This book is so gripping, could not put it down! Love that it has short chapters! Loved The Push and had high expectations for this one, which were met

Audrain is a Canadian author whose debut novel "The Push" became an international bestseller and is now being developed into a TV series. This new release is another psychological thriller with motherhood once again as its main theme. We meet four women, who are neighbours. Whitney is a high powered business woman with three children and a nanny. Blair is a stay-at-home mother to a daughter and Whitney's best friend. Rebecca is a pediatrician and struggling to stay pregnant and Mara is an older neighbour who lost a child years ago. When Whitney's 10 year old 'difficult' son is found outside his upper floor window and suffers serious brain trauma, everyone is suspicious of what really happened. They know that Whitney loses her patience with him often and they have heard her viciously yelling at him. As the neighbours wait for news, secrets come out and lives are changed. While this exploration of the many facets of motherhood is not an uplifting story, it is still a wonderful recommendation for fans of the genre. I enjoyed it.

I read 'The Push' by Ashley Audrain when it first came out, and it still lives rent free in my head. It is still one of my most recommended books, so obviously when this was announced it won first place on my TBR.
I read 'The Whispers' in one sitting. I did not want to put it down. The writing is so honest, the story is so real and heartbreaking. I loved and hated these characters like I knew them in real life, I was immersed in this book.

Wow! I had zero expectations for this book going into. I loved The Push so I hoped I’d love this one too…and I did!

I was a little unclear on the story I was diving into, but once all the pieces started to come together I was hooked.

Getting a peek into the lives of these four women..some mothers.. all wives…was so fascinating. I saw myself in some of these women…sharing similar “whispers”, doubts, dreams and longings and that was pretty eye opening.

The way Audrain can take thoughts, feelings and fears and turn them into words is such a talent.

Audrain has once again exposed the fears of parenthood in a domestic thriller that you just can’t put down - physically or mentally.

I can’t wait for more from this talented authors.

When a book is full of characters I detest I usually have a hard time even finishing it. Not the case with this one! I could not put it down. I truly did despise most of the main characters in this book (especially Whitney) and I am sure that was the intention of the author. Even though I could not stand most of them there were parts I could definitely relate to in each of them. This book would be an awesome book club read.

The only characters I liked were Rebecca and Mara and the children in this story. I was rooting for Xavier to make it and the last sentence of the book was perfection. I wish there had been more of Mara's story and more from her perspective but I can see that the life of an old lady is no where near as exciting as the younger folks with their stalking, deception, trespassing and affairs. Her final words to her husband were perfect but I was sad it took that long for her to verbalize that and wish for her she could have had another life.

Definitely a page turner and I love how it was written in choppy, short sections from different perspectives all leading back to what happened on the Wednesday night. I am off to read The Push now as I really liked the writing style of the author.

There are definite trigger warnings in this book especially around infertility and miscarriage so if those are sensitive subjects for you I would avoid this book as it can be quite graphic/triggering.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and author for the ARC of this book.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
TW: Miscarriage, Infidelity, Suicide, Death of a child

Quick Synopsis: A suburban domestic suspense narrated by four women on the street as we learn about the events before and during a young child's time in a coma.

In 2020, during the lockdown, I read Ashley Audrain's The Push, a book that had me gasping for air and wondering if any woman can ever truly be happy. LOL! I am sure that might sound a bit dramatic BUT in The Whispers.... she does it again. In a slow-burn, cringy-type way, we find four women- Whitney, Blair, Mara, and Rebecca whose storylines soon interconnect to a starling climax that just might be too much for my reader brain to handle.

I HATED some parts of this book and I LOVED other parts of the book. How's that for vague, my book-reading buddies? Honestly, this is going to be one of those books many will be offered to read at book club and it's a fact there might be people who absolutely hate it or love it. I guess I will let you decide which camp you fall. Hahahaha!


Expected Publication 06/06/23
Goodreads Review 04/06/23


Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this title.

This book is amazing. Highly recommend that you pick this one up when it publishes on June 6th. I could not put this book down and the story will stay with me.⭐️

The Whispers is a gripping drama centered around four women living on the same street. Their lives cross in so many ways but no more heartbreaking than when Whitney’s son falls from an upper window and is in a coma. Told through alternating views and timelines, you get to know these women and what happens when they think no one is looking - leading up to the tragic fall.💔

The book shows these four women, their choices as they try to be what everyone expects them to be - a mother. @ashleyaudrain has written a mesmerizing and powerful book - looking at motherhood with all the worry, shame and fear. As you read, the tension increases until the last sentence. This book was completely unputdownable - I will remember this story and these women. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @penguinrandomca for th opportunity to read this book. Available on June 6th.

