All is fine until Bry, Alba (her daughter), and little Clemmie catches the measles, leaving Clemmie with lifelong repercussions. But it turns out some things have gone unspoken between them, and some lies may cause irreparable damage.

The story, set in the UK, starts out with a brief history of Elizabeth and Bry's friendship, their families and their spots in the community. It was actually the character of Rosalyn who appeared strongly to me first, because I think she is an aspirational woman: she lives her life how she chooses without apology.Despite being complete opposites they became friends and are now neighbours, both married with children. I have never read anything with so much accuracy before, it made the characters of Alba and Clemmie so vivid in my mind. Close friends and now neighbours, they’re godmothers to one another’s daughters, and have found a way to balance each of their differences, except on one big issue - vaccinating their daughters. They’re the best of friends, and godmothers to each other’s daughters – because they trust that the safety of their children is both of their top priority.

Retrospectively, I think I was probably writing about my own experience of conflict about what kind of mum I was going to be: not knowing, and feeling like there were all these external influences that I was seeking out to discover my maternal identity, but also found utterly baffling and really confusing. Neither Elizabeth or Bry are particularly likeable or warm characters and this actually works to the benefit of the novel as I found it allowed me to be all the more objective about the situation that transpired and the raw vulnerability that it exposes in both women. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.Gripping, thought-provoking, moving and oh-so-topical, The Herd tackles the most divisive parenting issue of our age with skill and compassion. The characters weren't really developed beyond their initial stereotypes, the portrayal of marriage seems particularly outdated and the story doesn't delve into the topic at all.