This one totally messed with my head and was slow going, at times confusing, for me and didn't really pick up until somewhere in the 60% area. From there on it grabbed me and I was really interested in how it would all play out. I was mostly happy with the conclusion, but the last chapter ending before the epilogue was a little odd, rushed maybe?

Told in multiple 3rd person by Ailsa, Jonah and Callum in the present with some 'then' flashbacks. I think the fact that it was written this way made for some nice twists that I didn't see coming, but also some repetitiveness. My mama heart was thumping real hard on some pages.

I can't say I really liked many of the characters, especially the mean girls from high school. I really felt bad for Seth too. I enjoyed Kyle's fun facts about dogs ~ such as "their noses have a special pattern, and no two dogs have the same."

Overall, after it picked up and I got used to the Scottish terms it was a thrilling ride. First, but not my last time reading this authors work.

CW ~ parental physical abuse (off page), reference to rape (off page)

This book starts slow but drags you in fairly quickly. After you think you have it figured out...wrong! I couldn't put this down and will definitely recommend this as a must read

Atmospheric, deep, dark secrets and twists all add up to an interesting thriller! Wendy Clarke brings the Scottish coast to life with her descriptions and inhabitants. Good read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

This was my first book by Wendy Clarke, and I will definitely read more from her!
The book was definitely a slow-burner for me at the start, but certainly picks up so it's worth moving past it and persevering. I prefer my thrillers to be gripping from the outset, but this made up for lost time in the second half!
The secrets and lies tagline in the blurb promises twists aplenty, and I was so shocked with some of the reveals!
The characters and writing style really help to add to the tension, but I think the high point for me is the Scottish setting. The atmosphere of the book really shone through the pages!

This ended up being a bit long for my taste. It was somewhat hard to get into with too many characters and didn't upfront explain who they all were. I just didn't care for the writing style and unfortunately couldn't get into it. I think I will try the audio upon release because the premise still interests me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the book and the plot. Kept me on edge till the last. I can't wait to read the other books by the author.

This book for me started off quite slowly and I admit to wondering if it was for me as I like my books to be fast paced from the start. However even though this was a slow start after nearly half way through the pace picked up immensely and I was completely absorbed in the story, There were a few very unexpected reveals that at times rendered me speechless, In spite of the slow start this book turned out to be a complete page turner,

I’ve read a number of books by this author and always enjoyed them so I was looking forward to reading this one. Set on the Isle of Bray I found this quite a slow burner and initially I was convinced that I’d worked it all out way before any reveals. I might have got a few things right but oh my goodness there are some massive reveals in this book that hadn’t even crossed my mind. Well written story with a great plot and some fascinating characters. Written from the points of view of the main protagonists, Ailsa, Jonah and Callum, and in the past (then) and present, it’s a story that raises a lot of issues: autism, bullying, alcoholism, verbal and physical abuse just for starters.

Briefly, Ailsa was brought up alongside Jonah and his brother Callum but they were two very different boys and her friendship was with Jonah. Callum always had his fathers nasty temper whereas Jonah was the quieter and kinder boy. When Callum dies in an accident Jonah can’t forgive himself and leaves the island only returning 11 years later when his mother Moira asks him to come back for her birthday. But his return stirs up old secrets and emotions.

I loved how Ailsa’s sons autism is dealt with, I felt that the author must’ve had some dealings with autism herself, it’s actually made me feel like I wanted to give Ryan a hug, when I knew I couldn’t! I also felt extremely sorry for Seth and the things he had to endure. The climax is a real shocker and I adored how it played out, and as for the last few lines of the book it said it all. A really good read.

Wao… just wao… this book was spectacular!

The story is about Ailsa, a single mother taking care of her son who had special needs in a remote island in Scotland, a childhood friend is back to the island and with him all the secrets of the past.

This is the first psychological thriller who got me on my toes the whole time. I’ve never been on Scotland but I feel there reading this book, the descriptions, the beautiful landscape, the island, just awesome.

Love every character of this book, the flashbacks, the differents POV, the dual timeline, THE PLOT TWIST, one after the other… i was at 2 am awake, thinking… omg lol.

If you love thrillers this one is for you. Is filled with mystery, secrets, lies and drama.

Thanks you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Twists were dark, gripping novel. Didn't grab my interest right away, but held it as time went on I HAD to know what happened.

Netgalley, thank you for making sure I got my hands on this beauty which engulfed me. I was intrigued and so glued because the author keep me interested, Wendy integrated the past and present so well, I felt the cliff hanger moments.

