By: Leah Mercer
Many thanks to Bookouture for the ARC and the stop on the book tour!
About the Book
She invited her into her home. She shouldn’t have…
Emily: It’s been a long time since my best friend Ava stopped speaking to me. But I knew I’d find a way back in. When I hear that her daughter won’t sleep at home because of a burglary on the street, I offer to swap houses for a while. Ava is so grateful. And now I’m staying in her family home, I finally understand why she’s been avoiding me… Ava isn’t as perfect as she makes out. She’s been hiding a big secret that could ruin her idyllic life. Only now, I know all about it…
Ava: I didn’t want to let Emily back into my life, but my daughter begged me to agree to the swap. I’ll do anything for my precious girl. As I lie in Emily’s bed in her cramped apartment, I fear what she’s up to inside my home. Has she looked through my belongings? Has she found the key to the locked room in my basement? And does she know the truth about what I did?
Two friends. Two secrets. Which one is telling a deadly lie, and which is in danger?
My Review
This book gave off vibes from that movie “Single White Female” but in a slightly different way. Mercer created such suspense throughout the entire book. It was easy to tell that Emily was a little off, but I had no clue the extent that she was going to go to get what she wanted! She was holding on to so many secrets and lied so much, it was hard to like her or feel bad for her and her circumstances.
It was the complete opposite for Ava. She had a secret of her own, but it was a heartbreaking one. One that, when I learned what it was, I let out a gasp. I felt awful for her. Then the twist at the end which changed my perspective of the whole situation – just WOW!!! I know I’m being really vague, and that’s because as always, my reviews are spoiler free.
The book is told in varying point of views and Mercer does that exceptionally well in this book. There are not too many points of view so you don’t get confused. Each character has a distinct voice, which really helps. I really loved the kids, Sophie (Emily’s daughter) and Lexi (Ava’s daughter). I enjoyed reading about them gaining their voices and becoming more comfortable with their wants, needs, and relationships with their parents, whether it was good or bad.
There are some really great twists in this book, some shocking twists. The ending is fantastic, and I cannot wait to read more by this author!
About the Author
Leah Mercer was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Her first ambition was to be a journalist, but after completing a Master’s in Journalism, she soon realised she preferred anything other than reporting the news. After trying her hand at public relations, teaching and recruitment in various countries around the world, she finally settled in London and returned to writing…fiction, this time. Her first two novels, Who We Were Before and The Man I Thought You Were, were shortlisted at the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards. Leah loves books, running and visiting historic houses with her husband and their son.
Book Addict Book Blog 