Category: General Fiction

Scandalous by Tilly Bagshawe

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My Rating: 5/5

Sasha Miller is a young Cambridge physics student. She sets off for Cambridge with aspirations to become a scientist. What she doesn’t realise is that she will pay the ultimate price for her ambitions. Her tutor, Theo Dexter, looks like a movie star. He has it all, the looks, the charm and the intelligence. He is also a married man. Sasha finds herself on the wrong end of Theo’s self centred ways and leaves the UK for good with her heart broken. She is determined to make a life for herself so heads to the US and finds herself taking her career on a whole other path. Meanwhile, Theo’s wife Theresa is also suffering. When Theo casts her aside for a younger and more attractive woman she too tries to move on with her life. What she doesn’t realise is that in years to come not only will she meet up with Sasha Miller once again, but she will be asked to seek revenge against Theo.

Oh…my…GOD! Where have I been? This book has been in my ever growing pile of books to read for a little while and to be frank, would have stayed towards the bottom were it not for the rave reviews for it on certain websites. I am so glad that I made the time to read this because it was a corker of a book.

Although I tend to read a lot of crime and thriller type books I love a good Chick Lit book. I find that most of the more mainstream authors I have read or at least tried one of their books. Tilly Bagshawe however failed to reach my radar. I am also a huge fan of the Jackie Collins type smutty `bonkbusters’ (I can almost hear people sighing with disdain). Tilly Bagshawe managed to create a perfect combination between the `bonkbuster’ and the traditional `chick lit’.The characters were written brilliantly and you found yourself either loving or loathing them which is a true sign that the author is doing their job! Sasha Miller is more predominant in the first half of the book and slowly as the book and years progress we see much more of Theresa.

The book is set over a number of years but Tilly Bagshawe has managed to get the balance spot on in terms of time. We see just the right amount of each segment of their lives before moving 5 years down the road. She has created possibly one of the most arrogant male lead characters in this book which I just love. Not only do we get to see the book set over different times, but different parts of the world as well. It is set in Cambridge and then we move across the waters to New York once people’s lives move on.I loved the fact that none of the storyline was predictable. Once I had finished I had a real sense of satisfaction and couldn’t wait to order another of her books. She wrapped everything up nicely and managed to pull out many surprises over the course of the book. I read this book over a day and a half and am still slightly in shock that I have never read any of her work before.

This book had everything you could want, sex, glamour, revenge, love and fantastic characters. As a reader I could not ask for anything better and would highly recommend this book.

The Love Verb by Jane Green

My Rating: 4/5

Jane Green is a best-selling author that has been writing since 1997 with her debut novel Straight Talking. Once I had discovered her, I read every single book she had published. I then ensured that all of her new publications were on my pre-order list. However, when I reached her book Girl Friday I felt such disappointment. I felt like she had gone off the boil and lost her touch. When I saw that her new book had been released, I ordered it with the hope that maybe the last book was a blip. I think that after reading this book I am in two minds.

This book is about two sisters Callie and Steffi. Callie is the typical mother with husband and two kids who lives in the suburbs very happily. Her younger sister Steffi is the free spirit that still lives in the heart of New York, moving from job to job and man to man. Callie has everything and more, her children are her life, her relationship with her sister is good and she is still madly in love with her husband. Steff is working as a chef in New York and dating her latest in a string of Rock Star boyfriends. We also meet Lila who is Callie’s best friend. In the past she has struggled with relationships but has now met the man Ed who she thinks is `The One’.

It is extremely hard to give an idea on how the book progresses as it would be a major spoiler, but hence to say there is a `life changing experience’ that effects everybody’s life. The characters are written in true Jane Green style and I felt like her writing was back to her best. Although her writing was great the story itself was a little too sad for my liking. Having read to the end of the book Jane Green has written a chapter about why she has written this book and I have to say I believe this book was a good thing for her to do.

The story itself was well constructed and the characters were loveable. Many people will be able to empathise with the situation but I defy many to not reach for the tissues when reading it. I can only hope that this book was her comeback and maybe a soul-searching experience for her. I just hope that Jane Green in future returns to her well-loved recipe of great writing and storytelling with that feel good feeling about it. I would recommend this book but just be warned that is not the happiest book you will read and maybe you need to be prepared for that.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

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My Rating: 4/5

Jodi Picoult is an author that I, like many others, are very aware of and the majority of her new books seem to be very popular. However for some reason I have never gone out of my way to ever read any of her work. When this book landed on my lap I was genuinely intrigued.

