I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Hillier skates you right into an iceberg with this story. The manipulation and greed of people is shown full force with very appropriate characterization. You do not want to miss this psychological thriller. Enjoy! 📚

This is my first time reading this author and Holy Cow. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I really felt for Marin and could totally get where she was coming from and almost wanted to see her end up with Sal. Phew, the twists and turns surprised me and kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely putting this author on my to buy list from now on.

I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down.
I loved the twist and turns and the little secrets that was in the story and the characters and the cover and this was my first book by this author. will love to read more by her. can't wait to read more.

I really enjoyed Jennifer Hillier's previous work JAR OF HEARTS, so I thought I would give LITTLE SECRETS try. Once I just accepted the rather unrealistic premise, the book was a real page-turner. Intersting characters and a very twisty plot. I'm sure I will give the next Hillier book a read.

You got me again, Jennifer Hillier. I like this one even better than "Jar of Hearts." I don't want my review to ruin anyone else's reading experience, so I will be brief in my comments. To those of you contemplating this title, I just want to say it was not what I expected. Little secrets become big problems and I could not look away.

Thank you to St. Martins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly addictive, edge of your seat thriller that will have you feeling all the feels and emotions as you ride this roller coaster of a novel. I loved Marin's character, and I felt so truly bad for her. Not only did she lose her son, but she has also lost herself - now living in a shell of what her former self was. Then she finds out her husband is having an affair. I mean how much can one single person handle?

I loved how fast paced this book was, and I flew through the chapters and completed devoured this book. It kept me guessing and I loved that. There are many complex and interesting characters in this novel, and they all come with their own flaws and setbacks. I couldn't help but despise Marin's husband Derek for what he was doing to his wife, and having the affair with Kenzie Li. I also despised Kenzie Li for not only being a homewrecker and having the affair with Derek knowing full well that he was married, but for all the shenanigans and schemes she set in motion.

Amazing job Jennifer, you've done it again with another incredibly addictive read. Well deserved! I am highly anticipating your next amazing read!

When I first started this book, I had high hopes and then I thought I had the plot figured out early and almost skipped to the back of the book to check. I was only partly right and this book was definitely worth the read. It became a twisty thrill ride with an interesting ending.
This is the story of Marin and her family, Derek and Sebastian. When their son, who is 4 years old, goes missing at a busy shopping area during the Christmas rush, it is unclear if Marin and Derek can pull togetherness or if their relationship will shatter as so many do. To make matters worse, young Sebastian is taken from his mother by a person dressed as Santa. This leaves few leads and Marin becomes desperate. There are several good plot twists that I liked. There were also various relationships throughout the story that were fun to read as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to thriller lovers.
Thank you for the early copy.
#Netgalley #LittleSecrets #StMartinsPress #Minotaur

After finishing Little Secrets, I can see why people are obsessed with both this book and Jennifer Hillier 💕.

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What grabbed me right away was her writing style. It was dark, gritty, and unapologetic. She isn’t scared to toe the line of uncomfortable thoughts. This paired with her masterful character development made this a book to add to you tbr if you haven’t already. While I can’t relate to Marin or even Kenzie, getting a chance to go inside their minds took the story to a new level.

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Marin was a rebel. She didn’t care about what others thought she should be doing now that her son was gone. Or subscribe to their belief in what progress she should be making mentally. Instead we got to see her grapple with grief to then trade that feeling in and harness anger as a way to feel alive for the first time in over a year. She let it fully consumer her and the way Hillier presented it made it incredibly believable. I could see anyone doing this had they been through as much as Marin had.

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I will admit with all the hype I was expecting something more when it comes to plot. I don’t exactly know what more could’ve been done here but I went in thinking this would be an explosive novel. In some aspects it was and I was left thinking “what the hell” at the end of multiple chapters. However it just felt like something was missing.

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This is definitely a book you should look out for. It deals with a lot of important topics, namely suicide, that are important to shed light on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I have heard so many amazing things about Jennifer Hillier, even purchased Jar of Hearts, but this is my first read of hers. It surely didn't disappoint and I will be adding Jar of Hearts to my immediate TBR. If you're looking for an edge of your seat thriller, this is the book for you. There is some sensitive content including kidnapping, self hard and suicide.

Marin Machado and her husband, Adam, are both wildly successful, self-made business people. Their 4 year old son, Sebastian, is the light of their life and the glue that binds them together. But four hundred and eighty seconds can change an entire person's life, which is what happens when Marin's son is kidnapped from a Christmas shopping market. A web of lies begins to weave itself around the couple sixteen months after Sebastian's disappearance, until they all start spilling out to reveal even more secrets, lies and deceit.

This book was unbelievable. Throughout the first half, nothing wild happened, but it was so incredibly well written, it felt so real and almost relatable, one of the 'would I do the same thing, in her shoes?' type of books, it kept me interested and engaged, desperate to find out what happens. I couldn't put it down. And then the "oh my god, oh wow, oh boy' starts happening and even though I had an inkling of what was going to play out, I couldn't have imagined it would the way it did.

There were so many elements to this one - the mistress, the best friend, the PI, the successful business woman exterior. The characters were so well thought out, with their development and emotions portrayed to make the reader feel so connected to them. Your heart ached for Marin and her grief, her anger, and her sadness. While McKenzie was supposed to be the enemy and a lot of the time extremely unlikable, it was hard no to sympathize with her at times. Adam was another character who wasn't very likeable, with poor decision making, lies and betrayal, but Hillier's writing makes you understand why her characters are the way they are and why they make the decisions they do.

I highly recommend this book, for any thriller lover. The thriller genre was getting a bit stale for me, with the same plot lines, but this book has pulled me out of that hole and made me want to dive back into thrillers!

Well that was a lovely surprise.
Generally with this many moving pieces something will fall through the cracks in the plot.
Hillier manages to pull everything together seamlessly.
F*cking with your mind without anything becoming convoluted or repetitive.
Highly recommend this to freaking EVERYONE!!!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my DRC.

Ummm... WOW! This book was crazy - but in a good crazy where you can’t flip the pages fast enough. It was also heartbreaking and emotional especially for someone that’s a mother. Hillier did a fabulous job writing this. I figured out what happened and who was involved about 25% before it was revealed but I was not disappointed as there are still some extra twists. I definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me a review copy of Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier.

To be honest, I almost couldn’t get through the first four chapters. Not because there was anything wrong with the book, but because it’s set in Seattle. I live in Seattle. The first character we meet is the mom of a young kid. I’m also a mom to a young kid. That kid gets taken in the first scene. Ever. Mom’s. Worst. Nightmare. Basically, I had to keep putting the book down every few pages to hug my daughter.

But I persevered, and I’m glad I did. This is one messed-up, twisty story…and I loved it.

I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, but they were fun to dislike for the most part. The story really moved along at a quick pace too. Its 336 pages seemed shorter than that, and once I stopped putting the book down to force my toddler to cuddle with me, I read chapters five through 34 in one sitting.

I can’t say too much about the story without giving anything important away, but it’s definitely worth a read.

I finished this book a couple weeks ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. I felt the same about Jar of Hearts, so Jennifer Hillier is an auto-buy author for me now! Her writing is stellar and her books are unputdownable. 5 stars from me and can’t wait for her next book!

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

An emotional, dark and compelling thriller.

PLOT SUMMARY:
Marin’s worst fears are realized the day her four year old son Sebastian goes missing. Kidnapped from a busy market place while Marin was texting with her husband Derek...Marin will never forgive herself for letting go of his little hand. A year later, with no sign of Sebastian, Marin and Derek are still together but their relationship is fractured. Coping with their grief and guilt in different ways has driven a wedge between the once happy couple. So what will Marin do when she receives even more devastating news? A woman on the edge...her reaction to this latest development will shock you….

PROS and CONS:
So much action! Kidnapping, cheating, lying, betrayals...it goes on and on. Also, the three main characters: Marin, Derek and Kenzie were a triangle you just could not look away from!

I do feel the book blurb gives away a bit too much????? That’s not taking anything away from this book however...it’s dark, addictive and thrilling. I did question some (most) of Marin’s decisions...but hey, she wasn’t in her right mind, that much was clear! The pain she was going through was obvious and I thought the description/development of Marin was very believable. I wouldn’t wish those experiences on my worst enemy.

Little Secrets has a dramatic and emotionally layered plot that builds to a startling reveal...it’s a wild ride, with some very serious subjects dealt with in a responsible manner.

YES or NO:
It’s a YES! Jennifer Hillier is a seriously talented storyteller (and a proud Canadian)...I highly recommend this one!

4 Stars

What I Loved:
Little Secrets was such an amazingly well-written story. I was completely entranced by it! I loved how I kept thinking I knew where the plot was headed, and then a twist, and I’d be completely off-guard again!

How I Felt:
How have I never read a book by Jennifer Hillier?!?! Her writing is amazing! I have NEVER cried while reading a mystery/thriller before. This is a first for me. Her ability to draw every possible emotion from the reader was impressive. I fully enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading another one by her!

The writing was excellent! I mean, I cried. And it’s a thriller! Who cries reading a thriller? Well, I did, and I can’t really tell you why because that would be a spoiler, and I don’t do that. BUT I will say that Jennifer Hillier connected me to the characters in such a wonderful way. They were people my heart went out to…and a little bit because I’m a mom and the book got to me. Regardless though, I was feeling this book deep down thanks to the writing. I loved it.

