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Hush Little Baby
When baby Oliver breaks his arm, no-one can (or will) say how it happened.
His mother is exhausted.
His father is angry.
His older sister is resentful.
And they all have something to hide...
His mother is exhausted.
His father is angry.
His older sister is resentful.
And they all have something to hide...
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First published May 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
March 27, 2022
Family court is the only court where you are presumed guilty until proven innocent.
10-month-old Oliver is taken to the ER one night with a broken arm. Was it abuse or an accident? Told from the point of view of the mother, the father, and the sister, the story is a domestic drama and a deep exploration of a family and a marriage. All are flawed, all are believable, and all have something to hide. Major, thought-provoking issues are explored.
I found all three POVs equally compelling but would have liked to have heard the POV from the courts/social services. I have a family member currently navigating family court, and I can 100% tell you that my opening statement is true, even though the circumstances are very different than what is depicted here.
The ending was quite the shocker and not one I expected. Fans of thought-provoking domestic dramas will find a lot here to enjoy. The narration of the audiobook was excellent.
10-month-old Oliver is taken to the ER one night with a broken arm. Was it abuse or an accident? Told from the point of view of the mother, the father, and the sister, the story is a domestic drama and a deep exploration of a family and a marriage. All are flawed, all are believable, and all have something to hide. Major, thought-provoking issues are explored.
I found all three POVs equally compelling but would have liked to have heard the POV from the courts/social services. I have a family member currently navigating family court, and I can 100% tell you that my opening statement is true, even though the circumstances are very different than what is depicted here.
The ending was quite the shocker and not one I expected. Fans of thought-provoking domestic dramas will find a lot here to enjoy. The narration of the audiobook was excellent.
March 6, 2018
I was cruising away with this audio read, happily thinking it would be a four star review, but on reaching the end, it is a three. I liked it, not loved. Narration was excellent, I quite enjoyed the bantering tone of the husband who had many faults, and somehow this attitude came across with the clever narration. He was a funny character, continuing a cycle of an abhorrent behavioural pattern while continually justifying the behaviours, and the wife, almost just as bad, thinking a cheating husband would change his ways just for her. Someone had their blinders on (or did he).
The end was flat, with some story lines falling short of what I would think realistic (regarding drugs and under age sex/online harassment). This story was about a child receiving an unexplained suspicious injury, with a lot of parties being suspects and wary social workers trying to get the answer. The way in which we found out whodunit was a little anticlimactically done, a bit tacked on at the end. Also, I think, I am getting a little tired of hearing about cheating spouses, it looks like everyone is doing it.. isn’t anyone old school anymore?!
The end was flat, with some story lines falling short of what I would think realistic (regarding drugs and under age sex/online harassment). This story was about a child receiving an unexplained suspicious injury, with a lot of parties being suspects and wary social workers trying to get the answer. The way in which we found out whodunit was a little anticlimactically done, a bit tacked on at the end. Also, I think, I am getting a little tired of hearing about cheating spouses, it looks like everyone is doing it.. isn’t anyone old school anymore?!
August 7, 2017
Little baby Oliver breaks his arm. No one will say what happened. His mother had been drunk on a night out. His father is angry and his sister is resentful. They all have something to hide....
The story is told by three people. The mother (Sally), the father (Richard) and the older half sister (Martha). It tells of the dysfunctional family and covers issues such as infidelity, post natal depression and earthing disorders. The social services have to decide if baby Oliver is at risk and place him in the care of Richards parents. The pace is set quite steady. The characters and the plot line are believable. You might find yourself thinking about this book long after you've finished it.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Joanna Bernard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told by three people. The mother (Sally), the father (Richard) and the older half sister (Martha). It tells of the dysfunctional family and covers issues such as infidelity, post natal depression and earthing disorders. The social services have to decide if baby Oliver is at risk and place him in the care of Richards parents. The pace is set quite steady. The characters and the plot line are believable. You might find yourself thinking about this book long after you've finished it.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Joanna Bernard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2021
"Hush Little Baby" was published in 2017 but it somehow escaped my radar.
It's a riveting, well-crafted, and unputdownable tale of love, anguish, and the implosion of a dysfunctional family.
Be prepared to be jolted by a powerful storyline that explores the reality and futility of navigating a family court system that assumes parents are guilty unless proven innocent.
When 10-month old Oliver is brought to the emergency room with a broken arm, authorities need to determine if Oliver's injury was an accident or child abuse.
The book unfolds from the POV of three protagonists: Sally (the mother/second wife), Richard (the philandering father), and Oliver's 15-year old stepsister Martha -- all possible suspects in Oliver's alleged abuse.
All three protagonists were deeply flawed, shockingly unpredictable, and surprisingly believable. From beginning to end, I was transfixed by this hard-hitting domestic drama's fast-paced plot that boasted no shortage of twists and turns.
I listened to the audiobook and the two narrators did a superb job with the narration. Since the book was told from three different points of view, the book would have benefited from a third narrator.
"Hush Little Baby" was a surprise 5-star read for me. This is my first book by Joanna Barnard and I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.
It's a riveting, well-crafted, and unputdownable tale of love, anguish, and the implosion of a dysfunctional family.
Be prepared to be jolted by a powerful storyline that explores the reality and futility of navigating a family court system that assumes parents are guilty unless proven innocent.
When 10-month old Oliver is brought to the emergency room with a broken arm, authorities need to determine if Oliver's injury was an accident or child abuse.
The book unfolds from the POV of three protagonists: Sally (the mother/second wife), Richard (the philandering father), and Oliver's 15-year old stepsister Martha -- all possible suspects in Oliver's alleged abuse.
All three protagonists were deeply flawed, shockingly unpredictable, and surprisingly believable. From beginning to end, I was transfixed by this hard-hitting domestic drama's fast-paced plot that boasted no shortage of twists and turns.
I listened to the audiobook and the two narrators did a superb job with the narration. Since the book was told from three different points of view, the book would have benefited from a third narrator.
"Hush Little Baby" was a surprise 5-star read for me. This is my first book by Joanna Barnard and I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.
February 28, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin random house and Joanna Barnard for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
Little Oliver has broken his arm. But no one will say how exactly it happened. Each family member has something to hide. Who's responsible?
