Once again, Ms. Mcdonald's book is amazing.

This is a dark look at what a mother will do to save her son from a life threatening disease. What if added to this- she's a doctor that can access certain things... How far will she go as a doctor? Plus throw in - her husband is a cop and very well could arrest her if he finds out what she's doing.

This is a hard look at the opiate crisis that is plauging this world.

I felt so bad for the situation Emma, Nate, and their son Josh find themselves in. So hard reading about childhood illnesses.... You never want your kids getting a cold let alone something so huge and scary. I'm not sure what I would have done in that situation.

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald draws readers into a mother's moral and ethical dilemmas as she struggles to keep her sick son alive. Emma is drawn into the world of opiates after receiving news that her health insurance won't cover an experimental treatment for her ailing son. Emma knows what she's doing is wrong and harming many people but she also knows she can't stop or she'll risk losing her son. Plenty of action keeps this story moving along. Read and enjoy!

In medical school it is continually drummed into the students that in treating patients, the most important guiding principle is first "Do No Harm". However, often the lines of treatment are blurred. We all are aware that radiation and chemotherapy kill healthy cells, as well as those of cancer, but overall these methods extend and save lives. The Opioid Crisis that plagues are country has lead physicians to many difficult decisions. Chronic pain can obviously destroy your life. There are some who have no other possible treatment. This prescribed medication can be useful and also harmful. Chronic usage can lead initially to dependence and eventually addiction. Solving one problem can lead to another. The ravages of addiction are well known .... actually by restructuring the brain , and leading to difficulties in communication, reasoning and even thinking and at times manifesting itself by loosing any sense of morality, loyality with a deepening apathy and depression.
This theme is deeply explored along with its ramifications in this heartfelt tale. The main protagonist is Dr Emma Sweeney, small town doctor with an apparent idyllic life. Married to her life-long sweetheart Nate, who by her own words, has an unimpeachable sense of right and wrong, that fits perfectly with his job as a police detective. They have been blessed with five year-old Josh ... the love of their life, who means everything to them. Emma's world comes crashing down when Josh is diagnosed with an uncommon form of leukemia that will respond favorably only to an expensive form of treatment that their insurance will not cover. Attempts at obtaining a loan from anywhere is unsuccessful. Emma will do anything to save her son. With great trepidation she enters into the dark world of drugs, especially opioids. How simple it would be to forge other physician prescription pads. She rationalizes that maybe she is even providing a service to the chronic pain patients.
Nothing is ever that simple or clearcut. As the overdoses start to mount in her community, the DEA intervene and start an intense investigation, that husband Nate is drawn into.
McDonald weaves a complicated and twisted narrative punctuated with a complex multi-layered protagonist
that leads to an unexpected denouement. And, not totally satisfying. Her tale at times is somewhat preachy but remains compelling and propulsive
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Emma has the perfect life: married to her husband with an adorable young son and working her dream job as a doctor. But her world turns upside down when her son is diagnosed with cancer. Desperate to save her son, Emma risks everything and starts selling opioids to afford his treatment. This book explores the lengths to which we go for our loved ones, the stigma around addiction and opioids, and what it really means to do no harm as a doctor. I was hooked from the very beginning and was so invested in the characters. This had a different feel than The Night Olivia Fell and I'm totally here for it! Thanks to NetGalley Gallery Books for the e-ARC! This hits shelves April 7, 2021!

This is one fantastic medical thriller! It was intense and had me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I felt for the characters and my heart went out to them and the incredibly difficult situation they face. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

This is an intense, emotional and suspenseful story of a mother who would do anything to save her young son, ill with cancer. A mothers love has no bounds and is not to be matched by dangerous people involved in the opioid business. Mom, Emma Sweeney, a doctor, will risk everything to save her son, Josh. Beautifully written with compassion and bravery, it's hard to put down. Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Christina McDonald.

Wow!!! Soooo good.
Another great book by author Christina McDonald. Big fan of her books. Loved, Behind Every Lie. She writes a great mystery thriller, just a little dark. Love it.

"Sometimes we have to do the wrong thing for the right reason. "

The essence of this story is: What would you do if you could save your child's life? Most mothers would do anything. Lie, steal, cheat and even kill.

