Great debut novel by Gillian McAllister. Although I wouldn't call it a thriller in the true sense of the word, I was however kept guessing until the end. Trust and what would you do in a similar situation!! Beautifully written and a real page turner.Looking forward to the second book.

I loved Everything but the Truth it kept me hooked from the first few pages.
Everyone has a past but most are open and honest with new partners about this past, for Rachel and Jack they both try to hide their pasts from each other, what's the big secrets? I'm sure they will all come out in the end. A great book, well worth a read.

Dramatic Suspense

Rachel is pregnant, the father is Jack. They've been together less than a year, and with the pregnancy she's urgently trying to get to know him. In this pursuit she uncovers some traumatizing secrets.....

The suspense was the best aspect of this book. The build up was exciting and just impressive. I thought the big secrets would be a let down with all the work devoted to make them seem so big. I had no reason to worry at all- I was not at all disappointed: the writing was very impressive. The secrets were astonishing.

I'm thinking about what I would do in Rachel's situation, and I know I will still be thinking about it days from now.

If you want a book that will test your understanding of morality and your judgement of character, give this book a read.

The medical and legal jargon made the book excellently well rounded. I had no idea of the laws in Scotland and now, I'm questioning whether I agree with them.

Rachel and Jack's story could be anyone's tragedy... Your new friend, a neighbour... Anyone. Do you side with the law or the law-breakers?

I received this book through NetGalley.

A tense thriller that keeps you wondering from the start what exactly is Rachel's boyfriend hiding!

'Everything but the truth' by Gillian McAllister is a thriller focussing on how well you really know your significant other. It shows what lengths you can go to in this day and age to hide, change and/or fake your identity.

Rachel and Jack are so in love and expecting their first child together. Rachel didn't know this kind of love was ever achievable. Her and Jack's love is the passion and commitment you read in fairytales. This all changes when he receives and email on the iPad in the middle of the night that she accidentally reads and it's addressed to someone with a different name. Rachel begins digging and investigating the love of her life whilst also keeping and hiding secrets of her own past.

This is a 3 star read for me as it is revealed early on what Jack is hiding and it is dragged on and on and over exaggerated at points, it is however a very easy read and I was able to complete it in 2 sittings so I would still recommend it to someone looking for an easy to read thriller that enjoys character development over plot twists and suspense.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher Michael Joseph - penguin UK for a free copy in return for an honest review.

I really don’t know, what I was expecting from this book, but it left me absolutely confused. I still can’t decide, if I liked it or not. I enjoyed the story, but why did it make me feel bored at the same time?
This is a story told by Rachel, about the secrets Jack was hiding. But the funny part is, Rachel has her own secrets, which she is hiding from Jack. So there are so many lies in this book, that I am wondering, how these two even a couple. When Rachel found out that Jake is hiding something, she went all the way into finding it out. Full homemade detective: snooping around, checking emails, ordering court material, everything to find out what Jack is hiding. Why? Because Jack is not telling the truth, or amending it, to fit his needs. What she finds out shocks her, but leaves her confused as well. Is he really guilty?
I really enjoyed the determination of this little investigation. I liked the ways Rachel was seeking the truth, it was interesting to watch, and quite relatable. Most probably we all checked our other half’s phone, or observed their actions during some situations. The book was time travelling between past and present. The way author incorporated Rachel’s story from the past, with one of her cancer patients, was very amusing. I liked the way she described her feelings towards the boy, it was beautiful.
This book is full of decisions, and really difficult ones. The ones regarding Jack were quite repetitive to be honest, just like the whole wish to find everything out. In so many places was written, why Rachel wants to know the truth, that it made it boring. Another thing, which was not my favourite, was her decision, which she should’ve taken after finding out the truth, that confusion was so dragged, that I wanted to shout “Either you want him or not, stop beating about the bush!”.
The themes used in this book where quite interesting, and they made me question myself, what I would’ve done in Jack’s place? Or was Rachel’s decision right regarding her cancer patient? What I would’ve done in her place? That’s why this book made me confused, because it has really deep meaning and interesting topics, but it was boring at the same time.
The writing style of this novel is easy to read, with lovely and short chapters. This book didn’t offer any twists or turns in my opinion, and kind of just plodded along. Whatever twists or turns supposedly were in this book, were really predictable, even the ending of the book was predictable. So to conclude, I enjoyed some of the parts of this book, but I think it could’ve been better. Doctors, nurses, or people who have someone suffering from cancer would find this book close to their hearts and maybe a good read…

Unable to review as book archived before download.looks interesting!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

And honest it will be. Also, there will be SPOILERS from now on, so be advised!

This is an awful book. The writing is amateur and the dialogues are terrible and unbelievable. And the plot? Well, first, I despise the main character/narrator. She is a stalker, abusive and controlling, there's no way around it. It's not justifiable, it's not understandable; she has no respect for privacy whatsoever. Her behavior is abusive to the point of demanding that her boyfriend gives her his cellphone so she can see his messages! She hacks into his email for gosh's sake! This is all inexcusable.

