Two children went into the sea but only one child was saved. The repercussions of this event floor both the family of the survivor and the child who was lost. Charged with Investigating this death are DI Sue Willmott and Sergeant Mike Adams. A tragic accident or more?

Chris and Linda have to come to terms with losing their son - Linda cannot and her husband, Chris, a police officer, is determined to find out what really happened and take whatever action he deems necessary to find answers. The police need to find answers before he goes too far.

A hard book to read - no winners here; all parties are deeply affected and the real truth just sad.

I loved this thriller because even though I tried to guess the end it still escaped me. It's full of twists and turns but it touches a really sensitive subject, the death of a child and the moments after it.

I’m mystified by the 4- and 5-star reviews. I struggled to get into the book. The writing was repetitive and flat, and it took a long time to get to the main event. There was a lot of “telling” of how difficult it was for mothers, but I couldn’t really feel the emotion. Disappointed overall because the setup seemed great.

After The Storm is book like I’ve never read before.
Andrew and Sophie look after their friends, Chris and Linda’s little boy, Joe whilst they are at work. One morning in horrendous weather Andrew and Sophie go to the beach with Joe and their daughter, Maria. They wouldn’t have gone in such bad weather but Maria begs and begs to go. When they get there not content with flying a kite they want to go in the sea but it’s very rough so they settle for a part of the beach which is slightly disconnected from the sea. With the parents watching they have a great time but Andrew and Sophie are distracted and the children are nowhere to be seen.
This book was absolutely heart wrenching, I don’t think I’ve ever really shed a tear when reading but this book broke me more than once. The way this is written makes you see both sets of parents POV and how quickly someone can spiral into despair. I’m not going to go into the storyline too much as I think you’re better off coming in cold so it gives you more of an emotional whack. I will be looking out for this author in the future!
I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I read this story and it really touched me having experienced a similar loss within my family when I was a teenager, it's not an easy read as It does cover a few heavy topics that are emotive and triggering.

It portrayed the loss and aftermath of a tragic and devastating accident with the challenges and repercussions that follow.

A vivid emotive read that was intense and moving.

An emotive read , I feel physically wrung out after finishing this book .
Andrew and Sophie and their daughter Maria and Joe their best friends’s son visit the beach , the weather isn’t the best and neither was their decision to go to the beach .
Maria is a headstrong girl and basically has her parents wrapped around her little finger so that is why they are at the beach .
Joe’s parents both work hard and feel guilty at leaving him with their best friends , Chris Joe’s dad is a police officer and Linda his mum is a paramedic.
Maria and Joe are in the sea but things go drastically wrong and Andrew has to rescue them , but he only manages to bring Maria out of the waves .
What happened in the water? How could Joe lose his life?
Are Andrew and Sophie neglectful will they be charged with a criminal offence ?
The disintegration of Chris and Linda life is a hard read .
The writing is excellent it was difficult to finish the book due to the raw emotion but I had to read until the end .
Loved the twist at the end .
A hard read at times but a satisfying one .
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

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.