Jodi Picoult has been publishing books since her debut novel `Songs of The Humpback Whale’ in 1992. Since then she has gone on to write a further 16 novels including her latest `House Rules’ which was published in May 2010. Her books are translated into 34 languages in 35 countries and 3 of her books have been made into television movies. More recently her book `My Sister’s Keeper’ was turned into a big screen release starring Cameron Diaz.

Like I said previously I was intrigued by the jacket detail of this book as Jodi appeared to be focussing on a subject that I am sure many people have never heard of. Asperger’s Syndrome. Jacob Hunt is 18 and looks just like any other 18 year old boy. The difference is that Jacob is not like any other boy in his town. He lives with Asperger’s which is a form of autism. Jacob tends to fixate on certain things and his most current fixation is Forensic Science. He avoids eye contact, will only eat certain colour foods on certain days and has an almost photographic memory. His mother Emma not only has to deal with Jacob, but has to raise her other son, 15 year old Theo, on her own as a single mother. Jacob regularly turns up at crime scenes where he offers unwanted advice to the police about the forensic tests they should be running. One day, Jacob returns home from his meeting with his social skills tutor and is behaving oddly. His mother Emma finds that when the police turn up on her doorstep they only have bad news to give. Jacob’s tutor Jess was found dead and now they want to question her son about what had happened. All of the innocent traits associated with Asperger’s, like not looking somebody in the eye; now all seem like the signs of a person who is guilty. Emma, Jacob and Theo are thrown in at the deep end and have to fight to prove his innocence.

I admit I had never until reading this book, heard of Asperger’s Syndrome. Of course I had heard of autism but not of this individual type. The story is written incredibly well and we are introduced to Jacob with a wide understanding of his individual quirks and traits that come with his syndrome. I couldn’t help but grow to like Jacob and his quirky ways. Jodi Picoult introduces each character by chapter and along with that she changes the typeset so that it is very clear which character you are following.

Each character is written with feeling and compassion, to the point that even as they are making bad choices you can’t help but feel for them. Along the way we meet Rich who is the Detective in charge of the murder of Jess as he tries to catch who he thinks is the right killer. We also meet Oliver who is a lawyer who is just starting out. Oliver becomes not only their lawyer but an integral part of their lives. He gets to see the Hunt family day in day out and in all kinds of situations. He witnesses Jacob’s `meltdowns’, where he cannot cope with a situation and has to be coaxed out of it by reciting movie quotes or singing Bob Marley. The book is incredibly well written due to not only the talent of the author but the compassion she shows in writing about subjects that are open for debate. I found to my surprise that I was over halfway through the book and I still had no real idea of what had happened, I just felt that I knew the characters that bit better. As the book progresses through the second half we are drawn into the court case that the Hunt’s have to prepare for.

Overall I actually enjoyed the book and the story it told but was extremely let down by the ending. I actually visited her website after I finished her book and had a browse at her other books. It seems that she writes about subjects that are extremely sensitive or subjects that are currently being debated in one way or another. I am not saying I didn’t enjoy this book, it’s just that I question it when an author produces books that only cover sensationalist subjects. I think that Picoult fans will not be disappointed however can’t say that I would rush out to pre-order her next book.

After The Party by Lisa Jewell

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My Rating: 5/5

Well it has been 11 long years since Lisa Jewell released a book entitled Ralph’s Party. She wrote and I read Ralphs party (unbelievably) 11 years ago and even back then her writing was great.

In Ralph’s Party we meet the residents of 31 Almanac Road, who consist of flatmates Ralph and Smith and their new neighbour who moves in, Jemimah. Upstairs live Karl and Siobhan and they have been unmarried for fifteen years albeit happily. When Cheri moves in to the flat above them she causes havoc by deciding that Karl is the man she wants and sees no reason that a girlfriend should get in the way. The book itself leads us into their lives and sees the end result with both Ralph and Jem getting together and leaving the book with that happy ever after feeling.

However, Lisa Jewell decided that 11 years later she would transport us back to Ralph and Jem’s current relationship with her book entitled After The Party. So a few years down the line we find that Ralph and Jem are unmarried, but living together with their two young children. Things are not all sweetness and light and Jem is feeling unsettled with just about everything. She is currently trying to raise her demanding and Diva like daughter Scarlett, still nurture her baby boy Blake, and keep her career going with a difficult client as well as keeping her marriage to Ralph on an even keel.