And then we have the boyfriend clearly suffering from PSTD and we're to feel sorry for the girlfriend, who is a doctor, and mocks his symptoms? Who later on recognizes his situation and still keeps invading his privacy?

Besides, I'm guessing this won't be very popular in the US where the laws about home invasion and guns are so different. It's all full of judgement but it's based on a local culture and set of rules. Not justifying or excusing what he did but her behavior is appalling. Also she'd probably have lost her license in another country after what she did with her patient. As I said, an awful, awful person.

All in all I'd not recommend this book at all.

Gripping read from the start. Real page turner! Highly recommended

Atmospheric and suspenseful, this is a descent into confusion and split loyalties.

Pregnant and in love with the father-to-be, she sees an email which sets into motion a series of events that include stalking, tension, and a lot of secrets. Determination to know the truth can lead to darkness...

The writing is strong, the suspense powerful, and the characterisation pulls you in. The plot holds a few coincidences too many, and the pace veers between fast and slow, unsure of itself. But, having said that, this is a skillfully written book and I will be reading more from this author. Recommended.

Everything but the truth
#ng
#lying
#truth
When we are witness in a trial we swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
But what is the truth? You can only see the truth through your own eyes and own mental interpretation which is biased by your own previous experiences and your psychological make-up.
So there is the white lie, the grey lie and the very black lie. And of course, the lie you tell to protect others such as when you are asked ‘How are you?’ and although obviously ill, you claim to be fine. And then there is the economical truth too. The partial truth.
So there are many different ways in which we can express the natural inclination of the human being, from childhood onwards, to protect ourselves when the ‘whole’ truth may result in unwelcome consequences.
Trust, according to the Norse from whom we draw the word, is a contract in which we agree to future behaviour, which must be fulfilled in its entirety for that trust to be established. Just one single deviation from that expectation and the contract is broken.
So this book and the story within it, makes us reflect on truth and what it is and how it is not a clear cut but rather a shaded contract of behaviour and expectations.

This is an excellent atmospheric psychological thriller that is essentially a character driven suspense novel with a strong sense of location in Oban and Newcastle. Rachel works in a law office and Jack is a freelance journalist. They met, fell in love super fast, and Rachel is now expecting a baby. She is convinced Jack is the one, until one night Rachel cannot stem her curiosity and looks at an incoming email on Jack's Ipad, this brings to the surface doubts as to whether she really knows Jack at all. Now Rachel is a mass of nerves, paranoia, mistrust and heightened emotions. Instead of letting things go, she becomes this driven, and obsessed woman who will do whatever it takes to find out about Jack's past and his secrets. The story is told through Rachel's perspective.

However, Rachel is less than upfront about her own past and secrets, and a concurrent storyline drip feeds her history as a paediatric doctor whose career ends. Her family history, particularly her mother, predisposes her to be fearful, less than trusting and judgemental. Amidst this background, can Rachel and Jack's relationship survive? This is a twisted and well plotted story with a tense and suspenseful narrative. It is morally ambiguous, and the author provides keen insights into the nature of human behaviour and emotions. It raises the all encompassing role played by social media today. Rachel is not a particularly likeable woman but I could not help but be gripped by her character. In fact, the author does all the characters remarkably well and makes them feel real and authentic. Great read that I highly recommend. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

The Truth is... You've got to read this book!
Five star read!
Gillian approved me on @Netgalley in the hectic run up to Christmas - and let's just say, zero presents were wrapped that night.
This is a brilliant, pacy and engrossing read. The characterisation was very skilful with enough of a backstory to draw you in but at the same time enough withheld to make you keep turning the pages lone after - well, in my case, long after your husband starts yelling at you for leaving unwrapped presents all over the dining room...
The situation is one we can all empathise with. I've read Gillian explaining that she likes to open with a question in our minds and this book certainly delivers. The question being - what might you be prepared to do if you find out that your boyfriend hasn't told you quite everything about his past. Rachel and Jack were fantastic characters with enough complexity to keep you on your toes and enough familiarity to make you think that this might - just might - happen to someone just like you. I loved the dual settings of Newcastle and Oban and the skilled evocation of Jack's family particularly. Gillian is a not only an awesome debut novelist - she's also a great account to follow on Twitter and has a very generous and helpful blog about her writing to boot. I unhesitatingly recommend that you grab it as soon as it's published and enjoy it for yourself. Personally I can't wait for her next one
This book was received via @Netgalley in return for an honest and balanced review. I'm going to buy it for lots of people in 2017 - if you're one of the lucky ones, clear your diary as you'll really want to dedicate some uninterrupted time to this fab read :)

I really enjoyed Everything But The Truth. This is a different sort of thriller than I’m used to and I really liked it. This novel is packed with tension and is quite intense and uncomfortable at times. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading the book. I geared myself up for a run-of-the-mill thriller about someone with dark secrets and got something very different. I thought Rachel was a great character and I loved her voice. I had complete sympathy for her – her quest to uncover the truth after discovering enormous lies was very believable. I would have acted the same way she did. I really didn’t like Jack at times. Given what happened, I understood his motivations but found myself furious with his botched way of handling it and the lies he kept telling Rachel. I wanted to slap him across the face. In the end, when Jack tells Rachel the whole truth my opinion of him completely changed. I thought Everything But The Truth was great. I’d recommend it.

