By: Emma Robinson
Many thanks to Bookouture for the eARC of this book and the stop on the book tour!
About the Book
‘Natalie, it’s mum. You need to come home. It’s your father…’ Clutching the phone, my hands shaking, my entire world tilts. For years I’ve run from a family secret which threatened to devastate us all. But with my darling father’s life on the line, I have to face the truth, whatever the cost.
Bursting through the hospital doors, I see my mother and sister waiting in the corridor, worry etched on their faces. Over the years I’ve grown apart from my sister Victoria. She married young and started a family. I chose a different path. I had no choice but to leave so that the rest of my family could be happy.
Gathering at my father’s bedside, I clutch Victoria’s hand like we’re little again. As we start to share our memories of the fun and loving home he created, he leans towards us, uttering words which will turn our world upside down: ‘You mustn’t blame your mother. It was never her fault.’
Victoria reassures me that it must be the medication, that he doesn’t know what he is saying. But I do. Years ago, I thought our mother had betrayed us in the worst possible way. But looking at the stranger standing next to her, I know they are part of the lie my parents were so desperate to hide. The lie I ran from. But if I tell the truth of what I know, will it destroy our lives forever?
My Review
This is family drama at its best. Robinson artfully weaves intricate secrets among those in this family, everyone has something to hide! It starts with a scare – Natalie and Victoria’s dad is in the hospital. Their dad was their everything. Their mom was gone a lot when they were children, so he was the parent that did everything for them. Seeing their strong dad in the hospital was not easy. Filled with emotions, their secrets start to seep out.
I didn’t expect every single family member to have a secret that they were hiding, and it felt like maybe more than one secret for some of them too. With these secrets being kept, it kept the family really at arms length with each other. Victoria was never close with her mother, Natalie moved away to another country and she and her sister barely talked. Victoria’s husband, Marcus, and Natalie didn’t get along. There is just a lot going on here. It never felt overwhelming or that that each secret didn’t get its due time. The book was evenly paced for each thing to be fleshed out.
Robinson focuses also on the aftermath – what happens when secrets are revealed. There is hurt, there is sadness, but in the end, they all have to face each other and talk it out. Afterall, they are family. Each of these characters exhibited strength and bravery in their own way. I refuse to spoil a book, so all I’m going to say is that after shedding a tear towards the end, I was extremely proud of these characters finding their way.
Publish Date: January 9, 2025
Find the book here.
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About the Author
Emma Robinson is the author of several women’s fiction novels. She also blogs about the funny side of parenting and has contributed to podcasts such as Funny Women . Whilst her early novels are humorous, her recent work focuses on emotional themes and these novels are both heart-breaking and life affirming. Emma enjoys writing stories which explore the power of family and friendship in the most challenging circumstances.
Emma currently lives in Essex with a husband, two children and a small black dog.
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