Both Ralph and Jem find that life doesn’t seem that simple anymore. Jem begins to feel quietly disgruntled with everything that Ralph does and Ralph is feeling more and more like he’s not even part of his own family. Slowly they realise that their ideal family life that they viewed all those years ago through rose tinted glasses is nothing like their present reality. Whilst Jem and Ralph both go on their own paths of discovery they both wonder at whether their relationship can survive. Will they make it through or will they be like the thousands of others that have tried and failed to make a marriage work.

Firstly, I cannot believe that an author has finally made the fantastic move to revisit a previous `happy ending’ story. I really enjoyed Ralph’s Party but found that not only did I enjoy this current book, but I fell in love with the characters all over again. Lisa Jewell has exceeded every expectation I could have imagined and produced an absolutely first class book. She didn’t take the easy option of the characters being 100% happy with a perfect life. This book is far from what most would expect an easy `chick lit’ author to produce. Lisa Jewell tackles all of the gritty real life issues that couple who are married and with a family may encounter.

She managed to keep the spirit of these characters but yet developed them as older and wiser from what they were in Ralph’s Party. There are some sensitive issues that I think are dealt with incredibly well although I’m reluctant to be specific as I don’t want any spoilers in my review. The story is started with the current situation that Jem finds herself in and slowly introduces the past year and the story unfolds as the reader gets further into the book. What I also loved was the fact that the author didn’t rush the ending and the reader is still wondering what will be the outcome right until the last few chapters. I cannot praise this book enough and would highly recommend it to anybody. It’s isn’t necessary to read the first book Ralph’s Party but for those that have I think this is a wonderful way to look at the progression of Ralph and Jem’s life. An absolutely fabulous read that can’t be awarded anything other than 5 out of 5. Get out there and get yourself a copy!

One Day In May by Catherine Alliott

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My Rating: 4/5

I have been reading Catherine Alliots books for a while now and her last book `The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton’ I loved. When I picked this book up I was expecting it to be just as good if not better. I am still unsure how I feel about this book. Don’t get me wrong, her writing is still brilliant as her characters but I felt like there was something missing and I can’t put my finger on what.

Hattie as a character was great.

She is a woman who seems to have a very happy life but as the first few chapters go in we start to delve into her past. We are given snippets of her past and what she endured when she was first out of college. We are introduced to Hal her friend who was totally devoted to her. When Hal agrees to get Hattie a job working for his brother Dominic she jumps at the chance. It is at this stage in her life when things don’t go quite according to plan. She ends up falling for Dominic who is married and expecting his first child.

When back in her `current’ life we meet her work partner Maggie who is feisty and strong, all of the things Hattie feels she isn’t. However their work life is coming along nicely and when Hattie’s sister Laura moves into a big pad in the country they jump at the chance to pitch for the commission to redecorate and design the family home. They also find when they arrive that they are pitching against Ralph De Grandville who is a world class designer and a Diva to boot. This makes for some great scenes between fiery Maggie and Ralph.

When they finally arrive in the village Hattie is a little worried but tries to bury her past secrets and move on. With the introduction of Letty who lives down the road and her daughter Cassie things don’t quite go for plan for Hattie in more ways than one. Letty is Dominic’s widow and Cassie their child. Along with Letty and Cassie she also bumps into Hal who she hasn’t seen in many years and this also causes problems for her. The way the story is written, flittering back and forth is quite good because you are consumed by the story slowly and it works itself up to the finale which was completely unexpected.

In Hattie’s personal life we meet Ivan her new toy boy who to be frank, we don’t really hear that much of. This along with the fact that the ending surprised me was maybe why I had reluctance to say this book was brilliant. There were moments when I was completely absorbed in the book. The storyline with Hattie’s son Seffy was really good and made for some shocking and heart warming scenes.

We also are taken back through Hattie’s past to a time when she was working out in Bosnia with her brother Kit. This part of the story was pretty good and you get a good insight into why Hattie makes some of her decisions. It’s also a great foundation for the second part of the book. Her son Seffy is integrated throughout the story but really comes into his own in the second half. Hattie’s family were written with great strength because each one wormed their way into my heart; especially Hattie’s mum, dad and brother.

