There's not a lot I can say about this book without giving too much away! Most of this review will be so vague until you read the book, but just know that you NEED to read!

Marin and her husband Derick have lost their son to child abduction and it has been 16 months since they have seen them. Between husband and wife there are so many secrets that have to be dug up. The point of view is told from two female characters, which I enjoyed getting to have a different perspective every now and then. Most of the book is told from the mother's point of view.

There were reasons that I absolutely detested each character but also empathized with at the same time. This book was extremely fast-paced for me with a lost of twists up until the very end. I was able to put some of the clues together, but once everything was actually revealed I can't believe I hadn't fully figured it out. Honestly all the clues are completely set up for you, but you get so sucked into the story and what the character's next move is that you don't even bother to put things together.

This was such a gripping and highly anticipated novel that is a must read!

Wow, Little Secrets was absolutely FANTASTIC. Huge thank you to Netgalley and MacMillian for the e-ARC in exchange for my review.

This book was so binge worthy I finished it it under 12 hours!! I don't know the last book that I was able to finish that quickly. I was immediately drawn in by the characters and the plot and it only got better as the book progressed. I am not a mom but I just felt such a connection with Marin! I loved dissecting the relationships between Marin and Derek, Marin and Sal, and learning the big twist that I did not see coming. It was refreshing to get somewhat of a happy ending in a thriller.

I cannot wait to read more of Jennifer Hillier's work and recommend this book to all of my friends. This book is going in my top 5 for 2020 for sure.

Loved this thriller!! Slightly predictable, but I loved how fast-paced it was. I kept finding myself wanting to come back to this book until I was able to finish it! The characters were all so well developed, and while none of them were that sympathetic, I still found myself understanding them and feeling for them.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book!

I had heard a lot about this book when I first started reading it and let me tell you... it lived up to the hype!
This book made me feel so many emotions from sad and angry to happy. In the beginning I was so sad for Marin, and so angry at Derek and McKenzie. By the end I hated Sal and felt bad for everyone else.
I never would have guessed the turn the whole story would take after Marin found out about her husband's affair. I also never would have guessed that at the end Marin's son would have been found alive.
All in all a very good read!

I didn't put this book down until it was done.

This book started off really strong and did not disappoint, its difficult to pull a fast one on me in this genre, but this book definitely caught me off guard a couple times.

The book opens with a mother and son in a crowded market, what plays out next is every parents worse nightmare.
A glace at a phone that lasts a little too long, the slip of a little hand, and your child has disappeared.

Told through the eyes of the grieving mother, and the young woman sleeping with her husband, this book will take you through a dark story with multiple layers of betrayal

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Little Secrets! I picked up this book based on a lot of hype I had seen on Goodreads/Bookstagram. I didn't know much going into it, but the story quickly starts with the kidnapping of a young boy in a wealthy family in a very public area. The story transforms into a journey of grief for the mother, Marin, as well as trying to navigate her life when she finds out her husband is having an affair. Until the last third of the book I really felt like the book abandoned the storyline of the kidnapping and focused on the affair. By the end, I felt like the author really did it justice and had me completely wrapped up in the story. I couldn't put that last third of the book down until it was finished!

A while back I read Jar of Hearts and loved it so when I saw that Hillier had another book coming out there was no doubt that I had to read it and wow was it fantastic!

Marin Machado is a highly successful stylist, has a successful businessman husband and a beautiful little boy. She is living a great life until she lets go of her sons hand for just a moment. It’s every parents worst nightmare. He’s gone. Kidnapped. A year later, her marriage is on the rocks and her son is still missing. She’s mentally and physically exhausted and is barely functioning. The PI she hired to find her son doesn’t have any news either but does have information about her husband and his mistress. But Marin has already lost her son and she’s not going to lose her college sweetheart to a 20 year waitress named Kenzie. What transpires is a series of events that exposes more truths that Marin never expected. But her one constant, is her best friend Sal, who is always there for her.

