This is my first book by the author, it will not be my last. A gripping psychological thriller that is a must read for the year. An intense plot from the beginning that will have you turning the page until the end. 

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Compelling, complex, disturbing, and deeply emotional. S. E. Lynes has written an evocative story about love, strength, resilience, in the aftermath of domestic abuse. As someone who was married to and emotionally abusive alcoholic this book was both realistic and heart wrenching. A lot of the book dealt with the impact abuse has on the children and this is something I personally struggle with and feel guilty about every day. This book really stripped things down and took a real and authentic look at a family recovering from abuse. I thought this was done in a very gentle but honest way. The character’s emotions were palpable as well as their desperation. As deep and bleak as the subject matter of this book was there was also a peppering of humor and a generous amount of hope. At its core this is a story about family, love, and survival.

*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

The Lies We Hide is a fantastic psychological thriller. A must read for the year. The characters are well developed and the storyline is entertaining.

The Lies We Hide by S.E. Lynes is a a work of fiction.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

On the night of her girlfriend's wedding, Carol meets Jim, a kind and decent man.  Jim will be in and out of Carol's life for a long time.

On that same night, Carol takes her two children,  16 year-old Graham and 10 year-old Nicola and runs from Ted, her abusive husband.  The shelter helps her get back on her feet, but it seems no one can help with her fears, or insecurities, her trust, or the damage already done to her and her children.

Graham was always a troubled boy, but after moving away from his father, his behaviour deteriorates.  He makes his mother's life miserable.  His stutter gets worse, and he withdraws into himself, barely speaking.  He turns to drugs.  He ends up in prison for murder, where he meets the new chaplain Richard.

Richard is a kind man who is struggling with his sexuality, and the loss of his mother.  He receives just as much help from Graham, as that which he provides.

Nicola's life was so different than her brother Graham's.  She studied hard, and  became a lawyer.  She remembers her childhood through rose-colored glasses, as most of us do...self-absorbed, and often not seeing the battles around us.

 
My Opinions:  

The story is told in different time-lines by different people, and unfolds wells.

It is a rather sad tale of physical and emotional abuse, of secrets, of lies, and how domestic violence affects the whole family.  How one thing just leads to another.  It is also a tale of redemption, of unselfish acts, of family, of hope, of love.  How a family can rebuild.

It seemed like a slow moving story, but I didn't want to rush it...and I really didn't want to get to Graham's story of the murder, knowing I would hate it.  The suspense just built until I felt I couldn't breathe, and just wanted it over with.  When I finally reached his confession, I could breathe again, because it was not what I had anticipated.  Then additional twists came, which I actually had already guessed.  However that didn't detract from the story.  The writing was amazing...Susie Lynes gets into your head, your heart, your soul....  Well, mine, anyway.

I have read a number of books by this author, all psychological thrillers.  She stepped away from those with this book....and proved she could.

This book got to me.

Just Brilliant! 

The Lies We Hide by S.E. Lynes was an excellent domestic abuse book and I was hooked within the very first few pages. 
 
This new book starts in 1968 when Carol falls for a handsome guy called Ted. He seems perfect at the beginning and carol soon falls pregnant. Ted soon proposes to Carol at the local amusement park and she could not be happier. Things change between them and Ted is not so perfect after all. 
They have two children Graham is the eldest brother to Nicola who is ten, they live in a respectable suburb. Everything looks perfect from the outside but when the front door closes everything changes. Their father becomes a monster towards their loving mother. He has never touch their children but things could change especially after he has had a drink or four! 
Carol and Ted are invited to their neighbours wedding and Carol knows Ted will have too many to drink and pass out before the evening has finished. This is the only time she can take control of the situation. 

Carol finally takes things in her hands and escapes Ted! 

Carol wakes their children up while Ted is comatose by alcohol he drank that evening and takes them out of their home to a place which is unknown to all of them. She takes them to a woman's refuse for woman and children who live with domestic abuse.

But for how long?

Will Ted find Carol and their children?

Will Carol ever find happiness in the future?

What will happen too Graham and Nicola in the future?

Too many spoilers if I write anymore..............You will need to read the book to see what happens to Carol and her children.

WoW...........The end has a twist I did not see coming!!! 

Just Brilliant and I highly recommend this book. I loved it. It's and involving very emotional story that will evoke empathy in even the most hardened of hearts. 

