I wish I had liked someone, anyone, a little bit more in this book. Yes it was a page turner, yes there was back-stabbing, unforgivable actions, and big drama, but by the end of the book I just wanted to feel like there was some reason for all the chaos and at least one character to root for. Lots of topics covered on the dark side of motherhood and could definitely be triggers (see below). A fast paced psychological thriller that will have you wondering if anyone is trustworthy and sincere.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3.5 / 5 stars

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like cagey woman who are wrestling with their role as a mother
🔹 you like domestic thrillers, nosy neighbours, and selfish characters
🔹you like books that explore the idea of generational trauma

⚠️ trigger warnings: miscarriage, child abuse / neglect

This book got me out of a major reading slump. I had a very hard time putting it down, even when I needed to because I wanted to know everything that happened. I think I enjoyed this even more than The Push.

I have a hard time with most books that have alternating character POVs because I'll inevitably have characters and storylines that I'm not as interested in finding out about. That wasn't the case with this though. I was super drawn into all of the complex characters and all of the stuff going on with them. Some of the characters were intentionally hard to like, but they sure were all interesting and well-fleshed out. It was easy to understand why they were making the choices they were and to feel for them, even with all of the different things at play at the same time. This kind of reminded me of Desperate Housewives, especially the darker more mysterious storylines from it.

Ashley Audrain does it again! Immediately after reading Audrain’s first novel The Push, I knew I would pick up anything she wrote, and The Whispers did not disappoint. This is one I will for sure be purchasing for my personal library.

I felt connected to the characters right from the beginning of the story, and throughout I was angry, scared, and sad right along with them. And THE ENDING 😳

An absolute must read!

4.5/5 stars from me, I cannot wait to pick up Audrain’s next novel already.

4.5 Stars!

Everything is not always what it seems. People can put on a smile and pretend like nothing is wrong while deep down inside they are falling apart. Nobody could ever know exactly what is going on behind closed doors in someone else’s house.

In The Whispers we follow four different families, all with their own challenges. Their lives are intertwined, not just by their proximity to each other, but also due to friendships and other happenstances.

Xavier, a young 10-year-old boy, and oldest of the Loverly's children, is in a coma after falling out of his window in the middle of the night. Soon the neighbours are wondering what happened and, via flashbacks, recall an incident between Xavier and his mother during a birthday party 9 months prior and wonder if the boy actually fell out of the window or if something much more sinister has been going on in the house with the seemingly perfect family.

I basically swallowed this book whole. It has been a long time since a book has gripped me so much and I read every chance I got. The novel is full of twists and turns and kept me guessing with every page. I read Audrain's debut novel The Push when it was published and liked it, but The Whispers is far superior to her debut in my opinion. It is dark and twisty and portrays motherhood in all of its forms throughout the book.

As a heads up, the book discusses miscarriages in great detail and while I do think it is a necessary and important topic to be talked about, it is just as important for people going through a hard time with fertility and loss to know before going in blind.

The Whispers reminds me of Desperate Housewives and would be enjoyed by people who liked the show. I also think people who enjoyed Verity by Colleen Hover or The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena would equally enjoy The Whispers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When The Push was released, I wanted to stand in a bookstore and hand it to everyone who came in and tell them they had to read it. It was a huge-selling book that needed no push to read. I feel the same about The Whispers, which releases on June 6, and I suspect it will be another one that flies off the shelves.

I loved The Push and the thought-provoking themes of the darker side of motherhood Ashley Audrain explored. Nobody writes about motherhood or delves as profoundly into it with the understanding of the pressures women feel as she does. She is brave, honest, bold, and, at times, heavy-handed with themes of motherhood, exploring troubled children and their troubled mothers, along with the secrets they keep and the things we don’t talk about, and I loved it all.

What is going on between the cover

The whispers begin in the backyard after overhearing a scene between a mother, Whitney, and her child Xavier. Months later, the unthinkable happens, and Xavier is in the hospital, and Whitney won’t leave his side. The whispers start again as the neighborhood women try to piece together what happened and Whitney’s part.