Like I said before I did enjoy this book, but felt there was something missing. Maybe because I enjoyed her last book so much I felt a little let down with this one. This certainly doesn’t mean this isn’t a good book, just lacking that certain something. I think overall Catherine Alliott has produced another good book as she always has. I only have doubts that maybe this didn’t have as much spark for me in comparison to something like her last book. I will continue to pre-order her books and look forward to the next one.

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson

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My Rating: 5/5

Poppy and Serena were 18 when an event took place that would change both their lives forever. Marcus was their school teacher and he ends up dead with only Serena and Poppy as witnesses. The media have a field day and label the pair `The Ice Cream Girls’. Twenty years on and their lives went in completely different directions. There are however secrets from their past that Serena is desperate to keep hidden and Poppy is determined to bring to light.

I originally came across Dorothy Koomson by accident after picking up the wrong book in a bookshop. I was very glad that `accident’ happened otherwise I may never have found this truly brilliant writer. The first book of hers I read was Marshmallows For Breakfast and what a joy it was to read. That followed with all of her other publications and I can honestly say I have not been disappointed with any of her books.

One thing I want to point out is the genre of these books. I would hazard a guess that most of her books are put into the Chick Lit genre which isn’t that true, especially where this book is concerned. The front cover may lead you to think this is a feel good book but don’t be fooled. This is a very heartfelt and in parts powerful book telling an incredibly sad story.

The story is written in two parts one being written from Serena’s perspective and one from Poppy’s. Not only that, we are taken on a journey through the current nightmare that they are both facing. Not only are we swept up into their current lives but are given glimpses of their past as the story progresses.

We meet Serena and her husband Evan who knows nothing of her past. She does everything in her power to stop him from finding out about her and what she used to be like. Unfortunately for her there are things in her life that are threatening to put her perfect life at risk and her secrets won’t stay that way for long. We also get introduced to Poppy and learn about her relationship with her parents, brother and sister.

We get to share their pain as they relive both their pasts and their attempts to move on with their life in the way they know best. I felt at times that I was almost sitting beside these two women and sharing their experiences. The writing is done wonderfully with the right balance of emotion and meaning. It covers some very sensitive topics which are done with empathy but bares the souls of the characters involved in the book.

The switch between Poppy and Serena, past and present was done with ease and as the reader you are just swept along whether that be to the current day or their murky pasts. As the story progresses it picks up pace and manages to pack a serious punch in the last 5 chapters.

It is hard to go into too much detail about the book itself because I do not like spoilers and the theme running through this book is the whole point of the story. All I can say is that I didn’t want to put this down until I had finished, it was that good. I’m not a naturally sensitive person but I would be surprised if anybody read this and didn’t feel the tug of emotion whilst reading this story. It is truly a wonderful book, not always happy, not always easy to read, but truly, truly wonderful. If you have not read Dorothy Koomson and you want something different then this would be a good place to start.

Take A Chance on Me by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 5/5

Cleo and Abbie Quinn are sisters. Abbie is happily married to Tom and has been since she was young. They are envied by people living in their village as they seem to have the perfect marriage. Cleo on the other hand has never had much luck with men. Her latest boyfriend Will seems to tick all of the boxes. One of Cleo’s old school friends Johnny LaVenture turns up back in the village and he has never been Cleo’s favourite person. Having teased her mercilessly at school Cleo can’t bear to be around him. Meanwhile Abbie’s husband is behaving strangely; he is being very withdrawn and is definitely hiding something. When she finds out the shocking truth, she is not only shocked, but completely unaware that her life is about to turn head over heels. Both sisters realise that the past is never too far away and that it can ultimately destroy everything.

I have my preference for reading and it falls either into the Crime/Thrillers genre or Chick Lit. When it comes to Chick Lit, Jill Mansell is one of the favourites amongst many of my friends and family. I have read every single one of her books and thoroughly loved at least 95% of them. However in recent years with other authors breaking through and the older authors producing great stories she hasn’t shone as much for me. Luckily with this book she has re-taken her crown. She is firmly placed in the Chick Lit Elite and quite rightly so.

It is very hard to review and give opinion when you don’t want to give too much away so forgive me if some of it seems cryptic. Overall this story flowed off the pages and with each page I read it became even more enjoyable.

