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The Waiting List
Whose life means the most?
'Clutched tight in my hand is a scrawled list of names… A list of people who could save my life.'
Liv wants to be the mother she never had
Liv has always dreamt of the moment she will hold her own baby. But just at the moment her new life – as a devoted mother to Max, a loving wife to Justin – should be starting, it looks like it may be ending. An undiagnosed heart condition, worsened by her pregnancy, has thrown her whole future into doubt. If she doesn't receive an urgent transplant, she won't live much longer.
But what if she can't be here for her son?
As she grows weaker, her determination to raise her baby grows stronger. Without her to protect him, what future does Max face? Slowly Liv begins to ask herself a terrible she needs someone's healthy heart to replace her failing one. For that to happen, an accident would have to befall someone else. But what if she could engineer that accident herself? What if she could choose someone to die in order that she could live?
If the end of someone else's life offers you the chance of saving your own, whose life means the most?
A powerful and completely gripping novel about love, sacrifice and how life forces you to do the unthinkable.
'Clutched tight in my hand is a scrawled list of names… A list of people who could save my life.'
Liv wants to be the mother she never had
Liv has always dreamt of the moment she will hold her own baby. But just at the moment her new life – as a devoted mother to Max, a loving wife to Justin – should be starting, it looks like it may be ending. An undiagnosed heart condition, worsened by her pregnancy, has thrown her whole future into doubt. If she doesn't receive an urgent transplant, she won't live much longer.
But what if she can't be here for her son?
As she grows weaker, her determination to raise her baby grows stronger. Without her to protect him, what future does Max face? Slowly Liv begins to ask herself a terrible she needs someone's healthy heart to replace her failing one. For that to happen, an accident would have to befall someone else. But what if she could engineer that accident herself? What if she could choose someone to die in order that she could live?
If the end of someone else's life offers you the chance of saving your own, whose life means the most?
A powerful and completely gripping novel about love, sacrifice and how life forces you to do the unthinkable.
- GenresThriller
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 22, 2026
I was kindly sent this book to review after winning this in a social media book group prize.
A new author to me, this book focuses on the main character, Olivia, who has been unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant with her husband Justin. After numerous rounds of IVF and just as she is about to give up her dreams of motherhood, she falls pregnant.
Not long after, she learns of a heartbreaking shock diagnosis which threatens to change everything in how she pictured her future. In order to make her future come true though, Olivia, knows that must come with sacrifices. But at what cost and to whom??
For Olivia to survive, she must find a donor heart, so she does the unthinkable. She puts together a list of people who can save her life. If she wants to be there for her family and particularly her beloved son, she is faced with a horrifying choice - someone must die.
This story is sad. I knew this story would be emotional and I felt personally connected since the story featured a newborn mum who needed heart surgery - which aligned with my own experience. However that is where the similarity ended!
It was slow to start, but easily a story that captivates you.
It is the biggest dilemma and one that has many different outcomes.
This story shared lots of references to Olivia’s past - with her mother, best friend Al, her husband, her support group and her group of peers. Whilst there are many characters that the reader is introduced to, the characters remain consistent so you don’t feel like you are getting confused with different names or backstories.
There are several revelations, surprising twists and shows you the paths that people can choose when in despair and fighting for the ones they love.
Written in short chapters, the story really builds up as Olivia works her way through lists of names that she’s identified as having the same blood type as her. But will she go through with destroying lives in order to ensure her happiness, and at what price?? Or will she let nature take its course and focus on being present to create happy memories.
This book does make you think how far people will go to protect their loved ones, when faced with life changing consequences and overall this was a pleasant and easy read.
A new author to me, this book focuses on the main character, Olivia, who has been unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant with her husband Justin. After numerous rounds of IVF and just as she is about to give up her dreams of motherhood, she falls pregnant.
Not long after, she learns of a heartbreaking shock diagnosis which threatens to change everything in how she pictured her future. In order to make her future come true though, Olivia, knows that must come with sacrifices. But at what cost and to whom??
For Olivia to survive, she must find a donor heart, so she does the unthinkable. She puts together a list of people who can save her life. If she wants to be there for her family and particularly her beloved son, she is faced with a horrifying choice - someone must die.
This story is sad. I knew this story would be emotional and I felt personally connected since the story featured a newborn mum who needed heart surgery - which aligned with my own experience. However that is where the similarity ended!
It was slow to start, but easily a story that captivates you.
It is the biggest dilemma and one that has many different outcomes.
This story shared lots of references to Olivia’s past - with her mother, best friend Al, her husband, her support group and her group of peers. Whilst there are many characters that the reader is introduced to, the characters remain consistent so you don’t feel like you are getting confused with different names or backstories.
There are several revelations, surprising twists and shows you the paths that people can choose when in despair and fighting for the ones they love.
Written in short chapters, the story really builds up as Olivia works her way through lists of names that she’s identified as having the same blood type as her. But will she go through with destroying lives in order to ensure her happiness, and at what price?? Or will she let nature take its course and focus on being present to create happy memories.
This book does make you think how far people will go to protect their loved ones, when faced with life changing consequences and overall this was a pleasant and easy read.
March 3, 2026
Liv wants nothing more than to be a mother. She and her husband Justin have been going through IVF with no luck, and just as they are beginning to give up hope, there they are: those two pink lines. But just as Liv finds out she is pregnant, she finds out she has a life threatening heart condition.
Keeping her pregnancy is a risk in itself, but Liv cannot even bear the thought of a termination. And so, nine months later, perfect baby Max is born to a less-than-perfect Liv.
Getting weaker by the day, Liv is waiting for a heart transplant. She must live long enough to be there for her boy, to see him grow up, to shape who he is going to be. Her fight to survive is so strong, in fact, that it turns out she'll do anything to ensure she finds a new heart. Anything.
The Waiting List is dark at its core, and thriller fans will find a lot to like here. But for me, the real draw is just how human, how raw and emotional this story is. Liv's plight to survive is beautiful, even if she is willing to go to some dark places to achieve it. Her love for Max is palpable, a feeling that any parent will surely understand. It's a love captured so perfectly, so believably, thanks to Matilda's gorgeous prose.
In fact, every page of this book is so beautifully written that it keeps you turning. You'll care for Liv, even when she's considering the most heinous of acts. You'll wonder how far she'll go - a mirror of how far any parent would go for their child. It's shocking, but it's believable, even at its most extreme.
This is a rich, woven tapestry of a family, of anguish, of grief, of everything it means to be alive, to be human. Matilda expertly introduces sub characters and sub plots, everyone and everything perfectly paced and plotted that they all feel just as important as Liv's main narrative thread.
It's also a book which shocks, with twists, turns and gut-churning moments that you can't bear to look away from. I devoured The Waiting List in just two days, a beautiful, harrowing and yet captivating book that I whole-heartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys emotion-filled stories with the highest of stakes.
Keeping her pregnancy is a risk in itself, but Liv cannot even bear the thought of a termination. And so, nine months later, perfect baby Max is born to a less-than-perfect Liv.
Getting weaker by the day, Liv is waiting for a heart transplant. She must live long enough to be there for her boy, to see him grow up, to shape who he is going to be. Her fight to survive is so strong, in fact, that it turns out she'll do anything to ensure she finds a new heart. Anything.
The Waiting List is dark at its core, and thriller fans will find a lot to like here. But for me, the real draw is just how human, how raw and emotional this story is. Liv's plight to survive is beautiful, even if she is willing to go to some dark places to achieve it. Her love for Max is palpable, a feeling that any parent will surely understand. It's a love captured so perfectly, so believably, thanks to Matilda's gorgeous prose.
In fact, every page of this book is so beautifully written that it keeps you turning. You'll care for Liv, even when she's considering the most heinous of acts. You'll wonder how far she'll go - a mirror of how far any parent would go for their child. It's shocking, but it's believable, even at its most extreme.
This is a rich, woven tapestry of a family, of anguish, of grief, of everything it means to be alive, to be human. Matilda expertly introduces sub characters and sub plots, everyone and everything perfectly paced and plotted that they all feel just as important as Liv's main narrative thread.
It's also a book which shocks, with twists, turns and gut-churning moments that you can't bear to look away from. I devoured The Waiting List in just two days, a beautiful, harrowing and yet captivating book that I whole-heartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys emotion-filled stories with the highest of stakes.
March 1, 2026
THE WAITING LIST - REVIEW
By: Matilda Wilding
AD|PR Product
Thank you to @bloomsburypublishing for sending me this stunning proof.
OUT NOW!
Liv has always dreamed of being a mother and finally her dream has come true. But just as she has the this amazing news she is shook with a shock diagnosis. A heart condition, worsened by pregnancy, has thrown everything into doubt. If Liv wants to see her child grow up she needs a heart transplant … urgently.
The only hope Liv has is that someone with a healthy heart dies soon, so she can have the transplant. For that to happen a terrible accident would have to befall someone.
But what if Liv could engineer this accident herself?
•••••
I actually went into this read blind. When Bloomsbury messaged offering to send me the book, I wasn’t going to say no, was I? … But I’m so glad I did read this because I couldn’t put it down.
This novel started out as a character driven story with a deeply affecting premise, but gradually evolved into something closer to a suspense-thriller narrative.
The storyline itself was an exploration of survival … at any cost. I couldn’t even imagine being in that sort of situation and at times I was shocked by Liv’s thought processes, the places she was willing to go.
Some of the story did feel a bit far fetched but, at the same time, Liv was so completely desperate and that desperation blurred the lines of right and wrong. This story pulled me in two different directions. I could see she was crossing the line and making terrible choices, yet I couldn’t help but feel for her and her fierce mama bear instinct that was driving her.
So, while it was totally immoral, it felt quite understandable 👀.
I think the tension between judgement and empathy is what made this story so layered and gripping.
This story played out so well. It was a little extreme in places, but it was also fast paced, sharp, emotional and finished with an unexpected ending.
This would be a fab book club read 👌🏻
With a morally provocative hook … I recommend you give this book a read 🫶🏻.
By: Matilda Wilding
AD|PR Product
Thank you to @bloomsburypublishing for sending me this stunning proof.
OUT NOW!
Liv has always dreamed of being a mother and finally her dream has come true. But just as she has the this amazing news she is shook with a shock diagnosis. A heart condition, worsened by pregnancy, has thrown everything into doubt. If Liv wants to see her child grow up she needs a heart transplant … urgently.
The only hope Liv has is that someone with a healthy heart dies soon, so she can have the transplant. For that to happen a terrible accident would have to befall someone.
But what if Liv could engineer this accident herself?
•••••
I actually went into this read blind. When Bloomsbury messaged offering to send me the book, I wasn’t going to say no, was I? … But I’m so glad I did read this because I couldn’t put it down.
This novel started out as a character driven story with a deeply affecting premise, but gradually evolved into something closer to a suspense-thriller narrative.
The storyline itself was an exploration of survival … at any cost. I couldn’t even imagine being in that sort of situation and at times I was shocked by Liv’s thought processes, the places she was willing to go.
Some of the story did feel a bit far fetched but, at the same time, Liv was so completely desperate and that desperation blurred the lines of right and wrong. This story pulled me in two different directions. I could see she was crossing the line and making terrible choices, yet I couldn’t help but feel for her and her fierce mama bear instinct that was driving her.
So, while it was totally immoral, it felt quite understandable 👀.
I think the tension between judgement and empathy is what made this story so layered and gripping.
This story played out so well. It was a little extreme in places, but it was also fast paced, sharp, emotional and finished with an unexpected ending.
This would be a fab book club read 👌🏻
With a morally provocative hook … I recommend you give this book a read 🫶🏻.
May 16, 2026
The premise of this book is super intriguing. A woman who has been struggling to conceive falls pregnant at long last and finds out that she has a serious heart condition that means she needs a transplant. She is put on a waiting list for a heart donor but increasingly struggles with the fact that she will not see her son grow up if a transplant is not found. So much so that she starts to think of ways to get that precious donor heart a different way…
It’s well written, very interesting and has a great idea at its heart. However I found it incredibly slow and just didn’t really get into it until way over the halfway mark, if indeed at all. There was some minor thought-provoking mention around organ donations and the change in legislation around the need to opt out if you are not willing to donate, rather than having to opt in. There was also a lot about the moral dilemma of wanting to murder someone for a heart transplant to finally see that longed-for child growing up. But overall none of it really grabbed me and left me quite uninterested.
A middle of the road read for me but it might be more interesting to you 🤷♀️
It’s well written, very interesting and has a great idea at its heart. However I found it incredibly slow and just didn’t really get into it until way over the halfway mark, if indeed at all. There was some minor thought-provoking mention around organ donations and the change in legislation around the need to opt out if you are not willing to donate, rather than having to opt in. There was also a lot about the moral dilemma of wanting to murder someone for a heart transplant to finally see that longed-for child growing up. But overall none of it really grabbed me and left me quite uninterested.
A middle of the road read for me but it might be more interesting to you 🤷♀️
November 18, 2025
Synopsis:
Liv is desperate. She will do anything to survive this ticking time bomb.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and maybe that’s what it’s going to have to take.
This powerful, dark and shocking story is about a Mother’s unshakeable and powerful love for her child and the lengths she is prepared to go to when she’s forced into an unimaginable corner.
Weaving family secrets into a tale that will get right under your skin, this was full of very shocking plot twists and I enjoyed the conflicting feelings I had for the protagonist Liv. One minute I felt the deepest sympathy for her plight and the next appalled and outraged by her decision making.
Such a clever and original idea for a story, I was on the edge of my seat reading this book and it kept me up late as it came to its clever conclusion.
