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The Waiting Room
From the bestselling author of When I’m Gone and Working Fire comes a gripping novel about a mother, her missing daughter, and the dark secrets that engulf them. Ever since her husband’s death collided with the birth of her daughter, postpartum depression has taken hold of Veronica Shelton. She can’t sleep, can’t work, and can’t bear to touch her beautiful baby girl. Her emotional state is whispering lies in Veronica’s You’re a bad mother. Your baby would be better off without you. But not everything can be reasoned away by Veronica’s despair. Can it? After all, the break-in at her house happened. The disturbing sketches she found in her studio are real. So is the fear for her daughter’s safety—especially when Veronica comes home to a cold, silent nursery and a missing baby. As she turns from victim into primary suspect, Veronica realizes that only she can find her daughter. Authorities aren’t helping. They’re only watching. Veronica’s concerned mother has suddenly vanished from her life. And a new friend seems to be keeping secrets from her too. Now, reality is waiting for Veronica in a dark place—because someone’s mind games have only just begun.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2018
About the author
Emily Bleeker
14 books1,411 followersEmily lives in suburban Chicago with her family. Between writing and being a mom, she attempts to learn guitar, sings along to the radio (loudly), and embraces her newfound addiction to running.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 967 reviews
August 10, 2018
I found this a very interesting book.
Veronica not only has a new baby but within weeks looses her husband.
She wakes one morning thinking her husband is looking after the baby but on further investigation none of them are in the house.
She panic. But then thinks maybe her husband has taken baby on a car ride to settle her.
She texts.
What she gets back is worrying.
Then, her husband is dead.
Her baby is safe.
Veronica suffers with postpartum depression . Or post natal depression as commonly called.
It affects 1 in 10 of new mothers. It can be mild to severe if untreated.
We see how Veronica couldn’t hold her baby. Happy to express milk but not feed her baby. Not touch her baby.
Her mother took over the care by moving in.
I have to say though her mother annoyed me. I think she could have been more supportive. Sending Veronica off for Counselling she could have worked more closely helping her own daughter.
Anyway, her mother and her fall out. She hit her mother. Now she’s full of regrets. Her baby is missing and so is her mother.
Along with the postpartum depression come mixed up thoughts, difficulty bonding and forming relationships with others.
But Geraldine makes friends with Veronica, both are damaged.
She also becomes aquintated with Mark.
It’s a very tense story with lots of dangling people including Veronica herself for a reader to unravel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Veronica not only has a new baby but within weeks looses her husband.
She wakes one morning thinking her husband is looking after the baby but on further investigation none of them are in the house.
She panic. But then thinks maybe her husband has taken baby on a car ride to settle her.
She texts.
What she gets back is worrying.
Then, her husband is dead.
Her baby is safe.
Veronica suffers with postpartum depression . Or post natal depression as commonly called.
It affects 1 in 10 of new mothers. It can be mild to severe if untreated.
We see how Veronica couldn’t hold her baby. Happy to express milk but not feed her baby. Not touch her baby.
Her mother took over the care by moving in.
I have to say though her mother annoyed me. I think she could have been more supportive. Sending Veronica off for Counselling she could have worked more closely helping her own daughter.
Anyway, her mother and her fall out. She hit her mother. Now she’s full of regrets. Her baby is missing and so is her mother.
Along with the postpartum depression come mixed up thoughts, difficulty bonding and forming relationships with others.
But Geraldine makes friends with Veronica, both are damaged.
She also becomes aquintated with Mark.
It’s a very tense story with lots of dangling people including Veronica herself for a reader to unravel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
August 13, 2018
This is a thrillingand fast-paced ride.
Veronica loses her husband soon after giving birth to her daughter Sophia. His death was devastating and in conjunction with postpartum depression these events have left Veronica emotionally vulnerable and unable to cope on her own.
One day, Veronica returns to her home after a counseling session and finds her baby gone. The police are not being as helpful and she wishes, so she takes it upon herself to find her daughter.
This was a fast-paced book with unexpected turns. I can't reveal much about the book except that I recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries and contemporary fiction.
Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
Veronica loses her husband soon after giving birth to her daughter Sophia. His death was devastating and in conjunction with postpartum depression these events have left Veronica emotionally vulnerable and unable to cope on her own.
One day, Veronica returns to her home after a counseling session and finds her baby gone. The police are not being as helpful and she wishes, so she takes it upon herself to find her daughter.
This was a fast-paced book with unexpected turns. I can't reveal much about the book except that I recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries and contemporary fiction.
Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
August 2, 2018
4 took me by surprise stars
I must say that Emily Bleeker is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. I believed The Waiting Room seemed like a classic family drama, but there were more than a few surprises in store that made me quickly lose track of time. This is definitely one of my contenders for the most gut wrenching climax. I would highly recommend this as a good choice for a book club option.
Thanks to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date is August 28, 2018
I must say that Emily Bleeker is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. I believed The Waiting Room seemed like a classic family drama, but there were more than a few surprises in store that made me quickly lose track of time. This is definitely one of my contenders for the most gut wrenching climax. I would highly recommend this as a good choice for a book club option.
