Oli and Joe are identical twins. But they will never be the same. Beth Truman gives birth to her sons at thirty-three weeks. From the start, the differences between the twins are clear. Oli is bigger, stronger, healthier. Joe is small and much less robust, his future inexorably altered by the trauma of his premature delivery. As soon as the boys are well enough, Beth checks out of the maternity hospital and leaves her old life behind. By the time Oli and Joe are grown, Beth has a new name, a thriving business, and she has successfully raised her sons alone. But when the truth about their past emerges, the twins are forced to reassess everything they thought they knew about their mother, their upbringing and themselves.
Lizzie is pregnant with identical twins and their birth is imminent. But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be, at 31 weeks the babies shouldn’t be making an appearance yet. From the moment they are born it’s clear that although Oli and Joe are twins that’s where the similarities end. The premature birth has affected Joe, who is in no way as strong and robust as his brother. Once the boys are both well enough, they leave the hospital with their mum, but they don’t return to the family home. They flee their home town in the north and Lizzie doesn’t look back, changing her name as she goes. Years later when the boys are grown, Beth has a successful business and nice home with a good relationship with and unfaltering love for her son’s. The truth about why they fled their previous life emerges and the twins find out that their mum has lied to them for many years. The twins must come to terms with the lies that they believed to be the truth about their past, for so many of their childhood years. You know when picking up a Caroline Bond book that it’s going to be good. This book has a compelling story with lots of family drama. The story is emotional and Lizzie’s courage and love for her son’s shines through. It’s both realistic and compelling. A truly gorgeous story that I devoured in a matter of days.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I always love a Caroline Bond novel so I was excited to read the new one The Day We left. I have to say that I absolutely loved it and is now my favourite book by Caroline Bond. It literally has a little bit of everything in it and was a very emotional read. The bravery Beth showed was awe inspiring and I just wanted to hug her so badly. A captivating story that was totally believable and relatable. I highly recommend this book and have given it 5 stars
A slow and gentle story that doesn't pull up any trees. As a whole, the writing was good - apart from the excessive number of typos and missing words which need to be picked up by a thorough proof-read - but it's not really a page-turner. The plot was predictable, although it had a hint of tension which suggested that a twist might be forthcoming, however this never materialised. The ending was unsurprising and rounded everything up. I can recognise that many people will enjoy this type of book but I think maybe my expectations were too high.
This was a great read I throughly enjoyed it. Loved the characters and I loved how Beth left but there was not a lot of the usual carry on about it. She just moved on and lived her life. Great book.
When Beth gives birth to her twin boys two months early, everything changes for her. Desperate to protect her tiny sons, especially Joseph, clearly the weaker, more vulnerable twin, Beth starts making a plan to leave her old life behind as soon as the boys are strong enough.
Years later, the differences between the boys have only become more pronounced: Oli is sporty and popular, while Joe (who suffers from cerebral palsy) is happier playing video games by himself. Beth has built a life for them, but has never stopped looking over her shoulder and, when the truth about the past comes out, there is no going back.
The Day We Left is my first foray into Caroline Bond's work, and it's an easy, well-paced read that will be enjoyed by many fans of domestic drama and tales of plucky women overcoming adversity. However, it lacked the dramatic tension required to elevate it to the next level of fiction.
The author draws on her own experiences of raising a disabled child to describe Joe's struggles navigating school, dating, a social life and a career, and these were the parts of the story which stood out for me as something different and interesting, along with the early chapters, which give a detailed, authentic (from my understanding) picture of parenting a baby in the NICU and of uncertain, anxious process of extracting oneself from an abusive relationship.
Beth is a well-drawn, likeable heroine and I rooted for her readily, so it is a shame that she is sidelined for much of the plot in favour of her two sons, whom we follow at intervals from age 16 to 24. Neither Oli nor Joe is particularly likeable, and it was sad to see Beth portrayed through their eyes.
The big reveal is foreshadowed so heavily that when it comes it is underwhelming, and undercuts the narrative tension. It also relies on both Oli and Joe being utterly incurious about their background - would neither of them have Googled their dad?
There are some interesting relationships depicted, particularly that between Oli and Carrie, Joe's girlfriend, but the book does not explore these - or the way they evolve over time - as incisively as it could have. Finally, the ending neatly wraps up all the loose ends, explaining away any lingering questions, but I didn't find it particularly satisfying. Conflicts between various characters just fizzle out quietly without any great reckoning, and it definitely concludes with a whimper rather than a bang.
All in all, an engaging enough family drama which will undoubtedly be enjoyed by existing fans of Bond's work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
I steamed through this book - really enjoyed it while accepting it is a serious theme and also a fairly light read.