If you enjoy a story that’s full of interesting and engaging characters and surprising twists and turns, then this is the book for you.
Thank you so much to @matildawilding and @bloomsburypublishing for sending me this advanced copy for my honest review 🫶🏼
Liv is desperate. She will do anything to survive this ticking time bomb.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and maybe that’s what it’s going to have to take.
This powerful, dark and shocking story is about a Mother’s unshakeable and powerful love for her child and the lengths she is prepared to go to when she’s forced into an unimaginable corner.
Weaving family secrets into a tale that will get right under your skin, this was full of very shocking plot twists and I enjoyed the conflicting feelings I had for the protagonist Liv. One minute I felt the deepest sympathy for her plight and the next appalled and outraged by her decision making.
Such a clever and original idea for a story, I was on the edge of my seat reading this book and it kept me up late as it came to its clever conclusion.
If you enjoy a story that’s full of interesting and engaging characters and surprising twists and turns, then this is the book for you.
Thank you so much to @matildawilding and @bloomsburypublishing for sending me this advanced copy for my honest review 🫶🏼
February 25, 2026
The Waiting List opens by detailing the struggle Liv and her husband, Justin, have had with infertility. Things have been tough, but then Liv discovers she is pregnant. Before she can tell Justin they learn that she has a problem with her heart, a problem which will mean she is in need of a heart transplant.
Our focus then shifts to the developing tensions between the couple as they navigate two very extreme situations. Their joy at the safe arrival of their child is tempered by Liv’s growing weakness.
As the story progresses we discover each of them is keeping secrets, secrets of significance. We also see Liv facing the dilemma of whether she can manipulate events in order to increase her chances of getting a heart donor.
Plenty of occasions to suspend disbelief here. Not particularly likeable characters. A happy ending of sorts, but not what was expected.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
Our focus then shifts to the developing tensions between the couple as they navigate two very extreme situations. Their joy at the safe arrival of their child is tempered by Liv’s growing weakness.
As the story progresses we discover each of them is keeping secrets, secrets of significance. We also see Liv facing the dilemma of whether she can manipulate events in order to increase her chances of getting a heart donor.
Plenty of occasions to suspend disbelief here. Not particularly likeable characters. A happy ending of sorts, but not what was expected.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.
May 20, 2026
Absolutely loved this debut book. Loved her style of writing
May 24, 2026
Provided by Raven Books and The Reading Agency.
Twists and unexpected turns abound in Matilda Wilding's debut novel 'The Waiting List'. For entertainment value and suspense, she absolutely does not disappoint.
As might be anticipated, the protagonist is awaiting surgery, more specifically an urgent heart transplant. Such an onerous prospect is compounded for Liv as she is also new to motherhood. Much longed for baby boy, Max, had been conceived after an anxious, gruelling and costly round of IVF treatment. In the absence of a mother herself during much of her childhood and crucial formative years, Liv wishes to engineer avoidance of a similar plight for her son no matter what that may forebodingly entail. There are several strands to this story, some of which may shock and others which may appear far-fetched or somewhat convoluted.
Liv, who works part-time as a receptionist at her husband's GP practice, identifies from the results of an unlikely Bank Holiday blood donor session, a list of potential individuals whose blood group type is a compatible match with her own. Moreover, these candidates are primarily drawn from the social circles of Liv and her husband. To what extraordinary lengths would Liv be prepared to go to secure and expedite provision of a new heart? Would even a fellow sufferer from her external support group be exempt from harm?
Further complications arise by the reappearance in Liv's life of both Dan and Alistair, past friends with whom her relationship may or may not have been straightforward nor entirely platonic. What does this mean for her son and her marital stability? To make matters worse, it suddenly emerges that husband, Justin, may not have had an entirely squeaky clean history. Woes proliferate.
Nothing is what is seems at first glance in this fast paced and gripping story. It was very difficult for me to put this book down and not to speculate on what would happen next. I loved it and look forward to reading more in the future by this exciting and imaginative author.
Twists and unexpected turns abound in Matilda Wilding's debut novel 'The Waiting List'. For entertainment value and suspense, she absolutely does not disappoint.
As might be anticipated, the protagonist is awaiting surgery, more specifically an urgent heart transplant. Such an onerous prospect is compounded for Liv as she is also new to motherhood. Much longed for baby boy, Max, had been conceived after an anxious, gruelling and costly round of IVF treatment. In the absence of a mother herself during much of her childhood and crucial formative years, Liv wishes to engineer avoidance of a similar plight for her son no matter what that may forebodingly entail. There are several strands to this story, some of which may shock and others which may appear far-fetched or somewhat convoluted.
Liv, who works part-time as a receptionist at her husband's GP practice, identifies from the results of an unlikely Bank Holiday blood donor session, a list of potential individuals whose blood group type is a compatible match with her own. Moreover, these candidates are primarily drawn from the social circles of Liv and her husband. To what extraordinary lengths would Liv be prepared to go to secure and expedite provision of a new heart? Would even a fellow sufferer from her external support group be exempt from harm?
Further complications arise by the reappearance in Liv's life of both Dan and Alistair, past friends with whom her relationship may or may not have been straightforward nor entirely platonic. What does this mean for her son and her marital stability? To make matters worse, it suddenly emerges that husband, Justin, may not have had an entirely squeaky clean history. Woes proliferate.
Nothing is what is seems at first glance in this fast paced and gripping story. It was very difficult for me to put this book down and not to speculate on what would happen next. I loved it and look forward to reading more in the future by this exciting and imaginative author.
May 19, 2026
Provided by Raven Books in association with The Reading Agency.
This book is misnamed. It should be called “Could you do the unthinkable to those you love (and random others) to save yourself?”
Plot overview
The protagonist, Olivia, has no thought for anyone other than herself. She has a devoted husband, devoted ex/male-bestie, devoted father and three close female friends. How this could come about given her egocentric behaviour is not explained.
The majority of the book is about Olivia’s attempts to get a life-saving heart transplant, regardless of the harm she does to others – loved or not. She justifies this by believing that only she can raise her baby.
Themes and messages
If there is a message to this book, it is that total selfishness pays. The theme running through it is survival at any cost, that and getting what you want in life.
There are apparently strong female friendships, but only one-way. Olivia is secretive towards her friends and seems to offer nothing in return for their care of her. As the book progresses and Olivia becomes more ill, that is understandable, but at no point does she show care of them.
One might argue that the need to procreate is key for many women, but that theme is not explored. Also, the instinct to stay alive to protect one’s offspring is touched on, but not explored.
Pacing and structure
The book started well. I was intrigued and wondered how the characters would develop – but they didn’t. There were some hints that Olivia might not be a very savoury character from her childhood, then these disappeared, either by explanation or just not returned to. I had hoped that we were going to find out something about her that explained her bizarre self-centredness, but that all fizzled out.