Thanks to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date is August 28, 2018
August 18, 2018
The Waiting Room is a tough book to review without giving anything away. It is a highly emotional read but I found it a quick read and finished it in an evening. I have previously read books by the author and couldn't wait to read this....and then I could not put it down. There is a lot happening, and at times I was in tears for the characters and what they were going through.
Veronica's life was turned upside down when her husband was killed in a car crash. Her baby girl survived the crash but now she is having trouble bonding with her, even struggling to pick her up. She is finally starting to go to therapy to help her with her post partum depression. When she returns from a session to find her house broken into and her daughter missing she soon becomes the suspect and not the victim. The only way to get her daughter back is to do it herself. The ending is incredible and I didn't see it coming.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Veronica's life was turned upside down when her husband was killed in a car crash. Her baby girl survived the crash but now she is having trouble bonding with her, even struggling to pick her up. She is finally starting to go to therapy to help her with her post partum depression. When she returns from a session to find her house broken into and her daughter missing she soon becomes the suspect and not the victim. The only way to get her daughter back is to do it herself. The ending is incredible and I didn't see it coming.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
August 27, 2018
Veronica Shelton is suffering horribly from the effects of post-partum depression and is not even able to hold baby, Sophie, it has gotten that severe. With her husband, Nick, having passed away in a car crash, Veronica's mother comes to help her look after the baby and begs Veronica to get help. When Ronnie wakes up one morning to find an empty crib she begins to panic. From then on it's twists, turns and misdirection aplenty, with no real reason as to why we should rely on Veronica as a narrator. Unfortunately, for seasoned thriller readers a lot of the twists will be spectacularly predictable, as they were to me.
Emily Bleeker has touched on some sensitive topics in 'The Waiting Room', namely post-partum depression, which many women go through, and that is not nearly broached enough. So, kudos to the author for bringing awareness to the issue. The book also discusses love, loss and grief in the context of the story. It is very well written, and is so much more than just a thriller, there are so many emotional moments - the conclusion had me quite emotional. The pace is quite slow to start off with, but it does pick up if you're willing to put the work in to get there! The characters are realisic and likeable, and you certainly feel sympathetic towards Ronnie in particular.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few issues with the story. A lot of the story is very vague and a lot of questions most readers will have are not answered, even at the end of the book, which is a bit of a let down. Some of the about-turns are clunky and dropped from out of nowhere, whereas a great crime writer will tease the reader with clues before revealing a twist in the tale. I have the ability to suspend my disbelief as much as the next person, but there is a point when too many implausible things happen where I tend to lose the will to live, and here that point was surpassed. I would say that this is definitely better defined as womens fiction/chick lit than as a thriller as it lacked the necessary nail-biting moments to fit that genre.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Emily Bleeker has touched on some sensitive topics in 'The Waiting Room', namely post-partum depression, which many women go through, and that is not nearly broached enough. So, kudos to the author for bringing awareness to the issue. The book also discusses love, loss and grief in the context of the story. It is very well written, and is so much more than just a thriller, there are so many emotional moments - the conclusion had me quite emotional. The pace is quite slow to start off with, but it does pick up if you're willing to put the work in to get there! The characters are realisic and likeable, and you certainly feel sympathetic towards Ronnie in particular.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few issues with the story. A lot of the story is very vague and a lot of questions most readers will have are not answered, even at the end of the book, which is a bit of a let down. Some of the about-turns are clunky and dropped from out of nowhere, whereas a great crime writer will tease the reader with clues before revealing a twist in the tale. I have the ability to suspend my disbelief as much as the next person, but there is a point when too many implausible things happen where I tend to lose the will to live, and here that point was surpassed. I would say that this is definitely better defined as womens fiction/chick lit than as a thriller as it lacked the necessary nail-biting moments to fit that genre.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
August 6, 2018
I literally devoured this in under 12 hours. It was just that good! What started slow quickly picked up and delved into multiple twists and turns! This is the third book of Bleeker’s that I have read and while they have all been extremely different (I have yet to read Working Fire), they all have one thing in common - they are all excellent. When Veronica starts therapy to grieve the loss of her husband, she meets both Gillian and Mark in the waiting room and what happens next will definitely interest you!
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
August 21, 2018
4.5/5
The Waiting Room is one of those books that creeps up on you, it starts off fairly strong but the more you read, the better it gets. The intensity ramps up page by page and then there are several really well executed twists and turns that just kept sucking me in the further along I read. It was one of those books where I kept saying, what in the actual hell is going on here?!
I really felt for poor Veronica, she’s a widow and she has severe post partum depression, which is so understandable after all she’s been through. So many peculiar things keep happening to her and I kept wondering if she was just paranoid or if someone was really out to get her. I have to admit, when things started to come together I really didn’t see 99.9% of it coming which is always awesome and totally appreciated.
