I really loved this! I love the dual story line. I loved that it showed the effects of trauma (whatever the situation was for each character) and loss for every point of view. I almost wish that it showed the consequences for another character that I won't talk about. Each character was real and heartbreaking in their own way.

This was my first by this author, I'll be looking into another.

I very much enjoyed this family drama. The plot was well crafted and the characters were people I could relate to and empathize with. Definitely recommended.

My review contains spoilers.

"I am always with you. I will always be here."
Jude broke that promise to her 5-year-old daughter when she walked into the sea, abandoning Ella to the care of her sister.
Her body was never discovered and she was later declared dead.
30 years later, Ella finds an anonymous ad in a paper containing the ten little words her mother always used to repeat to her...
Is Jude still alive? As Ella discovers the truth about her mother's disappearance, little does she know that her life is about to be changed forever.

The story follows Ella's point of view and is entwined with Jude's recap of the events leading to her disappearance.
I admit this was not my usual go-to story, but nevertheless, I quite enjoyed it.
The story focused on emotions, instead of a fast-paced thrilling sequence of events, but it offered bits of mystery as well.
As the story progressed, I found myself drawn into it with the question of whether Jude was indeed still alive.
However, I must say that the reason she had for leaving her daughter didn't seem to provide enough justification for her actions, and therefore I failed to feel sorry for her, even despite the fact that she was a victim as well.
The ending also fell flat for me, it felt too cliched, soapy and too much of a "happily ever after".
Overall, it was a good read, and I'm sure it will find a lot of fans, so I recommend you give it a go.

Ellla's mother disappears and is later presumed dead after promising in 10 words that she will never lave her. Ella is then raised by her aunt Carolyn and moves to London. Music and moving to London help Mia to feel slightly less angry and resentment from how her mother left her until she sees something in a newspaper that shocks her. Those same 10 words appear in the paper and bring Ella back to when her mom died. But is her mom really dead or did she fake her death?

I like that this story shifted between Ella and her mom, Jude. You learn about Jude's younger years leading up to her disappearance. There are many twists and surprises in this book but I feel more empathy for Ella than her mom. It was well written, emotional and a page turner. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 7/7/20

A family based drama with a bit of mystery. The story is told through the different viewpoints of Jude (the mother) and Ella (her daughter). This worked well as the reader often had information that Ella, as the central character did not. You could feel the seething resentment behind Ella's detached facade and feel the change in her as the book progressed.

An enjoyable book, kept me entertained for a few hours during lockdown. I like books that are told from different perspectives.

A story about finding family, and the challenges that lay along the way. I was drawn in to the story by those ten words, and became more and more intrigued as bits and pieces were revealed. A novel that uplifts and gives hope.

'I am always with you. I will always be here."
Ella's mothers promise to her, but one day Jude walks into the sea and doesn't return, her body is never recovered, so she is pronounced deceased.
Ella is to be raised by her aunt Carolyn.
Moving to London helps Mia start to mend, she is still hurt and angry but begins to rebuild her life.
30 years on Ella sees something in a newspaper that throws her. The same 10 words her mother used to say to her are written in an anonymous ad, bringing Ella's memory flooding back to her mother's disappearance. She wonders if her mum is alive, if so, why did she fake her death and leave her.
I thank NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the Author Leah Mercer for allowing me to review this pre-publication novel.

I enjoyed this book. Family based drama with well written characters. My first time reading this author. Would recommend.

Ella believed since she was 5 years old that her mother walked out into the sea. But 30 years later, she sees a post in the newspaper with the ten words her mother said to her every day before she disappeared into the sea.

Ella starts to wonder if her mother really died or if she’s still out there. She finds letters addressed to her mother from a man, love letters written as if she had never died. She goes to Bertie and learns things about her mother. Along her journey, she gains this new confidence and no longer believes that she has to live a life all alone. But is her mother really gone?

I love books with two or more points of view. The chapters go back and forth between Ella and her mother Jude. You learn pieces of Jude’s history before she leaves Ella. You watch Ella gain confidence and learn to trust others. You see a one of a kind love story from the beginning to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced e-book copy! Keep your eye out for this one when it publishes in June!