How much do you know about your partner? How much do you need to know? Rachel is pregnant with Jack's child but this happened very quickly, she had just came out of a long term relationship when she met Jack and when she 'accidentally' sees an email of Jack's the doubts start. Rachel wouldn't have worried but Jack lies to her about it and she can't help herself looking into Jacks background. Rachel is keeping a secret of her own and yet she over reacts that jack hasn't told her everything, this is a psychological thriller that will mess with your head and make you wonder about your own relationships and what your reaction would be to finding out that someone is not as they seem. Does the past define us? A great book with well defined characters and had me gripped until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book.

For Jack & Rachel it was almost love at first sight. They seemed to suit each other so well & when Rachel found out she was pregnant they were both delighted & took it as a sign that they were meant as a couple & as a family.

But all is not quite as it seems.We know early on that Rachel was a doctor but something happened to end her career. And why does Jack always pull funny faces in every picture?

When Rachel sees an email sent to Jack she begins to sense some dark secret in his past. Once the worm of doubt is sown she cannot leave it alone. She starts snooping into his past. Even when she thinks she finds what she is looking for & shocking as it is, she has some understanding, she can't stop prying.

At times I felt so angry with Rachel! I wanted to yell at her to leave things alone! At other times I wanted to beg Jack to just tell her everything-even if I didn't know exactly what that was!

This was a totally engrossing five star read. thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for introducing me to Gillian McAllister, I'll be looking out for more of her stories if they are as good as this one!

i did enjoy this and a s a first book was impressed ..i do hope that there is a second from the author.

Rachel has found a perfect relationship with Jack. He lives in Oban, but has been seconded to Newcastle by the magazine he writes for, and that’s where they meet. A few months later, Rachel, now pregnant, happens upon an oddly worded e-mail to Jack from one of his rugby playing mates. This causes her to worry that she knows little about the man who is to be the father of her child.
Unsettled by recent events:- the loss of her job, her mother’s death, and the break-up of a previous relationship because of her unfounded suspicions and paranoia, she still embarks upon an unrelenting search to find out more about him.
Everything but the Truth is a stylish and credible psychological thriller. As more and more disturbing facts begin to emerge, Rachel needs to make decisions about Jack. Is it appropriate to judge him good or bad, especially in the light of her own chequered past, and will this process destroy the relationship regardless of the conclusion reached?
The extensive agonising undertaken by Rachel over her decisions tends to slow the action down, but for me this is one of the strengths of this book. The demonstration of how the same evidence can lead to different conclusions when viewed from different perspectives is successful and satisfying.
The added bonus is the portrayal of Howard, which obviously comes from detailed personal experience.
A very entertaining read, looking forward to the next.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for this read.

We are delighted to continue working in collaboration with Michael Joseph, Penguin Uk and Gillian McAllister through Net Gallery.  

Thank you to everyone mentioned above for the advanced copy of Everything but the truth in exchange for an open and honest review.

Book Description

It all started with the email. It came through to her boyfriend's iPad in the middle of the night. Rachel didn't even mean to look. She loves Jack, and she's pregnant with their child. She trusts him. But now she's seen it, she can't undo that moment, or the chain of events it has set in motion.

Why has Jack been lying about his past?

Just what exactly is he hiding?

And doesn't Rachel have a right to know the truth at any cost?

What makes this book different?

Personally for me, this was a book of two halves. I struggled with the first half, where the story moved between - past, present, and Where Rachel moves into thinking about things and her actual situation. I often wondered if I had missed pages but I hadn't.

It became frustrating, and as soon as I worked out who each character was, and what was happening past and present, and the relevance To story I was about 52% way through the book.

The second half of the book was enjoyable and a pleasant read and read within one sitting. From this point I was hooked in.

The story is based on "imperfectly, perfect" relationships. It is a romance but with many twists as the characters past lives are delved into.

Some of the story is predictable, but it still makes you think about Rachael's situation and how she assesses her life and relationships.

Book well suited to the romance, and light psychological drama.

Included on Blog Post today -12.05.17 - http://www.serendipityloves.website/2017/05/a-good-book-is-what-you-need.html