect book for a bookclub.

A tragedy occurs. Anna's 11 year old daughter is killed when her best friend Caro hits her with her car. The entire time I was reading, I kept trying to picture being in that situation. What would I do? I cannot even begin to imagine. For Anna, not only is her only child dead, her best friend is the one that killed her. For Caro, while driving to visit her best friend she is faced with a tragedy that will affect her life forever.

The story is told from Anna and Caro's points of view when they are being interviewed by detectives to recall their sides of the story. Both women take us back to the very beginning of their friendship. We learn that they have daughters the same age. Both women are married, and both are stay at home mothers. However, there is one fact that makes a huge impact on the story...Anna's daughter, Maya, has severe autism. When I say severe, I mean SEVERE, from screaming for hours at a time to literally using violence when something doesn't go her way (Anna has bruises to prove it). Also, an interesting twist that adds to the mystery of what happened on that Saturday afternoon, is that Caro is a functioning alcoholic.

I don't want to say too much about the plot because I don't want to give anything away. But I will say, as a mother this story had such a huge affect on me. I kept thinking how I would deal with having a child that was disabled, or mentally challenged, to the degree that Maya was. Anna points out frequently that no one understood what she was going through. Everyone told her she was doing the best she could and you love your child no matter what. As a mother, I can understand that, but what if the child is hateful towards you? Honestly, after reading this book I just realized how BLESSED I am to have two beautiful, healthy girls.

While both women recount what happen leading up to the day of the accident, it is clear one of them is lying. I had my suspicions, but the author kept throwing in twists that had me second-guessing myself. Both characters have their flaws, but you can't help but like them in spite of their shortcomings. It was such an emotional, captivating read! I literally stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing this one.

I loved this book, and am so glad I was given a copy through NetGalley. I have discovered a new, very talented author in Nicole Trope. I can't wait to read her other books!

I loved the writing of this sad, but beautiful story.
What parent has not felt as Anna felt -alone and overwhelmed while caring for your child, and now add a severe disability - that has gotten worse and will not ever get better. Isolation, fear are real for Anna.
What choices does Anna have?
Will her only friend Caro be able to help? Carp has her own problems she is dealing with.
This is a heartbreaking, yet wonderful story of love, heartbreak and redemption..
Great read!