Having now read my second book by this author, I am once again impressed by her ability to weave challenging themes into her narratives. This novel tackles a tough subject, making for an uncomfortable read, but I mean that in the best possible way. The author's sensitive handling of the material elevates the story, allowing it to shine as a piece of straight fiction rather than being pigeonholed into the mystery or thriller genres. What truly captivated me was the depth of the storytelling itself, which didn't rely on unexpected twists or turns to keep me engaged. Instead, it offered a compelling and thought-provoking narrative that held my attention from start to finish.

3.5 stars

As I started reading this book, I was immediately drawn into its plot of intricacies that straddled between postpartum depression and baby abuse. Liz is a pediatric doctor. She is called in for a consult when her friend Jess brings her baby to the ER because she won't stop crying. Liz assesses the situation and discovers that the baby has a fractured skull, an injury associated with abuse. Liz is torn. She's been good friends with Jess since prenatal class with their first borns a decade ago. However, looking back, Jess has been struggling since having her third child. The baby has been colicky, and her husband hasn't been much support. Did Jess really hurt her baby? Or did the child just accidentally fall as Jess proclaims?

This domestic suspense wasn't your typical thriller. There was much description of the challenges of motherhood and babies in general. It took me back to when my kids were very young. Isolation, fatigue, worry, stress... then add mental illness on top of that.

This story alternated between Liz and Jess for the most part. It was well written but may be better suited for readers interested in the difficulties of motherhood. Personally, I was pulled right in and found it difficult to stop reading. My only complaint was that the pacing was off at times, particularly during the flashbacks.

Thank you Netgalley for an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I had to dnf, unfortunately it just wasn't compelling for me. it was predictable and i didn't love the writing.

I loved this book! Thank you for the ARC. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize that I wasn’t leaving reviews on netgalley and was solely sharing on Instagram. My apologies. Huge fan of this author! I actually received the tangible copy. Trying to clean up my netgally account.

This was a thought provoking and dramatic mystery surrounding the difficulties mothers face. Jess finds herself in a difficult position when her youngest suffers from a questionable injury. Secrets, lies, insecurities - they tangle together to make it very difficult to unravel the truth
No spoilers allowed - but worth the read!

Liz and Jess have been friends for years and helped each other navigate motherhood; Jess is Liz’s go too for parenting advice because she’s always just had it together in that department. When Betsey, Jess and Ed’s baby girl is rushed to the ER, it leaves Liz questioning everything, including her own judgement as Liz has no other choice as the ER doctor but to follow protocol and call child protective services.



I was supposed to buddy read Little Disasters last year however, when he shared the trigger warnings, I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. After reading a few reviews recently, I decided to give it a chance and I’m glad I did. The story is told via multiple POV, and between past and present which I enjoyed; the writing was suspenseful and realistic. At times this book was very difficult to read, I had to keep putting it down and switching to a lighter read but, it’s also a very important read that details postpartum depression. It’s a well-paced story, with heavy subject matter that was very well written and researched.



Huge thank you to netgalley, Simon and, Atria and Emily Bestler Books for my gifted copy

3.5⭐, rounded up to 4.

This story was really difficult to read, but I liked it. I could feel the pain and distress of the mothers in the story and I loved how they were written in such a raw and realistic way. The plot had great suspense and for most of the book, I really couldn't solve the mystery of what happened. This is a story that I suspect most mothers will be able to relate to (but in a rather uncomfortable way).

This was an entertaining and decent read, but regrettably a bit forgettable. I wouldn't categorize this necessarily as a super fast-paced book, it's a bit more slow - and a bit more emotional. It's an interesting exploration of motherhood with a few mysterious elements. I was expecting something a bit more "thrilling" at first, but I still enjoyed my time with what it turned out to be.

Honestly I don’t have an interest in reading this book anymore and I want to be more selective with what I request.

I did not finish this book. I got halfway through and then stopped reading. I felt like I was pushing myself to read but was not enjoying it. I did not find it intriguing enough, and the characters were bland. Maybe I will continue reading it one day, but I don't see that happening in the future.

Thought provoking. Emotionally Charged. Heavy. Well written. These are a few terms I'd use to describe Sarah Vaughan's novel Little Disasters.