Bleeker’s last book (Working Fire) had an emotional component to it and while this was much more intense it still had some of that same emotional depth to it that really got to me, especially in the ending I found it to be incredibly strong and very well formed. Totally recommended as a binge read that will make you say WTF a few times, I always think some of the best thrillers make me think that!
The Waiting Room in three words: Sharp, Twisty and Complex.
The Waiting Room is one of those books that creeps up on you, it starts off fairly strong but the more you read, the better it gets. The intensity ramps up page by page and then there are several really well executed twists and turns that just kept sucking me in the further along I read. It was one of those books where I kept saying, what in the actual hell is going on here?!
I really felt for poor Veronica, she’s a widow and she has severe post partum depression, which is so understandable after all she’s been through. So many peculiar things keep happening to her and I kept wondering if she was just paranoid or if someone was really out to get her. I have to admit, when things started to come together I really didn’t see 99.9% of it coming which is always awesome and totally appreciated.
Bleeker’s last book (Working Fire) had an emotional component to it and while this was much more intense it still had some of that same emotional depth to it that really got to me, especially in the ending I found it to be incredibly strong and very well formed. Totally recommended as a binge read that will make you say WTF a few times, I always think some of the best thrillers make me think that!
The Waiting Room in three words: Sharp, Twisty and Complex.
June 11, 2018
Somebody get my Chiropractor on the line! I think I have whiplash from all the twists and turns! What a ride!
Emily Bleeker can consistently weave a story like nobody's business and The Waiting Room is no exception!
Just when you think you have it all figured out - WHAM! Whiplash. I cannot even explain my love for her writing, and the way she crafts these incredibly suspenseful stories. Knocked this one out of the park. Totally out of the park and past the parking lot, and across the highway... It's so hard to give any synopsis of the story without spoiling too much. It's just that good. There were about 4-5 scenarios I had going on i my head as to the direction this was going, and I was wrong about them all!
Just after children's book illustrator Veronica Shelton's daughter is born, tragedy strikes. Her loving, smart, funny, doting-father husband is killed and her entire life falls apart So, so badly. It's so bad that grieving Veronica can't even TOUCH her own baby daughter. She thinks she's a terrible mother, is now having her own mother taking over most of her child's duties, and is clinging onto hope she can somehow get over this through a new therapist, and very carefully, slow, tiny baby steps. But then strange things start to happen - a break-in, weird figures in her book illustrations, and then - the unthinkable. Her daughter goes missing.
Incompetent police seem to turn the tables on her and she begins to feel like a suspect. Targeted because of her fragile mental state since losing her beloved husband. Veronica decides she's going to finally be the mother that Sophie deserves, and go out and find her daughter on her own. With some strange new friends and the shreds of motherly instinct that remain inside her - she sets off to do just that.
....and cue the whiplash. Just when you think you've got it figured out. Nope, try again. That person's a good guy? Sorry - not the case! Everything going to be OK? Um... hahaaaaa! Nice try. And that ending.. PHEW! Shocker after insanely clever shocker!
Now, I like to think I'm not totally dim, and can be fairly clever at figuring things out. But Emily Bleeker is SO good at making you feel so silly for even thinking you had ANY idea what was going on. She's definitely one of my favorite authors and I was totally thinking about sending her my chiropractor bill, but it just didn't seem fair seeing as how fun the ride was :)
Emily Bleeker can consistently weave a story like nobody's business and The Waiting Room is no exception!
Just when you think you have it all figured out - WHAM! Whiplash. I cannot even explain my love for her writing, and the way she crafts these incredibly suspenseful stories. Knocked this one out of the park. Totally out of the park and past the parking lot, and across the highway... It's so hard to give any synopsis of the story without spoiling too much. It's just that good. There were about 4-5 scenarios I had going on i my head as to the direction this was going, and I was wrong about them all!
Just after children's book illustrator Veronica Shelton's daughter is born, tragedy strikes. Her loving, smart, funny, doting-father husband is killed and her entire life falls apart So, so badly. It's so bad that grieving Veronica can't even TOUCH her own baby daughter. She thinks she's a terrible mother, is now having her own mother taking over most of her child's duties, and is clinging onto hope she can somehow get over this through a new therapist, and very carefully, slow, tiny baby steps. But then strange things start to happen - a break-in, weird figures in her book illustrations, and then - the unthinkable. Her daughter goes missing.
Incompetent police seem to turn the tables on her and she begins to feel like a suspect. Targeted because of her fragile mental state since losing her beloved husband. Veronica decides she's going to finally be the mother that Sophie deserves, and go out and find her daughter on her own. With some strange new friends and the shreds of motherly instinct that remain inside her - she sets off to do just that.
....and cue the whiplash. Just when you think you've got it figured out. Nope, try again. That person's a good guy? Sorry - not the case! Everything going to be OK? Um... hahaaaaa! Nice try. And that ending.. PHEW! Shocker after insanely clever shocker!