The plot was rendered unbelievable, mostly due to the behaviour of the characters. However, there were coincidences and surprising luck for Olivia (not for others).
Characters and Writing Style
Characters
Olivia began as relatable but her psychopathy put me off.
Other characters were poorly developed and all seemed strangely willing to do anything for Olivia, moral or otherwise; not believable.
Writing style
This was an easy, quick read, despite being quite long.
Emotional impact
The book made me angry. I am not at all sure that this was the intention of the author. I got the impression we were supposed to side with Olivia (perhaps I am wrong)? She caused chaos and death to protect herself and seemed quite happy with the outcome. She reconciled with one person at the end, but I wonder why? Was this trying to set at least one thing right in her life? Or just another way of getting free childcare?
Who would you recommend the book to?
The book is based on an interesting idea: a mother who believes she must stay alive to raise her child and what she will do to ensure her own survival. The plot moves quickly and the pages turn easily. My impression is of a writer with potential.
However, and perhaps I am being oversensitive, the immorality of the protagonist was not explored. The novel seemed to have a Happy Ending for her. In a strange way, it is Survival of the Fittest, where the Fittest is not the most physically healthy, but the most ruthless. Whilst this is itself could be a very interesting theme, it seemed to be ignored by the author and all the characters. Olivia seemed very happy with her life following the devastation she had caused. Were we supposed to be happy for her? I was not.
This book is misnamed. It should be called “Could you do the unthinkable to those you love (and random others) to save yourself?”
Plot overview
The protagonist, Olivia, has no thought for anyone other than herself. She has a devoted husband, devoted ex/male-bestie, devoted father and three close female friends. How this could come about given her egocentric behaviour is not explained.
The majority of the book is about Olivia’s attempts to get a life-saving heart transplant, regardless of the harm she does to others – loved or not. She justifies this by believing that only she can raise her baby.
Themes and messages
If there is a message to this book, it is that total selfishness pays. The theme running through it is survival at any cost, that and getting what you want in life.
There are apparently strong female friendships, but only one-way. Olivia is secretive towards her friends and seems to offer nothing in return for their care of her. As the book progresses and Olivia becomes more ill, that is understandable, but at no point does she show care of them.
One might argue that the need to procreate is key for many women, but that theme is not explored. Also, the instinct to stay alive to protect one’s offspring is touched on, but not explored.
Pacing and structure
The book started well. I was intrigued and wondered how the characters would develop – but they didn’t. There were some hints that Olivia might not be a very savoury character from her childhood, then these disappeared, either by explanation or just not returned to. I had hoped that we were going to find out something about her that explained her bizarre self-centredness, but that all fizzled out.
The plot was rendered unbelievable, mostly due to the behaviour of the characters. However, there were coincidences and surprising luck for Olivia (not for others).
Characters and Writing Style
Characters
Olivia began as relatable but her psychopathy put me off.
Other characters were poorly developed and all seemed strangely willing to do anything for Olivia, moral or otherwise; not believable.
Writing style
This was an easy, quick read, despite being quite long.
Emotional impact
The book made me angry. I am not at all sure that this was the intention of the author. I got the impression we were supposed to side with Olivia (perhaps I am wrong)? She caused chaos and death to protect herself and seemed quite happy with the outcome. She reconciled with one person at the end, but I wonder why? Was this trying to set at least one thing right in her life? Or just another way of getting free childcare?
Who would you recommend the book to?
The book is based on an interesting idea: a mother who believes she must stay alive to raise her child and what she will do to ensure her own survival. The plot moves quickly and the pages turn easily. My impression is of a writer with potential.
However, and perhaps I am being oversensitive, the immorality of the protagonist was not explored. The novel seemed to have a Happy Ending for her. In a strange way, it is Survival of the Fittest, where the Fittest is not the most physically healthy, but the most ruthless. Whilst this is itself could be a very interesting theme, it seemed to be ignored by the author and all the characters. Olivia seemed very happy with her life following the devastation she had caused. Were we supposed to be happy for her? I was not.
May 25, 2026
Courtesy of Raven Books working with The Reading Agency.
The plot is woven around the fact that one of the central characters, Liv needs a heart transplant. This eats away at her, time is short and she becomes impatient with the system when her chance at a new heart is taken away. This seriously affects her mind and her prime focus in the book becomes finding a donor, herself.
In doing so she has only one thought on her agenda and all her actions are leading to finding a suitable heart. Friendships are sacrificed and so too are relationships. There is only one aim in Liv’s life to watch her son grow and be there for him throughout his life nothing else matters.
The book questions how important relationships are when your life depends on the passing of another. The central importance is the relationship of mother and her son. Liv is surrounded by moral decisions – in her actions for a suitable heart, within her marriage, with her friends and past liaisons which develop at university. It all becomes a toxic cocktail that leads to some questionable actions.
Overall there are a lot of messages that makes the reader feel empathy for Liv, so many complex issues unfold on her quest for a transplant. Very emotional in various parts of the book. There seems to be a solution, but keeping secrets causes anxiety and stress, who to trust to share your plans? A lot of broken hearts, literally.
The characters are relatable and engaging, and expand slowly through the book and despite this, is a page-turner because the author is making the reader keen to know their stories and their connection with Liv and it is written in a very simple language.
There are a lot of surprises along the way. It is an emotional book and asks a lot of questions about death and the moral issue of who has the right to decide to life. Existing or new.
I would recommend this book, it’s easy to read and questions a lot about how people struggle on their own even when they have support. The issues, however are very sensitive and in some places quite upsetting.
The plot is woven around the fact that one of the central characters, Liv needs a heart transplant. This eats away at her, time is short and she becomes impatient with the system when her chance at a new heart is taken away. This seriously affects her mind and her prime focus in the book becomes finding a donor, herself.
In doing so she has only one thought on her agenda and all her actions are leading to finding a suitable heart. Friendships are sacrificed and so too are relationships. There is only one aim in Liv’s life to watch her son grow and be there for him throughout his life nothing else matters.
The book questions how important relationships are when your life depends on the passing of another. The central importance is the relationship of mother and her son. Liv is surrounded by moral decisions – in her actions for a suitable heart, within her marriage, with her friends and past liaisons which develop at university. It all becomes a toxic cocktail that leads to some questionable actions.
Overall there are a lot of messages that makes the reader feel empathy for Liv, so many complex issues unfold on her quest for a transplant. Very emotional in various parts of the book. There seems to be a solution, but keeping secrets causes anxiety and stress, who to trust to share your plans? A lot of broken hearts, literally.
The characters are relatable and engaging, and expand slowly through the book and despite this, is a page-turner because the author is making the reader keen to know their stories and their connection with Liv and it is written in a very simple language.
There are a lot of surprises along the way. It is an emotional book and asks a lot of questions about death and the moral issue of who has the right to decide to life. Existing or new.