My two cents

Ashley Audrain explores the uncomfortable truths of motherhood and fidelity from the contrasting POVS of four neighbors as she explores their private lives. They are different women from each other but are linked in ways they never suspected, and they all feel the demands that motherhood puts on them. We see their unspoken fears, desires, and shame and how that affects them as mothers, wives, and women. The pace is slow as we are told the story with little dialogue, and it took me a bit to get into it. The tension and suspense increase with the knowledge that something awful happened, creating a compelling sense of dread. I clicked the pages as fast as I could to find out what, and I was left speechless when that final line was delivered.

I loved the dynamics between Whitney and Xavier; that added a thrilling element to the story. None of the characters are likable, and they give us plenty to whisper about. The women are not mother-of-the-year material; nothing is redeeming about the men. Whitney is not your stereotypical selfless mother who would do anything for her kids. I loved the honesty of the uncomfortable truths that confirmed that not mothers put their children first or should be expected to be mothers just because they are women. Ashley Audrain reminds me why I love to read and gives me plenty to think about while challenging those traditional expected roles for women and beliefs of motherhood.

I still remember The Push, and I will remember The Whispers, and both are at the top of my favorite list of stories that explore women’s roles. I highly recommend it!!

The story begins at a party in the Loverly’s backyard, the most expensive house on the street. There are 3 children living here, three year old twins and a boy of 10. The older boy, Xavier seems to be a bit of a handful, not listening to his mother, Whitney, but his dad, Jacob tells her “ boys will be boys” and not to rise to his taunts. At the party ( and Xavier doesn’t want to be there), Whitney goes upstairs to see what he’s doing, doesn’t like what she sees and loses it. Unfortunately, everyone in the garden below, hears the stream of profanity spewing from her mouth. Fast forward to nine months later and Xavier is brought to hospital having fallen from his bedroom window. He’s in a medically induced coma. How did this happen? Did he fall out of the window? Is his mother responsible? The neighbours have their opinions on the tragedy. Blair is a stay at home mom, bored with her life and a stale marriage. Rebecca is a paediatric ER dr and is very concerned about Xavier but she has her own problems that are overshadowing her work. And then there’s elderly Mara, who at 82 is basically invisible but seems to see and know all that is going on. These three women share their stories, as does Whitney. Whisper, whisper!
This is a domestic thriller at its best!! I couldn’t put it down as it kept drawing me in, the more intense it got.
The truth does come out and when it does….WOW!

Highly recommend this book, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for my advance ecopy. And a huge thank you to Ashley Audrain for this thrilling read!

A deep dive into the sublime and the unpleasant, the pretense of living large, and the sheer awfulness that may be hidden, under deceptively ‘normal’ exteriors.

Each of the four main protagonists in this story, women all, three of them fortyish and one an octogenarian, have secrets to hide. Secrets and fears, terrors really, that have to do with their essential womanhood, motherhood, personhood, and all the contradictory and compelling needs - jumbled and raw, in an ongoing struggle, that each of them must find a way to resolve. Until perhaps, regardless of the choices made, and the underlying motivations, in the end they will have nothing left but age, and distance, and an overwhelming sense of loss and regret.

Or is it possible to escape?

As each woman hears the ‘whispers’, the hair-tingling sense that other worlds, better worlds, beckon - the question really becomes, will any of them find it in their hearts to listen?

A domestic thriller of the highest order, part mystery and all unfurling writhing character-based drama, this book lifts the rocks and lets us look at what is slithering underneath. And it’s painfully clear, that, although we absolutely will not be able to turn away, we will definitely not like everything we will see.

A great big thank you to #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of the book. All thoughts presented are my own.

I was delighted when I received the opportunity to read this book in advance of the publication date. Ashley Audrain has a gift for writing prose that just hits you right in the gut. The passages are poignant and provide raw glimpses of motherhood. It's not a thriller but more emotional suspense or drama. I disliked most of the women throughout the book but there were instances when I felt empathy for them and that was due to Audrain's writing. Her characters are complex and realistic.

I would recommend this for readers who want to read about motherhood. But I would caution people to not compare this to Audrain's debut The Push. While both books touch on similar themes, this book is a much slower burn and they are quite different.

