I received an ARC of this book. An intriguing page-turner of every parent's worst nightmare, it kept me reading until the very end. I just couldn't put it down!

It's difficult to describe Little Secrets (by Jennifer Hillier) without first saying OMG!  Fair warning, make sure you carve out time to do nothing but sit and read. Unfortunately, I didn't do that and regretted the time I had to spend away from this amazing story. Little Secrets grabs the reader from the beginning of the story and just doesn't let go. I want to thank Net Galley and St Martin's Press for an early copy to review.

Little Secrets by @jenniferhillierbooks

I am so picky with thrillers but holy smokes was this sophomore follow up to Jar of Hearts outstanding, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!. I was so impressed by Jar of Hearts last year and it doesn't receive as much hype as it deserves. 
Jennifer Hillier's newest tells the story of Marin and Derek, who have lost their four year old son in a kidnapping sixteen months earlier. Marin has never stopped looking for her son, Sebastian, "Bash", and discovers Derek has his own secrets of his own.

Marin is written so well as a mother who has lost her son to a kidnapping with her guilt, yearning, grief, and mental health. She has a support network in her best friend, Sal, and her grief group of parents who have missing children. I thought Jennifer Hillier did such a great job of dropping breadcrumbs throughout and looking back, it was very cool to piece together.

My only complaint/recommendation is - go into this story blind! I recommend not reading the synopsis as it is a bit telling in its description.

Thank you @minotaur_books for my copy! This releases April 21 and I cannot wait for this one to come out! This deserves all the hype!

I've been a fan of Jennifer Hillier ever since I read her first book, Creep. Her books always have just the right level of suspense and chills.

While this starts with a child abduction, it actually plays a minor role in the story. This story is more of what might happen after an abduction - how it might affect the parents of the missing child.

A warning: there are some dark moments in this story and the author has posted a message about it at the end of the book. If you have an triggers, you may wish to avoid or read with caution.

This thrill ride kept me going until the very end. As always, I enjoyed the writing style, the story, and the characters.

A gripping, intense, amazing story! The book was well written and the characters were well developed. I give it 5 well deserved stars and a strong recommendation!

WHAT did I just read!!!!! WOW!! This book was absolutely fantastic!! I could not get enough of this!! This book is TOP NOTCH!! My heart broke, at times, for Marin. You have suspense, betrayal, conniving, shocking, heartbreak. You have a woman's worst fear and how she is able to survive in so much betrayal and deception! The Author really knocked this one out of the park!

This is the second Jennifer Hillier book I have read and the second one that has left me gasping in shock, in tears, stunned beyond belief, and wishing that I hadn't read it as quickly as I did.
I am actually jealous of people that will get to experience what I just did for the first time; who will watch Marin's story unfold and be as horrified and anguished as Hillier's storytelling demands.
This is a mystery for people who like their stories spiked with danger and betrayal and bad decisions- like a punch bowl on prom night.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for so many reasons. It's not always an easy read because of the situation the main character is in. Her 4 year old son was kidnapped a little over a year ago, and now she found out her husband is having an affair. The author does a really good job of getting into the character's head though, which made the book hard to stomach at times, but also made the story move quickly. I could truly identify with Marin, even though at times her life seemed a little too "rich'. There were some details that made the plot line and twists convenient, but that doesn't mean I saw them coming. My idea of a good thriller is one where I don't guess all the twists, and this book does just that. Some of the characters angered me at times, but they were supposed, and I think I was a little disappointed with some of the ending, but really I think it had to be that way. I will definitely recommend this author to anyone looking for a good, dark thriller, and I'll be sure to pick up another book by this author in the future.

When a shopping trip brings the ultimate tragedy—the loss of a child from a split-second distraction, it will be devastating and the true test of their marriage. The search for Sebastian is fueled by the fact that the parents are high profile—one a celebrity stylist, the other a rich businessman. When the leads turn cold and their son isn’t found right away, Marin falls into the abyss of despair. The story is rife with several surprises, one of which comes when the wife hires a private detective when the police end their search. The story is well-written, filled with suspense and a perfect addition to any mystery lover’s collection.

Another twisted and thrilling success from the mind of Jennifer Hillier!

As a mother, what's scarier than losing your child? Imagine Marin Machado's horror when her 4 year old son, Sebastian is suddenly gone. One minute he was holding her hand, she turned to take a call, then the next, he's gone. Every mother knows that children are known for wandering off, and most have had that scare at some point, but for Marin, this scare turns into a devastating nightmare. As police are called to the scene, it's clear, Sebastian is REALLY MISSING. Camera footage reveals that someone dressed as Santa has taken her precious son.

A year has passed and Marin is barely keeping it together. Her relationship with her husband Derek has become distant, filled with resentment and regret, neither are sure if it can be salvaged. Marin has one constant in her life, her best friend Sal. Sal gets her in a way no one else does, and in this, she finds what little comfort she can. It's no wonder when the P.I. investigating the disappearance of Sebastian discovers that Derek is having an affair that Sal is all too quick to swoop in and offer his support.

Kenzie Li, is the epitome of a struggling artist, working at a coffee shop stealing pastries to sustain herself. Kenzie doesn't need love, she needs money. Her former college roommate lets her in on a little secret, if you want money, you need to find a married man, older man, as some would say, a "sugar daddy". They have a lot to lose, which is all the more gain for a struggling young woman such as Kenzie. So when Kenzie starts to fall for Derek, she realizes she's made a huge mistake.

