The Bottle of Tears

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
This is a wonderful book, I loved it!
The story starts Christmas 1975 with Marge, the mother, and her three children welcome back Uncle Cecil, who brightens their lives with treats and presents. But something horrendous occurs, and Uncle Cecil leaves not to be seen for 40 years.
Fast forward to today and we meet Penny and Victoria, the two daughters, and their families. Penny doesn't remember much about that fateful Christmas, but Victoria has spent her life still reeling from that day, addicted to Valium, as she fights OCD and worried about her son Bertie.
Marge, Penny and Victoria are planning their Christmas dinner, a contentious affair that ends up with the two sisters not speaking.
Penny is the most likeable, but I did get impatient with the way she allows her husband to squander his life away while she works hard and worries about paying their bills. Marge is quite a nasty character, I felt she needed a good slap. Victoria is a train wreck barely hanging on.
As events unfold, it's impossible to put the book down...
Sad, moving and thoughtful, with a very satisfying ending, I highly recommend this book.

Formulaic family drama. Not to say there's no good reading here, just typical and expected. Not an unpleasant read on a rainy day.

An excellent read with a good story line and characters that I soon got involved with. I did find parts of the book were a bit slow but overall a good read and I can recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book

The Bottle of Tears is the first book I’ve picked up this year which felt distinctly like a Summer read. Set in both London and the Kent coast, we sway between the accounts of sisters Penny and Victoria as they slowly, angrily, painfully, drive memories of one terrible Christmas to a bubbling surface. These terrible recollections are buried deep, and with the interference of their inexplicably manipulative and meddling mother who seems set on pitting the sisters against one another, communication is lacking and answers do not come until very late in the narrative. For that reason, much of the novel’s tension comes from the fact that the sisters naturally clash – Penny is a financially struggling psychologist who cannot persuade her artist-cum-stoner husband to keep house, whereas OCD-prone Victoria plays housewife to her incredibly wealthy husband while nursing a badly hidden Valium addiction. Throw in Marge, their mysteriously malicious mother, whispering falsehoods in both sets of ears, and there is more than enough venom to spit across the table at a dinner party without the presence of That Christmas.

When I say that this novel felt like a Summer read, I mean that in the sense of the fact that it took a single afternoon to read, and didn’t require much thought. I could imagine myself lounging in the back garden with a nondescript fruity cider and sleepily skimming The Bottle of Tears. Many of the narrative beats and gotcha! moments were predictable, and Alexander’s writing style is more that of a narrator than a descriptor. While that makes this novel very easy to get through and process, it also makes it feel a little bare. However, much of the development comes from the characters, through their conversations and memories, so the lack of descriptive text is made up for by an emphasis on dialogue. This is certainly a work occupied with the importance of talking, of trusting and revealing.

Unfortunately for a character drama, The Bottle of Tears does not show strength in its characters. They are neither unique nor sympathetic, even at their very worst and most tragic moments. The only people I felt any pity for or felt like I could get behind were Victoria’s husband, Michael, and her son, Bertie, who do not get enough time within the text to really establish themselves. Bertie gets more attention than his father, but the coming out narrative of which he is the principal player is poorly imagined, and actually made me a little angry at times. The fact that Alexander is known mostly for writing LGBT fiction was a cause of genuine shock for me when I discovered it, especially when utterances such as “[he wants to study] Fashion Design? He’s not gay as well is he?” and “we’re all jealous of you and your [gay best friend] Will” pop up more often than they should without any commentary or indication that these are harmful perceptions to have. The LGBT aspect of The Bottle of Tears feels very much like it was written to be accessible to only-mildly homophobic straight people, and I would recommend that this be revised because it is by far its biggest detriment and shaved off a full two stars for me.

I would recommend The Bottle of Tears to those who want a good helping of drama presented in a neatly wrapped package which doesn’t require too much elbow grease to unwrap. I just think I needed a little more filling.

I have seen many books by this author and have passed them by! I’m so glad this one really caught my eye. A rare insight into what really goes on within families. Two sisters with very different lives who have an emotional connection that they feel they can never share. A lot of sensitive subjects were handled very well by the author and it helped me luck at some of things I need help with. Thanks Nick i’ll be reading again.