The two sisters are nothing like each other, which personally I love. They have two completely different situations to deal with but throughout the whole story are there for each other. Mansell writes two threads in the book one for each sister. They are a joy to read because each of them has their own strange quirks which make them pretty loveable but not perfect.

Cleo’s story is difficult to comment on but it was written extremely well with one of the two men appearing in her life getting a great come-uppance. Cleo is a chauffeur and on her journey we get to meet a famous start she is driving around Casey Kruger and he is written as the bolshie and obnoxious typical star. We also meet Ash who is Cleo’s best friend and neighbour. Not only is Ash a neighbour he is a minor celebrity in the village hosting a Radio Station Programme where he has a devout following of female fans.

Abbie on the other hand is battling her issues with her husband. She manages to get the wrong end of the stick and gets herself in a sticky predicament that could cause the break up of her marriage.

The Queen of New Beginnings by Erica James

My Rating: 4/5

Clayton Miller has lost everything. He was one of the country’s best selling comedy script writers. His writing partner and best friend Bazza drops a bombshell and leaves not only the partnership but takes Claytons long term girlfriend Stacey with him. Clayton is on the edge and when the press start hounding him, his agent decides that a break out in the sticks where nobody knows him will do him good until the media hype dies down. Clayton moves into a house through rented by one of his agents friends. When he arrives he doesn’t expect to see anybody, so when a cleaning lady turns up from the agency he is shocked. Alice Shoemaker is the cleaner, except what Clayton doesn’t realise is that she is actually a Voiceover artist and is doing this job to help out a friend. Alice quickly realises that this rude and obnoxious man is acting suspiciously. Clayton in turn is also realising that Alice is not quite telling the truth. Over time the two of them form a friendship but what they don’t realise is the extent of the deception that both of them are guilty of.

I have read each and every one of Erica James’ books. I have always enjoyed them and rated them at least 4 out of 5, except for her last book `It’s the little things’. I was disappointed to a certain extent and only gave it 3 out of 5, so I was hopeful that this book would be an improvement on her last as I have always enjoyed her books. Thankfully this one is a definite improvement.

The story is pretty quick to gather momentum and I fell for the characters almost immediately, which is always a positive in my eyes. Clayton is a great character and although the beginning of the story introduces him to us as a bitter and grumpy man you can’t help but feel for him. He is like a duck out of water having previously lived his whole working life in London. Now he finds himself out in the sticks with just fields for company.

The initial meeting with Clayton and Alice is also quite funny and the author has written it incredibly well with just the right dose of humour. Her books in the past sometimes are meaningful and sometimes more the romantic type but with this one she seems to have hit the mark and got the balance just right.

We meet a few characters along the way which I can imagine fitting in perfectly in the village. We meet the crazy neighbour known as George. Her first meeting with Clayton sets the scene perfectly for just how eccentric the old lady is. We also meet Ronetta, Alice’s next door neighbour and friend along with her son Bob who has a soft spot for Alice.

The character Stacey is the perfect woman that we all love to hate. Selfish, money grabbing and very cold hearted. Although Bazza has done the dirty on Clayton you can’t help but root for him. I wouldn’t like to add spoilers but the way things end with Stacey was absolutely perfect!

The story is told with snatches of Alice’s past built in to explain the current state of play and it makes for fantastic reading. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought that it was a perfect mix of all that a reader wants. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t rate the book as a 5 star because there are other books that I have read very recently that in comparison are much better, but it was a great read all the same. I will continue to read Erica James and only hope that her books continue being this enjoyable. 

It’s Now or Never by Carole Matthews

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My Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: This story introduces us to twins Annie and Lauren. The opening of the story is the two of them attending their elder Sister Chelsea’s 40th Birthday party. At only a year younger than her Annie and Lauren can’t understand quite where their own lives went wrong in comparison to their elder sisters. Chelsea looks like she has the perfect package. Two beautiful children, a handsome and doting husband, the perfect marriage and to top it all money! With this in mind the pair of them makes a decision that this year will be their year. No matter what they will both chase their dreams.

Annie is married with two reasonably grown up children and a husband of over twenty years. She works for a company as a receptionist and the most excitement her life sees is the visitors to her company. Her husband is certainly devoted, just not to her. She is a fishing widow and to top it all off she begins to feel completely unfulfilled. Lauren is the polar opposite to Annie working in Sales for a successful company. She has no ties and no responsibility. The only problem is her life revolves around her married lover. She is hopelessly in love with him and truly believes that it is only a matter of time before he enters her life permanently. Or is it?