This summer is FULL of incredible releases. This book is no exception! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5! This book is so juicy it's ridiculously hard to put things down. Every time you think you've figured it out, you haven't. This book is going to be any domestic thriller lover's next favourite book! I cannot stop thinking about the ending, and that's exactly what you want from a book like this. Do yourself a favour and buy it on June 6th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC!

I want to thank NetGalley for the advance readers copy of The Whispers by Ashley Audrian.

The whispers for me was a slow start, as it follows the lives of four Suburban women; Whitney, Blair, Rebecca and Mara.

A neighbourhood party in the fall leads to whispers that a mother, may not be how she portrays herself to the eye. After, a tragic accident the four women is under suspension of what happened to Xavier on that Wednesday night.

The characters doubts, insecurities, and intrusive thoughts, had me hooked and I honestly could not get enough. The Whispers gave an uncensored look into motherhood, miscarriage, and infidelity.

The Whispers was a page turner for me.

I’m conflicted on how I want to rate this… I was bored for the first 50% but I didn’t hate the second half. This is categorized as a thriller but in my opinion this isn’t even a domestic thriller, more like a domestic drama. One of my notes while reading this book just says “Where’s the thriller? Where’s the suspense?” 😂 (I found these elements in the last little bit of the book but that wasn’t enough for me). If you really liked The Push, you will probably like this. I gave The Push 4 stars even though I wasn’t a huge fan and looking back, I should’ve given it 3 stars. I liked this book even less though. One major theme with the 2 books is a mother who hates her kid and I hate that “trope” (if you can call it that). You also might like this book if you liked Little Fires Everywhere. One of my least favorite things about this book is that it seemed randomly very sexual sometimes… with very descriptive, weird, vulgar descriptions. Huge TW for miscarriages!! The scenes were very descriptive and I found them very difficult to read. There is a subplot in this that I found to be completely pointless and there’s never any answers for it. I’m not sure what I feel about the ending, but it kind of feels recycled from The Push and overall I just don’t think I can give this more than 2 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley for the digital ARC of this book!

I was immediately engaged in the story as soon as I started. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded. It read almost like the events of a reality TV show but with the suspense and graphic description of a thriller. I loved the multiple perspectives and the implications of the ending of each of their perspectives. My only issue was that I wanted it to be a bit longer - the final climax felt a bit rushed and not quite rounded out.

Overall a great read and would definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed The Push but for me The Whispers was even better. It had the same uncomfortable feeling that all was not going to end well in a very riveting way. It’s a physiological thriller that was very hard to put down. Flawed, true to life characters searching for honesty and meaning in themselves and in their relationships , with little success. I don’t feel like we were quite finished discussing Mara at the end of the book though. But that last line……perfect!

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for this preview.

Goosebumps with that final sentence! Audrain hits it out of the park again with the newest from #thepush author. It's a character-driven psychological drama. The characters are so thoroughly and thoughtfully developed, and this one hits differently as a mom. Overall, the book was absolutely incredible and I had a hard time putting it down. From the very beginning, the reader is hooked by the intense and uncomfortable scene that unfolds at the party. I was very impressed with the complexity of the characters, and how intricately each woman's story unfolds. THE WHISPERS is a must-read that offers an unfiltered and candid perspective on women and motherhood following a perplexing tragedy. As the domestic thriller unfolded, I found myself constantly comparing it to Big Little Lies (which I loved). I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an emotional and intriguing storyline!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars for DNF as I cannot read this due to the content about miscarriage. I was approved for this book prior to my own miscarriage, but I cannot read it now. I apologize for the inconvenience.

The Whispers a slow-burn domestic drama that focuses on the lives, secrets and lies of four suburban women. The story has a Desperate Housewives feel with its family dysfunction, a mysterious incident, issues about motherhood, and the roles of today's women.

The story pivots around a mystery that begins during a neighbourhood party. Whitney Loverly is the mom that seems to have it all, but during the party she's hosting, she is heard viciously screaming at her 10-year-old son Xavier by her guests. Hours later, Xavier is found severely injured under his third story window and rushed to the hospital. Through the eyes of Whitney, Blair, Rebecca and Mara, readers witness the secrets, dysfunction and despair within their lives and slowly the picture of what really happened that fateful night when Xavier was hurt comes to light.

