A totally harrowing, heartbreaking story of domestic abuse and the toll that it takes on the whole family.  Ted and Carol were married young, when Carol found out she was expecting a child.  Her parents threw her out of their home and Ted promised that he would take care of Carol and their son, Graham.  Several years later, they had a daughter, Nicola.  Jack was a big, flamboyant man who wanted things done his way.  Ted like to stop at the bar on his way home and have a few with his friends and coworkers.  Carol, Graham and Nicola could tell what mood he was in as he was walking down the street towards home.  Many nights Graham would stay in Nicola's room talking to her or holding her until she fell asleep.  Carol tried so hard to do things that would please Ted, otherwise, she incurred his wrath and anger and, in Ted's mind, she deserved the punishment he doled out.  She wore too much make-up, dishes weren't done, she talked to her friend too much, the house wasn't clean enough, she couldn't do anything right.  Carol had an innate sense of when the abuse was going to begin but try as she might, she couldn't run far enough away or fast enough to escape his anger.  Her children never saw their Dad strike their Mom, but they could her the punches, the yelling, the tears and they could tell when bruises were being covered.  One night, after Ted attempted to drown Carol, she was determined to pack up her possessions and her children and remove them all to a safe place.  Eventually, Carol, Graham and Nicola had a place of their own and they could start healing their family.  Graham, unfortunately, fell in with the wrong types of friends and didn't always make the best decisions.  Nicola, too young to understand fully what's going on, decides to concentrate on doing the absolute best she can to excel at her studies and be able to learn and be successful in her chosen career.  I admire Carol's bravery and the total love and devotion to her children that filled her with the courage to break a cycle of abuse and provide her children with a more loving and stable life.  Some of the decisions she and Graham made were them trying to protect Nicola and each other.  Though there were consequences of some of those decisions, in the end, the family unit stuck together and their bond was built on love and respect and not of fear.  The author vividly described the fear and trepidation that Ted walking in the house or showing displeasure with Carol, you could feel her panic, and at the same time, know that she was trying to become smaller to escape the pain she knew was coming.  This book is a great piece that brings to light what some women or children suffering from physical, vocal or mental abuse deal with on a day to day basis.  Thank-you to Netgalley, bookouture and S.E. Lynes for an ARC of this impactful book in exchange for a honest review.

★★★ 3.5 stars

I really should have paid more attention to the genre when requesting this book. But to be honest, all I saw was the name S.E. Lynes and quickly (and incorrectly) assumed it was another psychological thriller, that the author is synonymous for. Instead THE LIES WE HIDE is a somewhat dark family drama more in line with chick lit genre. But don't be fooled - it is not a "feel good" fiction story. It is dark, evocative and even a little gritty.

1968: The story opens with a young teenage couple, Carol and Ted, at fairground in Blackpool. It soon becomes clear that Carol is pregnant, judging from her refusal to accompany Ted on one of the more adrenaline-fueled rides, where Ted then dramatically yells out a proposal to her. And so Carol's story begins.

1984: Carol returns home from a friend's wedding to find her brother sleeping on the couch and her husband Ted in a drunken stupor on the bed. Her two children, Graham and Nicola (Nicky), are thankfully asleep. Carol takes the opportunity to enjoy a nice long soak in the bath after what turned out to be a rather eventful night. Then...

"A creak on the landing. She curls up. The water swishes loud in the tub; she cringes at the noise. Ted. He's woken up. He's woken up and he's-

The bathroom door flies open. Ted. Eyes bloodshot and wild, blind but seeing, a look full of hate aimed only at her. His nose wrinkles, his hand shoots out in front of him, a starfish of fingers. She shrieks, folds herself smaller still, arms over her head, eyes closed. The smell of whisky goes up her nose, whisky and smoke, sweat and pubs. This is it. She has not got away with it. The punishment is now."

Carol made herself a promise to herself as Ted shoved her face underwater, holding here there until she was barely conscious. She has just enough strength to gather the thought - "If I survive tonight, this is it. We're leaving." When it was all over, trembling and in pain, Carol crawled out of the bath. Gathering her remaining strength, she then woke her sleeping children, packed up their lives and left Ted and his violent drunken abuse behind.

2019: Nicola is now a successful London barrister returning to her family home in Merseyside to attend her mother's funeral. In the ensuing days, she reflects back on the life she shared with her mother and older brother Graham. She remembers the sacrifices her mother made for them, ensuring her daughter received a good education even while her son had fallen through the cracks to become a stranger to them both.