Big thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

Looked forward to reading this book and i wasnt disappointed.  It flicked between time periods but was easy to follow and the plot was easily identifiable and realistic and i had lots of empathy for the characters.

The Lies We Hide SE Lynes 
This is a good family drama story, told between the past and the present.  We hear the story from each characters perspective,  and that builds the whole story. 
The story starts with Carol experiencing domestic violence,  and we learn from each character how they are affected by this. The book is written over a long time frame so we see the long term effects.  I really liked the character Carol, and really felt what she went through. 
Overall a good solid read.

This book was ok- it wasn't absolutely gripping as the description says but I enjoyed it on the whole. Some chapters were very slow and probably didn't need to be there. I thought the characters were well thought out but there needed to be more twists to keep me guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC. 

First book I’ve read by this author and I thought it was a fantastic thrilling read.   It grabbed my attention from beginning to end and covers the issue of domestic abuse and how this can affect not just the victims life, but her children’s too.  Parts of the story were sad and very poignant, and it was told by the three main characters Carol, Graham and Nicola who are all really likeable.      It’s a story than takes place over more than 40 years and goes from past to present times effortlessly.   I read this book in less than a day, found it hard to put down and wanted to know what happened next.   There were plenty of twists in the plot and the author tied up all loose ends very neatly at the end.   I found myself engrossed in this book, felt it flowed really well and was a pleasure to read.  5 stars.

Another first class novel from one of my favourite authors, Susie Lynes. A domestic drama rather than her usual psychological thriller, but just as engrossing and heart-wrenchingly sad.

The story tells of Carol, her abusive marriage to Ted, her escape from him with her children, Graham and Nicola and then her quest to make a new life for them all. But the shadow of their shared past hangs over them and they each try to deal with it in their own way. 
The book is written from 3 different viewpoints and over different timelines, but this works well and each is easy to follow.

Expertly written and emotionally intense and raw, this book will grab you from the first page and keep you hooked till the last.

This was a solid read - although it seemed really familiar in parts to another book I have read.
Told over a long period of time and by several points of view - the book takes the reader on a rollercoaster of pain and suffering caused by domestic abuse!
Seeing the lasting impact of this on the entire family was difficult to stomach at times - but it was dealt with sensitively and with care! 
I always watch out for SE Lynes books and although this wasn’t the best book I have read this year, it was easy to read and kept me very interested.

5 plus stars!  Loved this, but be prepared Lynes is one that tends to hit disturbing and dark topics, and she nails them!  If you enjoy things that many need trigger warnings for, I suggest not only you grab this one but others by this author.  She’s amazing as taking those dark themes and really putting them into a formula to create an amazing psychological thriller that’ll have your brain exploding by the end!  A must read for people who enjoy books I do!  
Will make sure I buzz this book up big time!

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS BOOK COVERS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DRUG ADDICTION
In the present day, Nicola is devastated by her mother’s death and her thoughts dwell on her childhood and the abuse that her mother endured. We are then shown the family’s escape from the violence but then her brother Graham’s life breaks down as a result of drug addiction and his actions land him in prison.
However, it emerges that Nicola, Carol and Graham have all been keeping secrets and it is time for the truth to be revealed…
Part one of the book was absolutely compelling. I loved the representation of Carol as a victim and survivor which I found utterly gripping, feeling raw and honest to me as a reader. The fear of what will happen and anticipating the imminent danger of a beating is palpable and we are in the moment with Carol. Equally, her guilt at leaving her husband and hope for a better relationship with him is something that we hear time and again from abuse victims so felt very real.
Parts two and three cover Graham’s descent into addiction and then his rehabilitation in prison. I’ll be perfectly honest and say I did not enjoy this as much despite the excellent writing. I wonder if it is the selfishness of his behaviour that made me switch off and this is due to the emotional pull I felt towards Carol, thinking she had suffered enough and not wanting her to have further pain.
Despite the serious topics covered in The Lies We Hide, S.E. Lynes manages to include love and humour as well. The introduction of prison chaplain Richard and his story, looking for redemption and finding it through his interactions with Graham, is gentle and full of hope. The overwhelming love of a mother for her children and the need to protect one’s family radiates through the book.

The Lies We Hide portrays how each family member sees what happens in a different way.  Their version of this life leads to the lies we hide whether intentional or not.  S.E. Lynes shows how these lies can change lives.

This had me engrossed from the outset. 

Fantastic storyline of a troubled family, plenty of twists in the tale too. 

