3.5 stars rounded up... This domestic psychological fictional drama--clearly not sure what category to place it fully in--was entertaining and kept my attention through to the end. Three wives and mothers are unwittingly brought together through a PTA at their children's private school. Secrets are abundant in each of their lives, and as things begin to unravel they are bonded closer together, despite being three very different women. They work to uncover what their husbands have really been up to...and even have some secrets of their own. It was hard to tell where the story was going, but that was good...not too predictable.
The audio version was done well but as I often think, would have benefited from multiple cast members.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARL. All opinions are mine.

I wouldn't read the description of this book before reading it! It gives away so much!

Everyone has a secret in this one and as we learn each secret there is one that stands out the most! Set at a private school with extremely wealthy families that will stop at nothing to get what they want.

It felt slow-moving at times but towards the end it starts picking up. I was happy how it ended and that everyone got what they ultimately deserved.

3.5⭐

This one took a bit for me to get into as you definitely have to pay attention a bit more than some books as there are quite a few characters developed but boy once this book gets going it draws you in!

The narrator did an excellent job.

i was really excited and wanted to love this one, but i just could not connect with any of the characters. I found it very slow paced to the point it began to feel like a chore to finish. i feel like that may be my fault i went into this thinking such a good family , however i feel like the writing is completely different.

I thoroughly enjoyed this!
Excellent mystery!
Highly recommend the audiobook but any way you experience it will work!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction, domestic drama
Setting ~ Georgia
Publication date ~ book ~ September 27, 2024, audio ~ November 12, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media, Storm Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 394 (63 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 30 minutes
Narrator ~ Jesse Vilinsky
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ secrets, family drama, domestic abuse, infidelity

Anna, Maggie & Rhea are three very different mothers with very different secrets that come together and form a friendship after discovering a scandal at their children’s school. I really enjoyed how they slowly became great friends that could rely on each other. And they rely on each other until the satisfying ending.

But it's not just the women that have secrets, it's the men too. One hub needed a dose of his own medicine, one you just want to shake with his stupidity and the other I wish was honest sooner.

Overall, a solid read. I found the pace steady and while the storyline was not unique the way it unfolded kept me engaged throughout. I’ll definitely read this author again.

Narration notes:
She did do a wonderful job giving each character their own voice, but I really think there should have been 3 narrators.

This book is a captivating read that gripped me from the start. The book masterfully explores female relationships, secrets, and the nuances of unspoken truths, offering a relatable yet profound narrative.

The three mothers at the heart of the story are richly developed, each hiding secrets that draw you deeper into their lives. I found myself racing through the pages, eager to discover their fates.

The narration also deserves praise; it beautifully brought the characters and their emotions to life, enhancing my reading experience.

Overall, I absolutely loved "Things We Never Say." It's a powerful tale of scandal and female solidarity that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an emotional and thought-provoking story.

I was up until 4 am trying to finish this audiobook! I listened to it in a day. The multiple POV perspective kept me interested and left me hanging over and over again, which kept me super invested in the plot. There was so much drama happening in this twisty suspenseful thriller!

This review will contain spoilers.

Three woman team up together to help with planning a private school's fundraiser gala, including the headmaster's wife. These women all have major secrets pop up as they figure out how to maneuver through them while also holding onto their own values.

I do think this book should have come with some trigger warnings. Abuse is definitely prevalent. I had a trigger with a very specific scene.

In real life, I was driving to an appointment. it was a 5 minute drive, but I had the audio playing. In the scene, Maggie was asking her husband who the woman was that he was sleeping with. He then admitted it was with Fernando, a man. This particular day while I was listening was the anniversary of my own divorce because my former spouse was gay and had been cheating on me. I don't know how I got lucky enough to have that trigger land in that 5 minute drive, on that particular day, but it hit hard. I understood those emotions even if they weren't fully flushed out in the story.

The narrator did a good job. their were a few times I feel like the male voice was accidentally used for a female character. However it was well done.

I initially gave this story 4 stars, and then dropped a star for the trigger warnings I wish were present. This story will be enjoyed by many people. I think I just hit the wrong scene on the wrong day and that flipped my mood quickly.

I will be sharing this title on my instagram today, November 11. www.instagram.com/robinashleyreads

Three mothers…three secrets…one PTA. Oh, and one scandal too! Anna has always been the quiet one, but when she’s thrown together for a PTA project with Maggie and Rhea, they begin to bond and quickly become friends. Slowly, as they get closer, they begin sharing their secrets. Rhea’s perfectly curated world is threatened by her troubled past, and Maggie is struggling in her marriage. But Anna, married to the school’s headmaster, has perhaps the worst secret of all. When they uncover a scandal that threatens to upend all their lives, they must decide: is the truth worth the cost?