Told over the POV of mum, dad and big sister. This book is thought provoking and when you think you know what happened. Wait to be proven wrong.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On goodreads.com/karenwhittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
Little Oliver has broken his arm. But no one will say how exactly it happened. Each family member has something to hide. Who's responsible?
Told over the POV of mum, dad and big sister. This book is thought provoking and when you think you know what happened. Wait to be proven wrong.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On goodreads.com/karenwhittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
April 1, 2017
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of the book in return for an honest review.
3.5 stars!!!
So I managed to finish this book rather quickly. The premise is as the blurb says what it is. Baby Oliver sustains a fractured arm and the story revolves around the social services system and the mystery as to who actually did it. I know this book has been labeled a thriller but it was more of a mystery and the mechanics of family issues than a psychological thriller. Nevertheless, I did find the story rather engaging. I wouldn't say I was completely riveted.
The story is told from 3 POVs: Sally (the mother), Richard (the father) and Martha (the sister). The novel delves into the dysfunction of the family and throws light on major issues such as post natal depression, eating disorders, infidelity and so on. Considering I mostly read fantasy and romance, this book was quite the departure from that. I liked how the author shifted between POVs to create a full picture of how each of the family members deal with the addition of a new baby. It was interesting to see how each character was trying to cope with their issues, the situation and emotions. I liked that the author didn't strip down on the harsh realities of parenting and kept it raw. It really made me think and look at things in a new light. The novel also reveals how even in a family, we don't really know each other and as individuals we keep secrets.
I also found that the pacing of the book was brisk and it followed well. I found the plot twist at the end to be especially shocking. However, I felt there could have been more things written about the actual proceedings regarding the social services and I felt that the situation was resolved fairly quickly and easily. Other than that, I think the book was an enjoyable read and would recommend it if you are looking for something quick to read.
3.5 stars!!!
So I managed to finish this book rather quickly. The premise is as the blurb says what it is. Baby Oliver sustains a fractured arm and the story revolves around the social services system and the mystery as to who actually did it. I know this book has been labeled a thriller but it was more of a mystery and the mechanics of family issues than a psychological thriller. Nevertheless, I did find the story rather engaging. I wouldn't say I was completely riveted.
The story is told from 3 POVs: Sally (the mother), Richard (the father) and Martha (the sister). The novel delves into the dysfunction of the family and throws light on major issues such as post natal depression, eating disorders, infidelity and so on. Considering I mostly read fantasy and romance, this book was quite the departure from that. I liked how the author shifted between POVs to create a full picture of how each of the family members deal with the addition of a new baby. It was interesting to see how each character was trying to cope with their issues, the situation and emotions. I liked that the author didn't strip down on the harsh realities of parenting and kept it raw. It really made me think and look at things in a new light. The novel also reveals how even in a family, we don't really know each other and as individuals we keep secrets.
I also found that the pacing of the book was brisk and it followed well. I found the plot twist at the end to be especially shocking. However, I felt there could have been more things written about the actual proceedings regarding the social services and I felt that the situation was resolved fairly quickly and easily. Other than that, I think the book was an enjoyable read and would recommend it if you are looking for something quick to read.
November 17, 2017
First of all, a big thank you to Ebury Press, part of Penguin Random House publishers for sending me a copy of this fantastic thriller in exchange for an honest review. Hush Little Baby was released in August 2017 and apologies that I'm only getting round to reading it now, I certainly won't make that mistake again with any future novel I happen to read by Joanna Barnard. This book was such a wonderful surprise, exciting, tense and twisty that delves into some very dark places and controversial issues with ease and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, racing through it in less than twenty-four hours like a woman possessed!
The above synopsis says everything you really need to know concerning what this book is about. As you may know, I'm not one for revealing spoilers so I'm hoping to be as deliberately vague as possible regarding the plot. It's basically the story of a family - Sally, her husband Richard, their baby Oliver and Oliver's teenage half-sister Martha. All their lives are turned upside down one night when Oliver has to be rushed to hospital after mysteriously breaking his arm with an injury the hospital are certain is unequivocally not accidental. No one is accepting responsibility for the incident and each member of the family has their own issues to deal with about the night in question i.e. where they were, what they were doing etc. Now social services have become involved and have removed Oliver from his parents to his grandparents custody whilst they try to find out what has happened. Hush Little Baby is a novel where parental responsibilities are questioned, dark secrets are unearthed and the actions of all our characters are revealed slowly and steadily with an ending that will leave you dumbfounded and in my case, slightly unsettled.
This fascinating novel is told in one of my favourite ways, from multiple perspectives. We hear from all three "potentially guilty," parties in alternating chapters: Sally, Richard and Martha who were all there in some way when baby Oliver was injured. It was quite early on in the story that I began to have opinions on all three persons concerned, all of whom have made mistakes on that night but it's up to the reader to decide who indeed might have made the biggest mistake. The plot itself deals with multiple issues, apart from the obvious issue of child abuse/neglect, it also explores mental illness, relationship difficulties and there are trigger warnings for self-harm which you should be aware of if you are sensitive to this subject. Because of this, it goes to some incredibly murky depths to paint the picture of what *might* have happened to Oliver and who *may* be to blame.
I have to say it made my emotions go haywire at points, particularly with the character depiction. I wanted to shake one of them at one point, I despised another with a passion and then I wanted to just take another far away from it all. It is the story of what happened to Oliver but mainly, it's a novel about how a relationship can be affected by a crisis such as this, how people either do or do not take responsibility for their actions and how detrimental your actions can be to another person (or people) without even being aware of it. If you're after a psychological thriller that is much more about the reactions of characters rather than what actually happened to the child, I would definitely read this book. Personally, I'll definitely be checking out Joanna's first book, Precocious on the strength of this one and I can hardly wait.