Now, I like to think I'm not totally dim, and can be fairly clever at figuring things out. But Emily Bleeker is SO good at making you feel so silly for even thinking you had ANY idea what was going on. She's definitely one of my favorite authors and I was totally thinking about sending her my chiropractor bill, but it just didn't seem fair seeing as how fun the ride was :)
May 3, 2018
WOW! What a fabulous book. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that have you guessing what is going on only to find out you were completely wrong, then this is the book for you! From all the twists and turns in the storyline, the complex characters in the book, and watching the main character's story unfold this is a must read to add to your collection.
It was interesting to read about the main characters mental illness and the extent the human mind will go to in order to protect itself from overwhelming loss and grief. Totally didn't expect the few twists at the end of the book! Left me speechless. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
It was interesting to read about the main characters mental illness and the extent the human mind will go to in order to protect itself from overwhelming loss and grief. Totally didn't expect the few twists at the end of the book! Left me speechless. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
When an accident claims the life of her husband, leaving Veronica alone to care for her infant daughter under the crippling symptoms of post-partum depression, Veronica is left to struggle through life with only her mother as support. Every day, Veronica tries to maintain some semblance of life, continuing her work as an illustrator for a children’s book and making her daughter, Sophie’s, life perfect. There is only one problem- Veronica has been unable to hold her daughter in months. When Sophie disappears one day, Veronica is frantic but the police quickly turn to her as the main suspect. Her journal entries talk of all the times Veronica felt her “daughter would be better off without her”, and when images of a strange girl start appearing in Veronica’s drawings, she begins to doubt even herself and questions who she can trust.
“The Waiting Room” by Emily Bleeker is full of suspense, and rampant with psychological twists and turns. A story about grief and loss, parental obligation, and the lengths we go to to protect who we love and what we know.
The characters in this novel are unique; not one of them was completely trustworthy. I suspected each one of being suspicious and misleading right from the beginning, which I suppose, was the point. They were likable though, and easy to relate to. Especially the disorganized, hot mess that was Gillian; she embodied all that society would indicate as being an unworthy person, yet she held the most compassion and sincerity.
Each chapter ended in a cliff hanger, which made the novel really easy to read. The plot twists were unexpected and surprising, adding more depth to the plot than I expected at first glance.
Although there were some aspects of this novel that I was able to predict, the ending itself was a completely satisfying experience. All loose ends were tied up, and no questions remained unanswered. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this novel ended, and was delightfully surprised with the fast-paced, high-intensity suspense that the whole novel provided throughout.
A satisfying, unsuspecting, thrill ride of a read, “The Waiting Room” is a novel that will not disappoint.
When an accident claims the life of her husband, leaving Veronica alone to care for her infant daughter under the crippling symptoms of post-partum depression, Veronica is left to struggle through life with only her mother as support. Every day, Veronica tries to maintain some semblance of life, continuing her work as an illustrator for a children’s book and making her daughter, Sophie’s, life perfect. There is only one problem- Veronica has been unable to hold her daughter in months. When Sophie disappears one day, Veronica is frantic but the police quickly turn to her as the main suspect. Her journal entries talk of all the times Veronica felt her “daughter would be better off without her”, and when images of a strange girl start appearing in Veronica’s drawings, she begins to doubt even herself and questions who she can trust.
“The Waiting Room” by Emily Bleeker is full of suspense, and rampant with psychological twists and turns. A story about grief and loss, parental obligation, and the lengths we go to to protect who we love and what we know.
The characters in this novel are unique; not one of them was completely trustworthy. I suspected each one of being suspicious and misleading right from the beginning, which I suppose, was the point. They were likable though, and easy to relate to. Especially the disorganized, hot mess that was Gillian; she embodied all that society would indicate as being an unworthy person, yet she held the most compassion and sincerity.
Each chapter ended in a cliff hanger, which made the novel really easy to read. The plot twists were unexpected and surprising, adding more depth to the plot than I expected at first glance.
Although there were some aspects of this novel that I was able to predict, the ending itself was a completely satisfying experience. All loose ends were tied up, and no questions remained unanswered. I thoroughly enjoyed the way this novel ended, and was delightfully surprised with the fast-paced, high-intensity suspense that the whole novel provided throughout.
A satisfying, unsuspecting, thrill ride of a read, “The Waiting Room” is a novel that will not disappoint.
July 28, 2020
I can’t believe I waited this long to read this book, once I started I wasn’t able to put it down. This book was well written and very suspenseful. I loved the ending. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 5, 2019
I had at first thought I would give this book ***, but when I got near the end it became a solid **** for me.
Nick and Veronica are married with an infant girl named Sophie. Veronica is unable to hold her baby or care for her in any other way due to crippling postpartum depression. Nick was killed in an automobile accident involving a drunk driver and, Sophie, who was with him at the time, was injured. Veronica's mother Barb has moved in with her to help her with Sophie. Her mother and she don't always see eye-to-eye on things, particularly the raising of Sophie. Barb feels that depression is something that one can just simply "snap out of".
Veronica is seeing a therapist, Lisa, and is progressing slowly in her determination to shake the depression and learn to deal with her grief over Nick's death and to care for her baby the way a mother should.
Veronica becomes friends with a woman, older than her, named Gillian who she meets in the waiting room of her therapist. Gillian is trying to deal with the death of her son, Christopher, 19 years old.
