BOOK SYNOPSIS
I look at my lovely girl. The child I always promised to keep safe, the child I know I’d love no matter what. I look at her and in that moment, my heart breaks into pieces. Because right now, I am not sure I know her at all…
Julia’s daughter Grace is her whole world. To Julia, she’ll always be the little girl who would put her tiny hand in hers, who she could heal with the smallest kiss, who would trust her mother with everything.
But Grace has changed since becoming a teenager. She’s fallen out with her childhood best friend and has become quiet and distanced. Julia wants more than anything to find a way reach her only daughter. Even if some days it seems impossible, Julia knows her lovely, sunny girl is still in there.
Until today when Grace came home after school, covered in blood, and she’s refusing to speak, except to acknowledge that her former best friend is lying in a coma in hospital.
Julia is forced to ask herself: what could Grace be hiding? She can’t believe her little girl could have done something terrible. But her instincts tell her that Grace is keeping a secret. And if it’s what Julia fears it might be, she could lose her fragile, gentle daughter forever.
And – as another mother’s daughter fights for her life – Julia will have to ask herself, how far would she go as a mother to protect the child she loves with her whole heart?
As the lyrics of Ronan Keating's hit song state 'Life Is A Rollercoaster' a unpredictable journey of twists and turns, life choices and decisions, some which work out whilst others we come to regret. One of the most unpredictable choices in life is deciding who we chose as our friends, some people are lucky enough to enter into a friendship that lasts a lifetime whilst others drift apart for a variety of reasons. Another complex journey that is packed full of choices and decisions is parenting, only in that situation you are responsible for another human being and the decisions that you make could effect your child for the rest of their life.
This emotionally charged story is predominantly set in the present day and written from the perspectives of two women, Julia and Samantha who lived on opposing sides of the social divide. Their daughter's Grace and Kiera had been best friend's since the age of four when they met at nursery (the story of their friendship was told in chapters that were scattered throughout the book and slipped back into the past) and as very often happens it was due to the young girl's close friendship that a bond developed between their two mother's. But,as time moved on and different people came into the girl's lives, Grace and Kiera drifted apart and by the time they were teenagers, Grace had become a troubled, sullen loner. Despite the rift which had developed between their two daughter's, Julia and Samantha had remained friends and it was whilst they were chatting in Samantha's kitchen that the police arrived to inform Samantha that Kiera had been rushed into hospital and was fighting for her life. After Samantha had been taken to the hospital, Julia rushed home overwhelmed with feelings of shock and concern for Kiera only to discover a traumatised Grace emerging from the shower and her blood soaked uniform lying on her bed.
Grace was a deeply troubled young lady who was obviously harbouring secrets from her mother but surely she wouldn't have done anything to cause harm to her former best friend? Julia found herself torn between her motherly instinct to protect her daughter or contacting the police and facing the possibility of losing her only child...forever. As the story unfolds and Julia and Samantha discover that both of their daughters have been keeping secrets from them, Julia will have to ask herself, how far was she prepared to go in order to protect her beloved daughter.
As a parent myself, I can't honestly say what I would do if I found myself facing the same dilemma that Julia found herself caught up in, I don't think anyone could predict how they would react unless they personally found themselves in the same situation. I have spent my whole life feeling like a outsider so I found that I could fully empathise with Julia and Grace when they both found themselves being judged, looked down on and ostracized by the popular kids and their socially elite parents. There was one aspect of Julia's character that I struggled to understand especially when you took into consideration what the conversation that Julia overheard whilst she was at the garden party.She had a really lovely,loyal friend called Nina who kept trying to get Julia to spend more time with her but Julia kept insisting that she couldn't spare the time and yet, she always seemed to find the time to spend with Samantha.
My daughter has also spent time in hospital fighting for her life (although not for the same reason as Kiera) therefore I found that I could fully empathise with Samantha and her husband Nick's conflicting feelings and emotions as they sat by their daughter's bedside, hoping and preying that she would survive. I really liked Nick,I thought that it was a refreshing change to read about a male character who genuinely cared about his wife despite her flaws and desperate desire to be a member of the backstabbing elite squad. I also liked their son Adam, he had a really mature head on his shoulders and I loved how his words of wisdom resulted in Samantha finally removing the rose tinted glasses, figuring out the mistakes she had made and who she could truly rely upon for loyalty and friendship.
This is a beautifully written blend of genre's with a plot which covers a wide range of relatable and realistic issues including mental health, sexual coercion, bullying, peer pressure, parental responsibilities, the social divide and the power of true friendship. The author's characterisation of her cast of characters was both authentic and realistic and she had written about their various issues with understanding and sensitivity. It's a powerful story that causes the reader to experience a wide range of conflicting feelings and emotions. This is the first book that I have read that was written by this author and it most definitely will not be my last. A emotional, compelling story that is very very highly recommended by little old me.
AUTHOR INFO
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.
Amazon: https://geni.us/B09RB6ZZH7social
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