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
The above synopsis says everything you really need to know concerning what this book is about. As you may know, I'm not one for revealing spoilers so I'm hoping to be as deliberately vague as possible regarding the plot. It's basically the story of a family - Sally, her husband Richard, their baby Oliver and Oliver's teenage half-sister Martha. All their lives are turned upside down one night when Oliver has to be rushed to hospital after mysteriously breaking his arm with an injury the hospital are certain is unequivocally not accidental. No one is accepting responsibility for the incident and each member of the family has their own issues to deal with about the night in question i.e. where they were, what they were doing etc. Now social services have become involved and have removed Oliver from his parents to his grandparents custody whilst they try to find out what has happened. Hush Little Baby is a novel where parental responsibilities are questioned, dark secrets are unearthed and the actions of all our characters are revealed slowly and steadily with an ending that will leave you dumbfounded and in my case, slightly unsettled.
This fascinating novel is told in one of my favourite ways, from multiple perspectives. We hear from all three "potentially guilty," parties in alternating chapters: Sally, Richard and Martha who were all there in some way when baby Oliver was injured. It was quite early on in the story that I began to have opinions on all three persons concerned, all of whom have made mistakes on that night but it's up to the reader to decide who indeed might have made the biggest mistake. The plot itself deals with multiple issues, apart from the obvious issue of child abuse/neglect, it also explores mental illness, relationship difficulties and there are trigger warnings for self-harm which you should be aware of if you are sensitive to this subject. Because of this, it goes to some incredibly murky depths to paint the picture of what *might* have happened to Oliver and who *may* be to blame.
I have to say it made my emotions go haywire at points, particularly with the character depiction. I wanted to shake one of them at one point, I despised another with a passion and then I wanted to just take another far away from it all. It is the story of what happened to Oliver but mainly, it's a novel about how a relationship can be affected by a crisis such as this, how people either do or do not take responsibility for their actions and how detrimental your actions can be to another person (or people) without even being aware of it. If you're after a psychological thriller that is much more about the reactions of characters rather than what actually happened to the child, I would definitely read this book. Personally, I'll definitely be checking out Joanna's first book, Precocious on the strength of this one and I can hardly wait.
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
July 24, 2019
This was a very well written, heartbreaking book. I did feel for the family throughout this book. It’s hard to say much without revealing anything. The only downside was the ending was pretty obvious so there was no big surprise. I did enjoy this book though. It’s the first book I’ve read by the author and it definitely won’t be the last.
August 28, 2017
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
I really enjoyed Hush Little Baby. I'm not a mother myself, and don't in fact have many friends with kids (yet!) so I can't read this novel when any sense of knowing exactly how it feels to have a child, let alone lose your child to the social services system because of something you didn't do. It also may have been easier for me to read about a subject like a child being hurt without becoming as upset. Regardless, the writing by Joanna Barnard makes you feel like you're going through it; like you're struggling to prove your innocence against an injustice and people who seem to want to take your child away, and it's an interesting read.
Told from three different point of views, the novel focuses as much on Sally and a Richard's relationship and Richard's daughter Sally and her struggles, as the actual 'incidence' itself. Though I really wanted to know who hurt baby Oliver, that ends up being more of a side issue, with the plot instead focussing more on the way it affected each person and their family, and the sense of distrust that this kind of case can bring. Therefore the novel lacked a strong sense of 'mystery' or 'thriller' element, but I didn't mind this - it didn't feel like it was supposed to be that kind of book anyway. I became wrapped up in the story of Richard and Sally's fight to try and get their son back... and those characters felt really well developed. I don't want to give too much away but some of the character's actions made me *hate* them and others I felt desperately sorry for. No one comes across as blameless though; each has their own faults and this felt far more realistic than when an author tries to clearly define 'kind' and 'horrible' characters.
Hush Little Baby made me think about how I'd feel in this situation, and is an enjoyable, easy read which left me wanting to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Ebury for providing an ebook of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
I really enjoyed Hush Little Baby. I'm not a mother myself, and don't in fact have many friends with kids (yet!) so I can't read this novel when any sense of knowing exactly how it feels to have a child, let alone lose your child to the social services system because of something you didn't do. It also may have been easier for me to read about a subject like a child being hurt without becoming as upset. Regardless, the writing by Joanna Barnard makes you feel like you're going through it; like you're struggling to prove your innocence against an injustice and people who seem to want to take your child away, and it's an interesting read.
Told from three different point of views, the novel focuses as much on Sally and a Richard's relationship and Richard's daughter Sally and her struggles, as the actual 'incidence' itself. Though I really wanted to know who hurt baby Oliver, that ends up being more of a side issue, with the plot instead focussing more on the way it affected each person and their family, and the sense of distrust that this kind of case can bring. Therefore the novel lacked a strong sense of 'mystery' or 'thriller' element, but I didn't mind this - it didn't feel like it was supposed to be that kind of book anyway. I became wrapped up in the story of Richard and Sally's fight to try and get their son back... and those characters felt really well developed. I don't want to give too much away but some of the character's actions made me *hate* them and others I felt desperately sorry for. No one comes across as blameless though; each has their own faults and this felt far more realistic than when an author tries to clearly define 'kind' and 'horrible' characters.
Hush Little Baby made me think about how I'd feel in this situation, and is an enjoyable, easy read which left me wanting to read more by this author.
Many thanks to Ebury for providing an ebook of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
June 19, 2017
2.5 stars
The premise of this novel sounded interesting and it was a unique mystery. I thought that it lacked suspense and could have been a bit more exciting, as it is supposed to be a mystery. There was nothing about it that really made me want to continue reading, as I was unsure who I routing for. They all come across as guilty, and therefore were all rather unlikeable. The novel is told in the perspective of Sally, Richard and Martha, which was interesting to read from all of their perspectives. Sometimes the characters tended to give too much backstory and it was not exciting to read about. However, I liked the family dynamic and the eventual plot twist was thrilling and rather unexpected.
Thank you to Ebury Digital for the advanced reader copy that I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this novel sounded interesting and it was a unique mystery. I thought that it lacked suspense and could have been a bit more exciting, as it is supposed to be a mystery. There was nothing about it that really made me want to continue reading, as I was unsure who I routing for. They all come across as guilty, and therefore were all rather unlikeable. The novel is told in the perspective of Sally, Richard and Martha, which was interesting to read from all of their perspectives. Sometimes the characters tended to give too much backstory and it was not exciting to read about. However, I liked the family dynamic and the eventual plot twist was thrilling and rather unexpected.
