This is the story of a woman who will do anything to protect her child.
When Grace finds out that she is pregnant by her ex married lover, all of her life plans change. Throughout the book I was drawn to wanting to mother and take care of Grace and her newborn daughter Lily, believing the plot that she had to return to the UK from New York in order to stay safe and protect her daughter from the baby’s father Patrick.
When Grace arrives at her aunt Morag’s remote farm in North Wales, you can visualise the emptiness and loneliness that Grace feels, especially being a first time mum and not really knowing her aunt that well.
With remnants from her past at the house from her grandparents, you are constantly drawn back to the past of Grace’s mother and aunts relationship. The two sisters have not spoken for years, and Grace and her mother don’t have a close relationship either, so questions are continuously being asked of all the three main women in this story.
When Grace believes that Patrick her ex-lover has somehow managed to follow her or send someone to make sure she keeps quiet about an incident involving the death of Patrick’s alcoholic wife, you really feel scared for their safety.
Little incidents occur throughout the story that keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next! From telephone lines being cut, to notes and locks of baby hair being left in bedrooms – all very spooky stuff.
But both Grace and her aunt Morag have a secret they are running away and hiding from. But like any great thriller, these worlds sometimes cross over into eachother.
I love the way the author Karen Clarke has merged the stories of the Grace, Morag and Grace’s mother. How even though they all chose the wrong men to fall in love with, they all came out stronger and self-confident in themselves afterwards.
You are made to believe that Grace is in constant danger, until the twists and turns reveal it’s not Grace and Lily in danger but Morag’s past catching up with her.
There are a host of emotions you feel when reading this book from sadness and regret, to caring and love, which is absolutely captivating as a reader.
A truly fantastic read and I’m so happy that I was asked by NetGalley and HQ who are an imprint of HarperCollins UK to provide them with my honest review in return for a copy of this amazing book.