This is the story of Lizzie who begins the book giving birth prematurely to twin boys - Oliver and Joseph. As the story unfolds we watch both boys grow up and in their different ways mature into men. They have had different challenges to face - Oliver is healthy and popular but feels his mother put all her attention onto his brother, Joseph has a disability and has been protected and supported all his life. On the outside they are two handsome twins but on the inside they are living totally different lives. And sadly this has affected their relationship which is at times distant and at others, volatile.
But they are also dealing with something that they are not aware of consciously - there is a secret in their family. They both clearly have an inkling that all is not right but with no evidence they just deal with this as best they can. Their mother has presented herself as a strong warrior, someone who has fought against all the odds and made her boys her highest priority. But she is holding onto a secret and in this way, she is actually helping create a problem for her beloved twins.
Lies within the family are toxic and this story is about the gradual unravelling of the family story until at last the truth is revealed.
I found the characters believable and the story is interesting. Of course it is a little easy to rely on the entrance of a stranger with stories to tell, for the truth to be revealed. But even though the boys were not the type to ask questions much earlier, and their unexamined lives meant that they could have lived all their years believing a fantasy, it still was an enjoyable read.
The experience of parents with premature babies spending those first weeks in a neo-natal high dependency ward was well described and perhaps that is the part of the book that remains with me most.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the invite to read this book.
This is a well written book about family drama, deceit, lies and subterfuge and on the whole is a good read. The story flows well and moves from past to present times easily. It centres on Beth and her twin sons Oliver and Joseph, the family dynamics and their relationships with each other. I found it hard to like all three characters which ultimately affected how much I enjoyed this read. I liked the start of the book and the hint of underlying tension that made me guess (correctly) at Beth's relationship with her husband. The author is descriptive about Joe's CP, how it affects him and his relationships with his mother and brother. The story then slowed in my opinion, yes I liked following the twins relationship and lives from teenagers to present day although I still didn't really like or take to either of them. I think the ending is good, the twins know what their mum did and why and if I'm honest I liked the three of them more at the end than I did during the rest of the story. Overall, a good easy read although this didn't wow me, and if you like books with family drama then you'll probably like this one.
This was an emotional read set around the time Lizzie prematurely gave birth to twin boys and her time in hospital whilst they were in the neonatal unit and then continues from their sixteenth birthdays onwards when she is now known as Beth and, so the story goes, raised her sons single handed (but with support from a good friend and fellow single mother) after a freak accident killed the boys father the day before they were due to leave hospital. For me I found the chapter set around the birth and the boys first few weeks really engaging but I didn’t find the chapters following the boys lives during different birthdays as enjoyable. The story itself is quite slow paced but has a strong storyline at its core and it was interesting to see how the author wanted to write about raising boys to become decent men. I think it did a great job of writing about Joe’s disability and the impact it also had on those around him, most especially his brother who felt it overshadowed his own life. This is a very thoughtful book and great for those who want a slow burning emotional family read.
I always look forward to a new book by Caroline Bond and The Day We Left did not disappoint. It is a book of two halves. The first half concentrates on the life of the premature twin boys brought up by single mum Beth. Oli who is sporty and popular and Joe who has cerebral palsy with all the problems that brings.We are led to believe that their father died in an accident just before they were discharged from hospital so has had no part in their lives. The second half of the book explains how the boys came to be brought up solely by their mum and what really happened to their dad. The book raises the issues of domestic abuse and living with disability and the profound effects they can have on the lives of all they touch. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read and one I'm happy to recommend. 5* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I love human interest stories and this tale of family secrets really captured my attention in the way I love, the way the world melts away when you're into a good story.
The story begins with Lizzie, 31 weeks pregnant, going into early labour. Her twin boys are delivered safely, but they spend the first few weeks of their lives in the NICU. Oli thrives, but little Joe needs some extra time and care.
There are subtle hints in this part of the book that Lizzie might be hiding something, but as skip sixteen years ahead, the story then focuses on Oli and Joe as they grow and develop complicated lives of their own.
It is only in the last parts of the book that we return to those early days of Lizzie anxiously waiting in the hospital for the twins to be discharged, and learn the truth about their birth.
Brilliantly and perceptively written, this book was a joy to read and there were moments that made me well up, particularly the scenes with Martin, Lizzie's wonderful neighbour.
I have several read Caroline Bond books and they never fail to impress, all with a slightly different twist. The tale covers themes of family, twins, love and friendship.
This one ‘appears’ as a normal story at the start, although with a feel that something is not quite right, always a little niggle left in your head.
It ends up being a brave and, at times raw, retelling of family life. The characters are flawed individuals which adds to their authenticity. This plot raises several important issues (not mentioned here due to not wanting to put in spoilers) with great sensitivity and understanding.
The story is told across several timelines with back and forth from the past to present day. There are also different viewpoints, from both twins perspectives to Lizzie’s. A book I would thoroughly recommend.
This is an interesting and engaging read with an easy writing style which moves back and forwards in time with the lives of its main characters.