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Realities can be uncomfortable.
Author Ashley Audrain again takes readers past comfort zones in The Whispers, much like in her debut, The Push.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for my eARC for review!
The Whispers explores womanhood, motherhood, and associated aspects that aren't often spoken of or acknowledged.
We meet Blair, Whitney, Rebecca and Mara; neighbours by geography, but in many ways worlds apart.
This is a book heavy on character narrative. It takes place over one week, with some chapters telling of the past that made the women who they have become.
Trigger warnings should be noted here, especially miscarriage, infidelity, child injury, and death.
It's an intriguing, intense and specifically-paced read, and often not an easy one.
It is distressing, the ways parents and children can break each other. Recommended.
For release on June 6.

Overall rating: 4/5
Short Chapter Rating: 5/5
Avg Chapter Length: 4.9 pages

Ashley does it again with a cringey, slow burn thriller. She really nails all the feelings that come with motherhood, marriage, infidelity, death, and the pressure of being a woman in general. Some parts were definitely hard to read, especially around miscarriages.

The story intertwines 4 women: Whitney, Blair, Rebecca and Mara. They all have their secrets and she connects them all to the incident that drives the entire story. I felt for them all in different ways and in different parts of the book.

At times I was a bit lost in which was present day or past as it jumps back and forth and between different POV’s. I think if I had a physical book, I could have referred back more easily. This is a lot of focus on character development and unveiling new elements bit by bit.

Similar to the push, she pulls you in right until the last sentence. I liked it overall and any Ashley fan should enjoy it.

⚠️: miscarriages, infidelity, suicide, child death.

I just finished The Whispers by Ashley Audrain and here is my review.

Being perfect in public is exhausting and Whitney, the hostess of the big summer BBQ of the neighborhood, needs her neighbors to see what she wants them to see… But during the party she loses her temper on her son and everyone hears. To make matters worse, her son falls from his bedroom window in the middle of the night and is now on life support.

Following the lives of Blair, Whitney's BFF, Rebecca the ER doctor working in the unit where Whitney’s son is and Mara, their older neighbor, we get a glimpse of the three days post accident with all the cracks coming to light from their picture perfect neighborhood. The lies, deceit and darkness is more than any of these women can bear.

This was a really clever book. I don’t usually enjoy books with so many POV but I understand how it was necessary to tie it all in together.

Firstly, the character development was so good that I hated Whitney from the get go. Even when her son fell, still hated her. Blair is my kind of person. I really felt sorry for her and Rebecca. The characters took on a life of their own and I dig that.

The plot.. I hate those cliquey groups. The snobby neighborhoods. I loved seeing the seedy underbelly of those HOA who use where they live as a reason to look down on others. There's some really interesting plot twists in the book too which were a nice surprise. The pace could have been better. I felt it dragged a bit in some areas.

I don’t usually do TW but I know how traumatic miscarriages can be so please be aware of that in this book.

The ending was excellent though. I was quite cheered at how it closed to an end. I feel it was well deserved. Whitney’s son deserves a better mother in my opinion.

All in all it was a solid read. If the pace had been better, it would have got 5 stars but it still managed to get 4 from me.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouseca and @netgalley for my gifted copy

#penguinrandomhouseca #thewhispers #audreyaudrain #netgalley #bookreview #bookblogger #bookalorian #bookinfluencer #canadianbooklover

I'm not one to reach for domestic thriller novels but I loved The Push so I was very excited to give this one a try. Overall, I really enjoyed it. The novel follows the aftermath of a tragic accident in a seemingly tight-knit community. As news about the accident makes its way around the neighbourhood, messy secrets begin to unfold, and it becomes clear that the accident will have far-reaching consequences for the residents of Harlow Street.

If you were a fan of The Push, I think it's safe to say you will enjoy this one as well. Audrain expertly builds suspense and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wanting to read just one more chapter to get the answers they are desperately waiting for.

A fast paced psychological thriller that will have you wondering if anyone is trustworthy and sincere.

There were triggers for me so this wasn't my kind of book but besides for that it was good

I definitely understand why this follow up to The push is getting such mixed reviews. I found it quite challenging to follow the multiple POV and alternating timeline plot. Where the book is strongest for mr was the great infertility and multiple miscarriages/losses rep and the great shock ending. This will be a difficult read for some so definitely be aware of triggers going in. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I have been loving domestic thrillers lately, so I just needed to request this book. The Whispers is a fast-paced read that follows four women who live in the same neighbourhood. After a tragic accident, the characters must navigate their changing relationship dynamics as they discover secrets and lies about themselves and one another.