Thirty years ago deeply troubled Jude Morgan disappears and is presumed dead. She leaves behind a five year old daughter Ella, who is raised by her Aunt Carolyn and her husband Rob. This story is told in different timelines by Jude from the 1980’s and by Ella in the present day. Ten little words refers to two phrases her mother always said to Ella which remain of utmost importance to her.

Ella’s perspective is the most absorbing as it examines the devastating psychological impact of the loss of her mother. Her mum made her feel safe, so Ella wraps herself in a cocoon, which she then surrounds with impenetrable walls and lets no one in, not even her aunt who loves her dearly. She’s solitary because that’s safe, her only comfort is her cat Dolby. Her job is interesting as an archivist at a music museum in Hastings and through this she is also able to keep herself to herself. The Jude sections are interesting but less engaging although as her story unfolds it all starts to come together and sympathy builds. The characters are well portrayed, clearly depicting their personalities, capturing their moods especially Ella’s growing anger. I really like the setting too - I can never resist a seaside environment! There are some interesting elements to the story too, there’s mystery around Jude which deepens as the story progresses, there’s some intrigue and tension, and a strong love element. Although I think parts of the story are a bit predictable, such as the ending, I do like it even though it’s tied up a bit too neatly with a bow! I think we can all use some optimism and a happy ending at the moment.

Overall, an enjoyable, easy read. I especially like the reawakening of Ella and her shedding of armour against potential hurt and finally embracing life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the arc.

This is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story of love, heartache, fear, trauma and resilience.
Jude walked into the ocean one day when life became unbearable and did not come out.
She is survived by her five year old daughter, Ella, her sister, Carolyn, and a man named Bertie who truly adored her.
How do you choose and decide that "life" is too hard and to abandon your family?

How does a little girl ever accept that her mum has deserted her?
Ella learns to survive and to not get truly involved with anyone. It is safe and so much easier to depend only on oneself.
The world begins to change on the day of Jude's birthday when she sees an advert with ten little words that Jude always told Ella.
Could it be? Who placed this ad?
The search begins!
Well written, and truly kept me reading to find out what was happening for Ella and praying that she would learn to trust and love.

I went into this completely blind, not even reading the blurb before starting as I know when I get a book by this author usually its going to be a cracking read and this one was amazing.

I was totally engrossed in Ella and Jude's story. I loved the fact that it's told from dual point of view and that you hear the back story which lead up to Jude's disappearance.

It was so cleverly written that I was constantly asking questions throughout the story and just when I thought I had it sorted another slight twist would happen and I was left guessing again. If I have one cristism about it is that maybe, just maybe, things were solved a bit too easily and I wanted Ella and Bertie to maybe hold Jude to account more at the end but even with that this story stuck with me.

This is a story of fear, trauma, hope and a love story that spans a long time. It is also a story that will stay with you long after it has finished. Thank you to the author and Net galley for letting me read this amazing story.

This book moved a little slow for me but I kept going because of all the positive reviews it got. Ill give it 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

A good family drama, well written with interesting characters and I can recommend this book.

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

Ella believed since she was 5 years old that her mother walked out into the sea. But 30 years later, she sees a post in the newspaper with the ten words her mother said to her every day before she disappeared.

Ella starts to wonder if her mother really died or if she’s still out there. She finds letters addressed to her mother from a man, love letters written as if she had never died. She goes to Bertie and learns things about her mother. Along her journey, she gains this new confidence and no longer believes that she has to live a life all alone. But is her mother really gone?

I love books with two or more points of view. The chapters go back and forth between Ella and her mother Jude. You learn pieces of Jude’s history before she leaves Ella. You watch Ella gain confidence and learn to trust others. You see a one of a kind love story from the beginning to the end.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher/author for my advanced e-book copy! Keep your eye out for this one when it publishes in July!

