This was a surprising read that i really enjoyed way more than anticipated and i just love when that happens. This story follows 4 couples in a small town and an unfortunate event involving a child happens and we as the reader are trying to determine what led to such a tragic accident and all involved and we learn about the lives of these couples and their connections and relationships all while trying to determine if it was indeed an accident at all? This is my first Ashley Audrain book but i can def say i look forward to what she writes next and while certainly pick it up especially if she veers away from child/parent theme being so prominent and focuses more on other human connections and experiences as that's just my personal taste because the way she handled these hard hitting, real taboo themes was intriguing and entertaining as hell to read. She really goes there and does not shy away from the more immoral and negative sides of people that can come out when we are navigating different types of relationships. Her first book push i knew was heavily focused on a strained mother/daughter dynamic and i was not interested so i didn't pick it up but i knew this book while it does center around another child/parent them it also included themes around romantic and adult friendship relationships within a small town which piqued my interest and i was not disappointed. She writes well and really does not shy away from the more immoral and taboo traits and attributes that adults can possess when encountering each other in romantic and platonic settings and it was great to read even appalling at times in the best way. I will say someone noted that this book makes you never want to get married or have children and i that is such an accurate statement LMAO everyone in this book are depicted to be quite complex and down right deplorable at points and its quite entertaining and makes you shake your head and the author again does not shy away from those negative traits. That said this may not be everyone's cup of tea and i def encourage looking up trigger warnings before diving into this especially if you know u don't like reading about certain topics involving children, child neglect, fertility issues, infidelity, child death, unlikable characters etc. I for one enjoyed this and the ending was great as well!! i chuckled and felt the pacing and how we wrapped up the mystery element was well done. Certainly looking forward to what they write next

4.5 ⭐️

This was a captivating read about relationships and secrets among families, friends, and neighbors. The last line -- whew!!

Very close to 4 starts

This book ruled my LIFE from page 1 to that last sentence!

Give me a suburban drama full of tension and cheating and secrecy and fake friends ANY DAY! Add in motherhood and wifely struggles- I AM HERE FOR IT!!

This hit me like a ton of bricks I never saw coming. I almost didn’t pick this up because I did not like The Push and didn’t see the hype everyone else had about it. The novel centers around four different types of wives and mothers, the choices they make and the repercussions from those. Audrain precisely captures the pressures put on women from the moment they become mothers, from their bodies, husbands, society and each other. How we measure ourselves as mothers and our own worthiness as women spans the story in so many ways.

Audrain’s description of the the whispers, especially the mental load of managing a family that can feel debilitating and the nagging thoughts of something being wrong but being told you’re imagining things, hit so hard it felt like she was writing from my feelings. An incredible depiction of modern motherhood.

None of these women or men in these families are innocent in their choices and just when you think someone may be a good soul Audrain yanks the rug right out from you.

The current time storyline spans only a couple of days but it works so well because of the character development and flashbacks we get. Best ending to a novel I’ve read in a long time; my heart pounded for a long time after I finished this.

Brilliant. Captivating. Keeps you on your toes till the very end.

A very unsettling book about motherhood, mothering, marriage, and the identities we embrace & reject. Lots of twists that slap you in the face.