3.5⭐️ Things I loved about this book include the ending! Ugh I loved the ending so much! I also liked the multiple POVs though it did take me a bit to sort out who all the characters were as they were kind of thrown at you right at the beginning of the book. I loved the the twists kept coming. There was a couple storylines that I thought had wrapped up at the end, but nope!
Things I didn’t like so much, too many characters introduced at once and definitely a slow burn start and middle, but the last 40% was fantastic!

The story follows four families in the same neighbourhood - all with secrets. When a tragedy strikes, we try to figure out what happened.

I really liked the short chapters and reading multiple POV. After finishing this book, I still have so many questions unanswered. While I was pleased with the ending, I thought there could have been more. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this one.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This story is a thriller, drama, and mystery combined into one involving motherhood, women’s friendships, secrets, and jealousy.

The Whispers follows four women, Whitney, Blair, Rebecca, and Mara, who all live in the same neighbourhood when, one night, an accident involving Whitney’s son occurs, which affects them all deeply. Over the course of the next three days, they each wonder what led up to the incident, all while dealing with secrets and struggles of their own.

I was thrilled to have read an early copy of this book, as Ashley Audrain’s debut novel "The Push" was one of my favorite reads of 2021! If there’s one thing Ashley knows, it’s how to write complex characters that immediately have you invested, no matter how unlikable they might be. It was interesting to hear each woman’s perspective and to see their very different, complicated lives tangle together.

The last line of this book had my jaw on the floor 🫢 I think The Whispers would be a great pick for a book club, as there is SO much to discuss and many opinions to be had. I’m very curious to see what Ashley will write next!

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this read. This book was almost a DNF for me. I was wondering for about the first 60 percent of the book why is this a book?? It was so slow and got slower as it went on. I like mundane sometimes in books but this was just so boring to me and excess details of nothing. The main point of the story was interesting which you need to read to find out. I think it was not a fit for me. I think this is how the author writes and I think you need to expect this to enjoy the book more if that is what you are looking for,

“There is freedom in the truth, and there’s suffering in the lie.”

After hearing wonderful reviews of Ashley Audrain's highly acclaimed novel, The Push, I had the opportunity to request an advance reader copy (ARC) of The Whispers. I’m glad I seized eagerly seized it.
I would like to express my gratitude to @netgalley, @penguinrandomca, and @ashleyaudrain for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Whispers is a captivating psychological slow burn that digs into the lives of four women who happen to be neighbours, each hailing from different backgrounds. With remarkable authenticity, Audrain explores the women's flaws and examines the lengths they are willing to go to in moments of desperation. The character development is exceptional, and the short chapters make for an engrossing and effortless reading experience that had me hooked from the very first page. The suspense woven throughout the narrative adds an extra layer of intrigue.

The story primarily revolves around a fateful party where Whitney loses her temper with her son, Xavier, and the harrowing aftermath of his fall from a window, leaving him in a coma. The Whispers encapsulates a myriad of emotions, including envy, guilt, loss, and a web of deceit that entangles the characters' lives. It delves into the complexities of human relationships, exploring the profound impact of secrets and lies. Additionally, the book addresses sensitive subjects such as miscarriage, warranting a trigger warning for graphic descriptions.

I firmly believe that The Whispers would make an excellent selection for book club discussions, as its thought-provoking themes and intricate storytelling are sure to fuel captivating conversations among readers.

In conclusion, Ashley Audrain's The Whispers is an engrossing and authentic exploration of the power of truth and the consequences of living a lie. With its well-crafted characters, suspenseful plot, and rich emotional depth, this novel has the potential to captivate and spark lively discussions.

The Whispers is author Ahley Audrain’s latest Psychological thriller with motherhood it's theme. The story is told from four alternating voices:

Whitney - a workaholic with three kids. She does not enjoy motherhood. Husband Jacob

Blair - stay-at-home mom with one daughter who she is very close to. She is Whitney’s best friend. Husband Aiden

Rebecca - a doctor. She is desperate to become a mother but she has had several miscarriages. Husband Ben

Mara - 82. She watches the others and knows all their secrets. Husband Albert

The story opens with a backyard bbq at Whitney’s house. When her ten-year-old son, Xavier, disappears into the house, she goes looking for him. She finds him in his bedroom on the third floor with the loot bags of all the other kids and loses her temper. Her angry words are heard by everyone outside. A few months later, he falls from his bedroom window and is now in a coma. Was it a terrible accident or something much much worse?

It took me a while to get into this story mainly because I didn’t like most of the characters usually a complete turn-off for me. I left it for a few days before giving it another try and I’m so glad I did. I couldn't’ put it down. It completely kept my attention on this second try right up to the satisfying ending. Although I never fully got over my dislike for several of the characters, Audrain somehow made me care enough to feel invested in their stories. Definitely one entertaining read.

I received an arc for this book from Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review

A distressing, intense and character driven suburban thriller you won’t want to miss this summer!

What’s said and done behind closed doors isn’t just your secret when you live in a closely housed community.

It all starts with a fabulous party hosted by Whitney Loverly and her husband Jacob! The guest list includes a few neighbours like Blair, Ben and Rebecca, Mara, other moms and many acquaintances.

The party becomes a standstill when Whitney is overheard screaming atrocities at her son, Xavier. Her not-so-perfect life is revealed in a startling way.

Nine month later and Xavier is found outside her bedroom window, as if he’d fallen out.

Was it an accident? Could Whitney’s rage have gotten the better of her this time?

The four very different women from this neighbourhood each have secrets in the personal lives. Their stories revolve around what happened to Xander, and they each have a theory as to what happened and who’s to blame.

TW: child abuse, emotional abuse, child injury, mental health, miscarriage, infidelity

Unfortunately this book didn't make the cut for me. For the first 50% it dragged so much I just wanted to put it down and not pick it up again. There were far too many pov's that a lot of the time I didn't know who the characters were and kept mixing up the spouses as well. The main plot about Xavier's fall and Whitney's feelings of being a mom and her disconnect was good but the book as a whole was not very well executed. The very end as well was so anticlimactic and just fell flat and didn't have the power behind it to save the book.

Please be aware this one has many triggers including miscarriage, infertility, cheating, hospitalized/coma child.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

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