I received this book free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. While the book was well written And a good story, it was also predictable. I liked that it gave two different perspectives (mother and daughter) but I wasn’t able to connect emotionally with either one. It was like looking through a window of someone’s house: sometimes you want to see more and be invited in. I gave it 3 stars because the book just didn’t draw me in.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for letting me read and review this advanced reader copy.

Synopsis:

“I am always with you, I will always be here.” This is a promise made to Ella by her mother, a promise Ella believes until one day her mother walks into the sea and disappears, her body never found. Raised by her Aunt, Ella accepts that she lost her mother for good but thirty years later Ella spots something that could change everything. An ad in the newspaper, those ten words and nothing else. Ella’s memories of her mother soon flood back and she begins to question if she is dead afterall and begins a search for answers.

Review:
I have read many thrillers lately so a woman’s fiction read was just what I needed. Both the book cover and description caught my attention and hinted that Ten Little words may be an emotional rollercoaster. The reviews for this book also looked very promising so I couldn’t wait to find out for myself.

The opening instantly hit me with a wave of sadness and I instantly began to feel sorry for Ella and her mother a little. As I got to know the characters, I found that most were very likeable especially Ella. She was a strong character who had emotionally built up walls and I was looking forward to seeing how she would develop as some of the barriers she had built were knocked down. I also found Ella relatable due to the fact that she escapes from reality was books, just like mine. As the story progressed and you saw Ella begin to thaw out, some of those moments I found quite touching.

Bertie was another character I connected well with, he was the perfect gentleman, despite me being quite sceptical about him at first, he won my heart and all I wanted for him was a happy ending. As for Jude, Ellie’s mother, I did feel for her in some parts but I felt her actions were not always justified, I felt my connect with her wasn’t as strong.
The story is told from both Ella and Jude’s perspective which I enjoyed as it gave me the opportunity to really get to know these women and be in their heads. The chapters were also very clear and easy to follow. However, I did feel the story moved a little too slow for my linking, there was quite a big build up and when we got to the climax it was quite frustrating to know that some of the events could have possibly been avoided, but there again if this was the case then we wouldn’t have a story. I also found that I was able to predict many of the events that would unfold which unfortunately didn’t leave me feeling the warm fuzz I would have liked.

Ten Little Words did tug on my heart strings at times, there were many tender and sweet moments with some lovely true sayings. It also did a lovely job of touching on the issue of mental health. When the story did pick up, there were little twists and turns that did sneak up on you which I liked. I honestly wanted a happy ending for everyone and the power of love was highlighted all the way through this read, without spoiling anything, I got the ending I wanted. So despite this read not giving the wow factor or a buzz, I did think it was a lovely little unique love story.

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book.
Sorry I wasn't able to go on and finish this.
It just didn’t work for me.
I'll try again next time and leave a feedback.

It was a tad hard to understand in the beginning but overall I enjoyed it.although I thought the story line was strange. I did not understand why a Mom would leave her daughter without making sure 100% that there was no issues. It is a beach read.

Ella has spent most of her life believing her mother is dead until a newspaper ad and a meeting with an old man start to make her doubt it. Should she look for a woman who may not even exist and, if she were to find her, how would she feel towards a mother who abandoned her when she was only five? A little drawn out in places, especially at the end, but a good, thought-provoking and emotional read.

I enjoyed reading this book and really felt for Ella after losing her mother. Even thirty years later, she was still plagued by her departure and had trouble moving on from it. Her pain and anger created a barrier around her, as if to protect herself from more pain, but after reading a classified ad, she is left with a sense of hope that her mother might still be out there. She is torn with whether or not to pursue the possibility of her mother being alive, and what she discovers along the way is eye opening.

This book did a great job of showing how our experiences affect our every day lives and how they can in turn affect others. The way that Ella’s mother (Jade) left had such a huge impact on her life, and it all stemmed back to Jade’s painful past. It makes the reader wonder if Ella had been aware of what happened to Jade from the very beginning, would her life still have turned out the same way or would she be more understanding and empathetic of the way her mother felt all those years ago. It’s an interesting thought, and while I expected Ella to remain angry, I think the truth made her open her heart even more.