Thank you to Ebury Digital for the advanced reader copy that I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2017
Baby Ollies arm has been broken and neither of his parents nor his teenage half sister know how it happened. But Social Services believe at least one of them know exactly how it happened and refuse to let him go home until they know the truth...
This novel is told from the perspective of Ollies parents Sally and Richard and Richards daughter by his first marriage Martha. It soon becomes apparent that Sally was part of the reason his split up with his first wife, and that his spots will never change. What else is clear is Sally was struggling with motherhood and Martha wasn't ecstatic at the idea of a new baby brother. In the telling of this story the book deals well with the subjects of infidelity, self harm, eating disorders, revenge porn, post natal depression....well it deals with a lot of issues. A lot. So as you can imagine it's not a barrel of laughs! But what it is sensitively written and compelling story that I found hard to put down. The characters are believable and easy to empathise with - even self proclaimed romantic Richard (he says romantic, we say a-hole). A great read that leaves a lot of food for thought.
I received this from Netgalley for an honest review.
This novel is told from the perspective of Ollies parents Sally and Richard and Richards daughter by his first marriage Martha. It soon becomes apparent that Sally was part of the reason his split up with his first wife, and that his spots will never change. What else is clear is Sally was struggling with motherhood and Martha wasn't ecstatic at the idea of a new baby brother. In the telling of this story the book deals well with the subjects of infidelity, self harm, eating disorders, revenge porn, post natal depression....well it deals with a lot of issues. A lot. So as you can imagine it's not a barrel of laughs! But what it is sensitively written and compelling story that I found hard to put down. The characters are believable and easy to empathise with - even self proclaimed romantic Richard (he says romantic, we say a-hole). A great read that leaves a lot of food for thought.
I received this from Netgalley for an honest review.
July 22, 2017
A well written book that keeps you turning pages. The characters are believable, and well written, even those with minor roles have been thoroughly thought through. Whilst the plot begins slowly, it does gather pace and sweeps you along at increasing speed.
The theme, of child injury, is not something I would ordinarily read but it's handled well and sub plots exists so it's not all about child protection. This is a good read it covers a range of family issues with absolute ease. Definitely worth a read.
The theme, of child injury, is not something I would ordinarily read but it's handled well and sub plots exists so it's not all about child protection. This is a good read it covers a range of family issues with absolute ease. Definitely worth a read.
February 23, 2017
Firstly, hats off to the author. Hush Little Baby brings together all the taboos of parenthood that we shy away from and hide under the carpet. "Not me - not me", we protest.
Innocent baby Oliver's arm is broken.
Rightly (and they do a thankless, difficult task) social services become involved to decide if he is a child at risk.
Cards on the table: feelings of inadequacy, that you might not love your own child, you just want them to stop crying so you can sleep, anger, jealousy because HE doesn't have the stretch marks, have to breastfeed because they say you should, friends/relatives saying things that make you think you are a failure. Joanna Barnard portrays all of these feelings and more. She also hits the nail on the head at dealing with sibling rivalry, step child/step parenting, eating disorders and self harm. It isn't all just thrown into the mix; they all perfectly fit and compliment the plot.
The book is written from a triplicate point of view. Sally, the mum, Richard the dad and Martha his daughter from a previous marriage. A finger of accusation could be pointed at anyone of the three.
The writing is thoughtful and thought provoking. I devoured it. I needed to know what happened that night. My conclusion was wrong!
Innocent baby Oliver's arm is broken.
Rightly (and they do a thankless, difficult task) social services become involved to decide if he is a child at risk.
Cards on the table: feelings of inadequacy, that you might not love your own child, you just want them to stop crying so you can sleep, anger, jealousy because HE doesn't have the stretch marks, have to breastfeed because they say you should, friends/relatives saying things that make you think you are a failure. Joanna Barnard portrays all of these feelings and more. She also hits the nail on the head at dealing with sibling rivalry, step child/step parenting, eating disorders and self harm. It isn't all just thrown into the mix; they all perfectly fit and compliment the plot.
The book is written from a triplicate point of view. Sally, the mum, Richard the dad and Martha his daughter from a previous marriage. A finger of accusation could be pointed at anyone of the three.
The writing is thoughtful and thought provoking. I devoured it. I needed to know what happened that night. My conclusion was wrong!
January 29, 2018
The title and cover of this book is what drew me to wanting to read it.
I was drawn into the story petty quickly, found it to be well written and the story was told from the perspective of three main characters, which I really liked as it gives you a real feel for the characters and helps you get to know then.
The story did deal with some sensitive issues, but I feel that the author dealt with and entwined them into the story perfectly.
My fave scenes were those that involved Jenna and Richard, the one where Jenna doesn't respond or act how Richard was expecting her too, typical male. And the other scene, was between Sally, Martha and Brandon, just brilliant and clever. I won't say more than that as wouldn't want to spoil the story for anyone.
I found the story to be very enjoyable, quite a page turner. I was slightly disappointed by the ending as felt it lacked something, it didn't end how I thought it would end.
I was drawn into the story petty quickly, found it to be well written and the story was told from the perspective of three main characters, which I really liked as it gives you a real feel for the characters and helps you get to know then.
The story did deal with some sensitive issues, but I feel that the author dealt with and entwined them into the story perfectly.
My fave scenes were those that involved Jenna and Richard, the one where Jenna doesn't respond or act how Richard was expecting her too, typical male. And the other scene, was between Sally, Martha and Brandon, just brilliant and clever. I won't say more than that as wouldn't want to spoil the story for anyone.
I found the story to be very enjoyable, quite a page turner. I was slightly disappointed by the ending as felt it lacked something, it didn't end how I thought it would end.
July 30, 2017
I could have easily put down this book for good before I even got half way but I'm obsessive and have a need to finish books that I've started, especially books I've been given to review from Netgalley.
Hush Little Baby is based on a family of four, the mother, the father, Oliver their newborn baby and Martha, Oliver's big sister. One night Oliver will not stop crying and seems to be very stressed, in the middle of the night he gets taken to hospital only to find he's gotten a fracture that could not have been caused by any other than force from another person.
Social services get involved and question each member of the family and do what they can to find out the truth.