The night they fled their father changed everything for them...but especially Graham. He became withdrawn, silent and moody...no longer stuttering because he hardly ever spoke to them. Nicola recalled how she missed her older brother in those dark days as he continued to withdraw from them. More and more he snuck out at night, taking up with a rough crowd, smoking weed until eventually even that wasn't enough and he needed the harder drugs to escape the guilt and the shadows that followed him. Even her mother sacrificing her own happiness with someone who truly loved her and wanted to take care of her, in the hope her son would somehow find his way back to them wasn't enough.

Jim Mackay, a lovable gentle giant of a man, first set eyes on Carol at that wedding decked out in full Scottish regalia. Carol immediately felt something deep within as she danced in Jim's arms...and felt a frisson of excitement at his touch. She knew he was different. But she also knew that what he wanted, what she wanted, was forbidden. Ted would kill her. As it happens, he very nearly did when she returned home that night...and in the days, weeks and months she wondered if Jim ever thought of her as she did him. So when he turned up a year later at their new home, Graham was furious at the intrusion and somehow perceived Jim as a threat. Jim stayed a week before Carol asked him to leave, in an attempt to reach out to her son.

Then one night shortly after Jim's departure, the police knocked at Carol's door. A body had been found beaten to death outside a pub frequented by her estranged husband. It was Ted. Torn in her grief for the man he used to be, Carol was relieved at no longer fearing he would find her and carry out his threat to kill her. Shortly after, Carol, Nicky and Graham moved back to the house that had been their home for so long.

But this is not the end. Carol's story, and Nicola's and Graham's - their stories were only just beginning.

Told from three different perspectives in the past and the present, we see into the very hidden depths of our three narrators' souls - Nicola in the present, with the earlier narratives by Carol and Richard, the prison chaplain who helped Graham find his wings so he could truly fly upon release. Each of them reveal secrets about themselves privy only to the reader, their guilt, their shame, their heartache, their grief. Parts of their narratives are incredibly raw and so emotional it is hard not to shed a tear. Each of them are flawed but that is what makes them so real.

Complex and evocative, THE LIES WE HIDE is about a family and their secrets, their suffering, their heartache and their pain. It is about the scars that domestic abuse leaves behind, long after the threat has gone. The story is riddled with guilt and shame which is at the forefront of much of this incredibly sad tale. Whilst also woven into the tapestry is grief. Reading Nicola's raw and heartbreaking grief at the loss of her mother, her guilt at not being there at the end, is so powerful so heartbreaking I was in tears. Her pain is so evident I could reach out and touch it myself.

A well-written heartbreaking tale, THE LIES WE HIDE is not a fast paced read but it is a good one. It evoked a wealth of emotions as the story progressed that it was so easy to relate to each of the characters. You sympathised and yet you felt anger amidst heartbreak and grief. By the end, I had suspected one of the twists all along and had an inkling about the other. But the biggest shock were the secrets (ok, so I suspected one) they each kept to themselves at the end in the lies that they hid from each other...that left me with a feeling of sadness interwoven with understanding.

I have to mention Graham's poem to Richard. Whilst it was a lighthearted attempt at deep heartfelt gratitude, I found myself in tears reading the depth of emotion within those few lines.

THE LIES WE HIDE is not just about abuse and despair, but about a mother's unconditional love for her children and her determination to give them a better life free of fear and dread. It's about love, redemption, forgiveness and moving on.

While I may have begun this book anticipating a psychological thriller, I was glad I read it. It certainly wasn't what I expected.

I would like to thank #SELynes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLiesWeHide in exchange for an honest review.

This is SE Lynes first family drama having previously written some stunningly brilliant psychological thrillers and The Lies We Hide proves what a talented author she is.

This is a story of a family grieving the death of Carol, a determined and strong single mother who endured violence and abuse during her marriage and finally escaped with her two children.

However leaving her violent past behind causes a ripple effect of unimaginable consequences for her children.

Narrated by her daughter in present day and by Carol in the past, The Lies We Hide, brings the Green/Watson family to life in a believable and credible way.

Domestic Violence runs throughout the story, so readers who find this subject upsetting or a trigger should be warned that whilst the author writes with sympathy and does not focus too heavily on the violence, some scenes are upsetting and disturbing.

In my opinion The Lies We Hide is a gripping and emotional family drama and I would definitely recommend it.

Although it deals with a very serious issue (spousal abuse), this book gets everything right and should be considered a must-read. The author does a phenomenal job illustrating how personal choices can affect others without being preachy or overbearing. The reader gets the point solidly through the characters’ experiences, and those are artfully written. The importance of belief in someone and the conviction that an action is the right one (even if it seems to be wrong) are also well-explained. This novel affected me deeply, and I highly recommend it. For more details, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.