If I could rate The Bottle of Tears more than five stars then I would.
The book just felt so real for me. Lots of things reminded me of my life growing up, of falling out with my sister so much growing up.and of losing someone before you got the chance to tell them how you feel.
Reading this book has come at the right time in my life, so I thank you Nick Alexander for such a brilliant read.

Having just finished Nick Alexanders previous novel, 'You then, me now" I couldn't wait to get started on his latest one 'The Bottle of Tears'. This book was wonderful, I seriously could not put it down, has to be one of his best so far. I loved the characters and the fact that he dealt with so many relatable issues. Family, friendship, sexuality, death, depression, addiction, and so much more. Penny and Vicky are sisters with a past, although Penny is yet to fully understand the issues of her past, and unfortunately learns some of it a little too late. Each feel jealous of the other for various reasons; Penny has a laid back lifestyle, with an artist husband, two kids and a home on the beach - Vicky has a beautiful upscale flat in London, a handsome husband and teenage son and they are not short of a penny, meaning Vicky doesn't need to work, unlike Penny who works all the hours and still struggles to make ends meet. Their mother loves them both dearly, but there is an underlying issue which comes out toward the latter part of the book. There is lots of drama in this novel, some humour, a lot of lovable characters, and a truly memorable storyline. Highly recommended.

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The book starts with a prologue to set the scene, we know something has happened to little Penny but we don't know what.
The rest of the book explains it all and is told through the eyes of Penny and her sister Victoria. There is much talk of valium and dope and therapy, which is not really my sort of book. I understand why the author put this in, however there was too much angst and was not the family drama I was expecting. The ending seemed rushed.

I really liked this book. The writing was great and I loved the story of the two sisters and their different lives. I related to this book when it came to mental illness. It talks about everything from anxiety, depression to sexuality. I really enjoyed this and so glad more authors are writing about mental illness.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. 2 sisters who are totally different with a different outlook. Good read and would recommend.

Bottle of Tears is a good story with a lot of family drama and deals a lot with mental illness.
The characters are memorable and there is some humor in the storyline. This book was hard to put down.
Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing foe the ARC.

This was the first book I've read from this author and it was just okay. It was hard for me to get into and the characters didn't keep my attention.

A really good story about family rivalry, secrets and lies. There are strong characters in this book and their stories are well written. My only criticism is I thought that it was a bit slow in places.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I loved everything about this book especially the characters and plot. Highly recommend this to anyone who is into such a creative story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing family drama which covered many themes including mystery, family secrets, addiction and sexuality. The two main characters, sisters Penny and Victoria lead very different lives - both affected in their different ways by an incident back in their childhood which slowly reveals as the story progresses. Victoria is wealthy and doesn't need to work as she is supported by her husband. However, she is troubled by demons from her past doubtless contributing to her addiction to Valium. Her sister, on the other hand, struggles to make ends meet working hard to keep her family fed and a roof over their heads. It annoyed me that her husband appeared to be content to let her carry their financial burdens whilst he (occasionally) indulged himself with his painting and (regularly) with his passion for smoking dope. How Penny just seemed to accept this situation made me want to give her a good shake. The girls' mother, Marge, a manipulative and meddling woman, constantly played her daughters off against each other often lying and scheming to cause trouble. I could never work out what she hoped to gain by this. There were parts of the book that seemed slow and drawn out with much dialogue but little action and I was impatient for the story to get back on track but overall this was a gripping and enjoyable book with a satisfactory conclusion. My thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

A tale of the complexity of family relationships! Sisters penny and Victoria witness the death of their brother Ed many years ago when they where small children, overnight following their brothers death their lives change so much as their mother Marge attempts to grieve for her son whilst working, running a home and bringing up the girls as a single parent. This life changing event and its repercussions is remembered differently by the sisters and its ramifications are long lasting and far reaching throughout their lives until at last after the death of their mother they are eventually reconciled and able to start dealing with the emotional baggage that has shaped their adults life’s. A tense emotional read demonstrating the ties that bind you!
Thank you net galley for this early read

A beautifully told story of family relationships, past events and how differently people can remember the same event in very disparate ways. We can all find something to relate to in this book.

This book is much sadder than I anticipated. I don’t know if I could get through it but I did. Just be careful.

Enjoyed this book, though it did get a little slow in places. Loved the story and the characters were well developed. Perfect read in one sitting book.