The story is told from Marin and Kenzie. Marin is a distraught wife and mother who is willing to do anything’s to find her son and save her marriage. She doesn’t make best decisions when it comes to Kenzi or her husband for that matter but I still felt awful for her. Kenzi on the other hand, we’ll, I just didn’t like her. She labels herself as a “professional girlfriend”. She seeks out rich married men and the threatens to tell about the affair, of course for money she will go away. Need I say more…

There are so many things about this that I enjoyed so much. The story is one that tear at your heart strings. Make you angry. Make you understand Marins actions. And maybe even Kenzie’s and Derek’s. The characters are definitely flawed but with Marin it was her pain and guilt that drew me to her. Her pain just dripped of the pages and made my heart hurt. Kenzie was just one of those that I wasn’t sure of till the end, Derek either. And then there are the twist and turns. There so many of them. And so much deception! While I did figure out some things early on, the ending threw me off big time. What a twist it was! Did not see that coming at all! And I loved it! I won’t give to much more away though because this is one those types of reads that blindly going in works the best.

Little Secrets is a captivating thrill ride and definitely not one to miss!

Little Secrets was a little different than your normal kidnapping book, which was a breath of fresh air so I'm giving it 4 stars. I genuinely liked this book, but I think I'm so stuck in the same genre that I need a change of pace.

I think the author Jennifer Hillier did a great job and I'm anxious to read more from her and Jar of Hearts, a previous book of hers.
If you like stories with twists and turns that tie up nicely at the end, then this book is for you. I enjoyed Little Secrets up til the last page, I cried a bit because I'm such a sucker, and I gave it the 4th star because I felt I wasn't rushing to get the book over with, like I've done with my past few reads.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes lies, deceitful betrayals, mixed with tears, happiness, jealousy and fright of losing a child. Which sounds dumb, nobody in their right mind would ever "like" to lose a child. I meant, who likes or doesn't mind a little kidnapping in their fiction. Forgive me it's 6am. I'm exhausted. What I'm trying to say is I would recommend this book.

A special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Jennifer Hillier for providing me with this ARC to review!

This was a good read. I found it to be a bit different than what the description said. The description would have you thinking the mistress and husband know what happened to the son but that’s incorrect. It’s clear early on the mistress and husband are clueless. I loved the Sal character even though he turned out to be not so lovely. The twist was great. This was my first Jennifer Hillier book and I look forward to reading more.

I always wait to read Goodreads reviews and was glad I waited – I was surprised when I read the blurb as parts of it’s inconsistent with the story and also gives away too much.

I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I started this book, what with Covid-19 and the subject of a missing child, so I put it down for a few days. When my children were little, I was terrified that they would be kidnapped and during that time period, there were several news stories and movies about the subject. It would be terrible to know they had died but I think I could handle that better than not knowing like so many have suffered through. When I picked it up again, I couldn’t put it down and it was a roller coaster of a ride! There was so much heartbreak with how Marin has blamed herself for her son being kidnapped – it only took a moment of letting go of his hand.

What started out as an almost perfect life, Marin is now suffering daily and has chosen to almost give up on life without her son. She attends group meetings with other parents who’ve lost children in various ways and I think the people can’t decide if it helps or hurts more. Her husband is quite wealthy but stays busy with work, so they end up just passing each other in silence as they grow apart.

Her college boyfriend, Sal, has stayed friends with her for more than twenty years, even after she married someone else. He’s her one true friend and even though he still longs for her, he’s always on her side.

The title of the book is so appropriate as you continue to discover secrets throughout the story. Marin hires a PI to help find her son and every day when the phone or doorbell rings, Marin’s heart drops as she’s afraid what she’ll learn. When the female PI uncovers that her husband is having an affair, that brought Marin out of despair and the more she learns, the more she hates. I won’t go into the various things she contemplates, but it really ramps up the storyline.

There are so many intriguing details about this story, and I want to talk about each one but it’s best if you go in not knowing much about the story. There are so many surprising twists and turns, it’s dark, and then, horror as more comes to light. It’s at times unbelievable and yet I could see these circumstances really happening! I was a stressed mess by the end of this book, but it was very intriguing.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this new book. Ms. Hillier is a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

This book was so good! Jennifer Hillier has become one of my auto buy authors.