Overall great read!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3329855562

I completely loved the dual story line. Leah Mercer done such an incredible job showing the effects of drama and loss from every point of view. I learned not to judge until I have all cards in front of me and even then, I have to look carefully and observe the big picture.
TEN LITTLE WORDS by Leah Mercer is a family drama with a perfectly crafted plot and characters that are so real, anyone can relate with. The more I read, the more I wanted and I tried to guess what happened, I tried to imagine Jude alive and asked myself why would she run away from her child. Also, getting deep into the story I judged both Jude and Ella for some of their decisions and changed my mind later on. Towards the end, it all made sense and I got to understand just how loss and drama will haunt and destroy your life, how a woman is able to sacrifice her life and happiness to protect her loved ones.

… I am always with you. I will always be here... – these ten little words intrigued me and made me read this beautiful novel and I do not regret it one bit. Family find each other in time and love has always been the key

Totally recommend it

I really enjoyed this novel. Perking my interest from page one I whizzed through this book in a few hours, holding my interest all the way. That's one of my indicators of a great book. We all know there is nothing worse than getting to 50% and still not getting hooked into what we are reading.

The book starts dramatically and grabbed me straight away, I had to know what happened.

The book is written from two perspectives over two different timelines, a mother and a grown daughter telling their stories that intertwine into an emotional narrative. Each character I connected with and got to know as I read, intrigued to know them and where the story was going. Jude, the mother and Ella, the daughter were written really well by the author in that you could connect and see them as real people. Plenty of emotions in this novel and a plot that in part surprised me and also confirmed for me where I thought it may go.

As other key characters are introduced the novel just got more interesting. It covers love, loss, grief, regret, pain, anger, denial, fear and so many other human emotions. If you like novels that tap into flawed people and their mistakes, choices and consequences you will really enjoy this book.

I was fascinated in following both timelines and hearing the voice of Mother and Daughter. Despite having a strong inkling of a key truth in the whole story it didn't distract or disappoint me by the time it was revealed. What was even better is there were still surprises in store. The plot is steady and the writing very readable. The only reason this didn't get five stars as I felt the ending was unrealistic and it had a sense of being rushed and put together that way to get the book to it's ending. The end encounters were just too easy and far-fetched as to happen the way it was portrayed in the novel.

I loved the end outcome, just wish how it was delivered had more realism and depth. Not so flippant. Regardless, I really enjoyed this book and the way it tackled how assumptions and presumptions can impact your choices and life direction dramatically. That's what this book really expresses, the outcome of decisions, some made in haste and the consequences of those.

Leah Mercer has written a book that depicts the faults in all of us, taking flawed people and telling a story that keeps you wanting more of their individual tales that interlock at the same time. This was a good read and I would be really keen to read more from Leah.

This book truly starts off with a bang when Jude goes missing. Flying back and forth through time with Jude and Ella, this novel takes you on an adventure that will warm your heart and knot your stomach at the same time. The book kept a good steady pace and although at times it seems a bit predictable, Leah Mercer has a great way of proving you wrong.

This is the story of Ella and her mom Jude - Jude is the pier singer at hastings and is just waiting to go to London for fame and fortune as a singer. However she meets Bertie and London then takes a back berner, she moves to Scotland with him and is due to get married. A chance to go on tour with an up and coming band stops all wedding plans and Jude goes on a tour of all tours where she is noticed to be a star in her own right.

Ella was left with her aunt when her mom is believed to have walked into the sea. Ella is feeling she cant let anyone in and should lock the world out as she is not worthy. She has her dream job, but does not socialise with any of her work colleagues. Even her neighbour doesn't know Ella. All she wants is her mom to come back, but knowing that won't happen is eating her up and making her a bitter person. Then there is a personal message in the classified which says the 10 Little words Ella’s mom used to say to her.