I would recommend this book, it’s easy to read and questions a lot about how people struggle on their own even when they have support. The issues, however are very sensitive and in some places quite upsetting.
February 16, 2026
Liv has always dreamt of the moment she will hold her own baby. But just at the moment her new life – as a devoted mother to Max, a loving wife to Justin – should be starting, it looks like it may be ending. An undiagnosed heart condition, worsened by her pregnancy, has thrown her whole future into doubt. If she doesn't receive an urgent transplant, she won't live much longer. As she grows weaker, her determination to raise her baby grows stronger. Without her to protect him, what future does Max face? Slowly Liv begins to ask herself a terrible question: she needs someone's healthy heart to replace her failing one. For that to happen, an accident would have to befall someone else. But what if she could engineer that accident herself? What if she could choose someone to die in order that she could live? If the end of someone else's life offers you the chance of saving your own, whose life means the most?
The synopsis of this title has been intrigued from the very beginning, asking that question which would test the morals of everyone.
The power of just how far Liv would go to save herself to ensure she is able to see her son grow up is evident throughout. Her character defines herself by her motherhood status, something that she has desired for her whole life and is therefore not willing to give up easily.
Whilst some elements may appear a little unrealistic, these were however necessary to convey just how desperate Liv becomes, the way her mind starts to think and plan, becoming more illogical each day as the pressure to survive increases.
The concluding twist was one that I didn’t see coming and was very cleverly executed, the reader being kept in a state of suspense throughout so that this unforeseen event definitely comes out of the blue. A book that definitely gets you thinking and questioning what you would do in the given situation, a good choice for instigating interesting Book Club discussions I’m certain!
The synopsis of this title has been intrigued from the very beginning, asking that question which would test the morals of everyone.
The power of just how far Liv would go to save herself to ensure she is able to see her son grow up is evident throughout. Her character defines herself by her motherhood status, something that she has desired for her whole life and is therefore not willing to give up easily.
Whilst some elements may appear a little unrealistic, these were however necessary to convey just how desperate Liv becomes, the way her mind starts to think and plan, becoming more illogical each day as the pressure to survive increases.
The concluding twist was one that I didn’t see coming and was very cleverly executed, the reader being kept in a state of suspense throughout so that this unforeseen event definitely comes out of the blue. A book that definitely gets you thinking and questioning what you would do in the given situation, a good choice for instigating interesting Book Club discussions I’m certain!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Olivia has recently had a baby, but she's also been diagnosed with a terminal heart condition; a heart transplant is her only long-term chance of survival. As she observes the vagaries of the waiting list, she starts to wonder if she can up her chances of finding a match by exchanging somebody else's life for hers - either by disqualifying a patient whose condition is more urgent than her own, or bumping off somebody who is a good fit. Given how disturbing and implausible this premise is, I assumed that Matilda Wilding's The Waiting List would be a dark satire. But, dismayingly, Wilding plays it straight, as if this is a Jodi Picoult-esque dilemma rather than a novel about a woman considering doing something deeply morally wrong. I'd have been happy to root for an Olivia who's clearly an anti-heroine, but Wilding seems to want us to sympathise with her, and it makes this a really unpleasant reading experience. Olivia constantly uses her baby son as an excuse for her actions, arguing to herself that a good mother would have to consider this course of action. She never seems to consider that being a good parent means not doing something that would make your child horrified and ashamed, nor that doing something for the sake of your child is also a selfish motivation. She spends most of the novel mired in guilt, which is very dull to read about, and especially frustrating because she's constantly placed in situations where she never has to make truly difficult decisions. To top it all off, Wilding's prose is consistently melodramatic. Grim.
March 3, 2026
After years of infertility and gruelling IVF, Liv (Olive) and her husband Justin finally fall pregnant.
All Liv has every wanted and dreamt of was to be a mum, the Mum she always wanted herself, so when she falls pregnant, all her wishes and dreams are answered, or so she thinks.
What Liv didn't expect was for pregnancy to affect her body is the most horrific way, by causing a heart defect, one so bad she now needs a heart transplant. And not just in the future but now, if she wants to be around for her child.
When their son Max is born, Liv should be living her perfect life, but her health is deteriorating fast.
Liv works in a GP surgery, which gives her access to patient records, ones that she really shouldn't be snooping at but being given a death sentence changes everything she previously believed was morally right. The transplant waiting list is now a real thing, something she desperately needs to be at the top of.
Can she bring herself to manipulate the list? Can she do the unforgivable to get to the top?
This became a really unsettling read the further I got into it. Liv becomes obsessive and unethical in ways that at times are quite precarious but in all honesty, as a Mum myself, it did make me question just how far I would go!
The characters were really easy to visualise, they felt real, even in the darkest times.
Pure palpable tension was built up superbly and it had me hooked. It's dark, disturbing, eye opening and thought provoking.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the ARC.
All Liv has every wanted and dreamt of was to be a mum, the Mum she always wanted herself, so when she falls pregnant, all her wishes and dreams are answered, or so she thinks.
What Liv didn't expect was for pregnancy to affect her body is the most horrific way, by causing a heart defect, one so bad she now needs a heart transplant. And not just in the future but now, if she wants to be around for her child.
When their son Max is born, Liv should be living her perfect life, but her health is deteriorating fast.
Liv works in a GP surgery, which gives her access to patient records, ones that she really shouldn't be snooping at but being given a death sentence changes everything she previously believed was morally right. The transplant waiting list is now a real thing, something she desperately needs to be at the top of.
Can she bring herself to manipulate the list? Can she do the unforgivable to get to the top?
This became a really unsettling read the further I got into it. Liv becomes obsessive and unethical in ways that at times are quite precarious but in all honesty, as a Mum myself, it did make me question just how far I would go!
The characters were really easy to visualise, they felt real, even in the darkest times.
Pure palpable tension was built up superbly and it had me hooked. It's dark, disturbing, eye opening and thought provoking.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for the ARC.
September 9, 2025
Matilda Wilding’s The Waiting List is a haunting meditation on motherhood, mortality, and the unbearable calculus of survival. With quiet intensity, Wilding invites us into the fragile world of Liv—a woman on the cusp of new life, yet tethered to the edge of death by a failing heart.
The novel’s premise is devastatingly simple: Liv needs a transplant, and time is running out. But what begins as a story of medical urgency deepens into something far more unsettling—a psychological reckoning with the ethics of desire, the weight of maternal love, and the unthinkable choices we make when faced with extinction. The titular list becomes more than names—it’s a ledger of hope and guilt, a mirror reflecting Liv’s desperation and the dark corners of human instinct.
Wilding’s prose is elegant and restrained, allowing emotion to rise naturally from the silences between words. The tension is not driven by plot twists, but by moral ambiguity and the slow erosion of certainty. Liv is rendered with aching clarity—her longing to protect her son, her fear of absence, and the quiet horror of imagining a life bought at someone else’s expense.
