Never before has a book opened my eyes into the world of motherhood - its trials, its hardships and its bone weary exhausting challenges of pure chaos - than LITTLE DISASTERS by Sarah Vaughan. It's not really a mystery or a thriller...but rather a thought-provoking and compelling analysis of predominantly two women's lives, and that of their children. It falls more into contemporary fiction and maybe a little domestic suspense, questioning a woman's natural maternal instinct, her endurance through sleep deprivation whilst providing love and care for her child despite being plagued with feelings of not being good enough.

The story opens with a confronting prologue. A mother trying to soothe her 11 week old baby who refuses to settle. The pleading with the child to stop, the crying that intensifies, the overwhelming feeling of being so incredibly alone day after day and night after night of non-stop crying. Why won't she stop? Why won't she stop? WHY WON't SHE JUST STOP? It is hard hitting and confronting as the reader is left to wonder just what the mother does.

January 2018: Late one evening just as her shift is about to end, hospital paediatrician Liz Trenchard is called to A&E to take a look at a child that has presented with some puzzling symptoms. Walking into the cubicle, Liz is surprised to find her close friend Jess Curtis with her ten month old daughter Betsey sitting there. It seems Betsey has not been too well this evening and after her husband found her in her cot covered in vomit, he urged Jess to bring her in as a matter of caution. Liz examines Betsey and is shocked to discover a soft depressed area of her skull that is tender to the touch, prompting the child to scream. And so after the necessary scans, Liz diagnoses Betsey with a skull fracture. Jess is horrified.

Questions begin to rise immediately as to how Betsey was injured and as Liz questions her, Jess closes herself off and her answers become vague. Liz has no alternative but to report the incident to social services who then alert the police.

But Liz knows Jess, surely. She would never hurt her own child...or any child for that matter. She has always been a cautious mother, even over protective at times, alert to anything and everything that could harm her child. Liz knows Jess is a good mother. But, due to the demanding nature of her profession, Liz hasn't been as present in the past several months since Betsey's birth - who knows how Jess is coping?

The women met in ante-natal classes ten years ago when they were pregnant with their oldest children and along with two other mothers, Mel and Charlotte, have remained friends throughout. They have regular get togethers talking about their children and their milestones as well as socialising together with their respective husbands. But Jess went on to have a third child, where the other women had just two...except Charlotte, who only had the one, and even that was with great difficulty. The women saw each other at the school gates but didn't seem to find the time to check in with each other as much as they used to.

And now, with Betsey in paediatrics ICU and Jess' story about Bets pulling herself up on the fridge and then falling...just doesn't add up. Liz is sure that Jess is hiding something. So what isn't she telling them? She wants to be there for her friend but she also knows that she can't discuss Betsey's case with her...making it especially difficult.

To make matters worse, Jess' private battle is exacerbated by her husband's previous friendship with Charlotte, whom he knew at university. She doesn't believe Ed would be unfaithful to her but Charlotte does have an air about her that speaks volumes...insinuating that their friendship was something more. Should she be worried? But she doesn't have time to worry. Not with the police investigating her for child neglect and possibly injuring her baby girl. Not with all these thoughts racing through her head and her incessant need to ensure her children's safety with the aligning of her rings. One. Two. Three.

Despite her desire to help her friend, Liz knows she must also maintain a professional distance...which isn't helped by her worries for her mother who appears mentally unbalanced as well as drinking herself into oblivion each day. When her mother is rushed to hospital and diagnosed as terminally ill, Liz is confronted with the horrors of her past and old memories begin to resurface. And then on her deathbed, her mother confesses to something so horrific...

How can Liz correlate what her mother has told her with the current circumstances her closest friend now finds herself in? How can she find compassion for a mother that was habitually cruel and abusive towards her and her brother throughout their lives? And how can what has happened to Jess and baby Betsey ever be mended?

But the truth is far closer than anyone thinks. And when Liz uncovers what really happened, there is a collective sigh of relief all round. But is that truly the end of it?

A compelling and emotional story, LITTLE DISASTERS is slow burning but in encapsulates you from very early on that you are invested in what happens from the very beginning. The multiple narratives are cleverly woven together between the past and the present - mainly between Liz, Jess and Ed with the addition of a couple of others throughout that provide their own version of events.