There's a lot going on and for the most part it works. The characters are generally an unlikeable but interesting bunch, and the tension remains high, but readers will have to suspend disbelief in a few places. There is a large cast and I found it sometimes difficult to differentiate between some characters (I ended up making myself a character list to keep things straight).

The mystery kept me intrigued but it was how Audrain compassionately weaves important social issues facing women that make this book stand out. We are privy to their hardships, doubts, feelings of invisibility and heart-wrenching losses that I believe is relatable to many of today's women, moms and women who desperately want to be moms. Audrain does not hold back on her vivid descriptions of the emotional, psychological and physical toll women face. The descriptions are so well-written that I advise readers who may be sensitive, particularly to those who have suffered miscarriage to be aware that these issues are prevalent throughout the story.

The Whispers is an intense, emotionally raw, sometimes uncomfortable domestic drama that will provide excellent discussion and will leave readers with an ending that will have them gasping.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Viking Books for the complimentary copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain in quick, rapid fire thoughts.

-Audrain has a way of writing that baffles me. How does she take all my deepest, darkest thoughts, mix them up, and make them darker than the darkest no-moon night? How does she make me cringe and need to set the book down, but then crave it, and pick it up moments later?

-The Whispers is no different from The Push in that regard, but instead of watching one car crash that I can't pull my eyes away from, there are four.

-These four car crashes have each multiplied and have me running around between them, in order to try to save someone, but instead I end up saving no one.

-How is it possible to relate to every main character, but yet none of them all at the same time? The rabbit hole Audrain jumps into this time is vast, hollow and filled with keep-you-awake-in-the-middle-of-the-night thoughts.

-I suddenly feel insane as I read, as I slam the case closed on my Kindle at the end of each chapter, wondering what on earth I'm reading, and why I'm reading it. Only to flip the cover back open and read one more chapter, hoping for a different outcome.

-BRILLIANT

-There is no other book that I have said the F-word more while reading.

If you're prepared to read about the darkest day of your life, the one you know you should have done better, tried harder, given more, screamed less... then read The Whispers.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Such a good book! I read this obsessively. So many twists and turns and fantastic characters! The premise is somewhat dark but it does what this author does so well, illuminates deep seated fears that people often don’t even want to vocalize. In similar fashion to her last book, The Push, Ashley Audrain expertly walks the line of exploring some of our darkest fears without crossing into territory that is far-fetched or unbelievable.

I don’t want to share too much of the plot because it is better to go in blind and be swept away. I will say that it is a book that ponders what it would be like to potentially lose a child. It also delves into a lot of questions about motherhood - the sacrifices it demands, a mother’s quest to maintain her own identity, the difficult journey to actually becoming a mother and the guilt that comes along with parenting. I thought this book had some incredibly spot on observations and insights regarding all of these issues. It was a really well written book with great suspense and scandal. You will love it!!!

It is important to note that there are some very graphic descriptions of miscarriage that could be very triggering.

4.5 rounded up. The book follows the perspectives of Whitney, Blair, Rebecca, and Mara - all are neighbours and some are friends. There is lots of jumping timelines leaving breadcrumbs of multiple plotlines. The main plot is related to Whitney's son who fell from his 3rd storey window in the middle of the night. We are left to unravel what actually happened and if it was an accident. The other mystery revolves around 2 of the neighbours having an affair with each other, but we are left guessing the individuals.

I expected to get frustrated with the number of POVs and the jumping timelines, but this was such a compelling read that I didn't care.

Thoroughly enjoyed and had trouble putting it down!

The Whispers is another page turner by Ashley Audrain that reels you in from the first to the last chapter.

Secrets is the name of the game.

Secrets have a way of surfacing and coming out.

Tragedy strikes in the neighbourhood where Mara, Rebecca, Whitey and Blair and none of them are that likeable. Love it.

Suspense and twists and turns will keep the lights on.

That's all I am saying except get your copy of The Whispers and don't leave it to long on your TBR pile.

The Whispers will find its way on Bookclub picks I am sure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Viking for a page turning read.