Also a man, Mark, is seeing a therapist and is in the waiting room every time Veronica is there. She strangely keeps running into Mark at different places. The supermarket, a bar and of course the waiting room.
Now, up until this point, about 1/2 or a little more of the book is written pretty much following the summary above. But the middle to last part of the book takes off in an entirely new direction and I couldn't stop reading. Things are not as they seem but Ms. Bleeker holds on until the end to reveal everything.
I really, really liked this book. I thought Ms. Bleeker did a great job in developing all of the characters in the book. I will admit that part of the book was a little too "busy" and unbelievable. Thus, the **** stars rather than *****. I will be reading more of Emily Bleeker's books.
Nick and Veronica are married with an infant girl named Sophie. Veronica is unable to hold her baby or care for her in any other way due to crippling postpartum depression. Nick was killed in an automobile accident involving a drunk driver and, Sophie, who was with him at the time, was injured. Veronica's mother Barb has moved in with her to help her with Sophie. Her mother and she don't always see eye-to-eye on things, particularly the raising of Sophie. Barb feels that depression is something that one can just simply "snap out of".
Veronica is seeing a therapist, Lisa, and is progressing slowly in her determination to shake the depression and learn to deal with her grief over Nick's death and to care for her baby the way a mother should.
Veronica becomes friends with a woman, older than her, named Gillian who she meets in the waiting room of her therapist. Gillian is trying to deal with the death of her son, Christopher, 19 years old.
Also a man, Mark, is seeing a therapist and is in the waiting room every time Veronica is there. She strangely keeps running into Mark at different places. The supermarket, a bar and of course the waiting room.
Now, up until this point, about 1/2 or a little more of the book is written pretty much following the summary above. But the middle to last part of the book takes off in an entirely new direction and I couldn't stop reading. Things are not as they seem but Ms. Bleeker holds on until the end to reveal everything.
I really, really liked this book. I thought Ms. Bleeker did a great job in developing all of the characters in the book. I will admit that part of the book was a little too "busy" and unbelievable. Thus, the **** stars rather than *****. I will be reading more of Emily Bleeker's books.
July 9, 2018
I had tears by the time I finished this book. My heart felt as if every drop of emotion was drained out of it. I was in turmoil. I liked the book, yet I didn't like it in some parts.
The story goes like this, since her husband's death, Veronica has post partum depression. She couldn't touch her daughter. Her mother looked after the daily needs of her daughter till one day the child disappeared. And Veronica had to go searching for her daughter since police were doing nothing but suspecting her mom and herself.
My first book by author Emily Bleeker, and I loved the last 30% of the book. It made up for the first part of the book which was both confusing and haphazard. I didn't like the main character at all, not because of her circumstances, but because she seemed to be disconnected to anything. I did later realize that it was a part of the plot, this is what the author wanted to lay down the foundation.
But I came very close to DNFing it. It was just per chance that I persisted and came to the exciting parts of the book, which took my breath way. I wept for the lost mother, I wept for the lost child. I wept for the circumstances of life where a mother feels such a pain. I wept buckets!! The ending just took my heart in its hand and squeezed the last bit of emotion.
I wanted a suspense thriller, and I got a book seeped in emotions. I suppose not a bad way to spend a Monday evening.
The story goes like this, since her husband's death, Veronica has post partum depression. She couldn't touch her daughter. Her mother looked after the daily needs of her daughter till one day the child disappeared. And Veronica had to go searching for her daughter since police were doing nothing but suspecting her mom and herself.
My first book by author Emily Bleeker, and I loved the last 30% of the book. It made up for the first part of the book which was both confusing and haphazard. I didn't like the main character at all, not because of her circumstances, but because she seemed to be disconnected to anything. I did later realize that it was a part of the plot, this is what the author wanted to lay down the foundation.
But I came very close to DNFing it. It was just per chance that I persisted and came to the exciting parts of the book, which took my breath way. I wept for the lost mother, I wept for the lost child. I wept for the circumstances of life where a mother feels such a pain. I wept buckets!! The ending just took my heart in its hand and squeezed the last bit of emotion.
I wanted a suspense thriller, and I got a book seeped in emotions. I suppose not a bad way to spend a Monday evening.
October 7, 2018
Not a great read, but not a terrible one. I slogged through it, and honestly, the reason I did was because of the several reviews I had read that indicated a twist at the end, and a couple of "I didn't see that coming" remarks that piqued my interest more than the book itself. I found myself more engrossed with trying to figure out how the twist at the end would come about and if I could "see it coming" than any interest in the actual story. I could see quite a bit of what was to come, but I'll admit, there was another twist at the end which I didn't guess, and it really made the book more interesting in my eyes. In fact, I would have loved it if that had really been the focus of the whole story. I think that would have really made it an excellent novel.
