5 Stars!

Little Secrets is a gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller with twisting plot points that kept me turning the pages and guessing the outcome until the very end. Hillier has written a complicated book with a central plot and several subplots with their own story lines. She’s intricately woven the story threads into a uniform whole that brings the tale to a most satisfying conclusion. Great pacing, tight writing, entertaining, and highly recommended.

If you love to read thrillers like I do, don’t miss this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC for review.

A highly entertaining thriller, a fast-paced story that was hard to put down.
This is about the kidnapping and disappearance of a 4-year-old boy and the effect this had on the marriage of his parents. However, even before the child disappeared, the husband was up to no good, unbeknownst to his wife.
The book focuses on the emotions and feelings of the mother/wife. How does she handle the loss of her child? How does she cope with the knowledge that her husband had a mistress? The author does an excellent job of describing those emotions and feelings.
A thriller can often just be an extended description of a chase, but this book is much more than that. The character development is what makes this book stand out.
This is first book I’ve read from this prolific author. I will definitely read some of her prior works after enjoying this book as much as I did.
I read an advance reader copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.

*Thanks to St. Martin's Press + NetGalley for the ARC!*

What a fucking WILD. RIDE. Spoilers ahead!

First of all - both are mentioned in the blurb, but just in case, trigger warning for spousal infidelity (several pieces of the story surround affairs) and child kidnapping.

Now that that's out of the way - this book is truly nuts. There were so many twists and turns, and they were actually surprising, which I feel is so rare these days! The story begins centered around the child being kidnapped, and then the rest of the book is mostly surrounding the affairs.

This was the first cry book for me of the year - when Marin hears that Sebastian is alive, I was full ugly crying. Same when they reunited a few pages later.

A couple personal notes on the plotlines: While I figured out J.R. was Junior was Sal, I still didn't put together that he had a relationship with Kenzie. As someone who was on the receiving end of spousal infidelity, I hated Kenzie the entire time, but my rage increased when she was having her conversation with Izzy (her roommate) and basically said her partners being married weren't her problem. Like, wow.

Oh, this was so much fun! I hate to say that about a book with such a horrible premise, but this is a real page-turner. I loved Hillier's Jar of Hearts, and this one is just a good. Now, I have a few quibbles, but delving into those would be spoiler-y, and even though a few things bugged me upon reflection, did they diminish my enjoyment of this crazy fast-paced book? Nope. So five stars it is.

Marin Machado is a celebrity hairstylist, and her husband Derek is CEO of a health food company, so they are swimming in cash. Their four year old son, Sebastian, is their world. Right before Christmas, at a bustling Seattle market, Marin lets go of his hand to take a call from Derek, and just like that, Sebastian is gone. They expect a ransom call, but one never comes. The grieving parents try to move on with their lives, but the tragedy is tearing them apart. Hillier is a master at character development, and in the first part of the book, you get to know Marin, her emotions, and flaws so well. Then, as the plot thickens and shifts, a new character is introduced, and Hillier skillfully turns your whole attention to this other person.

I didn't see the ending coming, even though I probably should have, and while there are some moments that stretch belief, I was still satisfied without feeling ripped off. (A rare feat with thrillers these days.) Highly recommend this one when you want to totally zone out of your own life and escape into someone else's world for a bit.

I love Jennifer Hillier’s books. This one was no different and was one of my favorites. I started it on a plane without reading the blurb, so had no idea what to expect. I was so pleasantly surprised. I wished I started it earlier into the flight because I was sad to put it away upon arrival. Very addictive reading. I absolutely loved it. Thanks for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Fun and well written psychological thriller. I hadn't read any of Jennifer Hillier's books before, but after reading this one, I requested some from the library.

A study and contrast of the two dysfunctional lives of a wife and the "other woman" and their multiple poor choices that lead to their ultimate juxtaposition. .... with the spark being the kidnapping of a child. Marin Machado appears on the surface to have it all ... a high profiled marriage (envied by all) to Derek .. a handsome and successful business owner. Marin is beautiful and dresses like a model out of Vogue, and runs a chain of upscale hair salons .... catering to the rich and famous. Her life instantly crumbles with the kidnapping of her four year old son. Sebastian disappears right from under her nose while she is texting and talking on her cell. Mall video reveals Sebastian being lead away ... holding a large swirled lollipop in one hand and Santa Claus' hand in the other.
The FBI search and the media driven campaign has gone dry ... as has her marriage to Derek. She hires a private investigator to continue the search .. it's been more than a year ... and appears hopeless, to most. A missing child is an open infected wound ... always festering! The private eye stumbles upon evidence of Derek's dalliance with a much younger woman. Kenzi Li is an exotic appearing, twenty-something artist and grad student .... who craves daily instagram affirmation of her worth. This is not Kenzi's first rodeo ... even she deems herself as a "professional girlfriend". She has repeatedly formed an exclusive relationship with a rich man in order to reap the financial perks. Is she a gold digger ... a home wrecker .... or simply a prostitute??
Hillier amazes in her development of the characters involved in this web of deceit. .... leaving subtle bread crumbs along the way. The pacing of the narrative is exhilarating ... with the last quarter of the book escalating into a twisted thrilling journey as the puzzle pieces fall into place. No-one can avoid gobbling up this gem ... forget the mundane necessities of life. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Excuse me, while I immediately go download Hillier's highly acclaimed , "Jar of Hearts" ( at readersremains.com)
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I really enjoyed this book. I honestly was a little bored, but then I figured out there was more to the book than I had thought. That's when it started getting really good! If you start this book and are kind of eh, keep going, it gets really good after a slow start.

