I really struggled to finish this book. Not that it wasn't well written - it was. The characters were highly developed. But there didn't seem to be much of a mystery here until there was. It seemed to go on and on, covering the issue of post natal anxiety ad nauseam. I usually read suspense novels but this reads more like a family drama (or several family dramas). As the numerous positive reviews illustrate, many will enjoy this, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Amazon review: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2KBDXT66ZHGZG/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

How far will you go to make your children safe and give the care, the comfort they need?

This is an engaging, thoughtful and amazing family drama. It's not black and white. It is all the shades of those and grey thrown in.

The story is told in multiple POVs and with flashbacks of the main characters.

Liz Trenchard, a pediatric doctor works in. a hospital and is doing the night shift when her friend, Jess, comes in with her infant daughter who has a head injury. Jess seems to be a little aloof and to Liz, her story just does not add up and she calls child services.

Little Diasters is a pacey and well thought out book. The non-linear storytelling with the POVs and flashbacks makes for a compelling read and I was sucked into their world.

This is definitely not a thriller. It's women's fiction, a drama, great characters, with some twists which lead to a great read.

Little Disasters is filled with twists and turns. I didn’t know how this story would end. It is an intriguing storyline that will make you wonder how well you really know your friends.

😊 Sarah Vaughan writes a mind-blowing, incredibly good mystery/drama. Little Disasters follows mother of three Jess, whose youngest Betsey, just 10 months old, is nothing like her two older boys. Betsey is an often inconsolable and a quite demanding baby and Jess has felt overwhelmed virtually since her birth. Her husband Ed is supportive but is often absent as he works long hours. Jess has a small group of friends including Mel, Charlotte, and Liz who formed a friendship during their antenatal classes. Since Betsy's arrival Jess has felt isolated and so unsure of herself and scared of some of her inner thoughts that she fails to reach out for help, even from her closest friends. One night, paediatric doctor Liz is called to Accident and Emergency when baby Betsey is brought in with a suspicious head injury that does not match with the story Jess provides. Under the instruction of her obnoxious boss Neil, Liz advises the safeguarding team, and what unfolds is an extremely moving tale. Told from several points of view but principally those of Jess and Liz, the story goes backwards and forwards from the incident to their meeting at antenatal classes and beyond.

Thrillers are one of my favourite genres and I couldn't wait to get started on Little Disasters. This was an impressive, meticulous and captivating read. The characters were expertly drawn and believable in their roles, the writing assured and vigorous. Sarah Vaughan was able to create a tone of foreboding that continued until the very last page, and frankly, I found the novel impossible to put down.

Little Disasters was a mesmerising story incorporating main themes of friendship, domestic noir and motherhood. Add into the cooking pot some of the sub ingredients from the darker side of motherhood such as fury, despair, fear, loss of control and exhaustion and the reader can appreciate how sophisticated and special this novel actually is.

The parts of both Liz and Jess were ingeniously created by the author, whose personalities were complex and intriguing. I loved the way the finer points of the tale were drip-fed to the reader as the story built to its satisfying conclusion. The added bonuses of the menacing moments and buckets of tension helped to make Little Disasters a true masterpiece.

Overall, a clever and brave psychological thriller delivering many surprises, complete with an outstanding, attention-grabbing plot. 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Atria via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Jess’s daughter gets injured and her friend Liz is the doctor who treats her and soon realizes that her friend is hiding something. This book is being marketed as a thriller but personally I felt it was more of a dark domestic drama. I don’t know if that impacted my enjoyment as I went into it expecting something else. I feel a little mixed about this book overall, as, as a relatively new mom, I found it at points challenging to read. A large focus of the book is on postnatal depression and anxiety and while I feel the subject matter is incredibly important and that more books should feature storylines around this subject; I’m not sure that I felt this was necessarily the right story for this subject matter. A very mixed read for me.

Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan. I enjoyed this book! It moved quickly and the story was well written. Jess is a stay at home mother of three children. She seems to have it together... The house, the handsome husband, the kids. What seems like the perfect life, isn't. Jess is struggling and doesn't tell anyone. Until one night when her youngest child, Betsey gets hurt while at home and Jess delays taking her to the hospital. How did Betsey get hurt and who did it, is the main point of the story, but as with any story you what happens to this little girl affects many people and many lives. This story is told from alternating points of view as well as flashbacks in time. I thought it was a unique way of telling a story and it made for a quick read. 4⭐
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Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and Sarah Vaughan for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a multilayered book with a current story and then a background story that influences the current story. It also has a variety of endings--the reader thinks that is the real story, but wait, there is more that changes that ending and then one more time you think that is the end of the story to only find out there is one more ending. The character of Liz is the binding that holds the book together with other characters' added into the mix. All in all a really interesting book!

I have mixed feelings about this book. Sometimes I think that's because of the genres I choose to read and when I read things. Meaning that maybe sometimes I'm not as fair as I should/could be, if that makes sense? As in OMFG the book(s) you just read/finished (before this one)blew you away and now...

Pros: If you are looking for a (mostly)well written novel to make you think or a book to read for your book club this certainly will generate conversation/thoughts. This book was realistic and timely/current topic/plot. Side note-may include triggers for some readers(not a pro - just a warning).

Cons: Misleading cover and description. IMHO not a mystery or thriller which is what I was really expecting.This was more of a domestic drama ala women's fiction which was not a problem for me. I listed it under the con only because I was expecting something different which maybe isn't fair.This book also had some "everything but the kitchen sink" moments. Weak ending.

Little Disasters certainly had a lot going on in the storyline. There were quite a few different twists and turns, and I was totally wrong about how it would end. I did find it to be a slow moving read especially in the beginning. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher Atria, and was under no obligation to give a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Don’t ever let it be said that a book is “just fiction”. I love how the author used this story to bring awareness and understanding to the different mental health issues that can affect women postpartum (keep this in mind if you’ve struggled with these issues and it’s a sensitive subject for you). That alone makes this a great book. I didn’t realize that there were any besides postpartum depression.
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Besides being great by bringing awareness and understanding, this story was intriguing and suspenseful. The author kept me suspicious of a few different characters and making my own guesses as to what really happened (none of which turned out to be correct) and she threw in something I didn’t see coming. The addition of a side story with its own suspense and mystery was the cherry on top. The ending was wrapped up neatly and was also a bit heartwarming. I’m sure I’ll find myself on Goodreads adding more of her books to my TBR.

What does a doctor do when a friend arrives at the emergency room with a child suffering from what appears to be a suspicious injury? This is the dilemma that Liz faces when she examines Jess’s daughter, Betsey. The women have been good friends since they met in a prenatal class several years before. Now, it is apparent that Jess is hiding something and Liz has no idea what her friend, seemingly a nearly perfect mother, is dealing with.

Little Disasters is the story of friendships, secrets, and the stress motherhood can place on a family. It is a taut, well-written story told from several points of view, including one of Jess’s sons and her husband. There are also brief flashbacks that add depth and interest to the story. With so many elements to keep track of, it would seem that the reader could get lost. But, the author has managed to keep everything on track. Even though this book demands that the reader pays attention, this tightly-woven story is well-told and moves along nicely.

But, most importantly, this is a story that will resonate with many people. New mothers, whether it is their first child or not, can feel isolated and overwhelmed. Little Disasters does a fine job of reminding us that even the most independent and competent mother sometimes needs a little help and support. Kudos to Sarah Vaughan for telling this story in such a compelling and thought-provoking way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Wow. This was a fast-paced family drama with twists and turns and many secrets. It explores how much is under the surface of every character. Both good and bad. And the long-term effects of trauma. It was thought provoking and a little frightening too. All of the characters were simultaneously like able and detestable. I can see this book being a book club favorite since there is so much drama and many points of view. No spoilers but read with a good attention to detail! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Little Disasters was such a gripping and fascinating read! I stumbled upon the book on bookstagram and knew that I’d really enjoy reading it. I don’t think this book rightfully falls under the Thriller category though, but as a mystery or a domestic drama, Little Disasters was pretty good.