I thought I was going in for a thriller but I got more of a domestic suspense/family drama...and it was great! The book explores the complexities of motherhood and mental health issues specifically post partum depression. It keep me interested from start to finish and had a plot twist that I didn't see coming.

Definitely recommend this one but you do have to know what you're going in for. I will also be checking out more of the author's work as this was my first book by her.

Absolutely brilliant read! Loved every part of it. The author gives us just enough information to keep us hooked, but not too much, so we don't figure everything out until the end. Very well written. Liz, the doctor, is working ER, when her friend comes in with her baby, who has a head injury. Her friend, Jess, is suspected of abusing the baby. Jess has been having a very difficult time adjusting to her 3rd child, but what's a mother to do? What is Jess really going through, and what caused the head injury? Jump in to find out what exactly is going on with this family.

I think this one is 100% miscategorized. This is not a thriller, at all. It's a good book, but it's women's fiction, and it wasn't what I was expecting at all, and that was directly due to the miscategorization of the book.

This is *not* a thriller and I'm disappointed that it's being marketed as one because I think it will miss the market where it belongs, which I'd call women's literary fiction. This is a book about postpartum depression and family dynamics and motherhood that deserves to be shelved with books like The Upstairs House and The Other Mother.

Being childless still make this a difficult book to take in. Postpartum depression is scary and the insight this book gives a deep look into it. It's a fast-paced novel with multiple POV's which made for a very interesting and thought-provoking read.

A fast paced mystery novel that meets all the requirements for me from this genre. Nothing specular really stood out to me, but I did appreciate the realism and relatability I felt towards the characters.

More of a slow burn, disturbing read than a thriller. The writing was fine and the characters were somewhat interesting, I enjoy the secret behind every door vibe but the repetitive scenes of trauma to children really didn't sit right with me. There are a lot of topics and characters in this one, it twists domestic drama, postpartum depression, motherhood and friendship.

While I appreciate the attempt to write about a difficult topic it just fell flat for me and I'm not sure who id recommend this book to.

Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan was provided as an ARC by NetGallery in exchange for an honest review. #LittleDisasters

Jess Curtis, mother of three and the center of this heartbreaking family drama set in London, appears to have her life together, but the birth 10 months earlier of her daughter, Betsey, has pushed her over the edge.

As Jess strains to get through each day, she worries that she may physically harm her baby yet keeps her feelings buried. When Jess rushes Betsey to the emergency room one night, her story, and the injuries to the baby, raise suspicion among the hospital staff, especially her best friend, Liz, who is the senior resident in pediatrics at the hospital.

Jess starts to unravel as social workers and police get involved, and her friends and her husband wonder whether she did harm Betsey. The fast plot includes ideas on postpartum depression, female friendships, and the difficulties of parenting.

Unfortunately, a second finale feels contrived and was not needed.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy of this one, all opinions are my own.

I must say that I LOVED this book, which surprised even me, as domestic thrillers like this one usually don't capture me in the same way a serial killer book will. But Sarah Vaughan writes such complex and compelling characters that I couldn't help but be so completely sucked into the plot of this story, that I read the entire thing in one evening, staying up well past my bedtime to see what had really happened to set everything off.

This book is just so wonderfully crafted, moving between past and present and letting the complicated plot unfold in such a way that the tension is always building, and you are never exactly sure what angle you believe or can trust. I truly loved how things played out in this (no spoilers!) in the sense that it ended up being so tremendously honest and relatable to real life.

This should be on thriller lovers lists everywhere - it is one that will blow your socks off in the end.

3.5 stars
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What you see on the outside isn't what is happening on the inside...Liz works as a pediatrician and when her friend's daughter Betsey is brought in with a skull fracture and a story that doesn't add up, all signs point to Jess being the culprit. It's hard to say that I enjoyed this book due to the graphic nature of the story, but in reality, this had me on the edge of my seat,

This story is told via multiple POV's - we get perspectives from Liz, Jess, and Ed who is married to Jess. I was captivated from the start as we read some of the thoughts that Jess has (warning that some of them are dark), and you start to wonder if she is capable of hurting her little girl. I believed the ending was a little far fetched as to what happened, it was an alright solution to the big twist but wasn't something that left me speechless!

I wouldn't classify this as a thriller, but it is very thought-provoking as it touches on very hard to deal with subjects. It does a great job at giving us an inside glimpse of what motherhood can be,
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I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, All thoughts and opinions are my own.