Two sisters with their families have a tempestuous relationship. Their mum, (whom I didn't like), often is the only sink between the sisters.
The sisters live completely different lifestyles but secrets and lives seems to be théir major barrier between them.
A great family saga read.

Great read. The story of two sisters and how they coped with a traumatic experience in their childhood and how that trauma spread into their adulthood. At times I wanted to bang their heads together to get them to talk about it. Then their mother did nothing to help them but instead made things worse by pitching one against the other. A very good read - I loved the concept of ‘a bottle of tears’ itself.

I first discovered this author through his 50 Reasons series, way back in April 2011 just after I got my first Kindle. There was something about his style of writing that just gelled with me and that, combined with his amazing skill at characterisation - both male and female - meant that I've read and thoroughly enjoyed every book he has written since. Including this one which is actually a re-titled, re-release formerly called Let the Light Shine. I re-read this new edition for an updated review.
It's the story of Penny and Victoria, two very different sisters. Penny works hard for her meagre money, undervalued but, at the same time, manages to balance work and life well, occasionally struggling to make ends meet but surviving nonetheless. On the other hand, Victoria is a bit of a mess but appears to have everything she wants/needs. They have a very strained relationship for reasons that neither can really explain, just that something happened when they were children. Something they've never spoken about properly even though it has tainted their every Christmas since 1976. But their past is catapulted into their present when tragedy strikes, forcing the sisters to revisit that time and face up to what really happened that fateful day. Piecing together their differing accounts to get to the raw, brutal truth, but at what cost?
This is a beautifully told story with a wealth of really well drawn characters. I should know by now, but it never ceases to amaze me, that this author has the ability to create really great female characters - really get under their skin and expose what makes them tick. There are three such main characters herein - Penny, Victoria and their mother. There is also a great supporting cast who are all just as well described and who all play their parts - both big and small - very well.
It's hard to say much more about what happens as the layers that are peeled back throughout expose things that really need to be discovered and enjoyed exactly as the author intended. Suffice to say that there are shocks and surprises aplenty along the way.
It's not all doom and gloom along the way, there's also quite a bit of humour which keeps the book balanced throughout. Pacing is also good, the book never drags even during the quieter moments and, I'm pleased to say, there's also no superfluous padding, the story gets on with itself quite nicely throughout.
There's also a point in this book where what happens gave me so much clarity and empowerment, even though my personal situation vastly differs from that of the characters, it gave me something special and for that alone, I thank the author.
All in all, a cracking read that I have no hesitation in recommending for fans of the genre. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

If you enjoy some family drama, this is a must read for you. I thought it was a bit slow at first, but I liked it anyway. It's interesting to see how little the sisters know about each other, always assuming that the other one is happier and has a perfect life, when in fact they're both going through personal issues and facing different challenges.

Nobody has a perfect life. And misunderstandings from the past can have such a huge impact in the future. This story definitely makes us reflect upon our relationships and the things we don't share with our loved ones.

Penny and Victoria remember the death of their brother Ed in 1976 very differently. One thing they do know is that everything changed after that, especially with and for their mother Marge, who was raising them as a single mom. These sisters have followed divergent life paths and seem polar opposites but they are really a lot alike. Both have unhappy marriages and roiling personal lives they keep hidden behind facades. Marge hasn't helped things- she's a nasty person. There's a fair amount of family drama. It's well plotted and written. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not a light read by any means but a good one.

Quite slow to start and a lot more emotional than I was anticipating, this is a great read once it does get going. A reflective read about relationships and family. My first read by Nick but I will definitely look out for more now.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Memories and families. Victoria and Penny are sisters who both remember the death of their brother, Ed, when they were children. Now all grown up with husbands and children and a mother, Marge, who likes to play one sister off the other, the sisters are dealing with their fractured relationship. All of the members of the family have their own problems to deal with but how can such a divided family ever find the answers if they don't change?

A well-written novel with sympathy and frustration in equal measure for all characters. A tad overlong in the middle maybe but the ending is well-paced and thought out.

