What does it mean to be a normal person?

Author Lisa Timoney writes to show her readers that everyone’s ‘normal’ is different. Her compelling and heartbreaking family drama reflects her passion for changing the way we view people, behaviours, and relationships.

Elle, Jen, Rob, Bill, Harry, and Cora show us the trauma that can result when we strive to be viewed as normal. For all characters involved, some level of brokenness must be achieved for the light of realization to highlight the futility involved in their quest. Timoney takes her readers on an emotional ride as they view these two families from afar and see the toll the drive for normalcy has on their lives. She pleads with us to stop the secretive way we behave around mental health issues; an apropos request in light of the psychological toll of our recent pandemic.

I sat down to read a few chapters and ended up finishing the book in one sitting; it’s a binge-able read. Timoney’s well-paced plot, authentic characters, and her deep dive into ADHD and associated conditions make for a timely read. I promise you that you’ll view neurodiversity differently after reading this book. It’s a must-read for every parent, educator, and childcare provider.

“We all have bits of ourselves we wish were different, but if we can’t control them, how can anybody else?”

Timoney has managed to work herself onto my auto-read author list. This is the third book of hers that I’ve read and I continue to be impressed.

I was gifted this copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is a very well written and enjoyable book. The author builds the characters carefully and sensitively allowing you to feel for everyone involved.

wow. that's what an emotional read looks like.
I sobbed like a baby but couldn't stop reading it. excellent writing and the characters pulled you in completely.

What an emotional story that brought tears to me at the end. It is difficult to imagine how I would feel about finding out that my husband had another family and that the offspring of each family were therefore related / The characters and situations were so well described and when I was reading I could feel that they were real. Lisa has packed so much into the story from alcoholism, ADHD and its various offshoots as well as a man who controlled all the situations of the two women.
The relationship that grew up between the mums before they discovered that they were married to the same man was so beautifully expressed. Harry and Cara were such lovely children and they both had such difficult times with their own ADHD issues.
This is the fist book I have read by this author and I certainly am looking forward to reading more. She is on a par with Amanda Prowse for her gut wrenching story.

I am normally a thriller reader but the description to His Secret Wife had me intrigued and the book did not disappoint. It was such an emotional story that I could not put it down and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

Wow what a fantastic read. Elle is happy with her life with Rob and their son Harry but when Harry starts having anxiety issues things start to get complicated especially after she meets Jen and her daughter Cora and they discover a terrible deception. It's a beautifully written book and covers a very Important subject and the story is a real page Turner. Loved all the characters and relationship between the two children and the two women was so special and was pleased with the outcome. An emotional but positive read and I highly recommend it

📖BOOK REVIEW📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

#HisSecretWife by @lisatimoneywrites

⏩for synopsis

This one was completely character driven; I was totally enamoured with the lives of Elle and Harry and Jen and Cora. Although you knew pretty much the overall direction of the book very early on, I found it a pleasure to read and find out exactly how things went played out.

Cora and Harry also take a journey in this book and I thought the author did a great job of being informative, sensitive and realistic with all aspects of their journey.

The might not be any fireworks here (and quite frankly it didn’t need them) but I still found it a very addictive read and a welcome bit of calm between all the murder mysteries!

With thanks the author #LisaTimoney @avonbooksuk and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early and sending us a copy!

RELEASING: April 13th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

We all know, based the title, that he has two wives. He also has two children of approximately the same age. However, the wives are in the dark. They believe that he’s an incredibly busy and successful businessman. He’s really good at juggling things and maintaining his lies. But when the children need more of his time, and when they both start having difficulties in school, fate has cracked opened a door.
The author has woven a great story that makes the reader yearn to know how he becomes exposed and how each character will react. It’s painful to see the wives and children suffer. And it’s wonderful to see his shock when he is exposed. The conclusion of the book was very satisfying
I received an advance reader copy of the book. This is my honest review.

I tore through this tale over 2 long train journeys... such an engrossing read that i nearly missed my final connection! The 2 female leads are instantly likeable and relatable, so your indignation on their behalf rapidly ramps up as the story unfolds. I was a bit thrown when the first big reveal drops at just over half way through, leaving me wondering where can we possibly go from here? But the author and her characters have plenty of drama left to give as the story rattles on to its beautifully satisfying conclusion. Timoney has clearly done her research, and her exploration of the complexities of ADHD and all its sub-types keeps this book very contemporary and real. A page-turner that highlights some important issues as well as the simple, incomparable joy of close female friendships.

Elle has the perfect life. A hard-working husband, a clever little boy, and a gorgeous home in a quaint neighbourhood.

Jen also has the perfect life. A passionate relationship with a doting husband, a creative little girl, and an exciting career.

When a strange coincidence throws them together, they become close friends. But then they uncover a shocking truth: they share the same husband.

This is a fast-paced thought provoking read. The characters were well developed and felt realistic. It did take a little while for the story to start properly. The details around ADHD were quite interesting. It showed some of the challenges parents can face having a child with ADHD. It can also be quite an emotional read. The chapters alternate between Elle and Jen's perspectives. And I'm not ashamed to admit, the ending made me cry.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUk and the author #LisaTimoney for my ARC of #HisSecretWife in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘His Secret Wife’ by Lisa Timoney in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Elle is a stay at home mother whose husband Rob spends more time working away from home than she’s happy with. Jen has a fulfilling career in the arts and her husband Bill also works away from home for much of the time. When the women meet at a support group for those affected by ADHD they become close friends as Jen’s daughter Cora is the only one able to encourage Elle’s son Harry to talk. Then Harry has an accident and as they’re waiting in the hospital for treatment the women are shocked to discover that Elle’s husband is also married to Jen.