I realize I'm talking in riddles here. The story is about a wife and mother who is so traumatized by the results of an auto accident that she loses her grip on day-to-day life. She finds herself unable to relate to her baby daughter and her mother moves in with her to help. At a certain point in the novel, both her mother and her daughter disappear. To avoid spoilers, I won't go into more detail, but at this point in the book, some of you may be guessing at some of what's going on. As mentioned, I mostly hung on to find out if my own suspicions were real or imagined. The story seemed a little contrived to me, but I can see how it could be considered somewhat intriguing. And there was that one point near the end that I thought was great. A solid three stars.
I realize I'm talking in riddles here. The story is about a wife and mother who is so traumatized by the results of an auto accident that she loses her grip on day-to-day life. She finds herself unable to relate to her baby daughter and her mother moves in with her to help. At a certain point in the novel, both her mother and her daughter disappear. To avoid spoilers, I won't go into more detail, but at this point in the book, some of you may be guessing at some of what's going on. As mentioned, I mostly hung on to find out if my own suspicions were real or imagined. The story seemed a little contrived to me, but I can see how it could be considered somewhat intriguing. And there was that one point near the end that I thought was great. A solid three stars.
June 18, 2018
WOW!!! I LOVED THE WAITING ROOM! It grabs you from the first page and never let's go.
Suspenseful, creative, imaginative, and did I say TWISTY? One of the Best Domestic Thrillers and will keep you guessing (trust me you will not figure this one out), until the REVEAL.
Emily Bleeker's best YET! A chart-topper. Definitely will make my Top 30 Books of 2o018! Complete review to follow. In the meantime, pre-0rder this one, and move to the TOP of your list.
Suspenseful, creative, imaginative, and did I say TWISTY? One of the Best Domestic Thrillers and will keep you guessing (trust me you will not figure this one out), until the REVEAL.
Emily Bleeker's best YET! A chart-topper. Definitely will make my Top 30 Books of 2o018! Complete review to follow. In the meantime, pre-0rder this one, and move to the TOP of your list.
October 5, 2018
I feel like I’m in the minority here, but I just did not enjoy this book. It sounded like a great story, but I found myself getting bored, not paying attention, and never reaching for it to continue reading. I didn’t connect with the characters, and the story just seemed to add random details in for convenience. It picked up for about the last 10%, but overall it was a miss for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2018
Very poorly written, I wanted to stop reading it 100 times but I kept hoping it would get better, it didn't. I was annoyed for the characters. I don't understand the 5 stars
November 8, 2019
I thought The Waiting Room was just ok. The first half was slow and boring. The second half picked up especially with the "twist" but even that was predictable. I found the characters annoying and the story unbelievable.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Emily Bleeker for a copy of "The Waiting Room" in exchange of an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Emily Bleeker for a copy of "The Waiting Room" in exchange of an honest review.
August 20, 2018
3.5 stars
A first by Emily Bleeker but it won’t be my last. It’s always exciting for me to read books by authors I’ve never read before because every author has their own way of writing a book. Some tend to focus more on the thriller aspect in a thriller novel, and some tend to focus a little more on the emotional aspect, but the thriller aspect is there.
For this book, I found the first bit a little boring and t it was until about halfway through the book where things started getting interesting. It really picked up from there and I loved the second half so very much! It was thrilling and the pace was much more faster.
The ending for me was a bit of a shocker and the conclusion really did end well and Bleeker even added a little shocker during the last few pages. I have to say that it got a little emotional and I’m not going to lie I did tear up a bit and it was just wrapped up so well. I would’ve liked a little more thrilling moments maybe in the beginning of the novel just so it would start strong and finish strong as well but I was not disappointed while reading this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
A first by Emily Bleeker but it won’t be my last. It’s always exciting for me to read books by authors I’ve never read before because every author has their own way of writing a book. Some tend to focus more on the thriller aspect in a thriller novel, and some tend to focus a little more on the emotional aspect, but the thriller aspect is there.
For this book, I found the first bit a little boring and t it was until about halfway through the book where things started getting interesting. It really picked up from there and I loved the second half so very much! It was thrilling and the pace was much more faster.
The ending for me was a bit of a shocker and the conclusion really did end well and Bleeker even added a little shocker during the last few pages. I have to say that it got a little emotional and I’m not going to lie I did tear up a bit and it was just wrapped up so well. I would’ve liked a little more thrilling moments maybe in the beginning of the novel just so it would start strong and finish strong as well but I was not disappointed while reading this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 26, 2018
Outstanding book! This one was such a page turner and the ending was completely unexpected. Loved this one.
March 8, 2023
When Veronica awakes in the night, she finds her husband and newborn baby have disappeared from the house - then she receives a text message from her husband saying sorry and that it was all his fault.
Six months down the line, Veronica's husband is dead, killed in a car crash on that fateful night, and Veronica is going to a therapist to try to understand why she has been unable to touch her baby, Sophie, since she survived the crash with her father, in an extreme case of post-natal depression. Veronica's mum has moved in with her and is helping her to cope by seeing to baby Sophie's needs. One evening, Veronica goes for drinks with a new friend she met at therapy and returns slightly the worse for wear. Waking up next morning in Sophie's nursery, she is distraught to find that Sophie is nowhere to be found - and Veronica's nightmare is just beginning...
