Domestic wives and mothers teaming up and getting involved in quite the situations. Really kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. Proves that we never really know what is going on behind closed doors.

SOLID 5 STAR READ!

Things We Never Say is a gripping tale of secrets, lies, and the lengths we go to protect the facade of a perfect life. This compelling novel masterfully intertwines marriage and family drama, toxic relationships, and scandal, creating an emotionally charged narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The story follows Anna, a quiet and reserved mother, who finds herself entangled with Maggie and Rhea after being paired with them for a PTA project. What starts as casual bonding over wine and gossip soon evolves into deeper revelations about their messy, not-so-perfect lives. Maggie, a relationship therapist, struggles with the painful irony of her crumbling marriage. Rhea, whose life appears wealthy and glamorous, carries a past that threatens to resurface. And Anna, perhaps the most enigmatic, conceals the reality of her life with her husband, the school headmaster, to protect his pristine reputation.

As the trio discovers a scandal the school desperately wants to bury, Anna faces a harrowing choice: expose the truth and risk ruining not just her life but those of her newfound friends, or stay silent and continue living a lie.

I experienced this story through the audiobook, narrated by the phenomenal Jesse Vilinsky, whose performance elevated the book even further. Her ability to breathe life into each character is astounding—her narration captures their emotions so vividly that you can feel their pain, frustration, and triumphs. Vilinsky’s talent kept me engaged through every twist and turn of this suspenseful, fast-paced novel.

Weaver’s storytelling excels at making the reader invested in each character’s life. She gives us a clear window into their individual struggles, creating a layered narrative filled with unexpected revelations and shocking twists. The characters are flawed and deeply human, which makes their journeys feel raw and authentic.

This was my first Caitlin Weaver book, but it certainly won’t be my last. This book is brimming with suspense, emotional depth, and an unflinching look at the complexities of relationships. Highly recommended for fans of domestic dramas with a dark, twisty edge.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

WOW - I could not stop listening to this book! 3 main women characters Reya, Maggie and Anna and their respective kids/husbands. Essentially a story of an unlikely friendship and the support they give during some very hard times. The narrator was great!

4.25 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy reader!

Publish date: 11/12/2024

Life isn't always what it seems in the perfect neighborhood. New friends keep the facade going as long as they can. We get a sneak peek into what goes on behind closed doors -- a secret, one-night-stand child, physical abuse, and infidelity rock this tight knit new group.

The author does a great job weaving the three storylines' back stories and current lives as one. Little by little, cracks start to crumble the houses and a beautiful revenge plot is formed. Everything reaches a climax at the end that I was not expecting. I truly enjoyed watching this all come down!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

4.5 rounded up (.5 knocked off for the fact that there was a single female narrator doing 8-10 voices, and she had male undertones for at least one of the women, so it was confusing sometimes.)

4 1/2 stars. I love domestic thrillers. We have some wonderful Australian authors in this genre, and Caitlin is right up there with them. I listened to this on audio and kept doing things so I could continue listening.

This is a story of three women reluctantly thrown together to volunteer for a school charity event. As they begin to like and trust each other, secrets are revealed and problems arise. Although the varying plotlines are central to the story, it's the female friendships that are the core of the story. You never know what's going on behind closed doors and just because someone has a beautiful facade, it doesn't mean their life is all roses. These women lean on each other and face a variety of challenges together.

The pacing is perfect, the characters well rounded and the writing is captivating. A brilliant read that has me looking for more from this author.

Caitlin Weaver’s Things We Never Say is packed with drama and secrets.

You follow three women’s stories as they develop an unexpected friendship when their lives intersect through PTA. I found all 3 stories interesting and I enjoyed the story overall. I will say it felt a bit long, and I had a hard time getting into it at first but once I did I couldn’t put it down. The audiobook narration was wonderful but it is also a bit tricky to follow only because there are so many characters to follow. I’d recommend giving it your full attention if you’re listening especially initially while you are learning all the characters at play.

What I really enjoyed about the book was the domestic drama—it’s juicy and it kept me hooked once the story picked up. The friendships between the women were well-written, showing how much people can lean on each other when life gets tough. If you enjoy books about secrets, struggles, and unexpected bonds, this one is worth checking out.

It’s a yes for me!
@deannsdailydrop

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Caitlin Weaver for the ARC of this audiobook. It was my pleasure.

It was nice to read some actual strong female characters. I've been getting the old bait and switch on the books I've been reading lately. Three women who seem to have great lives and nothing in common find that they really do. The lies, for one. The ones they are telling and the ones they are being told. The narrator made the distinction between the women easy to follow.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book and read it pretty quickly. I do think it was more domestic fiction than thriller, so my expectations were a bit off with this one. Still, it was quite an entertaining and enjoyable read.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book isn't what I would call a typical mystery or thriller. For me, this was more of a women's fiction with a bit of a mystery thrown in. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book. I thought there was a great story, good plot development, and I enjoyed the characters. I felt that the author did a good job of helping the story flow throughout and kept me engaged as well. I also enjoyed the narration as well, and most of the time, for me, that is the trickiest part.

Anna, Maggie and Rhea are pms in a private school. They volunteer in a PTA project together and the secrets about what is going on in the school start to leak out.

Anna is the headmaster’s husband. You’re quick to realize he’s controlling and abusive in the home and she’s in an awkward position keeping safe and also starting a new job he knows nothing about.

Maggie and Rhea are also living secret lives and putting on a front of the rich and powerful. They find documents to suggest the school is keeping things hidden and into some scandalous stuff.

Definitely has those Big Little Lies vibes, lots of betrayal, secrets, politics involved.