Focusing on the lives of twin boys born early following a fall, Ollie and Joe are fighters from the start, with Joe being smaller and being diagnosed early with CP. In their lives they grow up with a strong female household and the knowledge that their father died from a sudden fall on the day they were due back from NICU.
The complications derived from early told white lies follows the lives of the twins and sees their ups and downs. A well told story that I enjoyed. I did find it difficult to engage with the main characters at some points, hence the loss of one star.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love Caroline Bond’s books. She usually has an ethical element to her books which i love.
This book is no different, covering topics of domestic abuse, disability and loyalty.
The book starts following the birth of premature twins Oli and Joe. It skips through their childhood in quick chunks, and it’s only when they get to their twenties that the book then goes back to the beginning to retell the story of their father.
I loved the characters of Heather and Mick, and their role in the story. I loved the interplay between the boys and the reality of living with a disability/disabled sibling.
A story of love, loss, family, love, choices and redemption. A great read.
I have several read Caroline Bond books and they never fail to impress, all with a slightly different twist. The tale covers themes of family, twins, love and friendship.
This one ‘appears’ as a normal story at the start, although with a feel that something is not quite right, always a little niggle left in your head.
It ends up being a brave and, at times raw, retelling of family life. The characters are flawed individuals which adds to their authenticity. This plot raises several important issues (not mentioned here due to not wanting to put in spoilers) with great sensitivity and understanding.
The story is told across several timelines with back and forth from the past to present day. There are also different viewpoints, from both twins perspectives to Lizzie’s. A book I would thoroughly recommend.
The Day We Left is such a great family drama, sharing so much insight into the emotions of the victims of domestic abuse towards their abusers which often brought me to tears. It also gave me feelings of validation as a survivor who at times felt great guilt for still having feelings for my abuser but now I am aware that this is a 'thing'. I could also recognise the relationship between my grown up sons in the love/hate relationship between Oli and Joe. The author drew on a lot of her past experiences, work history, to present a beautiful story with enormous empathy and understanding.
A brave attempt to deal with disabilities and can anger issues be nature or nurture. But this is just hinted at rather than discussed. Plot is minimal and mostly predictable. The writing is good but there is nothing to pull you through the book. So it was no surprise when all ends happily ever after.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This was a quick read with fairly short chapters and every character was well introduced. I wasn’t thrilled With the plot and didn’t particularly take to either of the twins or their mother. I did guess most of the twists but probably made lots of wrong predictions in my head too to be fair. A tidy ending which some will love and some not. Not my favourite book but worth a read.
Caroline Bond can always be relied on to write psychologically-credible stories about relationships and family dynamics and she is never afraid to tackle difficult topics. Although much of this story's development was predictable, I think her inclusion of such a wide range of thought-provoking themes made it a nevertheless engaging, if sometimes disturbing, read.
"The Day We Left" is a story of family, love and friendship. In the first part of the book Lizzie gives birth to twin boys at 31 weeks. They both struggle and are in the special care baby unit for a long time. The second boy, Joseph or Joe, is particularly small and takes a long time to put on sufficient weight to be able to leave hospital. Lizzie and partner Ian are both attentive, with Lizzie staying at the hospital all day while Ian goes to work.
In the second part of the book time has moved on, Lizzie is now known as Beth and is a single mother. As the twins grow up, their different personalities and abilities lead to clashes, but they are both loved by their mum.
Eventually we find out what happened on the day that Lizzie was supposedly taking the twins home, and get an understanding of exactly how hard her life has been.
This is a beautifully written and complex story which keeps the reader engrossed. The characters are great and so many topics are touched upon. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.
I always look forward to a new book by Caroline Bond and The Day We Left did not disappoint. It is a book of two halves. The first half concentrates on the life of the premature twin boys brought up by single mum Beth. Oli who is sporty and popular and Joe who has cerebral palsy with all the problems that brings.We are led to believe that their father died in an accident just before they were discharged from hospital so has had no part in their lives. The second half of the book explains how the boys came to be brought up solely by their mum and what really happened to their dad. The book raises the issues of domestic abuse and living with disability and the profound effects they can have on the lives of all they touch. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read and one I'm happy to recommend. 5* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Listened to this as an audiobook on Libby. Sad but good story. A mother’s leaves her abusive partner after she gives birth to twin boys. I liked how you hear in detail about the boys through the years and the challenges they face. Overall this was easy to listen to and had a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A family drama that took some time to develop but stayed captivating enough to keep me reading. Overall the story has many interesting, realistic themes, has convincing character development and ends in a satisfactory way.
Yet another new author for me. 2025 has started well. The story unfolds rather slowly around family and sibling issues. When the full depth of the family difficulties is revealed we see how domestic abuse and violence permeates through family life leaving hurt and harm in its wake.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was so well-written. Part One seemed to take forever, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it was a very thought-provoking story. The characters had depth to them.