A complex tale about one of the most difficult jobs in the world, LITTLE DISASTERS also highlights the realities of post natal depression and anxiety. A woman's body goes through a multitude of changes throughout pregnancy, giving birth and then thrust into motherhood without an instruction manual, despite having done it twice before. Every pregnancy is different, every birth is different and every baby is different. A woman's mental health is tested to the limits throughout all these changes and sometimes it just becomes too much. It doesn't make them weak or inferior or a bad mother. Hormonal imbalances create a wealth of problems for one's mental health and pregnancy and motherhood is probably one of the biggest challenges of them all. So with my own experience with mental health, I am sure this book provides an accurate and realistic depiction of post natal depression an anxiety.

I am not a mother and yet this book makes me, in some ways, grateful that I am not. I'm not even maternal...unless it has four legs, a tail and goes woof. I was told by my specialist many years ago that I would find motherhood incredibly difficult due to my underlying medical conditions, one of which is my mental health. And in reading Jess' plight in this book I could really identify with her despite not being a mother myself. Those frightening thoughts, that incessant feeling of exhaustion, the never ending cries, the uncontrollable tears, the isolation and the overwhelming feeling of not being good enough...all entwined with her feeling of being out of control. I've no doubt that motherhood is hard...and this book really highlights its difficulties whilst trying to balance everything and find some normality again.

The twist, when it comes, is fairly expected. I'd long since figured out the several twists purely because this isn't a mystery or thriller and if you look hard enough you will see them too. While they are foreseeable, they are still shocking and ultimately still a satisfying end.

Overall, LITTLE DISASTERS is a thought-provoking read that is realistic and heartwrenching at times. Anyone who is a mother will surely recognise the emotions in all its overwhelming glory and quickly identify with Jess and her story.

I do thoroughly recommend this book. It is an eye opening look into the world of post natal depression and anxiety in the form of a thrilling page turning contemporary domestic drama.

I would like to thank #SarahVaughan, #NetGalley and #SimonAndSchusterUK for an ARC of #LittleDisasters in exchange for an honest review.

The tension was brilliantly built in this book and it was very easy to empathise with Jess and feel her anguish. This neatly dovetailed into Liz’s professional responsibilities to cause a dilemma for her. The characters were well written and there was a good plot twist. Of you haven’t read anything by Sarah Vaughan before I recommend her work, her books are fast reads and you won’t be disappointed.

Four friends meet in a prenatal course: Liz, Jess, Charlotte and Mel. Ten years later are still all friends, though thanks to busy lives, bigger families and other dramas, they don't get to socialise and see each other that often. Liz, a paediatric doctor, is surprised to find Jess in A&E with her 10 month old Betsey, who has been sick and crying nonstop. Upon further inspection, Liz is even more surprised that Betsey has a brain injury and that Jess, a usually very conscientious and protective mother, didn't notice the bang on the back of the head and took hours to bring her in to be assessed. Something feels off for Liz, she has mixed feelings as she wants to protect her friend Jess who she knows is a good person and there's no way this could have been on purpose.... Her gut feeling, as well as her duty to care towards Betsey, escalates the case and as this happens, it also uncovers some deeply repressed childhood memories for Liz.

I have no doubt this story will resonate with some parents, an unrelenting crying baby who is difficult. Sarah Vaughan does a fantastic job of depicting post natal depression and other mental health problems. We see how easily it can be to see how someone is the perfect depiction of a loving mother who takes everything at ease but deep down is struggling. We switch in and out of points of views along the story, the main points of view are Liz, Jess and Jess's husband Ed but we see some others as well. The story line goes back in time to how Betsey got the head injury but also back to how the 4 women first met and a few events over the decade long friendship until the present day. Liz dealing with her own mother and her own trauma was a nice side plot that mirrored elements of the present day. I alternated between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook and the product was great, different narrators for the characters as well as some background noises from time to time to add to the atmosphere.

Sometimes thrillers and mysteries have a tendency either build a lot of tension up for a big pay off or have a lot of different twists and turns. I found this had neither, it had enough tension to keep things moving and interesting and no plot points felt laboured or added for a shock value. It felt realistic and well balanced while keeping me intrigued and not being predictable. Having previously read The Art of Baking Blind and liking it, I'm so glad this one didn't disappoint and look forward to reading Anatomy of a Scandal!