A lot of the plot is how the family are reacting and their relationships with one another, there's not a lot of suspicions, just a lot of family drama, arguments etc.
The reader finally finds out who was the one to cause baby Oliver harm in the last pages.
I just wish I read the first chapter or two to get the gist then went to the last couple of pages because that's enough to grasp the whole story.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Hush Little Baby is based on a family of four, the mother, the father, Oliver their newborn baby and Martha, Oliver's big sister. One night Oliver will not stop crying and seems to be very stressed, in the middle of the night he gets taken to hospital only to find he's gotten a fracture that could not have been caused by any other than force from another person.
Social services get involved and question each member of the family and do what they can to find out the truth.
A lot of the plot is how the family are reacting and their relationships with one another, there's not a lot of suspicions, just a lot of family drama, arguments etc.
The reader finally finds out who was the one to cause baby Oliver harm in the last pages.
I just wish I read the first chapter or two to get the gist then went to the last couple of pages because that's enough to grasp the whole story.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
March 25, 2017
"Hush Little Baby" by Joanna Barnard is a complex, cleverly woven story involving a mixture of somewhat disturbed characters.
I felt drawn into the story and had compassion for a few of them.
As a reader you think you know how the book will end, only to be thrown a curve ball and it turns out very different.
This is the first book I have read by this author, I really enjoyed her style of writing, she sticks to the story and adds just enough characters to not confuse the reader.
I have downloaded her other book "Precocious" and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.
I felt drawn into the story and had compassion for a few of them.
As a reader you think you know how the book will end, only to be thrown a curve ball and it turns out very different.
This is the first book I have read by this author, I really enjoyed her style of writing, she sticks to the story and adds just enough characters to not confuse the reader.
I have downloaded her other book "Precocious" and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.
April 16, 2017
An unsettling subject to read about, but the characters and plot development are excellent. A bit of a slow burner, but it cranks up chapter by chapter. I love a book that throws you off the trail like a rodeo bull. I spent several chapters liking some characters, but then disliking them intensely. Flawed people, realistically written. The mother in law is pure genius. A worthy read
May 31, 2020
Hush Little Baby was a really enjoyable and gripping thriller that flowed well and kept me interested. It was an easy read and one that I’d recommend to those who enjoy domestic stories and family dramas.
In the story we follow Sally, Richard and Martha. A family who are separated by lies and secrets when 10 month old baby Oliver breaks his arm in mysterious circumstances. We follow each characters perspective and journey throughout the story and get to know each of them very well.
Personally, I didn’t find this story incredibly intense and nail-biting so it lacks a lot of what I love about thrillers. I found the ending quite predictable and it wasn’t particularly full of lots of twists and turns.
I did enjoy the writing however, and enjoyed the character development as well as following our main character’s journeys throughout.
Overall I would recommend this book if you’re looking for an easy thriller that isn’t too scary! - 3 stars🌟🌟🌟
In the story we follow Sally, Richard and Martha. A family who are separated by lies and secrets when 10 month old baby Oliver breaks his arm in mysterious circumstances. We follow each characters perspective and journey throughout the story and get to know each of them very well.
Personally, I didn’t find this story incredibly intense and nail-biting so it lacks a lot of what I love about thrillers. I found the ending quite predictable and it wasn’t particularly full of lots of twists and turns.
I did enjoy the writing however, and enjoyed the character development as well as following our main character’s journeys throughout.
Overall I would recommend this book if you’re looking for an easy thriller that isn’t too scary! - 3 stars🌟🌟🌟
June 16, 2017
This is every parent's nightmare. Their child is injured and they are blamed.
Oliver is 10 months old when he is admitted to the hospital, late at night, with a broken arm.
Richard and Sally are beside themselves and frightened by the speed and turn of events. Their precious son is removed by the authorities and placed in the care of Richard's parents. Every part of their lives and marriage are under scrutiny. Richard's daughter Martha also lives with them, but her teenage angst about life does not appear to affect anyone in the household. She is estranged from her Mother and keeps herself to herself.
Sally and Richard do not appear to trust each other. Sally was out with colleagues on a rare evening, relaxing and drinking too much, as she was giddy with the feel of freedom.
Unbeknownst, Martha is alone for part of the evening and invites schoolfriend round for a visit. Where, then, was Richard?
Richard's infidelity, once a suspicion, is out in the open. Sally's insecurities are heightened and Martha's struggle is fit in as a teenager takes a sinister turn.
This is very well written and the characters well depicted.
However, the ending is a bit of a surprise.
I highly recommend this emotive but well thought out storyline.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity.
Oliver is 10 months old when he is admitted to the hospital, late at night, with a broken arm.
Richard and Sally are beside themselves and frightened by the speed and turn of events. Their precious son is removed by the authorities and placed in the care of Richard's parents. Every part of their lives and marriage are under scrutiny. Richard's daughter Martha also lives with them, but her teenage angst about life does not appear to affect anyone in the household. She is estranged from her Mother and keeps herself to herself.
Sally and Richard do not appear to trust each other. Sally was out with colleagues on a rare evening, relaxing and drinking too much, as she was giddy with the feel of freedom.
Unbeknownst, Martha is alone for part of the evening and invites schoolfriend round for a visit. Where, then, was Richard?
Richard's infidelity, once a suspicion, is out in the open. Sally's insecurities are heightened and Martha's struggle is fit in as a teenager takes a sinister turn.
This is very well written and the characters well depicted.
However, the ending is a bit of a surprise.
I highly recommend this emotive but well thought out storyline.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity.
October 26, 2017
Hush little baby is a gripping read. Told from the point of view of the parents and daughter. Its every parents nightmare something happening to their child. To have your child taken away from you must be horrendous..
My heart broke for Martha , she was forgotten in all the ensuing drama of who hurt Oliver. I wanted to grab hold of Sally and Richard and shout cant you see your daughter is in trouble? This is a novel which doesn't shy away from the hard subjects. Infidelity, post natal depression and eating disorders. Its not a light read and will certainly leave you with a lot of questions on your mind. I really thought i knew who had hurt baby Oliver, I was surprised when it was finally revealed. If you are looking for a thought provoking read, I highly recommend you pick up a copy.