What follows is a pure fantastic book which explores the emotions of family and what can go wrong when secrets are kept. The description of places is so good you can feel yourself on the beach front or in a cottage in Edinburgh. The characters are so lovable you want them for your family. I can honestly say I loved every page of this book and will be looking for more books by Leah.

Ella is a tortured soul. Her father died when she was a baby and her mother committing suicide when she was five, she has never been able to get past the grief and allow the world to come and let her live a happy life, holding everyone and everything at arms reach. She has lived with her aunt and uncle who have done the very best they could for her, but her almost savage belief that her mother was still alive meant that the love they showered upon her was rejected. Now she is 35 years old and living a life devoid of emotions and people, barely a shell of a person, until the day, the anniversary of her mothers birthday when she sees the classified advertisement in a national newspaper with the words “I am always with you. I will always be here” – the very words that her mother would say to her before she fell asleep every night. After so many years of suppressing her feelings and desire for her mother to be alive, hope rises again. And then some letters addressed to her mother find their way to Ella’s keeping, which leads her to Bertie, who lives in Edinburgh but is afflicted with Alzheimer’s, meaning his memories are sometimes muddled. Bertie is a link to her mothers past, as he was, is still in love with Jude and wonders even now, over 30 years later, why she left him suddenly with no explanation. Interspersed in the chapters of Ella we read the back story of her mother Jude, the factors that lead to her life decisions that will have ramifications for everyone she leaves behind. And the question that the reader cannot help but ask, can Ella make peace with her troubled past and find a new way to live a fulfilling life in which she welcomes people and love back in her life?

This book is sold as women’s fiction, which generally means it has a happy ever after ending, and this book follows that rule to the end. There is the happy ever after, but it leaves the reader with a glow that things work out the way they are meant to and our main character has some closure and life renewed with hope and contentment. Ella is well drawn in her shadowy self; we feel her hurt that she carries everywhere with her, we feel her loneliness. We also have the story of Jude and understand her happiness with the love of her life Bertie and then her horror at circumstances that separate her from Bertie forever, and the grief she spirals into before the fateful day she walks into the sea and drowns herself. All of it wraps around itself neatly and makes for an engaging story that will leave the reader satisfied.

Trigger Warning - Rape

This is another hard book for me to rate because I have such mixed feelings about it. I think Mercer did an amazing job of capturing how much pain the characters were carrying, so much so that it was actually painful and frustrating to read at first. I really didn't like Ella at all even though I knew she'd had trauma I just thought she was kind of horrible. The writing style was clear and accessible making this an easy book to get lost in and I was invested in it. I did find though that in the second half everything felt a little too easy after starting out so painful. Overall a decent read.

After promising Ella in ten little words that she would never leave her, Ella’s mum Jude is dead. For thirty years Ella has felt betrayed. Even though she was adopted by her Aunt Carolyn she still feels there’s no place for her in this world. She lives alone with her cat, has the same lunch every day at work and never socialises - merely exists. But everything changes one day when she opens a paper and sees a ten word advert in the classifieds. She refuses to believe her mum is still alive but feels compelled to find out exactly what happened all those years ago.

This book is well written with likeable characters and I found myself easily drawn into the novel. Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author for the chance to review.

I am always with you. I will always be here.

Ella’s mother would say those words to her ever night until one day she walked into the sea, leaving her when she was only 5 years old alone in the world. Ella has spent her life angry and wondering why she would say those words to her and then leave her. Then one day she opens up the paper to find the exact words printed in the classifieds. This leads her on a journey to discover what happened all those years ago.

Along the journey, Ella unearths pieces of truth that she patches together. Ella is surprised to learn the true meaning behind those words. Now that she had bright sunlight on the situation will she now be able to love and be loved? Will she be able to live with what she has discovered?

This was a very thought provoking story. Although it was not what I was expecting I truly enjoyed it. I think it highlights that words matter, especially when that is all you have to hold on to.

Thanks to Netgalley for the complimentary copy. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Ella was 5 years old, her mother walked into the sea and was presumed dead. 30 years later, Ella has still not forgiven her mother for abandoning her, especially when she always said "I am always with you. I will always be here." Ella has grown up shutting everyone out of her life because of her mother's betrayal. One day she comes upon a newspaper with those same ten words, she refuses to believe there is a chance her mother is still alive, but she cannot ignore it and decides to find out once and for all.