This is a novel that lingers. It asks not just whose life matters most, but how we live with the answer. A powerful, thought-provoking debut that balances literary grace with emotional gravity.
With thanks to Matilda Wilding, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
The novel’s premise is devastatingly simple: Liv needs a transplant, and time is running out. But what begins as a story of medical urgency deepens into something far more unsettling—a psychological reckoning with the ethics of desire, the weight of maternal love, and the unthinkable choices we make when faced with extinction. The titular list becomes more than names—it’s a ledger of hope and guilt, a mirror reflecting Liv’s desperation and the dark corners of human instinct.
Wilding’s prose is elegant and restrained, allowing emotion to rise naturally from the silences between words. The tension is not driven by plot twists, but by moral ambiguity and the slow erosion of certainty. Liv is rendered with aching clarity—her longing to protect her son, her fear of absence, and the quiet horror of imagining a life bought at someone else’s expense.
This is a novel that lingers. It asks not just whose life matters most, but how we live with the answer. A powerful, thought-provoking debut that balances literary grace with emotional gravity.
With thanks to Matilda Wilding, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 25, 2025
The waiting list is an emotional read that delves into wanting to live to be with your family but the struggle and despair of being on a waiting list for a transplant that could come too late.
Liv has always wanted a baby and after countless times trying, the pregnancy test is positive but what should be the happiest moments of her life is something else, she is diagnosed with a heart condition. She knows going ahead with her pregnancy is dangerous but the thought of her son, Max is stronger. After she has given birth, her heart condition has got much worse and is now going to need a heart transplant but there is more people in front of her on that list that are more urgent. Determined to live, she will have to go to extreme lengths to live even if she knows it's wrong what she may have to do.
This is the first time i have read a book like this and i was really intrigued and had to keep reading. The characters were all well written though some i really didn't like and would of rather not read further about them. Also we go back a few times into the past and learn about events and past relationships that for one person i didn't see coming and really truly felt for Liv for what had happened to her. Though sad at times, i enjoyed following alongside Liv and enjoyed every moment of reading this book and would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Raven Books (UK) for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
Liv has always wanted a baby and after countless times trying, the pregnancy test is positive but what should be the happiest moments of her life is something else, she is diagnosed with a heart condition. She knows going ahead with her pregnancy is dangerous but the thought of her son, Max is stronger. After she has given birth, her heart condition has got much worse and is now going to need a heart transplant but there is more people in front of her on that list that are more urgent. Determined to live, she will have to go to extreme lengths to live even if she knows it's wrong what she may have to do.
This is the first time i have read a book like this and i was really intrigued and had to keep reading. The characters were all well written though some i really didn't like and would of rather not read further about them. Also we go back a few times into the past and learn about events and past relationships that for one person i didn't see coming and really truly felt for Liv for what had happened to her. Though sad at times, i enjoyed following alongside Liv and enjoyed every moment of reading this book and would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Raven Books (UK) for the copy of this arc in exchange of my full honest review.
December 4, 2025
This book is nothing like anything else I’ve ever read. The story is essentially based around a young mother who will die without a heart transplant; a heart wrenching dilemma as no mother could bear the thought of not being there for her child, and there have been other books like that, but this amazing story is is so much more.
The plot has so many facets and I just didn’t expect there to be such complexity - I loved it. The story has clearly been meticulously planned and the end result is a story that broke my heart, took my breath away and had some twists as shocking and unexpected as the very best thrillers.
Olivia needs a heart transplant, urgently. She is so desperately in love with her baby son, Max, and she is broken at the thought of leaving him if a donor cannot be found. Her job in a doctors surgery give her access to patient records, blood types and therefore potential donor; the problem? They are all still alive!
The impact of Olivia’s actions to try to ensure she lives for her son are more far reaching than I could ever have imagined! The knock on effect of her split second decisions, the guilt that she feels, the secrets she holds and the actions of those that love her, all add up and so many lives are changed as a result.
So much to unpack - this book will stay with me for a long time.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Matilda Wilding and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.
The plot has so many facets and I just didn’t expect there to be such complexity - I loved it. The story has clearly been meticulously planned and the end result is a story that broke my heart, took my breath away and had some twists as shocking and unexpected as the very best thrillers.
Olivia needs a heart transplant, urgently. She is so desperately in love with her baby son, Max, and she is broken at the thought of leaving him if a donor cannot be found. Her job in a doctors surgery give her access to patient records, blood types and therefore potential donor; the problem? They are all still alive!
The impact of Olivia’s actions to try to ensure she lives for her son are more far reaching than I could ever have imagined! The knock on effect of her split second decisions, the guilt that she feels, the secrets she holds and the actions of those that love her, all add up and so many lives are changed as a result.
So much to unpack - this book will stay with me for a long time.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Matilda Wilding and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a brilliantly gripping thriller that I genuinely couldn’t put down. It revolves around Olivia, a new mother who finally gets the baby that she’s always dreamed of. Unfortunately, pregnancy reveals that she’s living with a heart condition, and urgently needs a transplant. Olivia is gripped with the idea that maybe she could sacrifice somebody else and get their heart, and live the life she wants with her son. As she weighs up the possibilities, she is forced to confront the idea that some people’s lives might be worth more than others, and the guilt she would have to live with if she goes through with her plan.
It’s full of twists and turns and is a real rollercoaster of a book. Through Olivia’s POV you find yourself asking the same questions and wondering which of the characters you would sacrifice to save her. Is someone worth more because they are a parent? Are you expendable if you live alone? Should an older person give up their life for someone younger? The moral questions that the heart of the story made for really interesting reading, especially as you learned that Olivia herself is no angel, and have to decide whether the decision she is making make her less worthy of being saved. I really couldn’t tell how the book was going to end and I would highly recommend this to any thriller reader!
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
It’s full of twists and turns and is a real rollercoaster of a book. Through Olivia’s POV you find yourself asking the same questions and wondering which of the characters you would sacrifice to save her. Is someone worth more because they are a parent? Are you expendable if you live alone? Should an older person give up their life for someone younger? The moral questions that the heart of the story made for really interesting reading, especially as you learned that Olivia herself is no angel, and have to decide whether the decision she is making make her less worthy of being saved. I really couldn’t tell how the book was going to end and I would highly recommend this to any thriller reader!
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a fast paced, rather dark, gripping thriller, it is filled with twists and turns right to the end.
Liv & her husband Justin have been trying to conceive, they have come to the end of their IVF journey when Liv discovers she is pregnant, they are both delighted, early in the pregnancy Liv is found to have a serious heart condition, to continue with the pregnancy will put her own life at risk and she will need a heart transplant.
Waiting for a transplant is stressful and Liv worries she will run out of time,
Their son Max has arrived, Liv’s condition has deteriorated, she is willing to do anything to be at the top of the transplant list, she has stolen confidential information from the GP surgery where she works and where Justin is a partner, How far will she go to be able to survive for her son. She is considering a heinous crime, could she go through with murder? She is becoming desperate!