The characters were all filled with their own secrets that they tell you about a little at a time throughout the story. Marin is a mother who let go of her son’s hand for a few seconds, and he was abducted. It’s terrifying for anyone to think about, but watching the aftermath for her was heartbreaking. I liked that she had different people supporting her in different ways and that we got to meet them. It made the whole story feel well-rounded.

The story begins with the abduction of Marin’s son. I liked that we jump forward in time 16 months after the abduction. The story references incidences that happen during that block of time, but I liked that the present day was somewhat removed and made the abduction feel a little less raw, emotionally. Marin finds out through her private investigator that her husband is having an affair. She becomes obsessed. Trying to balance the disappearance of her son and the news of this infidelity has her heading over the edge. I liked that the story jumps into the POV of the mistress for a while. It was an interesting perspective and made the story move at such a fast pace. We knew what Marin knew, and then what the mistress was up to. It created an excellent story that had me guessing over and over again about what, exactly, was going on!

Overall: I loved every word of Little Secrets. I was sucked in at the beginning, the middle, and the end. I truly couldn’t put it down. With excellent writing, great characters, and a plot that kept me on my toes, this was a thriller I loved.

Content Warning:
This book contains references to and discussion about child abduction, suicide, murder, adultery, and physical violence.

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Little Secrets for readers that enjoy a thriller that will keep them guessing, and doesn’t have that dreaded slowdown in the middle!

I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

What a great thriller! I was all over the place trying to guess and just when I think I have it, I’m wrong. So good!

Scene:: Pikes Place Market ::;Seattle in December

Marin is shipping with her 4 year old son Sebastian,, she lets go of his hand while taking on her cell phone.
hen she ends the call Sebastian is no longer there..

Security footage shows him with someone dressed at Santa Claus heading to the underground parking lot.

A year and a half later the private investigator informs her that her husband has been having an affair.

Marin pays $250,,000. for a fatal accident to happen to the mistress.
Her husband end the affair and the mistress disappears and he receives a ransom request for her in the same amount that was demanded for his son,.

Marin learns that her longtime friend is in debt from the private investigator and that he did jail time. She was talking to him on her phone when her son disappeared.

Marin and the private investigator go to confront her friend and realize her son is still alive.

Little Secrets is a dark and twisted read filled with relatable and flawed characters, a wide range of emotions, betrayals, manipulations, grief, and secrets. Oh, so many secrets!! The book blurb does a nice job of laying out the story line and I hesitate to add anything to it because the less you know, the more you'll enjoy the book. You're in for quite a ride with this one!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars from me, only because I liked Jar of Hearts a bit better. I still plan to watch for any and all books written by Jennifer Hillier!

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is one of the best thrillers I've read in a while! I was super invested in the story. It had a good plot, the characters were well developed and the ending was not predictable. I love it when I get surprised by an ending and can piece together all the clues that I missed, and this book definitely hit the mark with that. I would highly recommend checking this one out!

Fair warning, you'll need to dedicate a solid block of time to read this all at once. Little Secrets, is the very first Jennifer Hillier book that I have read, and it is not going to be my last. Holy Moly was this an amazing book! It tied for the position of my favorite book for March 2020 and honestly I haven't been able to get into another since. I've had to switch up my reading genres to lean heavily on historical fiction and fantasy lately, because this one was such a good thriller.

Marin has the perfect life. The perfect husband, Derek. The perfect job, owning her own set of high end salons, and the perfect little boy. When her son goes missing while out Christmas shopping with Marin, her life has been totally wrecked. More than a year later and Marin is learning how to piece her life back together slowly until she releases her husband is cheating on her with a 24 year old. All of Marin's rage and frustration comes out and she turns toward one of her oldest friends to help her get rid of this problem. This book really digs the message home, that you can never really know someone.

In the very first chapter Hillier gets your heart racing. I could feel the panic of Marin and Derek losing their son. As the story went on my anticipation kept growing, so much so that I actually HAD to binge this book in one sitting. I cannot remember the last thriller I read where I was completely blind sighted by the turn of events.

The characters themselves are brilliant and the fact that Hillier brought so many parts of what it's like to have a missing child into the book was fabulous. She brings a lot of facts into the story as well about missing children and the statistics around the children being found. What I liked most about her portrayal though was the lack of uniformity between how parents grieve, how couples cope, the age, demographic, social economical, and have the children were abducted. While this story focuses mainly on Marin's son disappearance, we meet a whole slew of personalities suffering the same traumatic experience in their own way. The added level of depth mixed in with the thriller aspect was the perfect balance. 

I recommend this book for anyone who love a good book, and I think it'll be one of my favorites for 2020!