I felt the book moved pretty slowly and there weren't really any surprises that I hadn't already figured out, however it was a nice story and I appreciated the way everything wrapped up.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC of this book.

I wanted to love this book but I just couldn't really engage in the characters. The duel storyline and time jumps worked well in this instance, but the ending seemed a little too unrealistic for me. Jude comes back and immediately all is forgiven? Given all the emotions that Ella has for Jude throughout the book, I felt the ending was a little too happy ever after. As well, I had a difficult time believing that Ella would change her behaviour and suddenly take off for Scotland in the first place. This book didn't really work for me but I didn't hate it, either.

Ten Little Words is an engaging story with a dual plotline which is perfectly executed. It has strong and likable characters which keep you invested with the plot. A really well crafted and enjoyable read.

Ten Little Words is a decent read. Ella's mother disappeared when she was five, long be,wives to be dead. Ella built a wall around her emotions, remaining aloof from people. Until her birthday when she sees an ad spouting the same ten words her mother used to say to her. Her aunt gives her an old box of belongings that puts her in touch with her past, with a man that holds the key to many answers. The writing was good. I don't really care for Jude, who I thought was completely selfish. I felt sorry for Bertie, who had been robbed in so ,any ways.

I’m not quite sure about this book. It does grab your attention in first few pages. It just seemed a bit far fetched to me. I’m not saying I didn’t like the book, it did have a interesting plot. But, the amount of years the mother stayed away? It just seemed unrealistic that after all that time, she’s received with open arms and all is forgiven.
Leah Mercer is a new author to me and one I’d like to read more from.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the arc of Ten Little Words in exchange for my honest review.

Ten Little Words by Leah Mercer Reviewed on June 9, 2020
I am always with you, I will always be here.
Ella’s mother left these ten little words with Ella when she was five years old.

Everyone knows the saying… “You can’t judge a book by its cover”.
However, I love a great book cover… and this is a good one.

I did view a few reviews and thought I would like this.
I did like it but didn’t LOVE it.
Story it told is told from the POV in different time lines, Jude, Ella’s mother in 1980 and Ella now 35 yrs. old in present day.
Ending was worth hanging in there but there were times I thought… Hmmm? Why leave if you will always be here????
Story is a bit of mystery more emotional. It was a 3 star for me but I am sure it will find readers who will love it!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing, UK for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 7, 2020

Reading this made me so angry because of the abandonment. Of course once you get into the storyline you’re able to see that there’s way more than meets the eye. I don’t want to spoil anything but I forgave her mom a little.

Ten Little Words follows the journey of Ella and her believed-to-be dead mother Jude deciphering how the past always remains within us.

I am always with you. I will always be here.

These Ten Little Words mean so much to Ella and Jude. Ella clings on to these Ten Little Words as she learns to comes to terms with her mother’s sudden disappearance. These words come to haunt Ella when she randomly sees them in an unclassified ad in the newspaper and chooses to follow them. Ella begins her journey of self-discovery as she confronts her past and fears in search of her Mother. Along the way she meets characters all bound together by these Ten Little Words.

Laura Mercer steadily creates suspense as the novel develops. One minute I was certain on what at happened…the next minute I was shocked to learned I was wrong. Short and snappy chapters make this is a quick-read. Chapters alternate between present-day Ella living her life followed by a narrative of the life that Jude (Ella’s Mother) had. This worked well as it allows the reader to learn more about Jude and may justify her actions.

Laura subtly deals with topics such as suicide, feelings of abandonment, rape but ultimately focuses on love. Ten Little Words is powerfully demonstrates the power of love and will touch the hearts of readers affected by loss of a dear loved one.

This was a beautiful story. While it did hunt at some tough subjects, the author handled it beautifully. I recommend this book, and I will definitely be looking for more from the author!