This is a very emotional story of a family affected by domestic abuse. I did find the different timelines a bit confusing but that did not stop this book being a great story about survival. I recommend it

A very moving story about a family who has been through some really rough times. I love SE Lynes work and can't wait to read even more from her.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc.
Nicola, a successful lawyer, is home for her mother's funeral. She reminisces about the life she left with her mother and brother. She remembers the abuse her mother suffered at the hands of her father. The huge sacrifices her mother endured for her children.
This was an extremely emotional book. But that ending......wow!!! An unputdownable book and one I highly recommend.

The change in style for this author took me completely by surprise.  A pleasant surprise that is.  An extremely well-crafted storyline that I found really quite touching and emotional.  I really can't recommend this book highly enough.  

Many thanks to Netgalley and TBC for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

I love SE Lynes and The Lies We Hide was amazing! I was glued to my kindle from the very first page and I didn’t sleep until the very last page! As a mother this book just echos what we as moms will do to protect our children. My heart aches for Carol and his kids and I was looking over my shoulder as much as they were through out this book. Now do you know when you read an ending and you are like “OMG that was the best ending ever” that is the way SE Lynes ends The Lies We Hide. I literally turned to my husband when I was done and was like “that was flipping amazing!”

From the first page I was glued to this book. Carol flees her home in the middle of the night with her children...she has no where to go but she knew she had to keep them safe and herself alive. This book touched a lot on domestic violence and what you will do as a mother to make sure your children are ok. I did not see the twist coming at the end- fantastic.

The Lies We Hide was an emotional rollercoaster from start to end. I have read many by S.E.Lynes over the last couple of years and look forward to her psychological thrillers, so this is a very different book, more character and emotion driven and although I don’t really read a lot of books in this genre I did find myself quickly rooting for this family.
We start with Carol who has been married to Ted for years and have two children, Carol is the victim of domestic abuse and although her eldest knows she tries to keep it hidden from her younger daughter. The abuse gets worse and after one particular event Carol manages to sneak the children out of bed and out of their fathers lives for ever, but has she really managed to do this?
This was an emotional read and the twists along the way with what Carol’s son, Graham did to ensure his younger sister got the life she deserved was riveting. There was a few time lines going but they weren’t confusing at all as it had been written so well.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I could not even get thru first few chapters because of all the words and terms used that I had no idea what they meant.

Thank you so much again to Bookouture for the absolute pleasure of reading SE Lynes's book the Lies we Hide. What a fabulous read that I cannot recommend enough. The story takes us back and forth through the life of Carol and her children.  Carol was a victim of domestic abuse. The tale is told from different perspectives from the eighties, eighties and the present day. We can see how the trauma of domestic abuse can ripple through the lives of the each family member. Carols son Graham tries his best to protect his mother and younger sister Nicola, but at what cost. Ted is a bully and must be stopped from hurting his family.  There is detrimental effects from Ted's abuse for years to come. A brilliant novel. This author is one to watch.

A touching read about one family’s journey to escape from a troubled past.
While I loved the book on the whole, I found my attention wandering at times...Though I had guessed the ending, there were some unexpected twists that added interest.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Fast paced, heartbreaking story of abuse and survival. When Carol is almost drowned by her husband Ted while taking a bath one night she realizes she must get herself and her two children out of the situation immediately. Leaving with little more than the clothes on their backs, Carol and her two children try to start over and get past the abuse they’ve seen and endured. The story is told from different points of view and gives you insight into how abuse can change someone’s view of the world, especially a child. Beautifully written, heartfelt story that had me crying more than once. Highly recommended.

The story behind The Lies we Hide is so incredibly realistic it is as if the drama is playing out in a house somewhere in the road you live in. Gritty and sadly so believable, this book is about a family torn apart by domestic abuse. The characters are everyday folk, anyone you know, work with, go to the pub with. Ted and Carol met young, had Graham whilst they were still very young and 6 years later along comes baby Nicola. 
This family unit of 4 is brutally torn apart by one man's actions and Carol has to flee in the middle of the night with her two children. What follows is a gripping account of what life is like when you have nothing, are displaced and live in fear. The terror Carol feels literally leaps off the page and grabs you by the throat, refusing to let go. My heart kept on breaking for them all, for Nicola, so clever and so determined to do well in life, Carol, struggling to trust and believe in a future that includes love, and Graham, a stammering teenager who steadily slides into bad company and bad choices.
There is so much more I could say about this book but I don't want to reveal the plot and spoil the read for anyone. I found it difficult to tear myself away from the physical and emotional pain this family were in and yet there are moments that are funny and moments where there is hope. I found the relationship and  conversations between Richard and Graham absolutely beautiful, and it was a joy to see how the journey they took together saved them both in different ways. I loved the use of the Jonathan Livingstone Seagull book in this book which added to the profound and powerful message of redemption.
What moves this book beyond the realms of a grim autobiographical account of abuse (which I always avoid reading) is that the novel entertains with its pace and shocking revelations. Towards the end things are revealed that I really did not have any idea were going to turn out the way the author let them, so The Lies we Hide is truly a book worth reading.
FANTASTIC. BEAUTIFUL. SAD. INSPIRING.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a read! I could not put this book down. I binged this book cover to cover and I am pretty sure I didn’t breath the whole time. It was one of the most gripping and emotional reads I have experienced in a long time. 