This was a quick read that had me on the edge of my seat! I could relate a lot to Anna - often the quiet one - and I’ve been in my “PTA mom era” for the past few years, so I totally understand how these projects come to be. Thankfully, I’ve never run into anything quite as daunting as the scandal these women uncover. Told from multiple perspectives, I was equally invested in each of their stories and how their secrets were coming to light. I really appreciated their friendship though - most of all, to me, this story highlighted just what can happen when women start supporting each other. No matter their backgrounds or differences, they can do incredible things together.

Fun, quirky and with a feel-good ending, “Things We Never Say” was the perfect audio book for this mom to listen to while packing school lunches and getting ready for my own PTA meeting!

Things We Never Say, by Caitlin Weaver, narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, was the absolute perfect audiobook to get me through the events of the past week. I needed to get caught up in fictional drama rather than obsess over reality. I loved these three women—Rhea, Anna, & Maggie—who become unlikely friends while serving on a PTA committee together. Vilinsky gave each woman a distinctly different voice so it was easy to follow along as I drove around, ran errands, etc. Weaver touched on many different topics, some heavy, some hilarious. I highly recommend!!!

The narrator on this audiobook was good, it was easy to distinguish each character and flowed nicely.

The story was easy to follow, maybe somewhat slow in the beginning but once you got the flow and who was who it went along pretty quickly which is what I liked about it. The story line of each character was developed and easy to understand. The character are so relatable and the secrets just keep on coming!

This audiobook kept my attention and I couldn’t wait to finish but in a good way!! Well done!

Things we never say is following the lives of three mothers who individually have their own secrets and one devastating scandal that could wreck all their lives.
I love a good family domestic story and this book more than well delivered. We have
<b>Anna:</b> A soft-spoken mother married to the schools headteacher who is completely despicable and she trying to find a means of escape
<b>Rhea:</b> A married mother with two boys that has a lifelong secret that if exposed could destroy her happy home
<b>Maggie:</b> A marriage therapist who is so focused on her clients she is missing the red flags of her own floundering marriage

I really enjoyed reading about these three women who never really spoke to one another being brought together through a PTA project start to really rely on each other and the start a blossoming friendship. The author did a great job with each chapter focusing on each women’s life and the burdens within them. We are dealing with all different sensitive topics and triggers and the author wrote about them so well. The story was heavy and heartbreaking while also executing the raw reality of what happens when deep buried secrets are exposed.

The pacing was great, and I could really picture everyone’s scenario like a movie in my head. There were some chapters in the book that did feel like ‘fillers’ and could have done without but that would be my only critique. All the women were likeable even with their flaws and I was rooting for them throughout.

I listened to the audio of this book and the narrator did an amazing job. She captured the voices of the characters wonderfully and I could really feel the emotions coming from this compelling complex story.

There was one comment that one of the husbands said in the book that had me spewing and wishing I could jump into the book to put his stupid ass in a headlock!

This author is now an auto buy for me and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

On the outside, lives are seemingly perfect. No one really knows what goes on behind closed doors in someone else’s home. I loved the friendship formed between Anna, Rhea and Maggie, all mothers at a prestigious private school who were put on the same committee during a PTA meeting to help plan the annual school gala. When a scandal is uncovered during one of their planning sessions, they work together to decide whether to expose the scandal or keep it hidden because it involves their own families as well. Many secrets, cover-ups and drama are throughout the whole story made it exiting to read. I loved diving into this one! The characters were fun, and the story line was even better. This was fast-paced, and I loved the multiple POVs. If you are into domestic thrillers and parent drama then I recommend you pick this one up!

Wow! First I’ve read of this author. 😮
This was quite a ride!!
Three women. Each have their own secrets…but, Shut The Front Door!
I was never expecting this!!!!

Anna is married to a schools headmaster, and even though her life is far from perfect, she’s EXPECTED to play the role…no matter what.

Maggie is a relationship therapist,but somehow is starting to feel like a fraud, as her husband never seems to have time for her.

And Rhea, she’s come from nothing, and is now married to a well known, very wealthy man.

They each have school age kids at the school. When they are basically forced to work together on a school project, the three Moms start opening up to each other. And in the process, some crazy stuff is revealed!

Friendships. Family bonds. School bonds. Lies…. Fake lives…..
And a whole lot more!

This one will keep you turning the pages late into the night!

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

#ThingsWeNeverSay by #CaitlinWeaver and narrated nicely by #JesseVilinsky.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for anARC of the audiobook
which is due to be released in a few days!!! **** Look 👀 for it on 11/12/24!! ****

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As the old saying goes: A Problem Shared is a Problem Halved.

4.5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Even before they were thrown together to plan a school fundraising event, three PTA wives and mothers have more in common than they realise.

Each is hiding one big secret.