Some moral questions which would be good for a book club discussion.
I had no idea how this book would end, the story keeps you guessing,, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a thriller with many twists.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Liv & her husband Justin have been trying to conceive, they have come to the end of their IVF journey when Liv discovers she is pregnant, they are both delighted, early in the pregnancy Liv is found to have a serious heart condition, to continue with the pregnancy will put her own life at risk and she will need a heart transplant.
Waiting for a transplant is stressful and Liv worries she will run out of time,
Their son Max has arrived, Liv’s condition has deteriorated, she is willing to do anything to be at the top of the transplant list, she has stolen confidential information from the GP surgery where she works and where Justin is a partner, How far will she go to be able to survive for her son. She is considering a heinous crime, could she go through with murder? She is becoming desperate!
Some moral questions which would be good for a book club discussion.
I had no idea how this book would end, the story keeps you guessing,, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a thriller with many twists.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I took this book with me on our half-term trip to Center Parcs and ended up reading it in just 24 hours- I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
I went into the novel fairly blind, expecting a straightforward thriller. While it certainly contains gripping thriller elements, I was surprised by just how deeply emotive and thought-provoking it turned out to be. From the very beginning, I connected with Liv. Her IVF journey felt painfully authentic, and when compounded by her devastating heart condition, her story became heartbreaking. As the plot unfolded, her circumstances seemed to spiral further and further, making it impossible not to feel completely invested in her fate.
Beyond the emotional intensity, the novel raises a compelling moral dilemma: can one person’s life ever be considered more valuable than another’s?
I had no idea how everything would resolve, and the unpredictability kept me hooked until the very last page. The twists, especially in the latter part of the book, were brilliantly executed, and I loved the ending too!
Overall, this is a highly original, deeply emotional, and thought-provoking psychological thriller. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author and I will be recommending it to friends and family!
I went into the novel fairly blind, expecting a straightforward thriller. While it certainly contains gripping thriller elements, I was surprised by just how deeply emotive and thought-provoking it turned out to be. From the very beginning, I connected with Liv. Her IVF journey felt painfully authentic, and when compounded by her devastating heart condition, her story became heartbreaking. As the plot unfolded, her circumstances seemed to spiral further and further, making it impossible not to feel completely invested in her fate.
Beyond the emotional intensity, the novel raises a compelling moral dilemma: can one person’s life ever be considered more valuable than another’s?
I had no idea how everything would resolve, and the unpredictability kept me hooked until the very last page. The twists, especially in the latter part of the book, were brilliantly executed, and I loved the ending too!
Overall, this is a highly original, deeply emotional, and thought-provoking psychological thriller. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author and I will be recommending it to friends and family!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Although it started quite gently this became quite a dark and unsettling read. Olivia ‘Liv’ and Justin have been trying for a child and have exhausted the IVF route when Liv finds out she is pregnant. However shortly afterwards she is diagnosed with a serious heart condition and after her son is born she is told that she will need a transplant.
Briefly, Liv is absolutely devastated but as time passes she starts to wonder if there is a quicker way to get to the top of the waiting list for a transplant. Her desperation gradually becomes an obsession and she makes some questionable choices.
Personally I have never had children but I can understand that Liv would be desperate to get well to be there for her child. However, I couldn’t get my head around the decisions she took to achieve her aim. I found myself really disliking her and wanted her to be found out. She decides that some people have more right to live than others which made me very uncomfortable. Would I have felt different if I had children myself? A dark moral dilemma that will have many questioning their actions should they be in a similar position. A good thought provoking read.
Briefly, Liv is absolutely devastated but as time passes she starts to wonder if there is a quicker way to get to the top of the waiting list for a transplant. Her desperation gradually becomes an obsession and she makes some questionable choices.
Personally I have never had children but I can understand that Liv would be desperate to get well to be there for her child. However, I couldn’t get my head around the decisions she took to achieve her aim. I found myself really disliking her and wanted her to be found out. She decides that some people have more right to live than others which made me very uncomfortable. Would I have felt different if I had children myself? A dark moral dilemma that will have many questioning their actions should they be in a similar position. A good thought provoking read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC.
The Waiting List by Matilda Wilding hits the ground running.
It is a tense, emotionally charged novel, and I was immediately drawn into the concept. The novel centres around Liv, a young mother in desperate need of a life-saving transplant, who is forced to confront exactly what she needs to do to stay alive for her child. The early chapters do an excellent job of grounding the story in fear, love, and desperation.
As Liv’s situation becomes more precarious, the novel takes a much darker turn. Her behaviour grows increasingly unethical and obsessive, and while that descent is clearly intentional, it makes for an unsettling reading experience. At times, I found myself feeling more disturbed than sympathetic. This book challenges you to question how far “maternal instinct” can be stretched before it becomes something else entirely. This is a book full of moral dilemmas, and it begs the question: Is one person's life worth more than another's?
The writing is strong and immersive, and the pacing is taut. I read this through in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down.
The Waiting List by Matilda Wilding hits the ground running.
It is a tense, emotionally charged novel, and I was immediately drawn into the concept. The novel centres around Liv, a young mother in desperate need of a life-saving transplant, who is forced to confront exactly what she needs to do to stay alive for her child. The early chapters do an excellent job of grounding the story in fear, love, and desperation.
As Liv’s situation becomes more precarious, the novel takes a much darker turn. Her behaviour grows increasingly unethical and obsessive, and while that descent is clearly intentional, it makes for an unsettling reading experience. At times, I found myself feeling more disturbed than sympathetic. This book challenges you to question how far “maternal instinct” can be stretched before it becomes something else entirely. This is a book full of moral dilemmas, and it begs the question: Is one person's life worth more than another's?
The writing is strong and immersive, and the pacing is taut. I read this through in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down.
April 5, 2026
Aaay caramba!! How much disaster and tragedy can one person cause to those around her who are supposedly her loved ones? What a mountain of misery but the story is told so well that you can’t help carrying on to see just how bad things can get and just how self obsessed one woman’s obsession with her right to life above everybody else’s, is going to end up. She isn’t likable, nor is her husband, her neighbour, her ex-boyfriend, her husband‘s best friend’s wife, no most of the people in this book, but it is captivating in a really uncomfortable way. I enjoyed it, loved day and hated it, all at the same time. The undertone of her worsening health or through the book seems to way down the reader as it does the protagonist and worsens at the same rate as the situations around her do. It has left me stuck for words and that is almost as rare as this protagonist having an unselfish thought, LOL!
March 7, 2026
• 4.5⭐️ •
This was a story where the premise immediately gripped me, and for good reason! From the start, the writing just flowed well and the pages were so easy to fall into.