This is a bittersweet story about Ella and her mum Jude told from both perspectives - Ella now and Jude 30 years ago. Jude struggled to be a mum to Ella due to the circumstances of Ella’s conception, feeling Ella would be safer if her Aunt Carolyn cared for her Jude walked into the sea and was never seen again. Sadly Jude’s actions had a huge impact on Ella leaving her unable to get close to others and resentful of her mum. A newspaper advert that appears on what would have been Jude’s birthday sparks a desire in Ella to learn more about her mum’s disappearance.

I thought both viewpoints were told really well, the differences in personality between the two and their experiences and emotions wonderfully portrayed. I really felt for Ella never coping with her mum’s disappearance and clinging on to the ten words she told her every night and the conflict it caused within her.

<i>I am always with you. I will always be here.</i>

Those are the ten little words spoken by Jude before she walked into the ocean and never came back... Jude has been declared dead, but her 5-year-old daughter, Ella, never believed it. How could her mother leave her? Didn't she whisper those ten little words and promise to always be there? Now a 30-something-year-old woman, Ella has a job...and that's about it. She is barely living, distancing herself from her aunt Carolyn, her colleagues, and any other person in her life. No social connection. No love. No emotion, period.

Told in two interwoven storylines, Leah Mercer reveals fragments of Jude's youth as an aspiring singer while capturing Ella's inner turmoil in the present. We initially get hints of the darkness Jude was battling, in Ella's fuzzy reminiscence of her childhood, yet mostly we see her joys, dreams, and romance. So what drove her mother to abandon a helpless daughter and walk into the ocean, disappearing without another word?

Though Ella is hesitant to admit it, she has never given up hope that her mother would return. And one day, a newspaper advert appears with those ten little words, renewing her hope that her mother is still alive after all. With languorous prose and heavily used metaphors, Mercer explores the internal battle waged within. Ella must confront herself and the unanswered questions about her mother. Mired with the whole gamut of emotions—bitterness, sadness, anger—<i>Ten Little Words</i> can get a little repetitive in its introspection and indecision. I started disliking the alarming rate at which Ella vacillates between wanting to track down her mother and not doing. Nearly every chapter, Ella claims that she is "done" chasing Jude, and by the umpteenth time, I just stopped believing her. Though I could understand the motives of Jude, I had much less sympathy for Ella, who steadfastly treated the loving aunt who raised her coldly and heartlessly.

As for the payoff, the ending felt inevitable and cliched, unable to redeem the many pages of internal struggle. One of my greatest pet peeves is when a story is constructed almost entirely of huge misunderstandings, and unfortunately, that is the biggest blemish on <i>Ten Little Words</i>. To read a whole book and predict the ending, with characters that never fully manage to break away from two-dimensional molds, leaves a disappointing taste in my mouth.

Review of eBook

Despondent, Jude Morgan walks into the sea, leaving her five-year-old daughter behind. Raised by Jude’s sister and her husband, Ella finally relinquishes her belief that her mother will return one day.

But ten little words in a cryptic classified advertisement throw her life into uncertainty. Is it possible that her mother is still alive? Determined to find an answer, Ella sets out on a trail of discovery that promises to change everything she believes.

Told alternately by mother and daughter, the unfolding story juxtaposes Ella’s present with Jude’s past as it reveals the effects of life’s vicissitudes on each of the women. Filled with emotion and angst, the story keeps the reader involved as it explores how a family, caught in the turmoil of grief and loss, deals with the consequences of the choices and decisions they’ve made.

Nuanced, believable characters populate the narrative, but readers will find little suspense in the telling of the tale. Unfortunately, the narrative’s denouement seems to fall into place far too easily to feel credible. Although readers may find Jude’s rationale for her actions rather insubstantial, it is important to note that the larger story is in the relationship between characters and in the ways in which lives are touched by trauma, betrayal, resentment, trust, hope, and love.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my review. I wish to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read & review this book.