ARC received from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
My heart broke for Martha , she was forgotten in all the ensuing drama of who hurt Oliver. I wanted to grab hold of Sally and Richard and shout cant you see your daughter is in trouble? This is a novel which doesn't shy away from the hard subjects. Infidelity, post natal depression and eating disorders. Its not a light read and will certainly leave you with a lot of questions on your mind. I really thought i knew who had hurt baby Oliver, I was surprised when it was finally revealed. If you are looking for a thought provoking read, I highly recommend you pick up a copy.
ARC received from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2019
I received this book free from the publisher via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
Please see my full reviews available at www.coffeeandtrainspotting.com.
For requesting arcs and books to review, please visit www.netgalley.com.
Please see my full reviews available at www.coffeeandtrainspotting.com.
For requesting arcs and books to review, please visit www.netgalley.com.
July 27, 2022
What a nightmare! An unexplained injury to a innocent little baby and suddenly your world is turned upside down! Baby taken away, life under total scrutiny, supervised visits not to mention, how did the little one get injured?! Oooooofff!!!
The Townsend family are dysfunctional to say the least. Mum Sally is trying her damnedest to be the perfect mum with stroppy teenager stepdaughter Martha and what I could only describes arse of a husband Richard to deal with as well as ickle baby Oliver. But Oliver got hurt, no one knows (aka is admitting) how so he’s taken to his grandparents (Sally’s in laws). I don’t know about you but having my baby taken away and only seeing him under the watchful eye of a social worker is my idea of a nightmare. Don’t think it helps there is friction between Sally and the in laws!
Barnard’s writing kept me engrossed in this tense domestic based thriller. I couldn’t work out what had happened to baby Oliver and who was covering this tragedy. I really felt for Sally’s predicament. As a mum myself, I couldn’t bear to be in that situation, knowing that someone I love could possibly have injured my child. As the story developed I felt unnerved by all this involved – who could possibly have hurt Oliver? Such an innocent wee thing.
Hush Little Baby kept me on edge throughout. The cast of characters made me distrust each of them which kept me on my toes right to the end.
The Townsend family are dysfunctional to say the least. Mum Sally is trying her damnedest to be the perfect mum with stroppy teenager stepdaughter Martha and what I could only describes arse of a husband Richard to deal with as well as ickle baby Oliver. But Oliver got hurt, no one knows (aka is admitting) how so he’s taken to his grandparents (Sally’s in laws). I don’t know about you but having my baby taken away and only seeing him under the watchful eye of a social worker is my idea of a nightmare. Don’t think it helps there is friction between Sally and the in laws!
Barnard’s writing kept me engrossed in this tense domestic based thriller. I couldn’t work out what had happened to baby Oliver and who was covering this tragedy. I really felt for Sally’s predicament. As a mum myself, I couldn’t bear to be in that situation, knowing that someone I love could possibly have injured my child. As the story developed I felt unnerved by all this involved – who could possibly have hurt Oliver? Such an innocent wee thing.
Hush Little Baby kept me on edge throughout. The cast of characters made me distrust each of them which kept me on my toes right to the end.
May 7, 2017
I was really looking forward to reading Hush Little Baby as that blurb sounded so intriguing to me but I was concerned it was going to be a challenging topic to read about and approached it with caution. Would the theme of child abuse (if that was indeed the case!) prove too much for me, even in a work of fiction? But I needn’t have worried – Joanna Barnard handled the subject with just the right amount of sensitivity and empathy for her characters to convey the life changing experience they are facing, and I devoured the whole book in a matter of hours.
Told via three viewpoints, those of Sally the mother , Richard the father and Martha the half -sister, each of them have secrets they are hiding from the rest of their family. How did baby Oliver break his arm? Which of them knows more than they are letting on? As the story unfolds we are given a glimpse into their emotions as well as their whereabouts on the day of Oliver’s injury and have to decide who to believe and maybe who to forgive? But there is never ANY excuse for what happened to baby Oliver so for the author to actually evoke sympathetic feelings for this fragmented family shows how well crafted her storyline is.
But it was tough reading at times. The involvement of Social Services had me totally on edge right from the start. How many times as a parent do you make silly little remarks or share FB memes about your kids? I bet you will think again after this! Once social services start asking questions of Sally and Richards friends and family, little things they thought were insignificant throw away funny remarks are intricately examined under the microscope of authority. There are some other very topical issues tackled here too, and again they can make for uncomfortable reading at times, but the author handles them with an intelligent understanding of how these events can affect an ordinary family and how one little catalyst can cause that family to implode.
My emotions were played perfectly by this well developed and observed domestic suspense and after the ending I found it difficult to turn them off. The circumstances surrounding what happened and the outcome kept going around in my head and I was left wondering what became of the family and had so many alternative endings playing in my mind!
This is a thought provoking read where you may not particularly like many of the characters but you will be able to relate to some of the situations they find themselves in and care enough to want a happy resolution for them all.
Highly recommended by me.
Told via three viewpoints, those of Sally the mother , Richard the father and Martha the half -sister, each of them have secrets they are hiding from the rest of their family. How did baby Oliver break his arm? Which of them knows more than they are letting on? As the story unfolds we are given a glimpse into their emotions as well as their whereabouts on the day of Oliver’s injury and have to decide who to believe and maybe who to forgive? But there is never ANY excuse for what happened to baby Oliver so for the author to actually evoke sympathetic feelings for this fragmented family shows how well crafted her storyline is.
But it was tough reading at times. The involvement of Social Services had me totally on edge right from the start. How many times as a parent do you make silly little remarks or share FB memes about your kids? I bet you will think again after this! Once social services start asking questions of Sally and Richards friends and family, little things they thought were insignificant throw away funny remarks are intricately examined under the microscope of authority. There are some other very topical issues tackled here too, and again they can make for uncomfortable reading at times, but the author handles them with an intelligent understanding of how these events can affect an ordinary family and how one little catalyst can cause that family to implode.
My emotions were played perfectly by this well developed and observed domestic suspense and after the ending I found it difficult to turn them off. The circumstances surrounding what happened and the outcome kept going around in my head and I was left wondering what became of the family and had so many alternative endings playing in my mind!
