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greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Dementia, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Medical content
quietcoastline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Death, Medical trauma, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Infertility, Pregnancy, and Excrement
stephsbooktalk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was my first Sally Hepworth book so I wasn't sure what to expect. I am not sure if Sally does this in all her books but I really love the 3 different point of views/storylines - Heather, Tully & Rachel .
Sisters Rachel & Tully each have their own complicated lives while dealing with their mother, Pamela who has Alzheimer's and their dad (Stephen) who is a doctor who is suddenly engaged to a younger woman. Rachel has always been the beautiful & growing up the boys always were after her until suddenly she had no interest. Tully is married to Sonny with two boys who on paper seems to have a perfect life but her life is far from perfect. A bad investment deal turns into them losing their savings & Tully is a kleptomaniac. Heather is an interior designer whom is younger than both Rachel & Tully who essentially is an orphan. She falls for Stephen who is still a married to Pamela.
Things began not to add up when Heather was experiencing unexplained injuries that seem to occur when she would drink. Even when she would hardly drink, somehow Stephen would twist things around to make her think that she was crazy. Things really took a twist when Rachel was giving a hot water bottle that contained not just a couple dollars in but almost $100k with two names written down - Tully & a woman by the name of FIona Arthur. Stephen denied not knowing who Fiona was which of course turned out to be a lie.
I thought the book flowed great & really kept me on my toes and left me wanting more. And like most thrillers everyone was a suspect.
Where it fell flat for me is that we really didn't get a conclusion on whether or not Stephen really was abusive to any of his wives or was he just a master manipulator? Maybe that is part of the reading where we are left up to our own interpretation but I just don't do well with open ended endings. Especially for a thriller, I need it wrapped up in a pretty bow. I also did not get the point of bringing in Fiona Arthur with the exception of her being his first wife & that he "hurt" her and yet he was still her love of her life? I just thought she would play a bigger role than what she really was.
I was though really happy that Rachel has begun to work through her relationships with men & seems to have found a perfect match in Darcy (I was waiting for him to somehow be involved in the mystery). Tully was such a complex mess and I loved her. I don't think I have ever read a character quite like her before. I was so proud of her development by the end of the book and love that her husband stuck with her through it.
CW: alcoholism, gaslighting, domestic/physical abuse, miscarriage, rape
I am rating this a 3.5 as I just was wanting more from the ending.
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage and Medical content
aliasbooklover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence