Betrayal

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She knows she needs to get away from Don, for her children not to grow up in a home where domestic violence is common place. I expected this book to be historical fiction, something I don't usually enjoy, but this book was actually set at the end of 1990s/early 2000s so make your own minds up as to if that's historical fiction (but to me it isn't). With Lesley Pearse's reputation for grippy, gritting stories that never shy away from the seamier side of life, I was expecting distressing themes from Betrayal. Eve is warned that it’s a difficult path ahead but she wants to give her children hope for the future. Fear has made her obedient for far too long and she wonders what would the neighbours say if she left Don?

Just marred for me by the surprising number of mistakes in the ARC copy I read, which is no This book didn’t disappoint me either, I do love how how this author has brought her stories and plots upto modern age. Eve’s violent husband Don Hathaway is a bully and an abuser, and she know she should never have married him, but she has two children and that means Eve must tread warily if she is to finally ditch Don and give them the future they desperately need.I felt so sorry for Eve and her children but I loved how her character evolved as the story progressed and she started to get more confident in building a new life for herself. It is not an easy path, and being honest to herself forms a huge part of of her journey, but the end shows , in how she has raised her children, that she has made a family of survivors rather than victims.

Storytelling at its best from a great author who I have followed for years and read all her books and she never disappoints. It shows how insidiously the coercive control has co-opted Eve's sense of self and her world view, she would stay for the sake of shame and social propriety than leave. As she begins to put her life back together, her fears that Don will not let her go are realised-but just how far is she prepared to go to protect her children and her newly found freedom?Using her astute psychological insight into the complexities of family relationships, the tensions that arise from domestic upheaval, and the uncertainties and traumas that life inevitably throws our way, Pearse brings us a cast of beautifully drawn, authentic characters, each with their own emotional turmoil. It shows how even when trying to leave there is not only a general unwillingness to look at the ugly nature of domestic violence from a societal perspective, even the corridors of justice have little faith that it will prevail, in the way that the male police responders and judge act towards victims. There was no doubting though the lengths Eve would go to to protect her family and for that I admired her throughout. But honestly, it all just felt a little repetitive and that there was nothing exciting or intriguing happening. Her honest restructuring of a life and finding her self worth is reflected in how her two children grow into themselves away from Don, and I liked how her original training as a curtain maker reflected her circumstances.

I’ve got about 100 pages left and I am honestly waiting for it to turn my one star into a five star.Betrayal is one of Lesley Pearse's more contemporary books, set in the late 1990s/early 2000s and I didn't expect to like it quite as much as her historical ones but I absolutely loved it. Time passed and it felt as if the chapters were just detailing the normal/usual events in their lives and how they were adapting to their new situation as well as detailing building progress with the new house. I have always enjoyed Lesley Pearse books way back when I was pregnant with my first child and on maternity leave 40 years ago now. All she wants is the best for her children, even if she's weighed down with such a burden that she can't share.

Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It's been a long while since I've read a book by this author, despite reading so many of her early books and loving them. I really enjoyed the story of Eve, her character is strong but sometimes too strong and she is encouraged to relax and give a little.This is not a light hearted read it is a storyline that tackles a number of disturbing situations, one in particular made for difficult reading but each situation was weaved into the storyline perfectly creating more depth and drama to the storyline. What I loved more than anything about this book was that it was so easy to read, even considering the difficult subject matter. Eve is married to Don and they have two children however not everything is as it seems and after she divorced him Eve hopes she and her children can get their life back however things don’t exactly work out and Eve could be in serious trouble .