The Bottle of Tears by Nick Alexander is an emotional read about family dynamics, as well as the fragility of memory. Sisters Penny and Victoria experience a childhood trauma differently, and it deeply affects their relationship into adulthood. Envy pollutes their ability to have a strong relationship. The book is slow at times but is a solid narrative.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Meet Penny and Victoria, two sisters who are locked in sibling jealousy and rivalry as single mum Marge, now an elderly lady, continues to play one off against the other causing no end of psychological damage and emotional trauma. This started way back in Margate with the girls growing up and when their brother Ed was around. Enter Uncle Cecil who truly does upset the balance one Christmas Eve with devastating consequences.
This story explores the complexity of family relationships the love and ties that bind us and how our memories of the same event can be so very different. The impact of that fateful Christmas Eve leaves one sister with an addiction to Valium and OCD and an adolescent boy struggling with his sexuality in a family who is so caught up in their own issues it is heartbreaking to witness the isolation and despair.
The story alternates between Whitstable and Maida Vale. Throw in the husbands, each very different and each struggling to find their place in the world and you end up with a poignant story that is extremely readable.
I haven't come across Nick Alexander before but I will definitely be looking out for other books he has written.
Thanks again to publisher, author and NetGalley.

This book was excellent and felt so real to me. It reminded me so much of my life
The writing style was very good and kept me interested in the book
I wish I was able to give it more than 5 stars

I have read and enjoyed Nick Alexander's previous books so was looking forward to reading this one. I wasn't disappointed. So beautifully written, I loved this book.

A fantastic story of complex family relationships, sadness, secrets, lies , deceit, manipulation and hidden secrets. A gripping story - I found it difficult to put down. Great characterisation, well paced with twists and turns along the way and a satisfying conclusion. Heartwarming but so sad too, this book did make me cry in places but also laugh in places too.

Highly recommended, I also highly recommend all of Nick's previous books too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially attracted to this book by the cover. I admit that quite freely. The book covers the relationship with a mother and her 2 daughters, dipping into the past to help you understand why each one of them ticks and how their dysfunctional relationship developed. I was gripped early on, trying to figure out why each character behaved as they did and trying to second guess the story end. This isn't a heartwarming book but it does provoke thoughts and gives the reader a glimpse of the grief and hurt abuse brings into a family and how that family relationship works thereafter. I felt the LGBT and Assylum Seeker elements were added in to the story to tick boxes somehow - neither seemed to fit in well and the story could have managed without each. That said, it was a very good read. I read it quite quickly and find myself still thinking about it and the characters and wishing them well in their new relationships together.

I really enjoyed this book. It was told in a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and continually engaging way by the author (of whom I have not read a novel before but will certainly do so again in the future on the basis of this novel!). Great characters, structure and morality. Thank you!

I really enjoyed this tale of two sisters whose lives have been affected by an incident one childhood Christmas. Very interesting to see how each sister handles life so differently and as the story is gradually revealed later by later, I found myself pulled into their lives. The idea of the “bottle of tears” is lovely too.

With thanks to Netgalley and Amazon for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

The tragic events of Christmas Eve 1976 affected the lives of Marge and her daughter Vicki. On Christmas Eve Marge had a terrible row with her brother Cyril. Shortly afterwards Vicki and her older brother Ed were playing sliding down the banister. Ed slid off the banister on to the hall floor killing him instantly.

In the present day younger sibling Penny was married to once famous artist Sanders. Penny and Sanders had two children Chloe and Max. The family were struggling because Sanders refused to get a proper job and instead smoked pot all day.

Vicki had a wealthy husband called Martin and a son called Bertie. Vicki was suffering from the effects of the menopause, OCD and addicted to valium. Due to Vicki`s mood swings Bertie was unhappy at home and wanted to live with Penny and her family.

Although weak after a stroke Marge was still the matriarch of the family. However behind the scenes she was manipulative and caused animosity between the scenes.

After the death of Marge, Vicki slowly starts to explain what happened that Christmas eve.

The subject matter of The Bottle of Tears was disturbing at times. The plotline was skilfully woven with interesting characters.

Marge was a nasty manipulative woman who didn't deserve her daughters love. She was very clever and she knew what poison to drop to catch a nerve. I liked Penny but I felt like shouting at the page when Penny and Vicki rowed during the family dinner. I also liked Sanders and was glad when he got his artistic inspiration back.

