Hellloooo readers, hope you’re well and not too hungover/full of christmas turkey because I have another really exciting review for you. I reviewed Rachael’s first book a little while back and had the sequel just lingering and waiting to be read. In my slightly bookish slow down in terms of reading I’ve been going to authors I know will engage and excite me and this one definitely did. Thank you to Rachael for sending her book and helping me with my bookish slump – with no more delay onto the review.

Two years after finally being reunited, Abigail Thomson and Gideon Hawk are happily married and living in Cornwall with their children.

While Gideon is busy focusing his energies on his musical career, Abi makes an unexpected discovery of old diaries dating from 1950. As she and her daughter read through them, the reasons behind Abi’s mother’s destructive actions become much clearer, and they discover a shocking sixty-year-old deception.

Meanwhile, Simon Dean, the vengeful ex-drummer of Gideon’s band NightHawk, is about to make life very difficult for them all—again—and he is prepared to go to desperate lengths to achieve his goals

I think I’ll start by saying that I really did enjoy Rachael’s first book and this one really just follows on just a few years from where the first book ends. Abi and Gideon (*swoons*) are very happily married and have a new little one called Ollie. Gideon is in the thought process of creating a new solo career in London whilst Abi and her daughter Natasha stay at home and look after darling little Ollie. After a slightly unwarranted visit to Abi’s father a suitcase is discovered which belonged to Abi’s mother. Here we get to dip into the story of Joan and Pauline (Abi’s mother and her sister) and see the heartbreaking story that has been hidden for so long. Whilst this is all developing, Gideon is still have trouble with Simon who just can’t leave his dreams of reuniting the band alone. Will it all end in happiness? You’ll have to read the book to find out (you know me by now, no spoilers here!)

Now I’ve got that out of the way onto the details. I must admit, and Rachael did warn me, I loved this book even more than the first – the relationship between Abi and Gideon grows and they really become a power-house of a couple and it left me feeling so warm inside. Simon becomes even more of an aggravating git but the evil side of him definitely adds a smidgen of drama and made me gallop through the book. Natasha is also utterly utterly wonderful which to a point I knew she would be – young yet gutsy and determined she adds an extra spark to the story. I found the backstory between Joan and Pauline incredibly heartwarming and I found myself feeling incredibly torn with my feelings during the first book. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and spending the first book cursing Abi’s parents I found myself torn. The author has really worked to make this tale a emotive and evocative tale.

The writing is exciting and moves with pace throughout and we get to experience each different story-line as it develops; the diary, the story between Gideon and Simon and the life of Abi and Natasha. They all intermingle throughout and the story really pulls it all together in a way that is so clever and found my gabbling to get to the end and find out the final conclusion. The writing is heady exciting and has a warmth to it overall. I write reviews where I want more from the characters but here it really is thrown at you.

I can’t really put into words why I liked this so much better but I think it’s that the relationships and the dangers are emphasised so much more and having been so excited about the first book watching everything develop I felt I had such a connection with the characters which doesn’t happen in all books. I honestly couldn’t put this down and I honestly cannot wait to see what happens next. Thumbs up – this book is pretty fantastic.

Linkkks

Amazon

Goodreads

Author Website