Overall I enjoyed it, quick read and fast paced ! Narrator was good but didn’t distinguish much between voices and with audio it was hard to keep track of perspective.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Nobody ever really knows what is going on behind closed doors...Caitlin Weaver's novel follows three PTA moms for a private school who are all dealing with life-altering crises. One is in an abusive relationship that nobody sees coming, another discovers she may not know the whole story behind her husband's financial dealings, and the last is desperate to understand how her marriage has turned from lovers to roommates. When the three women are brought together to organize a school event, they quickly find the support, friendship, and empowerment to change their lives as they discover illegal dealings within the school their children attend.

WOW, I could not turn this audiobook off!! All three women's stories kept me on edge - I wanted to jump right into the storyline to help them. A domestic thriller than will keep you engaged to the very end. This will not be my last book by Caitlin Weaver! The narrator read the book very well, and I appreciated her enthusiasm in reading each woman's dialogue.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this advanced e-audiobook!

I don't usually choose books with schools and mommy drama in them as I can't relate, but the description of this one caught my attention as it seemed to have an additional focus on the relationships the women have at home. I wasn't disappointed, in fact I was surprised at how captivating I found this story. Very good domestic drama with likable characters and lots of secrets and lies bubbling as we wait to see how and when they get exposed. This book kept me interested the whole way through and had a pretty decent ending as well.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Out now! Women with secrets, forced to work together. Will they learn to trust each other or keep dealing with things alone?
Big thanks to Dreamscape for this approval!

Wow! I've never read this author before so didn't know what to expect going in. I loved this story so much!

This story follows three PTA moms: Rhea, Maggie and Anna as well as their husbands and kids. Any book with strong female characters, themes and relationships will always intrigue me. We slowly see that each of these women seem so different but they come together to work on a project and are basically forced to spend time with each other. We see that they each have a big secret and when they start coming out....PHEW BOY. these secrets/ storylines are SO good! There's also an overarching mystery surrounding the school they're trying to figure out. And the ending made me fist pump for strong women.

The narrator for this was fantastic! Each of the three women had their own voice so she really brought the characters to life very well!

Overall it was tense and had this sense of dread to what the women were building towards at the end. I loved this and will try to grab the author's first book for sure!

I didn't have the highest of expectations for this book but I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it's my need to pull away from reality due to the election disaster, but the story is engaging and entertaining. The narrator is great - she is able to emulate a lot of voices and styles.

The story is of three Atlanta women, all of whose children attend the same prep school. From the outside, their lives are perfect and happy, but on the inside, things are crumbling, as each of them is either living a lie herself, or has a husband who is living a lie. The women bond over a charity fundraiser for the school, but uncover secrets along the way, leading to a wild ride of an ending. The story moves quickly and the characters are interesting.

I recommend this book, especially if you want to listen to something that will carry you away.

#netgalleyaudio

A story of friendship and about the secrets women keep. The audiobook was well read and enjoyable, but not a must read for me!

Things We Never Say by Caitlin Weaver is a gripping novel that unravels through the perspectives of several women, each entwined in a web of secrets that surround their children’s school and the small community they share. Weaver skillfully layers these viewpoints, creating a rich tapestry of motives, fears, and hidden pasts, which keep the reader guessing about each woman’s true intentions and secrets.

The strength of the novel lies in Weaver’s ability to make each character’s perspective distinct and nuanced, allowing readers to become deeply invested in their individual journeys and the complex relationships they share. As the story progresses, the suspense intensifies, with buried secrets coming to light and tensions bubbling over in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. The twists and turns lead to a climactic ending that satisfies both emotionally and narratively.

Things We Never Say is a testament to how secrets can bind people together yet also drive them apart. Weaver’s deft storytelling, combined with her sharp exploration of female relationships and social dynamics, makes this book an engrossing read. It’s a novel that balances suspense with heartfelt exploration, making it a must-read for fans of character-driven thrillers and domestic dramas alike.

This one was a slow burn for me. Took me a bit longer to really like the characters, but once Josh came in and Jerry went out I was smitten. 3.5/5 from me, solidly. The audiobook narration was fantastic, really great accent work and I was able to easily separate the characters voices. I almost hope there’s a follow up to this, I’d love to hear what these folks are up to maybe ten years down the road.

Anna, Maggie and Rhea are thrown together for the gala fundraising organisation for the school at which Anna’s husband is headmaster.
Anna is a homemaker, but was a lawyer before having their daughter. Maggie is a marriage guidance counsellor and Rhea is a homemaker.
But nothing is as it seems, all three have secrets they don’t want to talk about.
However, things start coming out as they investigate concerns at the school.
Great narration, couldn’t stop listening. Always wanting to know what happened next.
I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio edition of Things We Never Say by Caitlin Weaver.

This gets five stars because it just scratched every literary itch I have. I LOVE books about female friendships, and this book nailed it. Three moms, forced to work together, and finding unexpected friendship with each other, reminiscent of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies. Each woman in carrying a heavy secret, and through their initially fraught relationship, they all help each other through their hardships.

TW: There is domestic violence in this book.

I loved each of these women, despite their mistakes, their weaknesses, their poor choices. I loved how earnest they were in their own way. I loved the softness and love that they developed for one another. This book had me on the edge of my seat, while warming my heart, a rare combo. It's well developed and well written, I'd read it again!

I really liked this book and could not stop listening. Maybe because it was very real. All of the stories could be real and happen. It was a smooth listen and never went off course. I wanted to keep listening and know more and how they would figure this out. Not my usual read and I am so happy about that. A book that kept me interested and on the edge of my seat and was not about murder! A good read!