I’ve absolutely loved ‘His Secret Wife’ and was so gripped by the story that I couldn’t stop reading. I had so much sympathy for both Elle and Jen who while struggling to understand the reasons behind their seven-year-old children’s behaviour then had to find out the shocking truth that the man they’re married to had lied to them throughout their marriages. The story is beautifully written with the subject of ADHD/ASD handled sensitively, and I found it enlightening as I’ve had little experience of what families have to cope with. The characters are perfectly described but my heart went out especially to those two adorable children Cora and Harry who I wanted to hug. This is an exceptional story written by a very talented author and I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

I fancied a change from my usual thrillers so I decided to give his secret wife a try and I must say I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, in fact I found myself picking up my kindle at every possible moment.

Elle is happy with her life, she has her son Harry and her hard working partner who works hard to keep up the luxury lifestyle she has.

Then there is Jen she’s happily married, has a job that she loves and of course her beautiful daughter Cora

Date brings Jen and Elle together as they both go to an ADHD support group as both women believe their child has this condition. Elle and Jen quickly bond and become very good friends and Cora and Harry play nicely together.

It doesn’t take long for Elle and Jen to discover that they were married to the same man. Soon everyone’s lives turn up side down, but it doesn’t take both women long to realise that they need each other in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Elle is married to Rob, and they have a seven year old son, Harry. She is a stay at home mother with an enviable life style. Although she loves her husband, their relationship can be tense at times.
Jen is married to Bill, and they have a seven year old daughter, Cora. Jen is a theatre director who loves her job and her husband.
When the two women meet at a support group dealing with ADHD, which both of their children have, they have no idea that Rob and Bill are the same man. Becoming close friends, Elle is happy to let Cora spend time with Harry and through her he becomes less timid and his communication skills improve. Of course, it is only a matter of time before Rob/Bill’s secret is discovered.
I really enjoyed this read. Cleverly written – although I guessed Rob/Bill were the same person from early on - I enjoyed the way he managed to keep his two lives separate without being discovered. As Elle’s husband I felt he came over as controlling, unable to see the need for her to have her own career. It soon became clear that life at the gym with all the other glossy mothers didn’t suit her. He was also critical, unable to see she needed support when his alcoholic father moved in with them.
With Jen, however, he appeared to be living his best life. He adored his daughter and being with a woman who stood up to him and had a career and her own take on life. Because of this double standard, I felt Elle had been treated shabbily, although having said this, her personality didn’t help. She seemed to spend her life going out of her way to please people, including Rob. Something he used against her, seeing it as weakness and a character flaw.
Written from Elle and Jen’s perspective, once the truth is revealed, it leaves their friendship in tatters. Each views the other with suspicion, but it takes the children to bring them around and strengthen their bond once more.
And as for Rob/Bill? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out how he fares. All I will say is that it is an interesting read, covering the subject of ADHD, with strong likeable characters (Elle and Jen). Recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Lisa Timoney and Avon Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting book and I certainly learned a lot more about ADHD and selective mutism than I knew.
Whilst I felt the story was slow to begin with, after a while the pace stepped up and I was caught up in it.
Interesting characters who were very credible. I thought the children were portrayed brilliantly and I really liked the bond between Harry and Cora, both with their own challenges but somehow an understanding between them.
A book which made me think about the difficulties of parents with neurodiverse children.
A good read about friendship and overcoming difficulties.

I loved this fast paced domestic drama. Timoney has a real gift for characterisation and both Elle and Jen were really well drawn. What many authors struggle with is getting child characters right not so here. Cora and Harry were fully three dimensional and perfectly depicted for the age of seven. Timoney perfectly shows the differing ways that ADHD can present and how the different sexes can present very differently again. As a neurodivergent Mum to two neurodivergent children this novel felt really well researched and sensitively handled.
I bonded with the two female ‘leads’ and was rooting for them all the way and loved watching their friendship develop.
There were a few twists I hadn’t anticipated which were good and the ending when it came made me cry and cry. I will miss hanging out with Elle and Jen now I’ve finished it.

Thanks to netgallery for the early review Copy.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish.

The story behind it is very well researched. Well written.

I felt drawn to this book when I saw the cover design.

Initially, it had a kind of relatability that I enjoyed, the characters felt like real people. It was a light, easy read. As I read on, however, I started to find the characters unlikeable, and I wasn't particularly interested in what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

A dual narrative novel told from the perspective of 2 women, Elle and Jen. Both married with 7 year old children, they meet at a support group for parents of children with ADHD symptoms. But unbeknown to them, they have more than that in common. They discover purely by chance that they share a husband. As their lives unravel, will their friendship survive and what about the children?
This is a great family drama with a big emphasis on ADHD and all its varieties, no child can be placed into the same box, the author does a great job in highlighting all the complex issues parents and children face and it's written in an empathetic way

Elle and Jenn met by chance at a support group for parents with children diagnosed with ADHD. They clicked right away and became fast friends. Not long after, they discovered they were married to the same man.

This novel had quite a slow start. The first 30-35% laid down the groundwork for the rest of the story. The story didn't pick up until around the 40% mark. I appreciate the ADHD aspect of the storyline. It was educational and informative. Something I'm interested in since my nephew also has selective mutism. Unfortunately, the main story itself lacked oomph. I wanted some kind of twist or mystery. Maybe even some type of tragedy with the kids to coax more feelings. Just something to keep the story engaging.

Overall, decent but was expecting more.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Timoney, and Avon Books UK for graciously sending me the ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

The plot idea was good, when I read it I was interested but it did not live up to my expectations, but it was still a good read. Honestly I would have loved it to be a little twisted. But this was a book about finding relationships, self love and family, about developing yourself. It was a good read but maybe because my expectations were different I didn't enjoy it.


Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a eARC in exchange for a honest review.