Thanks to the author and netgalley for the ARC.

Jennifer Hillier's Little Secrets: A Novel is truly a psychological thriller. A young boy is abducted while he is with his mother and she blames herself. Prior to the abduction, the parents had a perfect life. Now, their lives are changed forever. This plot is very twisted and unsuspected. it will have you sitting on the edge of your seats. I highly recommend it.

This was a pretty great mystery. While I didn't find the characters all that likeable, that's rarely the point of a good mystery. It did slow down the book for me a little as I would get fed up occasionally and put it down for another book, but the twists and turns were all worth it.

I can't imagine the horror of losing a child, and having to live with that loss. How guilt and regret can eat at your soul and upset any relationship. The rage and powerlessness don't go away with time, only action can focus those feelings.
That is what happens in this book, it is heartbreaking. The revelations that come once the grieving mom begins to take action on her own unravel a number of mysteries surrounding the kidnapping. are surprising.
It was hard to read the beginning but it gets easier as it goes along and really picks up speed toward the end.
I won't give anything else away- give it a whirl.
The writing is good, the author really does allow us to understand the misery of everyone.

Holy moly! This isn’t my first book by Jennifer Hillier and I look forward to more in the future. Marin and Derek’s 4 year old son was kidnapped 16 months ago. They’re both dealing with the unknown in their own completely different ways. Just when you think you know where this story is found, TWIST! And such an amazing twist!!! I couldn’t wait to read through the end to find out the conclusion. I definitely recommend this book!

5 stars!! This book was incredible, I started it 2 days ago and could not put it down! It grips you from the very first page and the intensity does not let up the entire time. I had to know what happened next! Little Secrets centers around Marin Machado and her husband Derek, and starts when their son, Sebastian, is abducted from a busy shopping area a few days before Christmas. The story fast forwards to 16 months later, where we find Marin still desperately trying to cope and find out what happened to Sebastian. Derek is now involved in affair with a much younger woman, McKenzie. Marin's life begins to spiral to darker places that she could have ever imagined, and we find out piece by piece how the characters are intertwined and what could have possibly happened to Sebastian. Little Secrets was one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time! Highly Recommend!

I recently received an ARC for one of my most anticipated 2020 thriller reads (thank you, NetGalley! ❤) -  Little Secrets, by Jennifer Hillier, author of Jar of Hearts.  In this book, we follow Marin whose life is unraveling. She used to have it all - a happy marriage to her college sweetheart, an adorable son, and a successful career. But in a matter of 8 minutes, her world came crashing down when her son was abducted in broad daylight. Just over a year later, Marin struggles every single day just to put one foot in front of the other and carry on with a life without her son.  She has hired a private investigator, and when this P.I. accidentally discovers Marin's husband is having an affair with a much younger woman, Marin suddenly receives the jolt she needs. She's lost her son;  she's not about to lose her husband also.  On her road to fix this situation, though, she uncovers more truths that will rock her world.⁣⁣
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This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go. The pacing was just right, and it made it super hard to put the book down. And while I did figure  out the whodunnit pretty early on, the twists and turns this story took kept me riveted.  This was a ⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me and one I predict this will be one of 2020's hot thriller reads. ⁣⁣
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Jennifer Hillier is great! I had read her novel, Jar of Hearts, last year, and loved it. Much of the same with Little Secrets this year. Marin Machado's life couldn't be much better: great marriage, great career, great child. Walking through a mall one day right before Christmas, Marin lets go of her son's hand, and Sebastian disappears. It only takes 480 seconds for Marin's entire life to turn upside down. Fast forward sixteen months, and the police are no closer to finding Sebastian than they were the day he disappeared. Marin, unbeknownst to her husband who she now barely speaks to, hires a PI. Instead of finding out where Sebastian is, the PI begins to discover all of the little secrets everyone would rather keep hidden. This story dives right into the action and really doesn't let go. It had me placing myself in the position of the various characters and wondering what I would do. This would be a great book to talk about. A great pick for book clubs.

Really good book. Tugged at my heart emotionally. Lots of secrets in these people’s lives. It’s best to go into this one completely blind. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one!

From cover to cover I loved it. The expected was not the norm and the unexpected was always right around the corner. People were not who they seemed and the secrets and actions of everyone is questionable as the story unfolds.

I loved the writing and story. The POV and dialogues allowed me to think about what would I do or feel in that situation. There were several moments where I am sure my mouth dropped from surprise and I teared up from the outcomes. The characters were all full bodied and held their own on each page. This was a great suspenseful read!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read this book and share my opinion!

Wow! This book was amazing! I was immediately pulled in to this tale of child abduction, grief, infidelity, heartbreak, and healing. So many twists and turns, but I thought I’d figured it out...not quite! This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat! Well developed characters drive the storyline.

We'll written, suspenseful, thrilling. Kept me guessing til the very end & shocked when I finished.. Will be recommending this one to others.

I was floored when I read 'Jar of Hearts' by Jennifer Hillier. I loved it and hence when I got my hands on 'Little Secrets' I was so excited! And for all good reason because I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well.

A mother driven to the edge by the disappearance of her son learns her husband is having an affair with the woman who might have kidnapped him.
Four hundred and eighty seconds. That’s how long it took for someone to steal Marin Machado's four-year-old son.
Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They're admired in their community and are a loving family. Up until the day Sebastian is taken.

That's all I'm going to say about the plot. This is one of my fastest read I’ve done lately because gripping page turner truly had me hooked from the beginning.

Jennifer Hillier is absolutely the queen of thrillers! Can't wait to read more of her!