This was a great surprise! I had never read this author before but was under the impression that she wrote romances so I requested this on NetGalley because it was filed under mystery but was apprehensive nonetheless.

It's a well-written mystery that reminded me a lot of Liane Moriaty's and Lisa Jewell's style, and that's a huge compliment, since they're some of my all time favorite authors. 

The way the narrative is presented the reader gets parts of the picture as the story goes on but never the complete frame, so I was taken aback at some points by some revelations that I did not see coming. I think that having Eric tell his version of events in separate chapters was clever and made the novel even better. 

I am for sure going to read more from this author now. 

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with and ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not good (at least not for me). I'm not sure if it's because I read a lot of thrillers, or if it's because it just wasnt my type of book. All I can say was I had to struggle to finish it, and I didn't like it once I did. The "twists" at the end were twists I saw coming at the beginning of the book. All in all, not worth the time it took to finish it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are of course my own.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher.   I have liked everything this author has written and this was just as good,  good storyline, liked the characters and kept me guessing until the end.

Twisty and confusing until the very end, but a good page turner and interesting character connections.

This book started off like any other thriller, knowing something was going to happen but not sure.
However I thought there was going to be alot of twists and turns but everything that happened you could see coming chapters before.
There was no major twist to the story and no big storyline, kept reading in the hope some big story would happen but it got to the end and nothing had happened.
If you are after a fast paced read with lots of twists this isn't it. It's a pleasant read but not gripping unfortunately.

Not what I expected! At the start of this book I expected a plot centered around the son, and star tennis player. Not the case, although I was not disappointed. I finished this book in two days time, as there was something that drew me in. The author does a great job of going between decades to tell the story. Character development was key as there were times I sympathized with the character that ultimately is the antagonist of this story. The main characters feelings as a mother are spot on, although the twist at the end got me! No spoilers! I will be looking this author up online to read more! Thank you again for the advance copy!

FABULOUS! I really enjoyed this book. Full of secrets, some guessable and some surprising. This held my interest to the end. Great thriller.
Thank you to publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to book in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This was an enthralling and captivating read from Carol Mason and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. This is the first book by her I have read and I will definitely be seeking out more of her books!
The Rossi family from the outside look like the perfect family but then Zara (the teenage daughter) brings home a new friend one day (Bethany) and a series of secrets, lies and events unfold that turns the seemingly perfect family on its head.

Emily Rossi’s life is to close to perfect: she has a great career, a huge house in the country, an and amazing family. Her husband, Eric, is supportive, and her children Daniel and Zara are wonderful.

Life takes a turn when Zara brings home a toxic new best friend, Bethany, and goes from being a timid, introverted young woman with lots of potential to a rebellious teenager hanging out with the wrong crowd. To makes thing worse, Eric goes back to his old ways.

Soon the cracks start to appear, and the seemingly perfect life starts to crumble… will Emily be able to save her family?

Little White Secrets is told from the point of view of Emily (in the present), and Eric (in the past). This is so fitting to the story, which would otherwise be just a story of a marriage that is falling apart. We get to see why Eric is the way he is, and at times I found myself wanting him to do better for the sake of his family.

Emily is such a superb character -a very strong yet nurturing woman, she is very likeable and inspiring. Would you dare to make the same choices she makes to protect her family?

The teenage characters were also realistic without being overbearing or superfluous. The story of Zara, always in the shadow of golden child Daniel, and her descent into chaos after meeting Bethany. Has Zara inherited her father’s demons?

This was a complex book with some dark upsetting moments, which added depth to the complexity of the family ties, and it all made sense when the twist was revealed. Oh yes, the was a big twist, and it will leave you speechless!

Disclosure: I would like to thank Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC of Little White Secrets by Carol Mason. This is my honest review.

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#LittleWhiteSecrets #NetGalley 
A good read. 
Emily Rossi, life may not be perfect, but it’s pretty close. She has a great career, a house in the country, a solid marriage to Eric and two wonderful children—tennis superstar Daniel and quiet, sensitive Zara. But when her fourteen-year-old daughter brings home a toxic new best friend, Emily’s seemingly perfect family starts to spiral out of control.
Suddenly Zara is staying out late, taking drugs and keeping bad company. And just when Emily needs Eric to be an involved father, he seems too wrapped up with his job in London to care. What’s more, he’s started drinking again.
I loved its characters. 
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me an advance copy of this awesome psychological thriller.

This was a great book that I really enjoyed all the way through. My first read by Carol Mason but certainly not my last. I knew from very early pages I was going to like this one. 

