I loved The Push by this author when I read it in 2020 and The Whispers has that same feel. This is the proper way to do a slow burn psychological literary fiction that is very character driven. It helps that the writing is captivating, it pulled me into the drama of the neighbourhood. There are a lot of secrets between the residents of Harlow Lane and what are they willing to do to keep them? I liked the way the book delves into the backstories of the characters and how unique the plot itself is.

There are really difficult topics dealt with in the book and Audrain doesn’t pull any punches writing about them. The characters aren’t very likeable and I don’t usually enjoy books with this many asshole characters but it works here because the story, plot and writing are so engaging you can’t stop reading until you find out what happens next. If you enjoyed the author’s debut, The Push then do yourself a favour and read this one as well because Audrain manages the same magic in her sophomore release.

Four women in a well to do neighbourhood find their lives inexorably bound when one of their children has an accident and all of their secrets are thrust into the open.

While I imagine it must be difficult to write a book following the success of “The Push”, Ashley Audrain did not disappoint with this one. Written in the same vein as her first book, “The Whispers” is a psychological thriller, with many unexpected surprises. Her books are raw and she deftly exposes all of the characters deepest, darkest feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I need to preface this by saying The Push was one of my favourite reads of 2021 and I couldn’t have been more excited to read The Whispers. I did quickly realize that I needed to stop comparing the two in terms of enjoyment. Once I did that, here’s how I felt.
The Pros:
- I loved all of the characters and side characters. Maybe I didn’t like them but I loved how complex they were and all of their inner thoughts.
- I loved the flashbacks to the party. That part of the storyline reminded me a lot of “The Slap”.
- I really enjoyed Mara’s story and the similarities between her son and Xavi.
- The ending was fantastic but I wanted to find out what happened next!
The Cons:
- It took me until about 1/3 of the way through to really start enjoying the story.
- I found the characters and timelines hard to follow at first. (Especially Whitney’s Wednesday flashbacks)
- The husbands were hard to keep track of at first.
- I could have lived without the extremely graphic detailing of the numerous pregnancy losses.

Overall I enjoyed this but I wouldn’t say I loved it. I think if it was easier to follow in the beginning I could have loved it. It took me about a month to get through because I kept putting it down for a while, but once I was halfway through I didn’t want to put it down.

3⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When a young boy suffers a horrific fall, four women in a wealthy neighbourhood are left to grapple with the the events leading up to that horrible night and, in doing so, begin to unravel secrets that some would prefer to keep buried.

I received an advance copy of this book and was excited to dive into it after reading Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, The Push, two years ago.

I loved the concept of the book and the way it examined how our innermost thoughts (i.e. the whispers) could dictate our actions and re-write the narrative regardless of whether or not that narrative is true. I also loved the immensely complex and layered characters the author created. Whether it was a primary character or a minor character, they all felt three dimensional.

Unfortunately, while I appreciated the writing style and the character development, I struggled to get through this book. None of the characters felt particularly likeable and I found it difficult to feel invested enough to care what happened to them.

Thank you NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for providing an arc of this book.

A suburban housewives mystery, with no shortage of sex, intrigue, backstabbing, double-crossing in the lives of three couples that are neighbours. There is no shortage of descriptive suffering for Rebecca who barely hold her pregnancies for more than 18 weeks. I liked the characters in so far as I enjoyed how dishonest they were to each other. How little true connection meant to any one of them. The plot keeps you spinning from one possibility to another, until finally what happened is revealed. The entire novel is a backdrop to the suffering of an elderly neighbour, and her secrets, who receives little if any empathy from any of the characters. I enjoyed this story. 4 out of 5 stars.

After reading The Push by Ashley Audrain I jumped at the opportunity to read her newest book set in a suburban neighbourhood as we follow the lives of a few couples and a tragedy that has taken place. Every time I thought I figured out where the plot was going it would take a new turn and shock me. Great book for those starting out with thrillers as it will keep them engaged and guessing the entire time.

If you are interested in
- The explorations of more taboo topics within motherhood
- Gossiping neighbours
- Everyone having a secret
Then you should definitely pick this book up!

Warnings for: Miscarriage, and Child Abuse

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Wow! A very dark novel that revolves around a suburban neighbourhood and the relationships between the characters. I had to keep reading until the very end…and what an ending!

I was very excited to read this as I loved The Push. I wasn't disappointed. It had me hooked from the first page. A really interesting story with some likeable characters and some not so likeable characters, and it kept me guessing to the very end. I am still thinking about it! Loved it, and would highly recommend.

From the author of The Push, a debut novel I absolutely loved and could not put down, comes Audrain's second novel which looks at the ways in which women feel they must change who they are completely, when they become mothers.

I read this book in a day. It is incredibly cynical about marriage and motherhood, but there are small threads of hope interwoven in the pages. Much like life itself!

Highly recommend. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the arc.

The Whispers is a solid domestic thriller. I was not fully sure what I was getting into when I started this book, it's more about relationships and personal issues than anything else. Trigger warning: miscarriage.

HOLY WHIZZ I love love loved this one SO much! It was worth the wait!!!! I loved the Push, no naturally I knew I would LOVE this one! I love stories of scandal and neighbours, this was such a fast read, it definately left me wanting more = MAJOR BOOK HANGOVER . 5 star

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Whispers by Ashley Audrain.
3.5*
This is the second novel by the author and I feel her writing is getting stronger. The Push was a huge success for a first novel and I feel The Whispers is worthy of the same buzz. This novel does have some dark themes and difficult to read passages so please look for trigger warnings ahead of reading if you need.
The characters and storylines were well interwoven and this would make for a good Book Club selection with so many topics to discuss. I will definitely keep the author on my to read list.