The book started in an eerie manner, with the description of a mother trying really hard to calm her baby down and having thoughts about killing the baby at the same time – and that got me hooked from the very first page. Thankfully, that captivating touch in the storyline stayed throughout the book. The plot was intricately crafted, and I’m very impressed with Sarah Vaughan’s storytelling style!

Little Disasters explored themes that made me look at the lives of mothers in a different light. I’m very young, so I don’t know a lot about Motherhood in general, but that didn’t make reading this book difficult at all. I’m actually very glad that I decided to read this novel, because the society tends to sugar-coat what mothers go through after the birth of a child. Little Disasters shatters those over exaggerated beliefs in the most realistic way possible.

” Appearances are often deceptive ” – This saying got perfectly expressed through this book as well. People think that Jess is the perfect and happiest mom – but nothing could be farther from the truth. I really appreciated how the author chose to approach the complexities of mental health and expressed them through Jess’ character. The POVs swiftly change between different timelines and characters, and that made the book a whole lot interesting. I loved seeing the background story behind a specific incident and how that connected with the plot at the present time in the book. The twist in the last few chapters was really unexpected. Just when I thought that I had figured out the mystery, the author went and blew my mind away!

I felt that some parts of the book was unnecessarily descriptive at times, which is why I had to lower by initial rating of 4 stars to 3.75 stars. That doesn’t mean that I won’t recommend the book though. Please pick it up since the book deals with themes that are very important in the modern world.

This is an emotional book. If you look closely behind closed doors you find out not everything is as it seems. Liz really does take everything personal and I think that has a lot to do with her childhood. All lives are affected by what happens. You think you know what happens but more secrets come out until you learn the truth. I was surprised with part of the ending. I think I'm surprised on how a person reacted to a situation than anything. Cleverly written with a lot of emotion.

Liz is a pediatric doctor who is working the night shift when her good friend, Jess brings in her baby Betsey to the ER. After finding out that Betsey has a skull fracture, Jess is under suspicion and Liz can't believe that she is the one that caused the baby harm. The story gets involved with how hard it is to have a colicky baby along with other children at home with resulting dark thoughts. This story shows how we can fail to see how people close to us can be suffering, even if they present that they are fine.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Well this was a tough one, but so good and I can’t wait to read more by this author. Thank you so much to Atria Books and Netgalley for my gifted digital copy! I think Little Disasters is another book that is incorrectly portrayed as a thriller when I would consider it as more of a dark family drama. I could not put this one down and read 80% of it before I went to bed one night! There’s constant underlying tension, a steady pace, and alternating POVs that create a compelling story about a tough subject. The only problem I had was the ending. Little Disasters will make you uncomfortable at times, and some content is disturbing, graphic, and heart-wrenching. It wasn’t what I expected at all but I was fascinated by the characters and couldn’t stop reading. Trigger warnings for postpartum depression, child abuse, and mental illness.

This book started out strong and seemed to be one that I was going to really enjoy. Though it is not a thriller in any sense of the word, it is a mystery/women’s fiction. The writing is very well developed and the characters are all pretty likable. My problem is that it started dragging and didn’t pick back up until close to the end. This book could have been cut down and really been so good. It has great promise but way to much detail. I don’t usually say anything negative about a book but this one in my opinion needs it. It’s really a good story but just way to much detail. I understand you have to know all the characters and their background stories, but this one went a bit to far. It took away from this story. It’s a good story but needs to be a bit less. Sometimes less is more.

This story starts out with a woman losing her mind because her newborn baby won’t stop crying. She’s tried everything and nothing seems to work. It then goes right into the story of four women. One, Liz, works at the hospital in the UK as a Pediatrician doctor. The setting is 2018 and it’s a cold January night. She’s called to the ER to check on a baby girl who was brought in. When Liz finds out who the baby is she is a bit concerned. Jess is a wonderful mother who dotes on her children. She’s a good person and would never do anything to harm her children. She has two boys and this baby girl, Betsey. After checking Betsey Liz concludes that there is trauma to the back of her skull and wants more tests. She questions Jess about it by Jess is very vague in her answers. After finding that Betsey has a fractured skull she tries to get Jess to tell her something. Anything to explain how this happened. She finally has no choice but to call children’s services.