Although narrating her own story, I found Veronica to be quite an annoying (and disturbed) character who makes some very poor decisions in the course of the book. I was expecting a bit of a twist in the tale but was absolutely stunned by the revelations that emerged in the latter stages of the book, which certainly raised my rating. Yet another great read from this author - 8.5/10.
Six months down the line, Veronica's husband is dead, killed in a car crash on that fateful night, and Veronica is going to a therapist to try to understand why she has been unable to touch her baby, Sophie, since she survived the crash with her father, in an extreme case of post-natal depression. Veronica's mum has moved in with her and is helping her to cope by seeing to baby Sophie's needs. One evening, Veronica goes for drinks with a new friend she met at therapy and returns slightly the worse for wear. Waking up next morning in Sophie's nursery, she is distraught to find that Sophie is nowhere to be found - and Veronica's nightmare is just beginning...
Although narrating her own story, I found Veronica to be quite an annoying (and disturbed) character who makes some very poor decisions in the course of the book. I was expecting a bit of a twist in the tale but was absolutely stunned by the revelations that emerged in the latter stages of the book, which certainly raised my rating. Yet another great read from this author - 8.5/10.
October 12, 2018
The book starts off with Veronica dealing with death of her husband and the birth of her new baby daughter Sophie and PPD. Her PPD is so bad she can’t even look at her daughter so her mother is there to help her with Sophie and Veronica is going to therapy. At therapy she meets Gillian and mark. Gillian is dealing with the death of her son and Mark with his wife. Someone breaks into Veronica’s home one evening and the next week she comes home from dinner with Gillian and Sophie is missing! The story follows Veronica searching for Sophie and discovering that the people closest to her may not be who they seem. I enjoyed this book I did feel like the story was a little all over the place at times. The ending wrapped it up though! I give this book four stars.
February 21, 2023
WOW--I never saw that twist coming near the end of the book. Fantastic!
Highly recommended.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley.
Highly recommended.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley.
May 27, 2022
WOWWW! I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but this was completely different than I imagined, it was incredible! The last half of the book omg I had goosebumps and could not see what was coming next. This book confused me, made me cry, and gave me all the emotions. I don’t want to say much because of spoilers but if you love thrillers you need to read this! Mind blowing.
August 21, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for a copy of this book.
This book was very hard to put down. Emily Bleeker did a great job of writing about postpartum depression. After giving birth to a daughter and losing her husband to a drunk driver Veronica’s life is never the same. She can’t touch her baby and stays to herself in a bad depression. Her mother takes care of the baby and finally tells Veronica she has to get help or she’s leaving.
There are four very main characters in this story. Veronica, her mother, two people from her therapy building, Gillian and Mark. She has to learn to trust someone again. Trust that they won’t leave or hurt her.
When Veronica/Ronnie comes home from a night out with Gillian she’s a bit drunk. She made up her mind to go into her baby’s room and touch her. She wakes the next morning to an empty crib and from there this story takes a turn that will not let you go. You will experience so many twists and turns that you won’t know what is going to happen next. It’s one that you won’t soon forget and won’t want to end. Several surprises that you won’t see coming make this a book that must be on your TBR list. The characters are so real and so likable. The story is captivating and so realistic. The ending will make you cry. There is no way around that. Veronica learns to forgive, to live, to have compassion for others and that she is human. Human’s have feelings and it’s ok. Another good book by Emily Bleeker for sure.
This is a great book. A big 5 stars for me.
This book was very hard to put down. Emily Bleeker did a great job of writing about postpartum depression. After giving birth to a daughter and losing her husband to a drunk driver Veronica’s life is never the same. She can’t touch her baby and stays to herself in a bad depression. Her mother takes care of the baby and finally tells Veronica she has to get help or she’s leaving.
There are four very main characters in this story. Veronica, her mother, two people from her therapy building, Gillian and Mark. She has to learn to trust someone again. Trust that they won’t leave or hurt her.
When Veronica/Ronnie comes home from a night out with Gillian she’s a bit drunk. She made up her mind to go into her baby’s room and touch her. She wakes the next morning to an empty crib and from there this story takes a turn that will not let you go. You will experience so many twists and turns that you won’t know what is going to happen next. It’s one that you won’t soon forget and won’t want to end. Several surprises that you won’t see coming make this a book that must be on your TBR list. The characters are so real and so likable. The story is captivating and so realistic. The ending will make you cry. There is no way around that. Veronica learns to forgive, to live, to have compassion for others and that she is human. Human’s have feelings and it’s ok. Another good book by Emily Bleeker for sure.
This is a great book. A big 5 stars for me.
October 7, 2018
Amazing!
The Waiting Room took me on a ride I was not expecting. What a rollercoaster! Emily has expertly crafted a bestseller in my opinion. I’ve connected with each character in a way that I’ve never imagined.
The Waiting Room took me on a ride I was not expecting. What a rollercoaster! Emily has expertly crafted a bestseller in my opinion. I’ve connected with each character in a way that I’ve never imagined.
