Although this book comes with trigger warnings I very nearly gave up after the drowning as the descriptions of the grief were very vivid and I questioned myself as to whether I wanted to continue. I did read the whole book but cannot say I enjoyed it or could recommend it to a friend. However I appreciate the writing skill and the author’s bravery in tackling such an emotive subject.

Two families and a tragedy that affects them both. A great debut book that pulls you in and pulls at your emotions throughout the book.

📗📙 BOOK REVIEW 📙📗 Genuinely one of the best debut books I’ve read! I even made the author ‘pinkie promise’ it really was a debut!! 😂😂. It’s an emotional read but also extremely gripping.
This book shows that the closest of friends, can become enemies … “Family First” 🙌🏽❤️. Cross a couple of days off in your diary and enjoy the read! Thanks to Maddie from @harpercollinsuk, for emailing me a copy.
This book is going to be a hit…..
💜 https://amzn.eu/d/bLePNSk. 📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙📙

What a debut!!!!
This really is one to read, the story pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let you go, a heartbreaking story capturing the aftermath of a child’s death and the reality of how it affects everyone involved, especially those involved in a cover up, burying lies and navigating the world post loss.

This is a character driven book that really gets in your feels. I will definitely be looking out for more from this author. Bravo!

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my arc.

A tragic story of two families. Chris, Linda and their son Joe, and Andrew, Sophie and their daughter Maria are great friends of many years. While Chris and Linda work in emergency services, Andrew and Sophie are only too pleased to look after young Joe. The children get on and the arrangements work well. Until, one day when tragedy strikes and Joe drowns. The aftermath is the basis of the story and highlights the impossible grief that follows such a terrible loss. Uncomfortable to read at times with awful pain and sorrow pouring off each page. How does anyone begin to find any kind of normality or peace after such an awful tragedy? As the pain takes its toll, events take a turn for the worse, if that were possible and the second half of the book escalates in a fast paced culmination of enduring trauma. I guessed quite a few of the twists but this was well written and the agony of all involved was heartbreaking.

Considering this is the first book from a new author it is brilliant, I loved every bit of it. Good hooks all the way through to keep you reading. Surprises, that you were not expecting in this brilliantly written story. Then you get a twist at the end that you would never expect. Fully recommend this, if you like a good crime.

Wow what a powerful emotive story this is .Two Families best friends until the tragic day that changed all their lives forever .A devastating story that had me in tears at times .There are secrets that are hidden about that fateful day also revenge A fast paced well told heart breaking story .Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC.

Andrew and Sophie take their small daughter, Maria and her friend, Joe to the beach. This is a happy relationship as Joe is a frequent visitor to Andrew and Sophie’s house and they are pleased to look after him whilst his parents Chris and Linda are working as a police officer and paramedic. What should have been an idyllic time at the beach is quickly ruined forever when the children get into difficulties in the sea and Andrew can only save one child. What then follows is a harrowing story about the aftermath of this devastating tragedy and of how it impacts on all those who are involved both on a personal and professional level.

A difficult story, and quite heart wrenching in places, the author has done a good job of recreating the tragedy, describing all the follow up in detail whilst at the same time allowing all the heightened emotions to circulate. Sergeant Mike Adams and DS Sue Willmott are the detectives who have the unenviable task of trying to gather together all the complex pieces of this investigation and with emotions heightened it’s never going to be an easy task. The twists and turns, which keep you guessing, and the fast pace of this heartbreaking story, make it into such a page turner, which lingers long after the book is finished.

This is a rollercoaster of emotion. Andrew and Sophie Wicks regularly look after their friend's 6 year old son Joe along with their own 6 year old, Maria. Two best friends and Andrew loves Joe as if he was his own. Which makes the events that follow especially harrowing. Going against all his instincts, Andrew agrees they can go to the beach on a stormy day. Turning his back for a couple of seconds is all it takes for disaster to strike. The lives of both families are changed forever. The ripple effect is huge. I sobbed my way through this. I don't want to give spoilers away but I did wonder how this would have played out if Chris hadn't been a police officer. #netgalley #AfterTheStorm

"After the Storm" proved to be a captivating read, brimming with unexpected twists and intense emotional shifts, much like a rollercoaster. I found it thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

I found this book very hard to read. It’s no spoiler to say it deals with the drowning of a child. Too tough for me but well written and will do well.

After the Storm is the author’s debut novel and I found it to be an interesting and promising novel. It doesn’t fit easily into one genre - it’s part police procedural , part thriller but also a domestic drama that looks at grief and loss and all the emotions connected with that.
Andrew and Sophie are close friends with Steve and Linda and their children Maria and Joe are best friends. When Andrew and Sophie take the children to the beach one stormy day, tragedy strikes which tears both families apart.
The novel looks at all the emotions experienced by both couples in the aftermath of the tragedy and as the reader I reflected on trust and blame in those relationships. It’s a difficult and upsetting read that does not shy away from the trauma experienced by Steve and Linda.
I did find some of the novel a little slow and repetitive and some of the dialogue clunky. However this is a promising debut and I look forward to reading more from the author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
3.5 stars

A heartrending story packed with twists and turns. Certainly not my normal choice of reading but what unfolds here is a drama which is well written, well-handled and thoughtfully plotted. Would certainly read another book by this author.