The Waiting List is a truly dark story made of impossible life-changing decisions and a lens into the depths of a mother’s love. Now I love a novel with a moral dilemma but THIS book might have the most complex ethical situation ever - as a mother myself, I couldn’t help but feel intense empathy for Liv’s dire predicament. For me, it was an equal battle of feeling strongly for a woman who has always yearned to be a mother and then horror at the acts she was considering. I challenge anyone to read this book and not have conflicting feelings throughout!
As well as Liv’s personal hell that she is living through, there are many other facets to this story that make it so very gripping including other core characters with secrets and shadowed pasts. The twists are a well-timed sucker punch and just when you think there can’t possibly be any more revelations, there are.
The Waiting List is such a powerful debut, Matilda’s written a totally immersive, high-stakes and deeply human book that will take you on a journey of all the emotions.
This was a story where the premise immediately gripped me, and for good reason! From the start, the writing just flowed well and the pages were so easy to fall into.
The Waiting List is a truly dark story made of impossible life-changing decisions and a lens into the depths of a mother’s love. Now I love a novel with a moral dilemma but THIS book might have the most complex ethical situation ever - as a mother myself, I couldn’t help but feel intense empathy for Liv’s dire predicament. For me, it was an equal battle of feeling strongly for a woman who has always yearned to be a mother and then horror at the acts she was considering. I challenge anyone to read this book and not have conflicting feelings throughout!
As well as Liv’s personal hell that she is living through, there are many other facets to this story that make it so very gripping including other core characters with secrets and shadowed pasts. The twists are a well-timed sucker punch and just when you think there can’t possibly be any more revelations, there are.
The Waiting List is such a powerful debut, Matilda’s written a totally immersive, high-stakes and deeply human book that will take you on a journey of all the emotions.
May 25, 2026
Provided by Raven Books and The Reading Agency.
I really could read 'The Waiting List' and it is the first book I have finished in 3 months being unable to concentrate. I found it an easy read, fast moving which held my interest and thoroughly enjoyable. The plot was unusual but good and with many twists and turns so you could never predict what would happen next. Research had been done well as it was complex at times in the medical situation but the reader could understand it. There were a lot of emotional feelings which were transferred to the reader. At times you could relate to the main character, her husband, the baby son and Junie the other person waiting for a donor. There were a lot of people from Liv's past but explanations and where they stood in the plot were very identifiable. Not sure who I'd recommend it to apart from someone who wants a good 'quick' read without too much thought to follow it. I would give this book 8/10 and classify it as easy to read with a very good plot.
I really could read 'The Waiting List' and it is the first book I have finished in 3 months being unable to concentrate. I found it an easy read, fast moving which held my interest and thoroughly enjoyable. The plot was unusual but good and with many twists and turns so you could never predict what would happen next. Research had been done well as it was complex at times in the medical situation but the reader could understand it. There were a lot of emotional feelings which were transferred to the reader. At times you could relate to the main character, her husband, the baby son and Junie the other person waiting for a donor. There were a lot of people from Liv's past but explanations and where they stood in the plot were very identifiable. Not sure who I'd recommend it to apart from someone who wants a good 'quick' read without too much thought to follow it. I would give this book 8/10 and classify it as easy to read with a very good plot.
December 2, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Liv has finally become a mother after a long time of trying and numerous rounds of IVF. So it is a cruel blow when she is diagnosed with a serious heart condition for which a transplant is the only option. But waiting for a donor is a lottery. So when she has access to confidential medical details of blood donors at the surgery where she works, she begins to think she has to take matters in to her own hands. Could she actually go through with murder to save her own life? This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
January 26, 2026
This was a great read. Do I relate to this book more because I am a mother? Maybe. Do some of the thoughts that cross her mind seem totally justified? Maybe. The difference is, thinking them and acting upon them are two totally different things and Liv debates throughout this whole book if she can plot to save herself by committing a heinous crime to do so. It was an absolute rollercoaster of twists and turns. I really couldn’t predict how it was going to end, which I personally believe, is always a sign of a great story, one that keeps you on your toes until the very end.
February 15, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4
A quietly intense, domestic thriller, the emotional undercurrent evident throughout.
What would you do to save your own life?
Liv is a dark and unsettling character, but ultimately relatable in every sense. An original storyline, providing depth and highlighting the struggle of her moral dilemma, we’re kept guessing at how far Liv will be willing to go.
An emotional rollercoaster of a debut from Wilding.
A quietly intense, domestic thriller, the emotional undercurrent evident throughout.
What would you do to save your own life?
Liv is a dark and unsettling character, but ultimately relatable in every sense. An original storyline, providing depth and highlighting the struggle of her moral dilemma, we’re kept guessing at how far Liv will be willing to go.
An emotional rollercoaster of a debut from Wilding.
February 3, 2026
Liv is a young mother who finally becomes pregnant after years of infertility. Not long after, she discovers she has a heart condition that is worsened by the pregnancy. Desperate to survive for her baby, Liv needs a heart transplant, and she is willing to do almost anything to make that happen. 👀
This book is unlike anything I have ever read. It explores how far a mother might go to stay with her child and raises powerful moral questions that kept me thinking long after I finished. As a new mom who also struggled with infertility for years, I understood many of Liv’s thoughts.. Though I can confidently say I would never act on these thoughts. 😅 That is exactly what makes this story so compelling.
The Waiting List is a true emotional rollercoaster. And I did not see that ending coming at all!!! 🤯 It’s dark, heartbreaking, and incredibly powerful. If you enjoy women’s fiction, mystery and thriller, I highly recommend picking this one up. 👏
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC!
This book is unlike anything I have ever read. It explores how far a mother might go to stay with her child and raises powerful moral questions that kept me thinking long after I finished. As a new mom who also struggled with infertility for years, I understood many of Liv’s thoughts.. Though I can confidently say I would never act on these thoughts. 😅 That is exactly what makes this story so compelling.
The Waiting List is a true emotional rollercoaster. And I did not see that ending coming at all!!! 🤯 It’s dark, heartbreaking, and incredibly powerful. If you enjoy women’s fiction, mystery and thriller, I highly recommend picking this one up. 👏
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC!
March 7, 2026
I received an early copy of this book not knowing what it was about. I when you first start reading the story feels one of the struggles of becoming a mother, however as it progresses it morphs into one about the moral conundrum one faces when protecting the ones they love. So many of the characters are morally flawed and the twists keep coming. An unusual exploration of love and sacrifice.
April 14, 2026
Well this is one hell of an emotional ride. I'm not sure I'll ever look at anyone on the transplant list the same ever again.
It's fill of twits that are absolutely gut wrenching and an absolute mega twist at the end. Incredibly intelligently written , I can't believe it's a debut it's so well refined.
Definitely one to read this year. Highly recommended
It's fill of twits that are absolutely gut wrenching and an absolute mega twist at the end. Incredibly intelligently written , I can't believe it's a debut it's so well refined.
Definitely one to read this year. Highly recommended
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