Wow what a book. Brilliantly written with a fast paced storyline that has you on the edge of the street. Things will never be the same again.

I actually listened to the audiobook and have left my review for it on the audiobook's page here https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/197354/review/364700

Hope that's okay?

Somewhat slow read, but very thought provoking with good insight in the different aspects of motherhood.

I really enjoyed this. Sarah Vaughan is such a great writer; she writes relationships and their many, many layers so incredibly well. Although it was about motherhood and being a parent I didn't feel on the outside of the narrative at all as she writes with such clarity and a deft touch that makes the reader feel involved at every stage. I loved the push and pull of the friendships, the question over whether Something Bad had happened putting pressure on the relationships. It's a great book.

“Little Disasters” is a twisty tale of motherhood, friendship, jealousy and keeping up appearances. But it also delves deeper into the issues of post-natal depression and how women cope (or don’t). I loved “Anatomy of a Scandal” and so I was very much looking forward to this one as well, and it did not disappoint.

This book gives you many ups and downs throughout. It explores the relationships between characters who have been friends for years and the secrets they have kept from each other. The author tackles the difficult subject matter well and I will definitely be looking out for more from her.

I read and enjoyed Anatomy of a Scandal by this author but Little Disasters is even better! This book follows Jess – all her friends think she’s a perfect stay-at-home mum devoted to her children but when an incident happens and her baby is badly hurt conclusions are jumped to. Liz is Jess’ best friend and also the hospital consultant on duty when Jess brings her baby in. The novel follows the two women as they struggle with what happened and the fall out from it. There is the thriller element to this novel of wanting to know what happened and how but more than that it’s an exploration of the pressures on women, and the tension that runs through some female friendships which makes it hard to be honest when you’re struggling. This is an intense, gripping novel and one that refuses to leave me – I’m still thinking about it and I read it a few weeks ago now. I recommend it!

Although, this book is very well written and has an interesting story at its heart, it just wasn't for me. I thought it started out very well but it lost its momentum half way through and I found myself becoming bored towards the end. I couldn't connect with the characters and maybe this is why I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I also wasn't a fan of the ending. Many will love this book, unfortunately, it didn't work for me on this occasion.

Quite a hard hitting story about two mothers and one child. A moment in time changed the friendship between Dr. Liz and Jessie when her child was brought into ER, and Liz had to call the social services.

I was gripped by the story, I kept holding my breath at the secrets revealed. Past was interspersed with the present as the story moved on.

A thought provoking story which was complex and filled with emotions. I could only be in awe of the writer words as I read from beginning to end. Just a huge sigh at the end I was left with.

Doctor Liz and stay at home mum Jess have been friends for years, having met at an antenatal class when they were both expecting their first child. And ever since then, Liz has been a little bit in awe of Jess and the ease with which she threw herself into parenting. But everything changes when Liz is called to consult on a patient in A&E - Betsey, Jess's baby daughter. With Jess unable to explain how Betsey received her head injury, Liz has no choice but to call social services on one of her oldest friends. Will their friendship survive such a betrayal? What's going on in Jess' head? And what really happened to Betsey...?

I've never read any of Vaughan's previous work, but I have to say I was really impressed with this one. She tackled a complex issue in a careful and measured way, and managed to create a plot that combined a gripping mystery with an emotional and heart wrenching subject matter. Obviously, the heart of the novel is working out what happened to Betsey, but there are also several other subplots running alongside this which deal with a range of issues, creating a book that is truly gripping and one you will want to devour in one go.

In terms of narrative, you get chapters from the POV of both Jess and Liz, set both in the present day and at various stages in the past. This worked really well in showing how Jess' challenges with her mental health began, and also showing how they escalated over the years. It was also refreshing to read from the POV of two such different mothers, who were different but never compared in a negative manner.