Oh my goodness what a book. While it’s made clear in the synopsis that a child drowns it’s still heart wrenching to read. I saw another reviewer mention that the small town feel reminded them of Broadchurch and I’d agree with that. This book really packs a punch but with so much loss and grief included it almost feels wrong to say you enjoyed it but I did. As this is his debut I’ll be interested to see what direction the author goes with book 2. Recommended but with due regard to trigger warnings.

This is one of my favourite books of the year, not only is it an outstanding police procedural, but a emotional and harrowing read. I felt for the families so much, I don’t feel anyone would know exactly what to do in the situation. The police also had my sympathy, such cases must have such an effect on them emotionally.

The different POVs really add to the emotional value of the book, whilst also enabling you to get to know all of the characters. I was constantly changing how I felt the most compassion towards (apart from Maria who I instantly disliked, yes she’s a young child but she just seemed so spoilt, rude and a bit of a nasty streak).

I really struggled with the fact this is a debut?! How! A stunning book which needs to be on your TBR.

Andrew and Sophie are looking after six year old Joe while his parents, Chris and Linda are working, something the friends do quite often and together with their own six year old Maria, they head off to the beach, even though it looks quite stormy, warning the children to only play in the 'little sea'. Andrew is momentarily distracted from watching them and when he turns back they've disappeared, realising they've been washed out to sea, Andrew dives in to try and rescue them but only comes out with one child, his daughter and by the time the rescue team arrive it's too late for Joe. Understandably his parents want answers as to how this 'terrible accident' was allowed to take place and the events that follow have far reaching consequences on the two families and the community of Beachbrook.

After The Storm is a domestic drama/crime thriller showing what can happen when a day at the beach goes so horribly wrong and shows just how dangerous the sea can be. The story unfolds before the storm and then continues in the aftermath of this tragic and harrowing accident which both families know they will never recover from. This is a fast paced and powerful read, which is so well written with complex, yet authentic characters making it hard to believe that this is Wright's debut novel. I went through every single emotion whilst reading this book and cried through a lot of it too. What a deeply moving tale this is and I really hope this is the start of a great new detective series for this author, I can't wait to see what he delivers next!

I'd like to thank Avon Books and Netgalley for inviting me to read this book, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

A devastating tragic story which gripped from the beginning and I really couldn’t put it down. Brilliantly written, kept me reading. Heartbreaking and emotional at the same time if that’s possible.

The story deals with death, bereavement, suicide, kidnapping, violence and mental illness. Superb but sad. This book will stay with for awhile as I can understand how people can get so low and do what they can for love.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for ARC

After the Storm is a tough read. On the one hand it's a beautifully written thriller, with multiple character narratives. On the other hand there are some very harrowing subjects to deal with, particularly the death of a child.

It's so well written that you can't help reading it, despite the topics.

After I had got over the issues I had with the weakness of the parents not standing up to their SIX year old child and giving in to her wishes to go to the beach, and swim in the "little" sea in pretty much the worst storm... But if they had said "no" it would be a pretty short and pointless book...
Anyway... off to the beach went Andrew, Sophie, their daughter Maria, and Joe, the son of friends who they looked after when both parents worked. Andrew was religiously watching them whilst they initially flew kites, and then, more carefully when they went into the "little" sea. Momentary distracted by a dog approaching his pregnant wife, Andrew turns back to the children to find them not there. He rushes into the big sea, returning eventually only with Maria...
Tragic accident, accidental child neglect, wilful child neglect, or worse...? The police are called to investigate. There are things that don't add up. Meanwhile Joe's parents, Chris and Linda are both devastated and angry, they want answers. They have lost their son and their best friends...
And so begins a story that spans several months as the repercussions of what happened to Joe shocks many people, with more tragedy ensuing. All the time though. with an underlying feeling that the whole truth has yet to out...
Its raw and heartbreaking and just horrible what happens. It's not an easy book to read all told but there is a point. The ending is just all the feels. I can't say more.
The characters are so well created and do so well to take everything the author throws at them. Up to a point, of course. It's tragedy after hurt for Chris all the way through. It's so well handled and brilliantly written that, although it's pretty emotional all the way through, I never found myself feeling unsafe.
There are so many ways in which what happened after the death of Joe, could have been avoided or alleviated somewhat. How the Police handles things, how the parents could have been helped. And many other questions. But, it was what it was, and it was a horrid outcome. But life is like that sometimes. There but for the grace and all that...
Not an easy read, but an incredibly well written story. I'm exciting discovering this new author and I very much look forward to seeing what he serves up next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Emotionally hard hitting suspense, a compelling and tragic tale. Well written and carefully crafted, giving due attention to detail and themes, and carefully attending to the human effects of trauma and of tragedy. Within this, sits a well drawn cast of characters populating a propulsive plotline. Tension fuelled and emotionally charged from beginning to end.