If revealed it could upend their lives, and the lives of those they hold dear.

But they should know, nothing ever stays buried forever.

At its core Things We Never Say was a novel about the empowering nature of healthy female friendships, and that when you have supportive women in your corner you can endure and overcome even the most devastating hardships life throws your way. The idioms ‘Appearances Can Be Deceiving’, and Behind Closed Doors’ as well as the saying ‘Never Judge a Book by its Cover’ were all applicable here. Also, the shame and guilt women still place on themselves to be perfect, even in 2024! Just like Caitlin Weaver’s debut novel, Such a Good Family (June 2024), this one also contained copious amounts of marriage and family drama and strained and toxic relationships.

Chapters cycled between Anna, Rhea, and Maggie, and all three were keeping secrets (one more serious than the others) – from their husbands, and children, as well as each other – unaware that their significant others also had things to hide. I enjoyed all three characters, and I liked that they had very distinctive personalities to set them apart from one another – there was never any doubt who was narrating – but that they also shared a lot of commonalities. I was more invested in Anna and Rhea’s chapters, as I found Maggie’s plight the least interesting. Although she did have more to do with uncovering the white-collar crime going on at the private high school all the teens in this novel attended (a variation on the college admissions scandal) which was a compelling subplot.

Audiobook narrator, Jesse Vilinsky, did a brilliant job of bringing all three women, and every supporting character, to life, and nailed every emotion in her performance. Her submissive, quiet voice for Anna, Rhea’s Southern accent, and her dramatic overreacting emotional rants for Maggie’s teenage daughter, Pen, were the standouts!

This review would be amiss without commending Caitlin Weaver for releasing not one, but two, exceptional contemporary domestic dramas dealing with serious, life-changing real-world issues. Other authors take note and write faster because this is how it’s done. I will be eagerly awaiting anything this author writes next.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Caitlin Weaver for the advanced audiobook.

This audiobook is only days away from being released (12th November 2024), and I have no hesitation in recommending Things We Never Say.

Three school mom’s bond, over a suspected school scandal

✨ Read if you enjoy: female friendships, fast pace, secrets
✨ Don’t read if you loathe: domestic dramas, domestic abuse

Rhea, Maggie and Anna are forced together to organize the upcoming school gala. Separated socially, they quickly realize how much they care for one another

Considering the obstacles, I found their connection unrealistically fast. I would have enjoyed a little more drama as their bond was formed

As secrets are revealed, the women begin to unveil a potential scandal. Meanwhile, each woman has her own secret and their lives get complicated

No spoilers, but trigger warning ⚠️ there is a spousal abuse story, which is appropriately maddening

I really hoped for a big group showdown full of drama and fireworks….. we kind of got that but a more realistic version!

Overall I found the book addictive, and entertaining. Painful in parts, heartwarming in others, this is a must read for domestic thriller fans

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

Three wives volunteer to work on a PTA project together. They all have their own lives and their own secrets. Working on this project together, they become friends quickly.
While working on the project together they find strange documents and they look further into it. What is going on in the school? They find out more and more secrets that the school is keeping. What are they trying to cover up? Will uncovering these secrets also uncover their own secrets?

I got this book as an audiobook. The narration was great.
I enjoyed every second of this book. You got to know more and more secrets slowly, which keeped me engaged. Not much of a mystery or thriller, but still very entertaining.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My first book by this author and I really enjoyed the build up under the revealing of the plot. The power of female friendship is the theme. Rhea, Anna, and Maggie are thrust together as they are volunteering for their children’s private school gala. Anna, the quiet mother with the perfect headmaster husband, harbors the darkest secret of all, concealing the reality of her troubled home life. Maggie, a relationship therapist struggling with her own crumbling marriage, and Rhea, who hides a tumultuous past beneath her glamorous exterior, round out the trio. Together, they uncover a scandal that threatens to shake the very foundation of their lives and the school community. The suspense builds as they must decide how much they are willing to risk to expose the truth. The school is very prestigious, and throughout The next few months each of them has a life altering event or secret that brings them closer and allows them to be better mothers. The suspense throughout is well-crafted, with highs and lows that kept me engrossed in the lives of these three women. The reader goes back and forth whether you like them or not until you understand the underlying issues in their lives/relationships and then it clearly becomes how strong these women are to hold things together. This book is really laid out well and keeps the readers interested as well as the characters are very relateable. Thank you to Storm Publisher, the author, and NetGalley

Three women form an unlikely bond when they are thrown together into the planning committee for an elite private schools’ gala. They accidentally stumble upon a secret that could take down the whole school - but can they prove it? Meanwhile, their home lives aren’t quite what they appear on the outside.

Things We Never Say was a quick and fun read, though it took a while to get into the action. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but I was happy with it, and there were no loose strings.