This is a thought provoking read where you may not particularly like many of the characters but you will be able to relate to some of the situations they find themselves in and care enough to want a happy resolution for them all.
Highly recommended by me.
May 2, 2017
Ten month old Oliver has a broken arm and no-one is able, or willing, to say what happened.
Firstly let me say that Hush Little Baby is a cracking domestic thriller that keeps the reader guessing throughout. I definitely suspected every character who had access to Oliver on the day of the injury. I was desperate to know what had happened.
However, what struck me so much about Hush Little Baby was the exploration of the characters, what makes us human and the eye opening information about what happens and could happen when physical abuse is suspected. The reactions of those outside the family made for uncomfortable reading as I felt my own attitude was being highlighted quite unfavourably. I think I’ve probably fallen into the ‘no smoke without fire’ opinion in the past and now I feel quite ashamed. The themes in Hush Little Baby are brilliantly handled. We frequently don’t know what goes on behind closed doors and Hush Little Baby illustrates just how easily an ‘ordinary’ family can implode.
Hush Little Baby is a masterclass in character driven plotting. Whilst Oliver’s injury is the catalyst for the action, it is almost incidental as Joanna Barnard peels back the layers of Sally, Richard and Martha. I went through the complete range of emotions about each of these characters. At times I hated, loved and pitied each one. They are so vivid and real that it was difficult not to believe that they are not living people. The first person perspectives add to this feeling so effectively. Joanna Barnard is able to create a fifteen year old girl and an adult man with equal skill and realism.
Each character has a past that helps the reader gain full insight into why they are as they are and I really felt as if Joanna Barnard was manipulating me thoroughly as she controlled how I felt about each one. Several times I exclaimed aloud ‘Oh!’ I had a busy time when I began reading Hush Little Baby and couldn’t devote sustained periods to reading it. I think it says something about the quality of the book that I wondered how the characters were faring when I wasn’t reading.
I thought Hush Little Baby was intelligent, skilful and absorbing and I really recommend it.
Firstly let me say that Hush Little Baby is a cracking domestic thriller that keeps the reader guessing throughout. I definitely suspected every character who had access to Oliver on the day of the injury. I was desperate to know what had happened.
However, what struck me so much about Hush Little Baby was the exploration of the characters, what makes us human and the eye opening information about what happens and could happen when physical abuse is suspected. The reactions of those outside the family made for uncomfortable reading as I felt my own attitude was being highlighted quite unfavourably. I think I’ve probably fallen into the ‘no smoke without fire’ opinion in the past and now I feel quite ashamed. The themes in Hush Little Baby are brilliantly handled. We frequently don’t know what goes on behind closed doors and Hush Little Baby illustrates just how easily an ‘ordinary’ family can implode.
Hush Little Baby is a masterclass in character driven plotting. Whilst Oliver’s injury is the catalyst for the action, it is almost incidental as Joanna Barnard peels back the layers of Sally, Richard and Martha. I went through the complete range of emotions about each of these characters. At times I hated, loved and pitied each one. They are so vivid and real that it was difficult not to believe that they are not living people. The first person perspectives add to this feeling so effectively. Joanna Barnard is able to create a fifteen year old girl and an adult man with equal skill and realism.
Each character has a past that helps the reader gain full insight into why they are as they are and I really felt as if Joanna Barnard was manipulating me thoroughly as she controlled how I felt about each one. Several times I exclaimed aloud ‘Oh!’ I had a busy time when I began reading Hush Little Baby and couldn’t devote sustained periods to reading it. I think it says something about the quality of the book that I wondered how the characters were faring when I wasn’t reading.
I thought Hush Little Baby was intelligent, skilful and absorbing and I really recommend it.
September 10, 2017
Even in the "perfect family " everyone can have something to hide.
The first line pulled me in. In alternate chapters, the story tells of Sally and Richard who have a baby called Oliver. Everything seems fine and then one night Oliver's arm is hurt. The question is, what happened? Who did it?,Then follows an investigation into what happened and where everyone was at the time. From the time they reach the hospital on that fateful night, they are in hell. There's a lot of suspicion at the hospital and so the only place Oliver can be is at Richard's parents house. The pacing is excellent and so is the characterisation. Richard has a daughter called Martha who lives with him and Sally.
I really get the feeling of sadness and worry over Oliver's fate from Sally. She has been with him since she was 22 and he was a decade older. There's so much tension and confusion throughout the book as wrll as nonstop doubt as to what will happen. The thoughts and feelings from everyone are so vivid and flashbacks from the past about characters' lives helped the general plot, although it was brilliant. There's a real sense of how people struggle and suffer in this story and I liked all the points of view especially Sally's and Martha's. We get sone inkling into how the characters each look for a support network in their own way. The social services scenes are very realistic too. Whether you are a mother or not, this thriller will blow you away!
Thanks to Joanna Barnard and her publisher for this ARC via NetGalley. I'd love to read more titles by her.
The first line pulled me in. In alternate chapters, the story tells of Sally and Richard who have a baby called Oliver. Everything seems fine and then one night Oliver's arm is hurt. The question is, what happened? Who did it?,Then follows an investigation into what happened and where everyone was at the time. From the time they reach the hospital on that fateful night, they are in hell. There's a lot of suspicion at the hospital and so the only place Oliver can be is at Richard's parents house. The pacing is excellent and so is the characterisation. Richard has a daughter called Martha who lives with him and Sally.
I really get the feeling of sadness and worry over Oliver's fate from Sally. She has been with him since she was 22 and he was a decade older. There's so much tension and confusion throughout the book as wrll as nonstop doubt as to what will happen. The thoughts and feelings from everyone are so vivid and flashbacks from the past about characters' lives helped the general plot, although it was brilliant. There's a real sense of how people struggle and suffer in this story and I liked all the points of view especially Sally's and Martha's. We get sone inkling into how the characters each look for a support network in their own way. The social services scenes are very realistic too. Whether you are a mother or not, this thriller will blow you away!
Thanks to Joanna Barnard and her publisher for this ARC via NetGalley. I'd love to read more titles by her.