Thoroughly recommend. 4.5 stars

Absolutely riveting domestic violence drama with a little mystery. Well developed characters that you cared about.  While I guessed the ending, it didn't ruin it for me. Was very informative on domestic violence while telling a good story. 

The only problem I had was the main character meeting a man at a dance and leaving with him while her violent husband was there. Not plausible. She would have fear ingrained in her not to respond to a man. If it wasn't that I would have given it 5 stars. 

Still, I absolutely loved this book. Read it one sitting.

A truly stunning read.  This family domestic saga covers some very dark situations but still manages to be a beautiful read.  Told by three characters this sums up a family in turmoil following Carol leaving an abusive husband with her two children. Going from a lovely house with a best friend next door to a horrific council flat the family react to their new lives differently.  Such fantastic characters who you can visualise due to the clever written speech - the working class Merseyside deprecated perfectly.  Heartwrenching and who could imagine you could start to love the violent, disturbed Graham. A great read with a bring you to a gasp of an ending.

This is a powerful book.  It is not just the main character, Carol, but what she has to cope with and the people who make up her life.

As a young couple, Carol and Ted Watts are starting out with their first child.  Once their daughter is born, life for Carol becomes unbearable.  Ted uses her as a punch bag, usually when he has been drinking.  The rest of the time he can be good company and obviously dotes on the children.

Years later, Carol has had enough.  He tries to drown her.  She flees with the children and goes to a refuge.  What follows is pretty desperate but she keeps away, for the most part.  Another altercation with Ted makes her realise that she can never go back.

Graham is the eldest and has experienced it all.  As a teenager, he goes off the rails after leaving school.  Nicola is studious and all Carol's hopes for the future are with her.

After Ted's death, Carol gets in touch with Jimmy, who showed such kindness to her the night that she left Ted.  Neighbour and next-door neighbour Pauline introduced them.  He proved to be the most positive person in her life.

Chaplain Richard spends time with Graham whilst he is in prison and is able to help him.  He needs to sort out his life in order to go back to his girlfriend and daughter.

This is a very emotional read, but well worth it.  We could all learn a lot from Carol.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased.  My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.

If commanding literary novels give you a buzz, then you must read The Lies We Hide, the latest novel written by S. E. Lynes.  I have read some of this fabulous author's earlier work, and even though this is very different from her usual thriller genre, I knew I was still going to be in for a treat with this one and it was stunningly good!

In The The Lies We Hide, bestseller S. E. Lynes explores the darkest corners of physical abuse from a savage husband, and the malevolent psychological torment that affects the whole family, in a mesmerising and chilling tale of evil, secrets, lies, and manipulation.

Written in alternating chapters, from three characters' perspectives, I was given the opportunity to see things from several viewpoints, making the story altogether more interesting. Each is told with such empathy and insight that I felt I knew the characters first-hand. Susie Lynes' characterisation was incredibly impressive, and pretty much made this story the remarkable read it was. The author explored the psyche of her characters with great conviction, making them very credible. There were interactions and relationships that added complexity and depth to all of them and illustrated how their pasts haunted them and affected the perceptions they now possess. 

I particularly liked the author's portrayal of Carol who's story was heartrending, and all too commonplace. Although there seemed to be an abundance of players, each had a part to play in the story and I was never overwhelmed. Everyone has different motives and priorities for their actions, thoughts or behaviour. The Lies We Hide brought me no disappointments, capturing my attention from the prologue to the final word. Susie Lynes created an underlying sense of tension that was totally gripping. I appreciated the tautness of the plot, the twists and revelations, and the overall quality of the writing. My interest never wavered as the story spiralled its way towards a superb denouement. 

The Lies We Hide is exceptional, standout, literary fiction that I cannot recommend highly enough. 

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I LOVED this book! I have goosebumps just writing this review. 

Told mainly from two points of view and flicks between Carol the mother whose story unfolds in the past, the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of the vile alcoholic Ted, and Nicola one of Carols two children, the little girl who carried the guilt of her dark beginnings and tells the present day story as she grieves the loss of Carol.
The story is deeply moving and, as the story unfolds the revelations and twists are both poignant and unexpected.

Although a slower pace than the usual page turners penned by the author the characters really unfold between the lines and captures the lengths families will go to to protect the ones they love, even if that means having to lie. 

A well deserved 5/5 from me and I'd like to thank Netgalley and the author for the ADR in exchange for an honest review.