BLOG TOUR, BOOK REVIEW - Close My Eyes by Beverly Harvey

 

                                                                 BOOK DESCRIPTION

It starts with a chance sighting: a face from her past, someone Beth hasn’t thought about for years. Suddenly she feels a terrifying wave of panic – the flash of a memory, of crushing weight and pain, and the flicker of firelight and smoke. Something in Beth’s past has been disturbed… And nothing will ever be the same again.

You've started to remember…
Beth never had any reason to doubt her peaceful, happy upbringing. Then she suddenly starts getting awful flashes of an event from her past – a vicious attack from an unknown person. And she thinks it could be more than just a nightmare. But how could she forget something this big?

Someone wants you to forget…
With no husband or boyfriend to turn to, she asks her trusted family and old friends for reassurance, only to hear that it must all be in her head. Meanwhile, the flashes get stronger, more frightening, and more details start to come back to her – details she knows she couldn’t have invented. But these are people who have known her all her life and have her best interests at heart. Who should she believe?

What will you risk to discover the truth?
Beth is determined to understand the meaning of these memories even if it means going it alone. But is she prepared for what she will find? Because the truth will ruin someone’s life – and they will stop at nothing to keep the past forgotten.

A heart-stopping psychological suspense novel that asks: who would you trust the most? Your friends? Your family? Or your own mind? Fans of T.M. Logan, Claire McGowan and Lisa Jewell will be gripped by Close My Eyes.

The brain is a very complex organ which although we are now living in the 21st century still has many mysterious grey areas that are still not fully understood by the scientific and medical worlds. The brain can also be very protective of the body that is resides in, sometimes it shuts away memories that it knows can be damaging to our mental health into little boxes. Or it allows us to deceive ourselves into believing that a situation is not what it appears to be. All of which can work perfectly well until something happens that causes the lid to open on the boxes and fragments of the memories to start escaping. Or, we are forced to face the truth about a situation and act for the sake of our own safety and well being.

This is the story of Beth and Gemma, two friends from different social classes who find their lives blighted by contrasting aspects of the mental health spectrum.

The story is told predominantly from the perspective of Beth who works for a charity and has recently dumped her latest boyfriend due to her on going commitment issues. Apart from constantly worrying about her father Tim, her life is rolling along ok, it's not perfect but it's ok. That is until the night that she goes to the pub with her older sister Laura and spots two faces from her past. Suddenly Beth is experiencing debilitating panic attacks,haunted by horrible odours and can't escape the feeling that something terrible happened in her past. To try and understand why she is suddenly blighted by these attacks, she starts going to see a therapist who starts coaxing Beth into remembering things that her brain has locked away. But as her memories start returning, Beth learns things that will shock her to her core and affect not just her life but the lives of the people around her...forever. She also learns that things and people are not always what they appear to be especially when you are a teenager. I thought the author's depictions of Beth's panic attacks were very believable and realistic, I have experienced panic attacks myself and they are absolutely terrifying. 

There was also chapters that were voiced from the perspective of Gemma who was married to Beth's childhood friend Guy and they had a young daughter called Miya. Gemma appeared to have it all, a handsome husband,adorable daughter, beautiful home and a lavish lifestyle. Everyone thought they were the perfect couple but as we all know, in both the fictional and the real worlds, not everything is what it appears to be. Nobody truly knows what goes on behind closed doors.

Interspersed throughout the book was chapters that slipped back in time to 1994 and recounted Beth's unfolding memories of events leading up to and after the horrific event that her mind has blocked from her memories.

I thought the author's portrayals of both women's conflicting emotions as they struggled to deal with the events that were unfolding in both of their lives were very realistic and believable. They were both vivid individuals who's characters grew in strength and determination as the story unfolded.

This is a very well written,character driven story that has a plot which covers a wide range of realistic issues. The story is a captivating and,at times intense blend of friendships,families and domestic drama. It's tightly plotted, perfectly paced, keeps the reader guessing, has some unexpected plot twists and turns and  had a cast of diverse,vivid individuals. I thought this was a very enjoyable read and I would happily read more of this author's books in the future.

                                                             Author Bio:

Throughout Beverley’s many years spent working in advertising and PR, she had always wanted to write fiction. In 2015 a creative writing course inspired her debut novel, Seeking Eden which was published in 2017. The sequel, Eden Interrupted, soon followed. Beverley’s third novel – her first with Bookouture – fulfils a long-time goal to publish a psychological thriller.

Born in Yorkshire, and raised in Kent, Beverley currently lives in West Sussex with her partner and their adorable terrier. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking the dog or listening to rock music.

Find out more at www.beverleyharvey.co.uk

or follow Beverley on Twitter @BevHarvey_

Author Social Media Links

 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Beverley-Harvey-Author-104072077844858

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/BevHarvey_

Publication Day:  23/03/21

 

Buy LINK  

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08V1X18VSSocial

Apple: http://ow.ly/Co7c50Djors

Kobo: http://ow.ly/eZ3u50Djoon

Google: http://ow.ly/Skso50Djovs

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE POSTS OF THE OTHER BLOGGERS WHO HAVE STOPS ON THIS BLOG TOUR