The Fallout

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Pub Date 5 Dec 2019 | Archive Date 1 Apr 2022
HarperCollins UK | HarperCollins

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Description

Everyone has an opinion.

Everyone has a secret.

Nobody can escape #TheFallout.

 
When Sarah forgets to check on her best friend’s little boy, distraction turns to disaster. And she’s faced with a dilemma.
 
Tell the truth, lose a friend.
Tell a lie, keep her close.
 
In a split second, Sarah seals her fate. But accidents have aftershocks, and lies have consequences.

And when it’s someone else’s child, the rumours are quick to multiply.
 
Everyone’s talking about what happened. And sooner or later, the truth will have to come spilling out…

Everyone has an opinion.

Everyone has a secret.

Nobody can escape #TheFallout.

 
When Sarah forgets to check on her best friend’s little boy, distraction turns to disaster. And she’s faced with a dilemma.
...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9780008373146
PRICE US$0.99 (USD)
PAGES 416

Available on NetGalley

Send to Kindle (EPUB)

Average rating from 245 members


Featured Reviews

The Fallout

The plot was expertly navigated throughout its entirety, the characters were deep with rich layers of emotions and the writing style was awe inspiring. I hesitate to say anything about the plot as I feel it needs to be experienced first hand. Brilliant.

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You can feel the fear in the description of a missing child. Great characters and a well written story. Highly recommended

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Absolutely loved this book! The story flows, the characters are fascinating and I couldn't tear myself away. Highly recommended.

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Nobody is perfect...right, we all make mistakes. The important thing is that we admit we have made them,learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat them. The Fallout is a tale of human error,misconceptions,secrets,friendships,obsession,relationships,
guilt and loss. It's the story of Sarah's desperate attempts to stop her best friend Liza from.finding out the truth about an accident involving Lisa's four year old son Jack.

Best friends Sarah and Liza had been at the local community centre having a coffee and catching up on the gossip. When Sarah said that she was going to the cafe to get more drinks,Liza asked if she would check on Jack who was outside playing on the play equipment. Sarah agreed that she would but she got distracted by another parent who they hadn't seen for a long time and didn't check on Jack properly. When Jack has a serious accident,Sarah was scared that if she told Liza the truth,she would lose her best friend so when the other mother said that Sarah had checked on Jack,Sarah just went along with the lie.

One mistake,one accident and one lie that results in repercussions,speculation,gossip and rumours. And the predictable judgements by the cyber trolls who hide behind their screens and pass comment without knowing what they are talking about or caring how much upset their comments cause. The characters were all well rounded and realistic,the sort of people that we have all encountered at some point in our lives. The dreaded cliques of so called yummy mummies going on about their perfect little darlings who never did anything wrong. There was characters who were not who they appeared to be,characters I liked and characters I didn't like. I can't say that I liked Sarah very much for various reasons,I did like and empathise with Liza and felt so much sympathy for Sarah's husband Tom. Throughout the story,the author cleverly manipulates the reader into believing that a couple of characters are something that they are not.

The Fallout was one of those books that I really enjoyed reading but I can't honestly explain why. It just had something that kept pulling me back into the complex web that made up the characters lives. I wanted to know all their secrets and how it was going to end. A very enjoyable read and highly recommended to any readers who enjoy reading an excellent human drama.

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Again, this is not my usual genre of novel. Essentially this is a book about motherhood and the world of bitchiness/gossip that sometimes comes with being a parent.

As a mum, I related to both of these characters. Liza and Sarah are both written as real life, believable people who are not superhuman. To that, even the “perfect” mum ends up having secrets that are not so perfect.

The fact that all characters and the world they live in was so close to home made my cringe, laugh and cry. There is some real world heavy hitting content that is so often parts of motherhood that are not spoken about. The parts about child loss and post natal depression were quite intense, and it may be a hard read for someone who has recently experienced either, but for other it is a well written insight into that heartbreak.

The author has a way of making you feel everything the characters are feeling, and more than once I had to stop reading because I wanted Sarah to stop making such bad decisions.

For a story that is basically a “will she, won’t she” the author gave the characters involved so much depth and the storyline became so complex that it kept me hooked.

I felt sad for the way the book ended but I was so invested in the characters that I am glad the author closed the book off in that way.

I loved this book and would definitely read something else by this author.

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Wow, this book is a real rollercoaster! It has many themes too, including parenting, friendship, relationships and maturity.

Told from the perspectives of the two main characters, Sarah and Liza, the book starts with WhatsApp chat conversations. But a trip to the local health and fitness club leads the story in a different direction. It's at this point that the 'what would you do' questions start for the reader, and also when another pivotal character, the mysterious Ella Bradby, comes into play.

The story certainly does not play out in the way that you would anticipate or expect, and you're taken on a massive emotional journey, particularly if you are a parent yourself. Covering many familiar parenting topics, you'll find yourself swinging between anger, sympathy and betrayal. I was shouting at certain people in my head at times!

All of this comes together to make The Fallout a must-read. It's not your typical 'mummy' novel and contains elements of other genres that will please a wide audience. It'll definitely make you double-check your WhatsApp messages!

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I love this from start to finish

. This is the story of those around Jack a small 5 year old boy who has a bad accident & what follows is the story of the lives of his Mum Lizza,, her best friend Sarah and Ella. Well I will let you work out who Ella is it takes a while but the truth will out.

Sarah is so obsessed with Ella who did a disappearing act about 5 years ago but now has appeared back on the scene. They all met at pre birthing classes where Sarah & Lizza's friendship began and has grown & grown. Kate who isn't really bothered "(is she brothered") so is irritated with Sarah's obsession.
In real life everyone has things they want to keep private, secrets we rather weren't know just some are bigger than others. Plus something's that are disasters to one may be nothing to another, well these are all carrying whopper secrets and secrets can make us all do strange things at times, and this is no exception. As Sarah live unravels others carry on around them and I think Rebecca has written à incredible novel were real life is echoed in the way people react they live & I'm glad my issues aren't the same. But as a man they are less likely to be similar as I have never given birth ( I know a shocker isn't it).

So my opinion is you should definitely get this book don't question it as it would be a shame to miss this matter peace that's in my view and when you read it in sure you will agree.

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Truly a book of today! If nothing else this story shows how instead of taking time to actually talk to each other and to listen we spend far too much time on social networks using negative vitriol and thus destroying confidence and self worth. Some of the characters were not particularly attractive and at times extremely irritating . Others were remote and difficult to grasp. A clever tale revealing how one small lapse of concentration can lead to life changing injuries just as one little lie can grow into a very tangled web of deceit. I liked the use of the WhatsApp chapters and the interviews and will confess to not getting up as early as I should due to the fact I could not put this book down! Read it and learn!

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A good read.
The plot was well thought out, with plenty of mystery, the expected gossip between characters and lots going on behind the scenes.
The characters were realistic and engaging. They interact well and as you would expect with one another.
There are sensitive subjects raised, which are handled in a sensitive manner, throughout the story. The book highlights some of the best and worst aspects of human behaviour.
Definitely well written and well worth reading. I'd recommend it

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