What I Loved:

Little Secrets was such an amazingly well-written story. I was completely entranced by it! I loved how I kept thinking I knew where the plot was headed, and then a twist, and I’d be completely off-guard again!

How I Felt:

How have I never read a book by Jennifer Hillier?!?! Her writing is amazing! I have NEVER cried while reading a mystery/thriller before. This is a first for me. Her ability to draw every possible emotion from the reader was impressive. I fully enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading another one by her!

The writing was excellent! I mean, I cried. And it’s a thriller! Who cries reading a thriller? Well, I did, and I can’t really tell you why because that would be a spoiler, and I don’t do that. BUT I will say that Jennifer Hillier connected me to the characters in such a wonderful way. They were people my heart went out to…and a little bit because I’m a mom and the book got to me. Regardless though, I was feeling this book deep down thanks to the writing. I loved it.

The characters were all filled with their own secrets that they tell you about a little at a time throughout the story. Marin is a mother who let go of her son’s hand for a few seconds, and he was abducted. It’s terrifying for anyone to think about, but watching the aftermath for her was heartbreaking. I liked that she had different people supporting her in different ways and that we got to meet them. It made the whole story feel well-rounded.

The story begins with the abduction of Marin’s son. I liked that we jump forward in time 16 months after the abduction. The story references incidences that happen during that block of time, but I liked that the present day was somewhat removed and made the abduction feel a little less raw, emotionally. Marin finds out through her private investigator that her husband is having an affair. She becomes obsessed. Trying to balance the disappearance of her son and the news of this infidelity has her heading over the edge. I liked that the story jumps into the POV of the mistress for a while. It was an interesting perspective and made the story move at such a fast pace. We knew what Marin knew, and then what the mistress was up to. It created an excellent story that had me guessing over and over again about what, exactly, was going on!

Overall: I loved every word of Little Secrets. I was sucked in at the beginning, the middle, and the end. I truly couldn’t put it down. With excellent writing, great characters, and a plot that kept me on my toes, this was a thriller I loved.

Content Warning:

This book contains references to and discussion about child abduction, suicide, murder, adultery, and physical violence.

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend Little Secrets for readers that enjoy a thriller that will keep them guessing, and doesn’t have that dreaded slowdown in the middle!

Where to Find This Book:

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is available at these sites.

Bookshop.org | Amazon Kindle | Amazon | Goodreads

From the author of Jar of Hearts, a mother driven to the edge by the disappearance of her son learns her husband is having an affair with the woman who might have kidnapped him.
Four hundred and eighty seconds. That’s how long it took for someone to steal Marin Machado’s four-year-old son.

Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family. Up until the day Sebastian is taken.

A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. The only thing keeping her going is the unlikely chance that one day Sebastian reappears. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding him, she discovers that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman.

Kenzie Li is an artist and grad student—Instagram famous—and up to her eyeballs in debt. She knows Derek is married. She also knows he’s rich, and dating him comes with perks: help with bills, trips away, expensive gifts. He isn’t her first rich boyfriend, but she finds herself hoping he’ll be the last. She’s falling for him—and that was never part of the plan.

Discovery of the affair sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix. But as she sets a plan in motion, another revelation surfaces. Derek’s lover might know what happened to their son. And so might Derek.

Just the Facts:

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Page Count: 352 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pub Date: April 21, 2020

I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

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