For Marin, she's lost too much, and she's not about to give up on Derek just yet. With Sal's help, she makes a decision, Kenzie has to go. But, will this decision cost her the answers she seeks about her missing son?

This is a real page-turner. One that will leave you disgusted, puzzled, sadden, and relieved all at the same time. You know a book is good when you're processing through all the emotions.

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Jennifer Hillier for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review.

Derek and Marin are living with every parents’ nightmare. While shopping, their son Sebastian slips out of Marin’s grasp and is abducted. In their quest to get their son back, they both become victims and perpetrators of lies and deceit. No one is truly as they seem as the reader is kept guessing until the very end.

3.5 stars

Marin Machado is Christmas shopping with her 4-year-old son Sebastian at Seattle's 'Pike Place Market' when the unthinkable happens. Distracted by a phone call, Marin releases Sebastian's hand for a moment, and when she looks around the boy is gone. A hunt for the child is fruitless, and security footage shows that a figure in a Santa Claus costume led Sebastian away.

The police search for Sebastian is thorough and extensive since Marin and her husband Derek are high profile citizens. Marin is the owner of a beauty salon that caters to celebrities and Derek is a wealthy business mogul. Sebastian isn't found, and Marin - who's both inconsolable and guilt-ridden - attempts suicide.

After a brief stint in a psychiatric hospital Marin joins a support group for parents of missing children and - encouraged by her sympathetic salon manager - returns to work.

After eighteen months Marin and Derek, though still living together, have grown apart - and Marin thinks Derek blames her for the tragedy. Marin is barely holding herself together, but her support group acquaintances and her best friend Sal - who was her college boyfriend years ago - help her go on.

When the police stop actively looking for Sebastian, Marin can't stand the idea that the search has ended. So, unbeknownst to Derek, Marin hires private investigator Vanessa Castro to continue the hunt. Part of Castro's strategy is to look into all of Marin and Derek's friends, acquaintances, and employees. Thus, Castro happens to learn that Derek is having an affair with a pretty, pink-haired art student/barista called McKenzie Li. The PI immediately tells Marin....and shows her pictures.

Marin is furious, and - thinking she's lost her child - determines that she can't lose her husband too. Encouraged by her longtime friend Sal, who's always been a reckless irresponsible guy, Marin does something drastic - and it has unexpected repercussions.

The book alternates between the perspectives of Marin and McKenzie, and we get a close look at the behavior of both women. Marin is a sympathetic character - a distraught woman out of her mind with grief, while McKenzie is a piece of work I'd like to send to Jupiter.

There are some surprises in the story, one of which I found completely unbelievable. That said, this is a well-written suspenseful story, well worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Jennifer Hillier) and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.

I eagerly awaited this book by the author of Jar of Hearts. It definitely did not disappoint. A fast paced read that will have you caught up in the story until the final page. I give it a solid 5 stars.

Wow, Little Secrets is the best book I have read in a long time! Jennifer Hillier blew me away with this one and has left me with chills.

Marin's perfect life falls apart when her son is kidnapped at a busy market. She hires a private detective to look into her son's disappearance after the FBI does not find any leads. She learns that her husband is having an affair, and his girlfriend may have been involved in her son's kidnapping. Marin is desperate to find her son and will do whatever it takes to find him.

Hillier's writing is cleverly crafted, full of suspense and down right perfect! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.

I loved this book. So many twists and turns. It kept me hooked til the end. I could not put it down.

AMAZING. I couldn't put this book down! Everyone here has a complicated story to tell, everyone's actions are both terrible and understandable in the same breath. Lots of twists and an ending that fulfills everything it promised.

Wonder filler thriller by Jennifer Hillier. When her young sun goes missing as Pike Place Market, the families life is turned upside down. I had an inkling on who it was, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. Great book and I highly recommend.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @StMartinsPress for the advanced copy.

This is a must read for thriller lovers! I dont like to go too deep into describing a plot when talking about thrillers but I will say that this book drew me in from page 1 and left me stunned. A child goes missing, a marriage is on the rocks, we see the different relationships and friendships and the effect that this has on them all. Our protagonist is in a state of shock and has become morally grey which also adds a lot to the story. Please note that this does have a trigger warning for violence and suicide.

Jennifer Hilliar’s writing scares me. Her stories are so real, the characters could easily be someone I know, or the situations could easily happen to me or a loved one.

Little Secrets deals with what is quite literally my (and probably every other parents) worst nightmare. Child abduction.
This book was phenomenal. Twisty, addictive and terrifying. The entire time I was reading it my stomach was churning with nervousness and full of dread, yet I just had to keep reading. I loved that we got perspectives from both Marin and Mackenzie. Their characters were so incredibly different, and neither were necessarily likable but they were so layered and equally interesting.

One of my favorite things about Hilliar’s writing is her reveals. You truly can’t figure out the twist until Hillier is ready for you to know it. You spend the entire book guessing, thinking you have it figured out, only to be blindsided by the twist. I was definitely blindsided by this one!!
If you love a good twisty thriller full of secrets, that keeps you guessing this is the book for you!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read and give my honest review of this incredible book!

I loved this book and could not put it down. So many twist and turns and a surprising ending. I highly recommend this book