3 neighborhood couples are the main characters through most of the book. Their thoughts and anxieties are detailed and make you wonder how everything can end. The disloyalty, the frustration and the tragedies.
One Mother has 3 children and a full time job, she hates that her children take up her time. One Mother who stays at home and dotes on her daughter and the third who wants desperately to have children but can’t. They all have very different lives, but become entangled in so many ways.
It is a very emotional story, one that is difficult to put down, because you can hardly prepare yourself for what is going to happen next. Each section is spoken by one of the ladies, their thoughts and emotions come through loudly! A very well written soap opera!

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Netgalley and Ashley Audrain for an ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved The Push so was really looking forward to this one. The Whispers is another domestic thriller based around the concept of motherhood. It definitely held my attention and kept me guessing, but I didn’t like it quite as much as The Push.

I did find myself a bit confused by the ending, especially with the paper airplane bit. Maybe I just missed something? I also didn’t think it was necessary to have such graphic descriptions of miscarriage. I think those parts would be triggering to any reader, not just me and I skimmed those parts.

Overall, this was another good book by Audrain, and she has definitely become an auto read author for me!

After reading The Push, I absolutely could not wait for Ashley Audrain's next novel. The Whispers did not disappoint, and frankly, I enjoyed it more than The Push!

The novel revolves around a group of neighbours who live on Harlow Lane. The chapters alternate between their various perspectives. The story starts when one of the neighbourhood residents, Whitney, gets some terrible news. Her son fell out of his bedroom window in the middle of the night. Whitney is immediately by his side in the hospital, waiting for him to wake up.

We meet Whitney's various other neighbours: her best friend Blair and her husband; Rebecca who is a doctor at the hospital Whitney's son is at and desperately wants her own child and her husband; and an elderly woman Mara, who is keeping tabs on thee neighbours and dealing with her own heartbreak.

Over the course of the novel, shocking events unfold. Secrets come out. The choices of the four women are explored as well as the consequences of their actions. Everyone has something to hide.

As much as this novel is a thriller, it also deals with complex issues such as motherhood, grief, miscarriage, and marriage. This was a page turner and kept me guessing, but was also an emotional rollercoaster.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, Viking, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was provided an ARC of The Whispers by Penguin Random House Canada.

“She’d once heard it described as The Whispers - the moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t right.”

When 10-year old Xavier falls from his window and is brought into the hospital in critical condition, all eyes turn to Whitney Loverly, a privileged, picture perfect, career mommy with a demonstrated hair trigger temper seemingly reserved for her oldest son. Is all as it seems? Was the accident really an accident? Were the Loverly’s responsible, or maybe Xavier’s friends? What about the Loverly’s neighbors and friends? Perhaps it was a cry for help? The story arc runs the gamut of options (and a couple red herrings) as the ensemble cast begins to unwind a twisted web of secrets and relationships in this domestic thriller.

Audrain once again delves into the topic of Motherhood, exploring the struggle to reconcile the privilege of being a parent with the inevitable confinement it brings. The story is told through the eyes of very relatable women with vastly different backgrounds and priorities. At its core, The Whispers is a brutal examination of assumptions, privilege and loss.

True to form, the end of this book left me wondering if all was truly as it seemed and if our narrators were as reliable as I’d like them to be. The last chapter of this book was an absolute mind F.

I’m usually not too keen on domestic thrillers but after reading The Whispers, I can solidly say I’m a big fan of Audrain’s. Her characters are extremely well fleshed out and individualistic, which is key because this was a very character driven novel, with a slower pace and seemingly lower stakes than Audrain’s debut novel The Push. I would love to see Audrain explore some different subject matter and look forward to her (hopefully many) future releases.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy

After reading The Push I was very excited for her second book. It did not disappoint! It was full of domestic drama, mystery and secrets. Would definitely recommend to a friend!

Dark, twisted, and delicious!

This book is not for the faint of heart!

Audrain has found her niche, exploring the dark, taboo, often not talked about side of motherhood. You know those feelings you have as a mother (the not touchy feely happy feelings) but tamp them down and admonish yourself for having them? Audrain gives them voice.

You will not like many of the characters in this book but you will not be able to look away. You will be reading this late into the night to find out how Whitney's son fell out of the window, if he'll survive, if Rebecca will get pregnant and what happened between Mara's husband and her son, and Blair...well she's a whole other toxic mess.

Audrain's superpower is exploring the dark side of relationships and bringing to life the uncomfortable.
You will not forget these four women that Audrain expertly crafted - long after you put the book down and walk away.

Game of Thrones meets Desperate Housewives; Audrain's second novel takes a deep look at a neighborhood, at the relationships and secrets everyone keeps.

When 10-year-old Xavier falls out of a window, he ends up in a coma and the lives of the women in the neighborhood become more and more entangled as the story unfolds. From the history of a woman who emigrated from Portugal, to a doctor suffering from misarrange after misarrange, to the stay-at-home mom questioning her husband's fidelity, the depth of these characters makes you feel like you know each and every one of them. But how their stories intertwine become more engrossing after each page.

Similar to the overall vibe of The Push, Audrain is coming through with a very strong voice as she shares her thoughts on modern-day suburbia. I'd love to see her take on new subjects, hopefully we get a strong third novel from her soon!

I absolutely loved Ashley Audrain's debut, The Push, so I jumped at the chance to read and review her new novel The Whispers.

How do I start this....Audrain sure has a knack for stressing a mama out! It's possible that I would have felt different if I didn't have children but I almost couldn't finish the book. I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters and I felt completely sick to my stomach during certain chapters.

All that being said, I didn't completely hate it. I was invested in the story so pushed through. I'm not breaking up with Audrain and I'll definitely pick up any future book she writes.