Nate is a police detective, his wife is Emma a doctor. They have a young son, Josh. Josh was a rare form of leukemia. The treatment need to save Josh's life will cost $900,000. Nate and Emma have 30 days to come up with the money to save their son's life.

Do No Harm is a fast paced, emotionally driven thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

What would you do to save your child? Would you compromise everything you’ve ever stood for? Lie to those who love you? Risk it all?

That’s the intriguing dilemma for Emma in Do No Harm. She is a physician married to Nate, a policeman. When their young son Josh gets sick, money is needed to pay for a lifesaving medical procedure that is not fully covered by insurance creating a desperate need for money. The family lives outside of Seattle in the small town of Skamania, a community that is in the midst of an opioid crisis.

All efforts to find a way to fund the needed treatment fail and Emma does the unthinkable – she decides to raise the money by selling prescriptions for oxycodone getting herself deep in the middle of the local drug trade. When a murder takes place, Emma finds it harder and harder to hide her actions as it is her husband who is the investigating officer in the murder and the growing epidemic. She knows that time is running out.

This taut, suspenseful book not only raises the issue of Emma’s “does the end justify the means?” actions but the failings of a medical system that either denies people in need of pain medication due to lack of insurance or over-prescribes opioids creating addicts. There are no easy answers.

Author Christina McDonald has created a dark story where the lines between good and bad are completely blurred. It is fast-paced yet exhausting. I suspect there will be two extreme camps on this book as other than adorable, Star Wars-loving Josh, most characters are not particularly likeable, including Emma. I thought Do No Harm was very thought-provoking and worthwhile.

Another winning book by Christina McDonald! As a mother myself, the book drew me in, and the suspense kept hold of me. I would hate to be in Emma’s shoes, to make decisions about right and wrong when my child’s life was at stake. I didn’t want to put this book down and it did not disappoint. It was a very relevant book with the opioid crisis we are facing right now. I would definitely recommend this book.

This book hits close to home. I don’t think there is too many families left not dealing with some type of pain due to addiction of opioids. The spin on the drs point of view is interesting. I was torn between anger and the agony of what a mother should do. Christina McDonald is quickly becoming a favorite. Definitely will be a recommendation of mine.

“Even good people get addicted to bad things...”. And that’s the perfect description of this book!

Emma: Mother, Wife, Physician
Nate: Father, Husband, Detective
Josh: Son, Cancer Diagnosis, $$$

What lengths would YOU go to to save your child?

This book was a page turner! Couldn’t put it down. As a physician mom myself, I enjoyed the medical “stuff” and could understand why Emma did what she did....

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina McDonald for the early copy of this book!

This may be Christina McDonalds best book yet! It is full of intense feelings and emotions. I really enjoyed it and bought copies for my Mom and sisters

Wow... that is not what I expected to read, but it was so crazy it was hard to stop once I started.

This book pretty much asks the question, “How far would you go to save someone you love?” And boy does it deliver!

Emma and Nate, parents to Josh, need to find a way to save their son. I can see myself in Emma’s shoes and can somewhat understand the lengths she goes to to save Josh, but it’s like one of those movies where you keep yelling at the screen telling the main character to stop what they are doing because they are just going to make the situation worse.

I mean, Emma does some REALLY stupid stuff. Like, mind-blowingly, idiotic, stupid stuff to save her son. But I know she did it for good reason.

Although I have to admit I really didn’t like her much. She did not care who she hurt in the process, even though she tried to write it off as “the means justifies the ends,” I really didn’t think it did. I would probably think differently in her shoes, which is why the story seems so crazy.

I don’t even want to know what Christina McDonald had to do to research for this book! I mean... yikes! To all of it!

I’m Here for You

How much would any mother sacrifice for the life of their child? Is their ever a time when the end justifies the means? Is there a black and white for everything or is there that grey area and if it does are there lighter and darker shades of grey?

Emma has the perfect life. She is a doctor married to a detective with a beautiful son. Than it happens and her life isn’t perfect anymore, her life becomes a nightmare. Her son Josh I’d diagnosed with Leukemia and the treatment he needs is beyond their financial reach. The insurance covers almost nothing. She has to find a way to save her son’s life.