Marin’s four year old son is taken from a public market when she lets go of his hand to answer the phone. Marin is a well known hair stylist and her husband Derek runs his own company. They are rich, good looking and have everything.

Their marriage starts to flounder and there’s an affair and a Marin has a best friend that’s an ex boyfriend. They all have so many little secrets.

This book is a compulsive read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an early copy for an honest opinion.

I'm not usually a big fan of missing child stories, but this one was getting such rave reviews, that I knew it had to be worth a try. And it was! This was just the fast-paced book I needed right now. I don't want to give any specifics because I think it's best to go into this one knowing as little as possible, but if you're looking for a thriller that will keep you glued to the page, I recommend this one.

This was not what I was expecting in the best way possible. In the opening chapter, readers learn that a little boy is kidnapped right out from under the watchful eyes of Marin, his mother. At a crowded market, it is next to impossible to trace what happened to him.

Fast forward to a year after the kidnapping, Marin is trying to cope and her marriage has taken a drastic turn. Both she and her husband are keeping secrets from each other. Marin has hired a private detective to help find her little boy and has not shared this with her husband.

Her husband has his own way of dealing with the pain—in the arms of a younger woman. Marin’s private detective discovered the affair during her investigation and the repercussions of this juicy piece of information lead to an explosive turn of events.

I found this to be a very satisfying thriller and highly recommend it to other readers. I was dreading the subject of a child abduction, but found the author handled this in a very sensitive way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

A good addition to Hillier's growing list of psychological thrillers., although not in the league of Jar of Hearts for me. Initially this story seems to center around the kidnapping of a 4-year-old boy in busy Pike Market in Seattle. Marin, his mother, cannot get over her guilt and grief and begins seeing both a therpist and attending a support group of other parents whose children are missing. But then before the quarter mark, the novel takes a U-turn and becomes much more about Marin's discovery of her husband's affair with Kenzie and her plans for revenge. That's where the book lost me, I'm afraid, because Marin did not seem like a woman who would resort to the measures she puts in place. Also the fact she was willing to continue with her marriage to a cheating spouse as though nothing had happened rubbed me the wrong way. She turned from a grieving mother to a complicit wife concerned with appearances, material success, and maintaining the status quo, which wasn't the character I'd identified with at the beginning. The twists and turns in the plot were deftly handled although I did see the solution coming halfway through (I thought the antagonist was easy to spot) For me, all the characters acted in selfish, self-centered and frankly, over the top ways so when Hillier finally cycled back to the kidnapped child, I'd lost interest in how it all turned out.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Holy guacamole you guys, Little Secrets was the best thriller I have read yet this year! I flew through this book, I could not put it down and days later I am still thinking about it and have yet to be able to start another.

What a page turner Little Secrets was. From the first chapter I was hooked. My heart jumped out of my chest when Marin and Derek Machado’s four-year-old little boy went missing in just seconds. I think I might have went and checked on my little one and vowed to never, ever, ever, ever let go of his hand when we are out in public! Especially during the hustle and bustle of Christmas time!

From there you dive into a life of secrets and unfaithful lies and let me tell you, I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s like a thriller soap opera and it’s completely addicting. There are so many twists and turns, sooooo many lies and Hillier does a great job at keeping you on the edge of your seat with what’s going to happen next.

I went in blind with Little Secrets and I HIGHLY recommend you do too, it’s so much better when you don’t know anything about what’s going on because by the end of this book, my mouth dropped to the floor. I was shocked more than a few times during this crazy ride and you really will be captivated by the end of it.

If you are looking for a gripping, intense, twisted thriller that has just the right amount of crazy drama then Little Secrets is for you! By far my first 5 star read of the year and I need to get my hands on more of Jennifer Hillier’s books because I am totally hooked now!

I didn’t know anything about this book when I started reading it. I read another book by this author & loved it so I picked it up & started reading....and I couldn’t put it down!

The book is about power couple Marin & Derek. Their 4 year old son is kidnapped in broad daylight & they sink into despair. Marin is particularly distraught & when the FBI doesn’t find her son, she hires a private investigator. All the investigator finds though is her husband’s affair with a younger woman named Kenzie. There are twists & turns as we get to know Kenzie & try to figure out if she’s involved in more than just sleeping with Marin’s husband.