I had a hard time getting into this one, I made myself finish however and was glad I did. I would definitely try more from the author.

Wendy Clarke's novels have a way of reeling you in, and this one is no exception. A psychological thriller packed full of mystery and intrigue, it kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. And as always, there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Another stellar book from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC to read and review.

Publication date for Childhood Sweetheart is 23/8/22.

Childhood Sweetheart by Wendy Clarke was well written and kept you coming back for more.
This story was about Ailsa and how she reconnected with someone from her past. But does the past stay in the past? This book will keep you guessing about what happened and why it happened.
Loved this book and how nothing was as it seems

A little slow starting off..it did pick up but the ending seemed rushed then. Was overall a interesting read.
Nothing stood out that I loved or hated.

Thanks to the author ,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Childhood Sweetheart by Wendy Clarke

Published: August 23, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 381
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Wendy Clarke is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers. She started her career writing short fiction and serials for national women’s magazines. After having over three hundred short stories published, she progressed to writing novels. With a degree in psychology and intrigued with how the human mind can affect behaviour, it was inevitable that she would eventually want to explore her darker side.

“The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained.”

Ailsa is doing her best to raise her autistic son while working for Moira as her mother had. Their history is long and twisted, the depths neither truly knows. When Moira invites her son home for her birthday, Ailsa expects things to be awkward but more or less the same. Neither could have anticipated what Moira had planned.

I loved the character's names in this novel. They were all so lovely. The setting was a character in its own way, beautiful and dark, lonely and dangerous. I loved that you could feel the stunning remoteness as you read.

The characters were all well developed, and I enjoyed getting to know them. I liked how the story was told, with alternating narrators and timelines. The plot was well done and delivered beautifully.

The twists in this story were insane and scary. But also exceptionally well done. This was like being on a rollercoaster, with the sharp turns and sudden drops plunging you in directions you couldn’t predict.

The final twists in this novel were so well executed, and the last sentences were so beautiful, so pure, that I just stared at them for a few moments. I enjoyed this journey.

What an incredible read! It had me on the edge of my seat, second guessing what i thought I knew. Highly unpredictable and highly satisfying. It is so intelligently written, which makes it impossible to put down!

Writing aside, i fell in LOVE with the cover. The vibrant colours really draw the eye! It will take centre stage on my shelf! The blurb doesnt give too much away, but perfectly sets up the story, and is intriguing enough to make you read it straight away!

It took me a couple to chapters to get into the story but I’m glad I persevered. Childhood Sweetheart will keep you turning the pages. The synopsis doesn’t really do the story justice. With several twists and unexpected turns, it’s well worth the read.
Thank You to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I felt like this book started off really slow, but the 2nd half picked up. I also didn’t really feel like the story matched the synopsis. The story centers on Ailsa, who works at a vacation lodge on a remote island in Scotland for the mother of her childhood best friend. Her friend, Jonah, left the island after the death of his brother, 11 years earlier, and is now reluctantly returning for his mother’s 60th birthday. The story is primarily told from Ailsa’s POV, but also has chapters told from both Jonah and his brother’s POV, some in current time and some in the past.

I had a tough time getting through the first 3rd of the book, and felt like it was hard to connect with the characters. It moved at a faster clip after that and I also found myself liking Ailsa more and more as the book continued. There were a couple big twists towards the end, most of which I figured out, but one that took me by surprise. The ending of the book is abrupt and feels rushed but I couldn’t really complain about how it all ended up.

Overall, decent book that I’m glad I read, but the fact that it took me so long to engage makes it a 3 star book rather than 4. This is the same rating I’ve given all the other books I’ve read by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Ailsa and Jonah are inseparable growing up in an isolated part of northern Scotland. Jonah’s parents own the lodges and Ailsa’s mum works for them. Jonah has a twin brother Callum, who is a nasty piece of work. Their dad Hugh is a tyrant and a bully. The. Hugh disappears to the mainland with his mistress and then tragedy strikes and Callum dies, resulting in Jonah leaving for 10 years.

Fast forward and Ailsa now works for Moira the twins mum, doing the same job her mum did. She has a son Kyle, who’s dad is unidentified. Moira is about to celebrate her 60th birthday and reveals she has asked Jonah to come back for the celebration. During this Moira reveals some shocking news. But why is Jonah acting so different. He’s not the boy Ailsa once knew.

This book starts slowly. For me it mimicked the slow and steady loch that features heavily. Despite it being a slow burner it was quite obvious that something was going to happen and I kept reading anticipating a major spoiler.

I really enjoyed this. More than the initial chapters would have had me believe. A great story!