Carole Matthews never ceases to amaze me. Her last book `That Loving Feeling’ was a corker and this one is no different. As an author she tends to give the audience exactly what they want without compromising her own writing style. This story is written around a situation that many women will empathise with being realistic, but not overboard. Annie is a typical married woman who still loves her husband and children but is going through a phase where she just wants a bit of excitement. This makes for some very funny situations which women around the world will be laughing at.

The same applies to Lauren, Annie’s twin. She is a typical woman that wants it all but knows that she can’t really have it. The two characters Annie and Lauren have been written extremely well and I loved them both from Chapter one. The male characters are also fantastically written without being too `overdone’. There is nothing better than reading a character that you can actually imagine meeting. I don’t want to go in to too much detail with regards to the actual story because I don’t like spoilers but the men and women featured in the storyline are fab!

Another thing that I like about Carole Matthews style of writing is that she tends to come out with some very funny one liners or situations that make me laugh out loud. I think it isn’t so much the actual words themselves but the fact that they are something you can maybe imagine yourself, or somebody you know doing! Look out for the Car Wash incident (v. v. funny). I confess to still somewhat missing Carole’s contribution to her `Chocolate Lovers’ series. For some reason these books have always been my favourite of hers, having said that this most recent book and her last one I would give 5 out of 5.

Overall Carole Matthews produces typical Romantic Comedy in her own style and never fails to amuse me in some way, shape or form. Don’t get me wrong, yes all of her books are of the same Genre and style but that is why I continue to read them. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it and Carole Matthew’s books certainly don’t need fixing. After all you don’t buy a Horror Film expecting to see romance do you?!?

Lost Innocence by Susan Lewis

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Synopsis: When Alicia Carlyle returns to the home of her childhood after the tragic death of her husband, she is hoping to put the past behind her. But first she must come face to face with the woman who nearly destroyed her marriage and tore her family in two – her sister-in-law, Sabrina. Their enmity runs deep, but Alicia is determined to make a fresh start for herself and her two children, Nathan and Darcie, and to heal her fractured relationship with her beloved brother.

However, just when it looks as if they might have a chance at a brighter future, Sabrina’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Annabelle, accuses seventeen-year-old Nathan of a crime he insists he didn’t commit. And once more the two families are locked in a battle that is fraught with mistrust, betrayal and lies – a battle that threatens to destroy them all…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

My Review: Susan Lewis has written her 22rd novel Lost Innocence which was published in 2009. I have written every one of her novels since she started writing back in 1988 and must say that she is an absolutely fantastic author.

This particular story introduces us to Alicia Carlyle and her children Nat and Darcie. Alicia has to make some huge changes following the sudden death of her husband Craig. Alicia grew up in Holly Wood which is where her brother Robert and his wife Sabrina live along with Sabrina’s daughter Annabelle. When Alicia is forced to move back to her childhood home to start afresh she realises that things aren’t going to be easy. She is going to have to face her sister-in-law who nearly wrecked her life and marriage. She also wants to try and build bridge with her brother Robert as things between them have been strained for over a year. When she does return at first it seems like life will bring her a brighter and better future with the introduction of a man who can help her career and a new home and schools for her children. At 17, Nat has decided to follow in his late fathers footsteps and go into law and his sister Darcie is looking forward to meeting the friends that she used to play with when she was younger. However before long all of their lives are shattered when Annabelle accuses Nat of a crime he says he didn’t commit. The following months tell a very sad and tragic tale of two children locked in a battle over who is telling the truth. The truth is marred by the past involving both Sabrina and Alicia with Robert stuck in the middle. Will the truth come out, and more importantly who is telling lies and who isn’t?

I must say that although I have been a huge fan of Susan Lewis, this latest book exceeded all expectations. She manages to write a fantastic book that really pulls at heart strings. She manages to write about situations that have probably happened across the world to many different people. She writes with feeling and emotion telling a truly sad tale. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think that unlike other authors; her work seems to get better with every book she writes. I struggle to fit this book into a category as she doesn’t fall into my opinion of `Chick Lit’. She writes books that touch a nerve and never fails to impress. HIGHLY recommended.