July 29, 2018
My Review of “The Waiting Room” by Emily Bleeker Lake Union Publishing, August ,2018
OMG!! WOW!! KUDOS to Emily Bleeker, Author of “The Waiting Room” for an intense, captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, chilling thriller. “The Waiting Room” is a novel, that is a page turner, riveting, and I couldn’t put it down. I read this in one sitting. After reading the conclusion of this novel, I am absolutely flabbergasted, shocked, and have to admit that I never would have expected this ending!!! The Genres for this novel are Psychological Thriller, Suspense and Mystery and Fiction.
The author describes her cast of characters as complex, complicated , quirky and dysfunctional. Veronica Shelton, a famous illustrator is a shell of her former self, after her husband dies in an accident, at the same time that she has given birth to a baby girl. Veronica’s mother comes to live with her and helps her take care of the baby. Her mother insists that Veronica go for grief counseling to better come to terms and deal with her loss and life.
In the waiting room in the therapist’s office, Veronica meets some quirky people. Veronica constantly deals with the fear that she is a bad mother, and that her baby would be better off without her. Veronica can’t even hold her daughter.Soon very strange things seem to be happening in Veronica’s home. There are twists and turns.
One day Veronica comes home to find her baby daughter and mother gone. There is also blood at the scene. Immediately Veronica calls for help. Is Veronica a victim or suspect? What is going on? This story reminds me a little of the movie “The Sixth Sense”. WARNING: Don’t read before bedtime.!!! I would highly recommend this frightening and suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy stories with shocking conclusions. I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review!!
OMG!! WOW!! KUDOS to Emily Bleeker, Author of “The Waiting Room” for an intense, captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, chilling thriller. “The Waiting Room” is a novel, that is a page turner, riveting, and I couldn’t put it down. I read this in one sitting. After reading the conclusion of this novel, I am absolutely flabbergasted, shocked, and have to admit that I never would have expected this ending!!! The Genres for this novel are Psychological Thriller, Suspense and Mystery and Fiction.
The author describes her cast of characters as complex, complicated , quirky and dysfunctional. Veronica Shelton, a famous illustrator is a shell of her former self, after her husband dies in an accident, at the same time that she has given birth to a baby girl. Veronica’s mother comes to live with her and helps her take care of the baby. Her mother insists that Veronica go for grief counseling to better come to terms and deal with her loss and life.
In the waiting room in the therapist’s office, Veronica meets some quirky people. Veronica constantly deals with the fear that she is a bad mother, and that her baby would be better off without her. Veronica can’t even hold her daughter.Soon very strange things seem to be happening in Veronica’s home. There are twists and turns.
One day Veronica comes home to find her baby daughter and mother gone. There is also blood at the scene. Immediately Veronica calls for help. Is Veronica a victim or suspect? What is going on? This story reminds me a little of the movie “The Sixth Sense”. WARNING: Don’t read before bedtime.!!! I would highly recommend this frightening and suspenseful novel for those readers who enjoy stories with shocking conclusions. I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review!!
March 27, 2020
I have given this a few days before reviewing it, and I still am uncertain what to say. It was not a page-turner for me. It wasn't predictable per se. In fact, about three times I thought Sophie had gone missing but she hadn't. But it always wasn't a scintillating mystery. I thought it was written well, but I think I'm just over the idea of such unreliable protagonists. I like to have to figure out a mystery, and I almost would rather it be a little predictable than to find out in the end that the protagonist is actually unreliable. This wasn't the same as Girl on the Train where she knew all along, as did the reader, that she wasn't quite remembering things right. I didn't mind that so much. That was mysterious. But the way it was done in this particular book felt cheap. The premise could have gripped me, but it just didn't. It had all the right pieces to make a good book but it fell short for me. I don't even know if I'll remember it when I look back at my read list.
>>Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
>>Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
August 21, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date is August 28, 2018.
I was excited to read this but the story fell flat for me. I thought it was very very slow and there was a lot of unnecessary detail/sub-story. I had a very hard time continuing to read it and finishing it. I also felt like the whole premise of what happened was very farfetched and you had to really be able to stretch your beliefs to be able to enjoy the story, which I wasn't able to do. I also didn't attach to Veronica or Gillian, I felt they were both weak characters that were not very likable. Mark was just a farfetched bizarre character, that I couldn't even deal with him being so included in the situation.
If you like your reality to be far fetched with crazy twists and turns then you may like this book, but it wasn't for me.
I was excited to read this but the story fell flat for me. I thought it was very very slow and there was a lot of unnecessary detail/sub-story. I had a very hard time continuing to read it and finishing it. I also felt like the whole premise of what happened was very farfetched and you had to really be able to stretch your beliefs to be able to enjoy the story, which I wasn't able to do. I also didn't attach to Veronica or Gillian, I felt they were both weak characters that were not very likable. Mark was just a farfetched bizarre character, that I couldn't even deal with him being so included in the situation.
If you like your reality to be far fetched with crazy twists and turns then you may like this book, but it wasn't for me.
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