May 2, 2017
The day after Sally has her first night out since having baby Oliver, now ten months old. They find him injured. She takes him to hospital with husband Richard. They find out that baby Oliver has a broken arm. Questions need to be answered and social services are called in to investigate and suspicions are made when Oliver is taken away due to them thinking that Oliver has be abused by one of them. Oliver is sent to live with Richard's parents while the investigation take place. and the story shows us the system, that decides wether people like Sally or Richard are innocent or not.
The story also delves into each of the three character's lives from eating disorders, infidelity and drugs and self harm. Especially Sally her distress of what was happening and how she got through it .
I thought this was an excellent book. There was so many twists that keeps you guessing who actually hurt Oliver. Not a nice subject to read about especially if you are a mother. I thought the story was very realistic and up to date in this present day.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin random House for a copy of this book.
May 31, 2017
I was so excited to read this book as I love psychological thrillers and this had been described as "The most gripping domestic suspense you'll read this year" - sorry, what?! This was the most dull 'psychological thriller' I have ever read. It was hard work to read, but I read it in about a day just because I was so adamant that there would be a huge plot twist or something juicy.
I kept reading chapter after chapter thinking, there must be something juicy happening soon! But alas, nothing exciting happened. There were no twists that left me gasping, or on the edge of my seat. And what other GoodReads users have described as a plot 'twist' was something so insignificant and almost certainly predictable, that the long lead-up to it was really not worth it. In fact, the 'twist' happened on the last couple of pages, at which point I thought: "IS THAT IT?!"
Make of that what you will, but as a big fan of psychological thrillers, this is certainly not one I will be recommending any time soon.
I kept reading chapter after chapter thinking, there must be something juicy happening soon! But alas, nothing exciting happened. There were no twists that left me gasping, or on the edge of my seat. And what other GoodReads users have described as a plot 'twist' was something so insignificant and almost certainly predictable, that the long lead-up to it was really not worth it. In fact, the 'twist' happened on the last couple of pages, at which point I thought: "IS THAT IT?!"
Make of that what you will, but as a big fan of psychological thrillers, this is certainly not one I will be recommending any time soon.
May 12, 2017
This had all the ingredients for a really good read but I just didn't get on with it. I persevered with it more through a sense of duty than my normal compulsion to pick up my book at any and every opportunity.
I've seen some people have classified this as a thriller. As an avid thriller reader this fits firmly in the mystery/fiction category.
I loved the cover, was intrigued (and sucked in) by the slightly vague synopsis and enjoyed the switches between the three main character's POV.
Thanks to Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've seen some people have classified this as a thriller. As an avid thriller reader this fits firmly in the mystery/fiction category.
I loved the cover, was intrigued (and sucked in) by the slightly vague synopsis and enjoyed the switches between the three main character's POV.
Thanks to Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2023
I'm glad the abuse wasn't mentioned a lot and that the baby wasn't even abused to begin with. I thought that this book will be more disturbing but it was actually pretty normal and not as distressing as I thought it would be.
Generally speaking, the book was able to convey the reality of child abuse in our world. It kept me on the edge of my seat not knowing who was the abuser: the mother, the father, the half-sister or the drug dealer she let into her house for a night while her parents were out?
I'm not a mother and I don't know what it must feel like to lose your child to the social working system for something you didn't really do but that's not the reason I didn't sympathise with the characters. They were all just so annoying and had some really big flaws.
I DESPISED every single one of them - except the baby ofc. Sally acts like she didn't ruin the life of an entire family by making Richard leave his wife for her. She acts like she's so innocent and keeps victimizing herself SMH. Fuck her. Richard is a fucking jerk, the worst husband you could ever have, he has a temper most of the time and is always in a bad mood, I don't know how two women decided to marry him tbh. He's ALWAYS cheating. Martha, OH GOD I HATE HER SM. She's fifteen and acts like she's five. I mean how naïve could you be? She invited a fucking drug dealer into her house and then went to his when her friend literally TOLD HER that he was trouble? And then he blackmailed her with photos to force her to sell drugs instead of him or whatever because the police are after him. Wow. Who would've thought? I hate it when women are obsessed with men to this extinct. Girl, where's your dignity? I really hate the fact that all of the women in this book were vulnerable and easy to manipulate. But they were kinda able to make up for that at the end.
Yes, I hated all of the characters but that doesn't necessarily make the book bad because I guess this was the point. Making us hate all of the characters throughout the book because one of them could be the potential abuser at the end, preventing us from siding with any character in the first place.
But then again, I feel like the author was trying to justify these people's actions from cheating to hitting their kids, they were always trying to victimize themselves and being forgiven just because they said 'sorry' like??
Generally speaking, the book was able to convey the reality of child abuse in our world. It kept me on the edge of my seat not knowing who was the abuser: the mother, the father, the half-sister or the drug dealer she let into her house for a night while her parents were out?
I'm not a mother and I don't know what it must feel like to lose your child to the social working system for something you didn't really do but that's not the reason I didn't sympathise with the characters. They were all just so annoying and had some really big flaws.
I DESPISED every single one of them - except the baby ofc. Sally acts like she didn't ruin the life of an entire family by making Richard leave his wife for her. She acts like she's so innocent and keeps victimizing herself SMH. Fuck her. Richard is a fucking jerk, the worst husband you could ever have, he has a temper most of the time and is always in a bad mood, I don't know how two women decided to marry him tbh. He's ALWAYS cheating. Martha, OH GOD I HATE HER SM. She's fifteen and acts like she's five. I mean how naïve could you be? She invited a fucking drug dealer into her house and then went to his when her friend literally TOLD HER that he was trouble? And then he blackmailed her with photos to force her to sell drugs instead of him or whatever because the police are after him. Wow. Who would've thought? I hate it when women are obsessed with men to this extinct. Girl, where's your dignity? I really hate the fact that all of the women in this book were vulnerable and easy to manipulate. But they were kinda able to make up for that at the end.
Yes, I hated all of the characters but that doesn't necessarily make the book bad because I guess this was the point. Making us hate all of the characters throughout the book because one of them could be the potential abuser at the end, preventing us from siding with any character in the first place.
But then again, I feel like the author was trying to justify these people's actions from cheating to hitting their kids, they were always trying to victimize themselves and being forgiven just because they said 'sorry' like??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2018
A brilliantly realised portrait of a family in distress, struggling to cope.
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