Jess is a wonderful mother but also one who needs sleep. With a baby and two older boys she is running on fumes. When her husband, Ed, finds Betsey in her crib crying and sees she has vomited he becomes very concerned. He insists Jess take her to the ER right away. Jess is very afraid of what is going to happen. Is her baby girl going to be ok or is something terribly wrong. She’s having thoughts that scare her also. Like what if she hurts her baby. She is suffering with postpartum depression and doesn’t know it. No one does. She keeps her feelings in, afraid to tell anyone the sinister thoughts that come to her mind.

There are several characters in this book and none see that Jess has any problems. Not even her best friend, Liz. Either they are not paying much attention or Jess is able to hide her postpartum from them all. Even her husband. Everyone thinks she is the perfect mother. Until she takes Betsey to the hospital. Then it seems they all have something to say. Typical of a group of women I believe. Instead of standing up for their friend they think the worst.

While this is going on there is another side story going on. It’s about Liz’s mother and another baby girl. It’s easy to follow but to me unnecessary to this story. It’s interesting but still I could have done without it. It didn’t seem to attribute to the story except to shed some light on Liz’s life, though I still don’t understand what the baby had to do with it. Just another story of a baby I guess. It would be a good start to another book. I’m sorry but it just didn’t help me at all.

The friends could have been there for Jess during this awful time. Most thought she was a great mom but when asked they sure loves putting their two cents worth in about things. Even Liz seemed a bit evasive about Liz. She was very close to the mom and baby so she had to step back but still... I did love who Liz finally got to the root of what happened and then another twist is thrown in that to me was just unbelievable. I can’t believe any child would do what the main on in this story did or said. When afraid most children do whatever it takes to make things better. That is my opinion and I didn’t believe how things played out about what really did happen. It was just to out there. Like it was thrown in to keep the story going.

Thank you #NetGalley, #SarahVaugh, #Atriabooks for this ARC. This is my own feelings and review.

I gave it 3/5 stars and say read if for yourself. You may see something I didn’t and may love it. It’s a good story, just to much about each character for me.

If you are looking for a domestic suspense, this is not it. But, stay with me. It was a great book, heartfelt and heart-wrenching!
Jess is that mom, we all know one, who has it all together. Stay at home mom with a loving husband and beautiful family always there for anything her children need. That is why it is such a shock when her friend Liz sees her walking into the hospital where she is a doctor, with her 10 month old daughter Betsey who has a head wound too severe for the explanation that Jess is giving for how it happened. This one incident sets off a string of events all leading to the unbelievable truth finally revealed, yes you guessed it, in the last few pages!
The story is filled with the emotional rollercoaster that is friendship between mothers who met in a birthing class and are still friends but have drifted apart ten years and a few more kids later. They will come back to an even stronger friendship as they help each other through!
Great book of family and friendships. Makes you take a second look at that seemingly perfect
mom! Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was just an “okay” read for me. I could not get that into this book despite the fact that it was not that long. It centers around one particular incident and flashes in time to provide context, but it failed to keep me very engaged. 3 stars ⭐️. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for a honest review.

It feels a bit odd to say I enjoyed Little Disasters given it's subject matter - it's heartbreaking, but important.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pediatrician Liz Trenchard sees her friend's daughter Betsey as a patient in the ER, with odd symptoms and a story from mom Jess that doesn't line up. A diagnosis of a skull fracture is made and suspicions cast on mechanism of injury. This domestic suspense is told from multiple points of view and timelines. Family traumas and secrets revealed underscore the present-day events.
The medical elements in the story hold up, setting the frame for the deeper issues of postpartum depression and anxiety. We are taken into the minds and actions of struggling parents and families, which may seem shocking on paper but is all too real for many. The despair and guilt eat at you, for something as "natural" as parenthood to be affected by your own mind.
An excellent read by Sarah Vaughan and I won't hesitate to read other books of hers - recommended!
For release on Aug. 18, 2020.