Emma has a brother , Ben, that is into drugs, using, dealing the whole nine yards. Emma contacts his friend Gabe in hopes of contacting her brother. She thinks that selling a few prescriptions could get her some money for Josh’s treatment. This is when her life spirals out of control. Drugs, murder, and betrayal follow.

This is a book about the opioid crisis, how people are dragged into it, the ugliness, and the grey area’s. Is there an answer to the craziness?

This book made me think and I thought what would I do to save the life of my child? I am sure it will make you think as well. I don’t know the answers, but I hope someday someone finds the answers.

I would recommend this book to everyone, especially every parent.

Thanks to Christina McDonald, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Emma and Nate are married and have a 5 year old son Josh. When Josh is diagnosed with cancer, Emma and Nate are determined to do whatever is necessary to get Josh the lifesaving treatment he needs. Money is the ultimate problem. Emma is a doctor and Nate is a police officer. Emma decides to sell opioids to make the money needed but the problem with that? Nate is on a task force to solve who is dealing the opioids. This was a great thriller with many twists and turns. A parent's worst nightmare, a sick child you would do anything for. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Having read other books by this author I was very excited to get the chance to read her newest book Do No Harm. This book looks at multiple different issues including the ongoing opioid crisis and what people do for those that they love. Emma and Nate are happily married with a son that they both adore and careers they excel in. When their son Josh is diagnosed with cancer Emma and Nate are suddenly forced in a situation that requires them to examine how far will they go for their son and is their pride worth that price.

I found this book to be a quick read and well written. I also think it did a nice job of showing how the opiod crisis can effect anyone and how quickly people are seduced into that world. I also liked that the ending wasn't exactly a neat and tidy happy one, making it more realistic.

Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for allowing me to provide an unbiased opinion on this wonderful book

This is my first book by author, Christina McDonald. I absolutely loved it and plan on reading more of her books. This was a heart wrenching page turner about love and family and how far you will go to protect your family. This book is a domestic thriller you won't want to miss. I gave this book 5 stars! A huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to do an ARC of this book.

I enjoy Christina McDonald's books! I have read all!
I was excited to read this ARC when I read the teaser of--
the lengths a mother would go for her son ?!!

This is top read for me!!
I was mesmerized on this story,
I highly recommend this book!!

I will be looking forward to Christina's next book!

3 1/2 ⭐️‘s
What would you do to save your child’s life? “Sometimes we have to do the wrong things for the right reason.” Nate and Emma have the perfect life, he a police detective and her, a doctor. They have the perfect five year old son ... until everything changes and Josh gets sick, very sick. The only chance he has is a medical treatment that is very costly, something Nate and Emma can’t afford. That’s when Emma makes some life changing decisions, “some criminals are born. Others are formed by circumstances”. She has to get the money no matter what. Nate is investigating a big case. A case that he hopes will get him a big promotion and more money. Money they desperately need. How far will Emma go to save her son, will Nate be able to stop her before she goes too far or will the ends justify the means? I am a fan of McDonald’s writing, with a great premise, this book was quite intriguing...but I found Emma to be too cold and calculating and the story to be a bit too unrealistic. A twisty story for sure, one I have mixed feelings about, especially as I read the ending!

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC of this book! Three out of five stars.

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald takes place in the area in and around Seattle, and is the fraught story of Emma, a family doctor, and her husband Nate, a police detective, whose son Josh is unexpectedly diagnosed with leukemia. With their world turned upside down by this news (and the impending cost of life-saving treatment for Josh), Emma and Nate both respond in massively different ways: Nate doubles down on his work on a case about an opioid ring in hopes of securing a promotion, and Emma begins selling prescriptions for opioids. As the story continues, Emma and Nate's choices hurtle them closer and closer to a heartbreaking confrontation--one that will change their relationship and lives forever.

This book had a strong sense of place, which I loved reading at this time of year. The broody, gloomy setting of the PNW just feels right to immerse oneself in at the start of the year. I did not, however, like the way that the author talks about addiction in this book. As a person whose relationships have been impacted by this disease, I feel that the author could have taken a more nuanced approach to the whole issue. It's not that the author didn't try to do this, but I was left wanting much more. If you're looking for something like that, I'd recommend Long Bright River instead.