Carol depicts her characters very realistically, even her grasp on moody teenage girls is impressive! As the book and the story really revolves around a cast of mixed characters I really liked the way I could connect. The book seamlessly moves back and forth in part between two timeframes and not for one moment was that disconnecting me from the book. It added a layer of questions that were not answered until the end and then that reveal was worth waiting for. 

Families. Marriage. Friends. Teenagers. Neighbours. Secrets and Lies. You will get a blend of all this in Little White Secrets. Carol manages to give you enough teasers to want to taste more without giving away too much. My feelings about each character changed TOTALLY from beginning to end. I love it when a book can do that, play with my emotions around characters. This would make a great TV mini-series.

Some of it was totally unexpected for me and other bits I did see coming from early on, however I think each reader will have a different perspective reading this, I highly recommend for book clubs as it would make for hot discussion. I am a sucker for a bunch of dysfunctional, imperfect people in a novel and Carol delivered this really well. I thoroughly enjoyed Little White Secrets and am eager to read more from Carol, born in the North East of England like myself she must be a fabulous person. Recommended reading for sure.

Although I read this book as I wanted to know the Ending it wasn’t an easy read. The characters are all a little self obsessed, can’t see what’s in front of their eyes and not really very likeable. Which OK is kind of part of the plot but you still need to identify a little with the lead so you want her to persevere - to come out victorious but in this book I just think she wasn’t someone I would want to know.

Carol Mason, the best-selling author of After You Left and The Shadow Between Us has written an incredibly moving and poignant novel in this exhilarating work of familial drama.

The Rossi family all have wonderful lives... but they also have their own little secrets. Daniel, 16 is a star tennis player and his sister Zara, 14 is the introvert of the family. Mother and protagonist Emily teaches a communications course at University. Emily's husband Eric and father to Daniel and Zara, works in London and comes home on weekends. When Zara brings home new best friend, Bethany, Emily’s seemingly perfect family life starts to crumble around her. Emily realises that Bethany is no good for her daughter and tries everything to keep them apart. But just how far is she prepared to go to save her family?

The story is told in the past and present from the perspectives of Emily and Eric. Emily’s narrative is in the present, whilst Eric's contributions are from the past. This structure expertly draws the reader into the lives of both characters, as well as adding depth to the story as the reader begins to understand how Eric's experiences are now affecting his family currently. I found myself occasionally empathising with him but with some trepidation... For her part, I found Emily to be an extremely intriguing character. Although not always likeable, she regularly displayed a cocktail of emotions, from anger and frustration to wariness. All of this added to and complemented this wonderful character-driven story.

Deceptions, deceit, cruelty and confusion are all masterfully interwoven in Little White Secrets that encompasses addiction, infidelity and some very poor choices as the Rossi family slowly implodes, with each new disclosure becoming more painful than the last. An insightful and thought-provoking read about how the mistakes we sometimes make impact on others and the power denial can have. I found Little White Secrets an exceptionally enjoyable read, helped by Carol Mason’s beautiful writing which has depth and substance. The ending was very fulfilling with a little surprise. I will definitely be looking out for more of her books in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Brilliant book. Not so little White secrets more like skeletons behind every closed door. Had me hooked from the beginning. Cant wait to read mor eb y theis author

One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Loved it. 

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I enjoyed this book and the many twists and turns. However I feel like the character of Eric wasn’t fully developed and was not completely believable.

LITTLE WHITE SECRETS has been a roller coaster, not for a second allowing me to anticipate events. It is an enthralling family drama I could not put down.

Emily’s life is picture perfect with a wonderful husband, a striving career and two adorable children – a tennis champion, Daniel and a very quiet teenage girl, Zara. She couldn’t wish for more, some would say. But when her fourteen year old daughter starts hanging out with the wrong people, it all goes downhill.

All of a sudden, Zara is skipping school, taking drugs and hangs out with the exact people you wouldn’t wish your child to even meet. And, as Emily’s marriage seems solid, she needs her husband more than ever but he proves to be unreliable and hiding a very dark secret that turns her life upside down. Her marriage lasted all these years through lies that are now tearing her apart and I have to admit that I thought this will be a story with no survivors or one where the bad guy wins.

I can definitely say that this terrifying story will grip the hearts of every mother and wife out there. All throughout this novel deals with addiction, infidelity and bad choices, teen drama, mental health and loss getting you more and more involved. As the events unravel, the reader receives shock after shock with each new discovery more painful the previous. I have to say that Mason did such a good job portraying each character. They are all complex, far from perfect and not easy to like but most certainly suited for the plot.