I had to laugh when Vicki cleaned Penny`s kitchen during a bout of insominia. To be fair I could understand why Penny felt insulted by this. I guessed Bertie`s secret and I just wanted to hug him. I also liked Martin who seemed to still love Vicki despite her problems.

I recommend this book and will look for more books by Nick Alexander.

Families hey! This book made me wonder exactly how much we actually remember of our childhood and how many memories are actually just hidden in a corner? The story of two sisters, family secrets that are never spoken about, mental illness, sexuality, relationships. Couldn’t put it down and read it over a 24 hour period.

A book about sisters Victoria(Vicky) and Penelope(Penny). They have many ups and downs, as most families. They have an older brother who died young. The story revolves around all three siblings, their mum and the sister's husbands and children. This is a heart breaking story of family and how they can be dysfunctional. This family is very dysfunctional! It's a hard story to read at times, but I found it interesting. Actually I found it hard to put down! It has some deep sorrow and emotion and the author makes the reader feel it. There's some hard life lessons in this book. Also some signs all families need to look for and watch for in their own families, to stop tragedy like this from happening. Interesting book!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you,Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, despite it being a typical family drama. There wasn't really anything new in this book, anything groundbreaking. But it was a nice interesting read all the same - a good one to pick up when you want something fairly easy to get through!

A good family story. I found this an enjoyable read with gripping characters and believable situations.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A slow paced family drama with some surprising twists, this was very readable although arguably nothing new. Recommended for some chill out time.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46663026

This book is the perfect example of how we all deal with things in our own way. Each sister remembered something different that had happened and they each worked through that in their own way. This is a great book. You won’t be disappointed!

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The plot is predictable. The characters are not believable

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Nick Alexander for the opportunity to read this wonderful family drama. 4.5 stars.

Penny and Vicky are sisters and survivors of a horrible family tragedy that happened on Christmas. Their mother, Marge, seems to encourage the drama between the sisters. Penny, a successful psychologist working with refugees, is married to Sanders, a once successful painter, and has 2 children. From the outside, she seems to have it all - except that Penny feels she's the only one working and trying to keep their family afloat. Vicky, married to Martin, a successful lawyer, has one child and a host of anxiety issues, fueled by her addiction to Valium. When childhood secrets finally come out, the sisters need to finally find a way to understand each other and move forward.

Just a good family drama story and I loved the "bottle of tears" analogy. It's amazing how different our perceptions can be from reality and cause so many family issues.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in return for my honest review. A predictable family drama, not for me.

Every good family drama starts with a secret, sisters Vicky and Penny have kept a very large secret from each other for the past 40 years, and it has had a different impact on each of them.

Victoria lives with her husband and son in London. Living a life filled with luxury. She seems to have it all, but underneath everything she is relying on Valium and feels as though her whole life is falling apart.

Penelope, her husband and their two children live in a big, beautiful house near the seaside. However, the house is falling apart, he artist husband hasn’t contributed financially to the household for 15 years and Penny works 60 hour weeks just to keep them afloat.

Each sister is jealous of the other, and their mother seems to be manipulating that relationship. Once she passes away, the secrets start coming to the surface and once everything is out in the open can the sisters forgive and forget?

I really enjoyed the family dynamics in this novel and look forward to reading more by this author.

Another good one from Nick Alexander. I enjoy reading his fun books. They keep me entertained but also a good dose of human life. recommended.

This book started off brilliantly and I really enjoyed the start . Unfortunately about 3/4 way through it fell flat for me and I just wanted to finish it. Others may love it and yes it was a fairly good read.

Nick Alexander has a wide variety of books and there's a reason why - he writes them well and 'The Bottle of Tears' is no exception. Another great storyline with authentic characters and storylines.

A good story emphasizing how one event can be seen completely differently by two people and how the two sisters cope with events in their own ways

A decent read with enough to keep you interested. Not the most ground-breaking of plots, but a nice easy read.

I really enjoy dual timeline books and the author does a great job with this. This book is an emotional read and your heart will ache as you experience loss of a loved one. The characters are richly developed and you become invested in their lives. There is a lot of family drama and disturbing topics presented. But it is well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

Another cute and easy read from Nick Alexander.
I found this one to be an emotional one which I loved as it meant I was truly invested, I could relate to the characters and I believed in them, their past and their future.
I will pick up any of this authors books due their easy read nature.