This book definitely kept my interest and kept me guessing. The only thing I didn’t like was the way it started— it seemed like the book was going to focus on the kidnapping bc we begin with a scene where the child is taken. But the book is really more about Marin and Derek —and Kenzie too —so it was a little confusing for the first 50 pages. I kept wondering about the child & that wasn’t really the focus. Once I got really into Marin & Derek’s stories I was totally hooked. Really really enjoyed this book

This book grabbed me from the start. I liked another book by this author so was not disappointed when I started this thriller. Great story, definitely recommend you go in blind without reading the synopsis first! I would give 4.5 stars.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Brief Summary: Marin is a successful owner of an upscale salon chain who marries her college boyfriend to form a power couple and then a perfect family with their son Sebastian. One day Sebastian is abducted on Marin’s watch and her mental health and well-being is significantly diminished. When the plot picks up almost over a year later, she is still trying to get her life back on track and attending individual and group therapy. But Marin isn’t ready to give up on Sebastian being found and still pays a PI to find him. Unfortunately for Marin, the only relevant information the PI finds is evidence of her husband’s affair. After talking with her best friend Sal, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Only things don’t go as planned and Marin finds unexpected information in unlikely ways. I really enjoyed Hillier’s previous novel Jar of Hearts and was really excited to read this. This is the best thriller I’ve read so far this year and should not be missed if you enjoy this genre.

Highlights: This is a really great thriller and I really enjoyed all the characters and also questioned them. I especially could relate to Kenzi, as someone who spent 11 years in school without help from my parents who were dealing with their own health issues. However, for me the real highlights are the mental health aspects of suicide, therapy, and being stuck. I really applaud Hillier for writing about all these aspects in a very authentic and real way. I really loved Marin’s reflections on being stuck and that to her acceptance of Sebastian’s disappearance and moving forward with her life in the way others wanted her too meant giving up hope that he would return. As a clinical psychologist, stuck therapy patients are some of the most challenging and frustrating but yet also some of the most rewarding, when the smallest changes are significant. Hillier also speaks about mental health in her author’s note at the end. I can’t remember reading another author’s note that did that!

Explanation of Rating: 5/5; I actually couldn’t give this enough stars, a schedule clearing page turner I read in 24 hours. Plus she handled significant mental health issues in a way I wish that more authors would! Thank you Jennifer Hillier!

This is a must-read for thriller fans, those who can handle or enjoy reading about significant mental health issues should also read this.

Can’t wait for Hillier’s next novel! In the meantime, I’ll be checking out herr backlist!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I read this in the time of the coronavirus peak in my state, and I will forever be thankful to Hillier for creating the perfect escapism that I so desperately needed. The pacing was spot on formulating a fast read, easy to devour in a day or day and a half. Marin Machado is with her 4 year old son, trying to get her last minute shopping done in a busy market, while he was whining to get his big lollipop in the upscale candy store. While scurrying about she gets a text from her husband and her best friend Sal,and she tries to respond. That is all it took for her son to be kidnapped. Flash to the future, with depression, affairs, and events that will swivel your head around. The world on instagram and culture of the younger generation plays a fascinating role as well in the substance of the novel. This is a difficult novel to review because I don't want to give away any secrets. I think that the joy of this novel is the peeling of the onion layers that I don't want the reader to miss. The ending will knock your socks off. Just don't miss this escapist gem.You will regret it!

This is another fantastic suspense thriller. Nice to know there are so some decent ones. What are the basics of the plot? A seemingly happily married couple go through a rollercoaster ride of emotions, lies, growth, deception and a heck of a lot more when their 4yr old son Sebastain disappears from his mother, Marin's grasp while Christmas shopping. A marriage falls apart and many other events and people emerge. Who do you trust? Can you trust yourself?

I read this in 3 sittings it was that good. So many twists and turns and OMFG moments and still unsure how I feel about the ending. But I am not going to spoil anything. THIS IS A MUST READ!!!

Available: 4/21/20

Thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer Hillier and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.