This novel is full of twists and turns, of secrets divulged as you dive into the story and I have to admit that I had times when I had to stop and get a grip. As soon as I went over one shock I had to get back, desperate to know what happens next. So if you are looking for a five star domestic drama that will keep you hooked, grab LITTLE WHITE SECRETS by Carol Mason

What a wonderful surprise this book was!  A page turner that keeps up the suspense throughout, with relatable characters and a story that will grip the heart of any wife and mother of teens.  
I highly recommend it!

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Emily’s family is picture-perfect. She has a star in the making son, Daniel, who excels in tennis and a daughter Zara, who is quiet and pliable when it comes to doing whatever her parents want. She has been married to Eric for twenty years and of course, they have had their issues, but who hasn’t? They are such a perfect family that a newspaper wants to do a special report on them because of their son, and they play their parts perfectly, because they are, after all, the perfect family. 

But flawlessness has a way of unravelling in the most unexpected ways. Zara becomes friends with the new girl at school, Bethany, a girl who is a little rough around the edges. A lot rough. And she makes Emily feel uneasy because her pliable daughter starts to change, and not in the best of ways. And Eric is behaving oddly. Only Daniel seems to be acting as normal. And somehow, ever so slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, life starts to become unlivable. Zara is acting out, and the ringleader is always Bethany. Eric is drinking more than is good for him. Daniel is losing tennis matches.

And Emily finds herself torn in how to react. Eric is of no support when Zara goes off the deep end. Emily finds the support she desperately needs in the form of her neighbour Steve, a widower and quite possibly attracted to her, as she may be to him. And then life gets out of control and there is no telling how it's going to end for this once ideal of families. 

Deceptions, deceit, cruelty and confusion are all interwoven in this novel that deals with addiction, infidelity and bad choices that watch as a family implodes in slow motion. Its as if the reader is watching a fatal car accident happen right before their eyes, each new revelation more painful than the last. Emily is forced to confront the lies that have held her family together and the lies that will now tear her family apart and there is an extraordinarily strong possibility that there will be no survivors. 

Mason has written a novel that is powerful and painful and gripping all at the same time. There are times when the surprises are so gut-wrenching it's necessary to put the book down and remind yourself that it's only a novel. The characters are well-drawn and capable of making you invest in them emotionally. The only way to describe the way the family careens off the rails is stupefying. The sad part of this novel is that despite it being so brutal, it is totally believable, and all too often played out in one way or another every day.  Perhaps that’s why the emotional intensity of the piece works so well. 

Trigger warning, this novel deals with alcoholism. 

You have to read this book.

5☆ An Enthralling Dark Domestic Drama, I Couldn't Put Down!

Emily and Eric have a lovely home and the perfect family but Eric spends alot of time away from home working and he is clearly hiding lots of things from Emily. His behaviour towards her starts to deteriorate especially when he turns to drink to get him through the week!

Zara (14yrs old) has always been quiet and sensitive. Unlike her older brother Daniel (16yrs old) who plays Championship Tennis and is the current Winter Cup Winner. Zara always seems to go under the radar, until she meets Bethany!

Zara meets ‘Bethany when she knocks on Emily's door with her mum asking for charitable donations for abused women.
But something about ‘Bethany & her mother feel off with Emily. She just can't put her finger on it.

So the last person she expects to see Zara hanging out at home with is ‘Bethany.

But the more Zara hangs around with Bethany the more Zara's behaviour rapidly changes. Sneaking around, drinking, being deceitful, being rude.....But just what is so appealing about Bethany.

Slowly Emily's perfect world is crumbling around her and she has no clue what to do.
Can Emily find a way to fix her family before it's too late? 

One character I did adore was Otis the Lurcher, what a sweetheart.

Little White Secrets is such a thrilling, Pacy, domestic drama, I devoured it in two nights. 
It's a lil suspenseful, dark, gripping, intriguing, enthralling and a Page Turner.
The story deals with mental health, grief, deceit, addiction, plenty of teen angst, family relationships and friendships.
The characters are brilliantly portrayed, complex, flawed not all are likeable but perfect for the plot.
I loved the cleverly plotted twists and turns as the story progresses, secrets are divulged.

So if you are looking for a gripping, tense, domestic drama, that will keep you hooked, has plenty of teen angst, secrets and deceit then I can't recommend reading Little White Secrets enough!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.