Book Synopsis:
An intense heatwave. A high-stakes baby shower. Will it all end in tears?
Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi have been friends since university. Now in their thirties, life is pulling them in different directions – but when Charlotte organises the baby shower of hell for pregnant Nicki, the girls are reunited.
Under a sweltering hot summer day, tensions rise – and by the end of the day, nothing will ever be the same. Someone started a fire at the house – and everyone’s a suspect…
Is it Steffi, happily child-free but feeling judged by her friends? Is it Charlotte, desperate to conceive and jealous of those who have? Is it Lauren, who is finding motherhood far, far harder than she imagined? Or is it Nicki herself, who never wanted a baby shower anyway?
In the aftermath, the police put together the facts – but the truth will shock everyone. Even you.
BIG LITTLE LIES meets EXPECTATION in the incredible new novel from Holly Bourne – it’s the book you’ll want to read three times, then give to every woman in your life.
My Review:
Raw, gripping and very emotional this is a book which I think will resonate with a lot of women. Told from the point of view of four women, nicknamed The Little Women who have known each other since university this is a story mainly about friendship and how life choices can change it over the years. As we follow the women through the story it become obvious that the previously tight knit group are struggling with different aspects of their life as they try to negotiate motherhood, pregnancy, IVF and starting their own business.
The author does a great job of laying bare the emotional and psychological impact on having a new baby in a society that seems to think you should just cope as it was your choice to have that baby. As a mother who struggled I found these parts difficult to read at times as it brough back those difficult times. I was actually lucky enough to have lots of friends and family to help but I really felt for Lauren who doesn’t have anyone to understand. Her constant comparisons between herself and other mothers made me cry at times and I just wished I could reach into the book to give her the hug I felt she needed.
I thought the book had a great pace to it and I was quickly drawn into the lives of the four women as they meet to attend a baby shower. The tension slowly creeps up as the reader becomes aware of hidden tensions between the members and certain grievances are aired. The atmosphere becomes more and more claustrophobic as the baby shower continues until it becomes almost palpable, matching the horrendously hot weather outside. I soon found the book hard to put down as I followed all the unfolding drama, wondering when everything was going to come to a head and what would happen next.
The ending was brilliant and I liked how the author keeps the book going a bit longer after the end of the baby shower so the reader can see what would happen next. It’s maybe a bit more of a positive ending then I expected but it was still a nice way to end the book.
About The Author:
Holly started her writing career as a news journalist, where she was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an editor, a relationship advisor, and general ‘agony aunt’ for a youth charity – helping young people with their relationships and mental health. Inspired by what she saw, she started writing teen fiction, including the best-selling, award-winning ‘Spinster Club’ series which helps educate teenagers about feminism. When she turned thirty, Holly wrote her first adult novel, examining the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark.
Alongside her writing, Holly has a keen interest in women’s rights and is an advocate for reducing the stigma of mental health problems. She’s helped create online apps that teach young people about sexual consent, works with Women’s Aid to spread awareness of abusive relationships, and runs Rethink’s mental health book club.
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