This book wasn't really what I was expecting. The beginning was a bit of an emotional punch, and I both wanted to see what happened next, and was afraid to read more. I felt like some parts of the book really went fast, kept the pages turning. But then it would slow down and I'd consider not finishing it. Not really a good balance. But I';m also not really a fan of books told from various POV's and time lines, as this was, because it can be confusing. And, for regular readers of thrillers and domestic psychology thrillers, it was a bit predictable. But not a bad read.

An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, in return for my honest review.

"I am always with you. I will always be here"

These ten words 5 year old Ella's mum, Jude would say to her each night at bedtime. That is until one day when her mother walked into the sea, never to be seen or heard from again, leaving Ella to be brought up by her aunt, Carolyn.
Now 30 years later those very same ten words have appeared in the announcements of a national newspaper, on her mother's birthday no less.
This pushes Ella to delve into her mother's past, to find out what really happened, what made her mother walk into the sea that day.

Ten little words by Leah Mercer is an enjoyable book, with dual perspective, across alternating chapters, making it a very easy read. The time difference between Jude and Ella's points of view, works well and the storyline very heartfelt.
I went through all the emotions with this book, I loved reading it so much.

5/5 Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Ella's mother Jude whispers the same ten words to her every night at bedtime. When Jude walks into the sea one night, and never returns, Ella's world is turned upside down. Thirty years later, seeing those ten words in a classified ad takes her on a journey of self discovery, and to find out if her mother could really be alive.

I felt that this story dragged on. Ella spent a lot of time blocking everyone out so she couldn't be hurt again. The first half of the book plodded on far too long. While i liked the different perspectives of Ella and Jude, the story itself was highly predictable and a little too Hallmark movie perfect for my tastes.

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

In "Ten Little Words", the main characters are Ella and her mother Jude. The story is told from both perspectives: Ella's present and Jude's past. Ella lost Jude at a young age, but when she sees a ten word phrase printed in the newspaper that was only said between her and her mother, Ella begins to question everything. Could her mother be alive? If she is, why did she abandon Ella?

I am sad to say that I did not enjoy this book. It was extremely depressing. Maybe it's because we are in the middle of a pandemic and something this deep is difficult to process during these times. Jude's character reminded me very much of Daisy from "Daisy Jones and the Six". In my opinion she was downright selfish and not very likeable. Ella wasn't much different because of the walls she built up from her childhood trauma. I found myself reading the book in big chunks, but then dreading to pick it up again due to the depressing plot and unlikable characters. I would give this book a 2 out of 5 stars.

For some reason the title of this book put me off slightly but I read it anyway and I am SO glad that I did.
I loved the two different storylines and the way they were entwined and really enjoyed the way Ella's and Jude's stories evolved.
This is the first of Leah Mercers books that I have read and I look forward to reading her others.
Loved this book!

Enjoyable read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.

A truly emotional heart rending story of family drama’s and above all love.the main characters Jude, Ella, Carolyn and Bertie were really well described and I felt as if I knew them all, along with their little foibles. I thought that the dual aspect of the story telling Jude’s side as she grew up and Ella’s from when her mother left her. The duality merged nicely into one by the end. It could be said to be a little trite at the end by some but I felt that it brought closure in a beautiful tear jerking way.
Great read and should be tops on the summer reading list of many as it is a nice heart warming story.

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Ten Little Words’ by Leah Mercer in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thirty years ago Jude walked into the sea at Hastings and was presumed drowned although her body was never found, leaving behind five-year-old Ella to be taken care of by her sister Carolyn. Ella comes across a small boxed advert in The Post which reads “I am always with you. I will always be here” but has no contact details. It unsettles her as she’s never known whether her mother is alive or dead and she decides it’s time to find out the truth.

The story of ‘Ten Little Words’ is told through two perspectives, Jude who in 1980 is an aspiring singer and longs to go to London, and her daughter Ella who’s never given up the hope that her mother’s still alive. It’s an enjoyable book with pleasing characters and an interesting plot and although the ending is a bit predictable it hasn’t detracted from my enjoyment of the book, the ending of which has left me feeling happy with the outcome.