In 'Little Disasters' you get a hard hitting domestic drama, dealing with issues relating to maternal mental health, the complexities of attachment, and the pressures on modern mothers to appear to be achieving perfection. While the subject matter is harrowing, I felt it was dealt with in a careful and compassionate manner, and I was particularly pleased to see how accurately that author portrayed the complexities of maternal mental health and how isolating it can feel when you struggle as a new mum. Definitely a read I would recommend, and an author I would eagerly read again.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy from NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Liz and Jess have been friends for a few years since meeting when they was both pregnant.
Liz is a doctor Jess brings her daughter into the hospital but things don’t add up with what Jess is saying.
The police are brought in to investigate child abuse. Has Jess hurt her child or is there some other reason ?
Thanks Netgalley

An absolute rollercoaster of a ride. Even though the characters in this story have known each other for years there are still secrets they keep from their friends and from their children and there are secrets children keep as well. A complicated (to the characters) web of lies is woven, however I, as the reader, could see different perspectives and wasn't as ensnared as the characters in the web.. A really good book. I'll be looking out for more by this author.

I'm pleased to share my review for the new book by Sarah Vaughan - thank you to Simon and Schuster UK for a digital review copy via NetGalley. My thoughts are my own and not influenced by the free digital proof copy.

This is a very emotional book, beautifully written and all too believable. It is almost 18 years since I attended the antenatal classes for our first child and this book made me think carefully about the other parents-to-be we met.

The story is set ten years later when Jess takes baby Betsey to hospital because she seems unwell but in fact has a fractured skull. Her friend Liz, from the antenatal class, is a doctor at the hospital and has to involve the police and social services.

As the story evolves, we have flashbacks to how the antenatal group bonded over sleepless nights and mum's nights out. Alongside the mystery of Betsey's injury, Liz is dealing with her mother, who we discover has had a difficult relationship with her children.

This is a fast paced story, I didn't want to put it down. As a mum of two, this reminded me how different life is when you become a mother, especially if you aren't sleeping properly, have a poorly child and feel isolated from the world. We are very good at bottling up our feelings or hiding how we feel. I remember crying over a neighbour in my early days as a mum, she made my a cup of tea, sat me down and did my ironing. Sometimes we can help a mum by listening and/or doing something practical to help, sometimes professional help is needed. In my opinion, Sarah Vaughan has captured this perfectly in the story.

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Vaughan and I look forward to catching up on her previous books.

She is a stay-at-home mother of three with boundless reserves of patience, energy and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything. Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface – and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself.

Having been a huge fan of Anatomy of a Scandal by the same author, I was so excited to read this book.

I did not expect the book to be about such a sensitive subject, however, the author has obviously done a great deal of research to write this book. The emotional depth that the author explored in this book was excellent and attributed to it being such a good read. The book was emotionally gripping and emotive.
The book is told through the viewpoints of Liz and Jess and Ed. Throughout the novel, we are taken on an emotional ride and the book was so gripping. I was shocked with the ending and really did not see it coming!!

Although I enjoyed, Anatomy of a Scandal so much more, this book was such a good read and it is highly recommended for fans of B A Paris, Jane Corry and Louise Candlish.

Where on earth should I start on describing a simply fantastic book.

I mean I can't really talk about the plot as I'd be giving away spoilers left right and centre. but suffice to say it is utterly gripping and I struggled to put it down, to go to bed last night!

From the first few pages I was intrigued and had to get to the truth of just what happened, and it is with Sarah Vaughan's excellent story telling prowess that keeps you on your toes throughout the story.

Little Disasters is such an apt title, as it really does feature the stories for a few little disasters that due to people's handling of them, take on a much bigger life than they needed to. It is also a stark look at what thoughts a mother may have of their children.

It also asks the question of us of how well can you truly know your friends, and what they are thinking. Even best friends have secrets, but whether you discover them or can support each other is another matter.

This really is a spectularly good book, you get slow flashback scenes of key incidents in the recent and no so recent past from various perspectives which helps you connect the dots to the truth.

I loved and was hooked on every single second of this story and along with Anataomy of a Scandal, proves just what a tremendous talent Sarah Vaughan is. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

An uncomfortable read due to the subject of child abuse. However it is well written with a twist or two along the way.

Objectively, this isn’t a bad book. However, I just found it dull and depressing. I understand that the nature of the issues raised is sad and upsetting but the story failed to move me,