I loved the women-driven storylines and how the author examined motherhood through many POVs. This author is extremely talented in writing unlikeable characters, and there were many times throughout this book when I felt beyond uncomfortable with the character's actions. I am giving this a 3-star rating because it felt like a domestic drama rather than a thriller, and the author ended the book on a cliffhanger which I am not a fan of.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

Whitney’s 10 year old son, Xavier fell out of the window in the middle of the night and now is in the hospital. He is on a coma, and the doctors don’t know if he will make it. Whitney refuses to leave his bedside, and also won’t talk to anyone.

Was it an accident or not? It turns out that the families in this quiet suburban area have many secrets, that unravel as the plot progresses.

Initially I was really engrossed in this book. However, I felt that the plot dragged and meandered in the middle. It did pick up at the end, but that didn’t wholly redeem it for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with this eARC to read and review.

I was completely blown away by this book! Audrain, expertly juggles the intersecting plot lines of the mothers in this story. So many jaw dropping moments. I was wrong every time I thought that I had things figured out. The epilogue was inspired inspired, wow!

The whispers by Ashley Audrain was such an honest, real representation of different mothers at different stages in their lives. Being a mother, or trying to become a mother is not for the faint of heart. In each of the portrayals of these women you really feel like Ashley Audrain has lived these lives herself the writing is that good. Your whispers can be your intuition, or can be other peoples opinions. Navigating which ones to listen to can be so hard. Is the life you’re living the best one that you could be or is it a new different life you can’t even imagine at this moment?

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the whispers ARC in exchange, for my honest opinion.

The Whispers is a combination of thriller, psychological drama and women's fiction.

It is a character driven book that follows four married women who live on the same block: Whitney. Blair. Rebecca. Mara.

Whitney is a workaholic with 3 kids. She doesn't seem to enjoy being a mother. Blair is Whitney's "best friend". She is a bored and unfulfilled stay at home mom with a daughter. Rebecca is a doctor who desperately wants a baby. Mara is an older woman who watches her neighbors.

This book is full of secrets. It deals with some very difficult topics. And has some amazing reveals. I found it riveting. And the last lines of the book! What the heck!???!?!?!??!

Exciting news, folks! The Whispers is hitting the shelves next week and it's already getting some serious hype. If you loved the author's debut novel, The Push, then you're in for a treat because The Whispers has a similar vibe.

The story is told from the perspectives of four women who are all at different stages of motherhood and life. But be warned, this book deals with some heavy stuff, so make sure you're ready for it.

One of the moms, Whitney, seems to have it all together, but things take a turn when she ends up at her son's hospital bedside. The story takes place over just a few days, but it jumps back and forth in time to reveal some dark and heartbreaking secrets.

Now, I wouldn't necessarily call this a psychological thriller. It's more like a suspenseful women's fiction story. The neighborhood where the story takes place is full of whispers and secrets, and everyone seems to be watching each other.

I will say that the characters aren't always the most reliable or likable, but that just adds to the suspense. There are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing, and I found myself unable to put the book down until I knew what had happened.

The ending did feel a bit rushed, but it was still satisfying. I also had to suspend my belief a few times, but overall, this was a really entertaining read. So if you're looking for a gripping story that will keep you on your toes, give The Whispers a try.

My thanks to Penguin Random House CA (via Netgalley) for a digital arc in exchange for honest review.

This book being marketed as a thriller/mystery is going to make it problematic for a lot of readers. This is a complex, very much character-driven drama that pulls you right in and takes you for a wild emotional ride.

“The Whispers” deals with complex issues that are mainly related to motherhood and marriage. It is clearly written for a female audience but not in a cliché, cheesy way. We have a story about a woman who loses herself in the motherhood; a woman who can’t find a “mother” within her; a woman who desperately wants to be a mom and a woman who has lost her child. If you’ve read “The Push”, Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, you already know how deeply the topic of motherhood resonates with the author. I am not a mother myself just yet, but I was able to sympathize with all four characters and their stories, that were so cleverly intertwined in this book, and shed a light on important topics that women struggle with that are often overlooked or being hushed by society.

I would strongly recommend this to anyone, but I can see how it can be triggering for someone sensitive to the miscarriage topic. I would probably not pick this up if I knew about it upfront, but I am glad I did regardless. Even though this is a rather heavy read, it does not leave you with a bad aftertaste. It leaves you with some food for thought and I know I will never forget reading this one.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.