The abuse and despite in this book is heart wrenching. I cried so much hoping that the mother and her children would escape this hell. This was my first book by S.E. Lynes and I really need to add them to my list of future authors to look out for. I spent so much of this book in absolute tears and terrified. 

There really should be a disclaimer on this book about the abuse. It can be really hard to get through and very very triggering. The way it is written is so raw and real it is like you experience it yourself.  

I love that the dual perspectives in this novel are past and present. It makes you see how a family really can rebuild after years of domestic abuse. 

Thank you so much to S.E. Lynes, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. It was such a suspenseful ride and I look forward to learning more about this author.

EXCERPT: A creak on the landing. She curls up. The water swishes loud in the tub; she cringes at the noise. Ted. He's woken up. He's woken up and he's-

The bathroom door flies open. Ted. Eyes bloodshot and wild, blind but seeing, a look full of hate aimed only at her. His nose wrinkles, his hand shoots out in front of him, a starfish of fingers. She shrieks, folds herself smaller still, arms over her head, eyes closed. The smell of whisky goes up her nose, whisky and smoke, sweat and pubs. This is it. She has not got away with it. The punishment is now.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Thirty years ago, Nicola Watson lived with her parents and older brother in a respectable suburb. At ten years old, she didn’t yet understand why her stomach tightened when she heard her father’s heavy tread as he returned home late at night, or why it made her brother Graham’s stammer get worse, or why one night her mother Carol woke them both, wide-eyed and whispering, and took them out of their home and into the unknown.

Now a successful lawyer in the city, with a life poles apart from her dark beginnings, Nicola has returned home for her mother’s funeral. But as she stands in her mother’s house, remembering the woman who sacrificed everything for her children, Nicola has to confront the guilt that she feels for leaving her family behind. And the belief that she played a part in the events that led to her brother going to prison for murder.

All Carol wanted was to protect her children, but escaping her husband was only the beginning of the story. And when Nicola learns the truth of what her mother did, it will change everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.

MY THOUGHTS: Gripping, emotional and harrowing. This is not an easy read. And not an easy book to review. The setting is as alien to me as if I were to wake up on Mars. A large portion of the book is set on an estate.... now a housing estate in New Zealand is a completely different concept. Lovely homes with manicured lawns on wide tree lined streets rather than cheap housing crammed in together or manky tower blocks where despair is the prevalent emotion and a culture of drugs and violence reigns supreme.

But this is not just a story of abuse and despair. It is a story of a mother's love for her children, her determination that they will have a better life than hers, and the lengths she will go to to make that happen. It is a story of love and redemption, of learning to grieve, to forgive ourselves, and the lesson that what we see is not always the reality of a situation. It is also a story of how, despite our best intentions and efforts, things can still go terribly wrong.

I spent much of this read in tears. So be warned, a box of tissues is mandatory.

😪😲😳😟

#TheLiesWeHide #NetGalley

My favourite passage: Maybe love comes in different flavours, like ice-cream. And maybe she is allowed a second scoop.

THE AUTHOR: S.E. Lynes is the Amazon best selling author of psychological thrillers, VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL.
After graduating from Leeds University, Susie lived in London before moving to Aberdeen where she worked as a producer at the BBC before moving with her husband, Paul, and two young children to Rome.
In Rome, she began to write, snatching time where she could. After the birth of her third child and upon her return to the UK, she gained an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University.
She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing. She has also published two children's books in Italy.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Lies We Tell by S.E. Lynes for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

Another great book by this author. This is a story about domestic abuse and how it affects a family.  Very well written and believable. It held my attention the whole way through.  I would definitely recommend this book and any other book by this author.

My least favorite by this author so far 

I had a hard time getting into this story and found the pacing a bit too slow in places. This is definitely an emotional, character driven drama versus a thriller and quite a different style then the author’s usual stories. 

The writing was good and the characters were well developed. There are multiple narrators and past and present timelines. This was handled deftly. This was not an easy story to read, quite a dark and sad one. There were a few surprises along the way. 

I do like this author and will look out for the next one but would recommend some of the previous work more. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.