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One Step Too Far: A Novel
The #1 international bestseller reminiscent of After I’m Gone, Sister, Before I Go to Sleep, and The Silent Wife—an intricately plotted, thoroughly addictive thriller that introduces a major new voice in suspense fiction—a mesmerizing and powerful novel that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Hardcover
First published April 7, 2013
619 people are currently reading
8647 people want to read
About the author
Tina Seskis
8 books394 followersTina Seskis's first book, One Step Too Far, was released in 2013, and has since been published in 18 languages in over 60 countries.
Tina has written five novels. Her latest, HOPE CLOSE, was released on 24th March 2020 and is a novel about staying home, hope and redemption...
Tina grew up in Hampshire, before going off to study in the beautiful city of Bath and then moving to London, where she has lived on and off ever since, now with her husband and son.
Tina has written five novels. Her latest, HOPE CLOSE, was released on 24th March 2020 and is a novel about staying home, hope and redemption...
Tina grew up in Hampshire, before going off to study in the beautiful city of Bath and then moving to London, where she has lived on and off ever since, now with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,478 reviews
July 29, 2020
This book was honestly painful to read, the writing was juvenile and the characters were flat. The plot line was ridiculous and implausible. I don't understand why Emily left her house or pretended to be her twin sister Cat, the twist at the end doesn't justify her actions at all. The characters were so flat and I didn't relate to any of them. Also how does she do what she did then everything resolves itself at the end of the day and everyone lives happily ever after. Such garbage honestly it started off ok but it just kept getting worse and worse.
May 16, 2020
emily seems to have everything going for her: a loving husband ben, an adorable young son, and she is pregnant again. so why does she decide to walk away from it all, leaving her wedding ring in crewe station and move into a grotty flat* with too many roommates still in the slapdash stages of their lives - where they are still figuring it out and living in gleeful squalor?
does it have something to do with her twin sister caroline, whose behavior has always been problematic? does emily have a deep dark secret? what could cause her to leave behind every stable thing in her life and embark on a journey of what will become one part self-discovery and many parts self-destruction?
this is rhetorical, i'm not going to tell you, because the secret is what drives the novel.
the secret which causes the author to have to do some very deliberate early-stage obfuscation, if not flat-out deception. and that's okay, that's the author's prerogative, but the secret, although devastating to the characters, is not really necessary as a plot device, except to keep the reader turning those pages. i think it would have worked fine as a more straightforward story that just told the tale of a woman trying to shut out a trauma, and taking some unconventional paths to find herself again.
but that's editorializing.
so, after some conveniently easy name-changing, emily becomes "cat," and after a rebirth courtesy of IKEA, she finds herself a job where she discovers hidden talents, but also develops a shoplifting-and-drug habit that is going to eventually land her into a whole heap of trouble, along with her new friend/flatmate angel, who is both accurately and ironically named. but who says "babe" way too much.
the story is told primarily through cat's eyes, but there are other, shorter POV chapters from her mother, her father, her sister, angel, and briefly, ben.
the book does a good job keeping the reader guessing, and the multiple POVs give a more rounded perspective than had it been told from cat's viewpoint alone.
particularly strong are caroline's narratives, because she is a character who has lived one of those roman candle existences, pissing off so many people along the way, but in her own voice, we see a more vulnerable figure than she comes across, and she has her own problems that make her more sympathetic to the reader, problems that she hides under her bluff exterior which protects her.
but i think she is treated a little unfairly.
i think fans of anita shreve or jodi picoult would enjoy this book - it's a solid women's fiction book about family and tragedy and getting in over one's head, and hopefully coming out of it with a new understanding of how fragile our connections can be.
*oh, yeah, this is a UK book, so i am allowed to use UK slang!
come to my blog!
does it have something to do with her twin sister caroline, whose behavior has always been problematic? does emily have a deep dark secret? what could cause her to leave behind every stable thing in her life and embark on a journey of what will become one part self-discovery and many parts self-destruction?
this is rhetorical, i'm not going to tell you, because the secret is what drives the novel.
the secret which causes the author to have to do some very deliberate early-stage obfuscation, if not flat-out deception. and that's okay, that's the author's prerogative, but the secret, although devastating to the characters, is not really necessary as a plot device, except to keep the reader turning those pages. i think it would have worked fine as a more straightforward story that just told the tale of a woman trying to shut out a trauma, and taking some unconventional paths to find herself again.
but that's editorializing.
so, after some conveniently easy name-changing, emily becomes "cat," and after a rebirth courtesy of IKEA, she finds herself a job where she discovers hidden talents, but also develops a shoplifting-and-drug habit that is going to eventually land her into a whole heap of trouble, along with her new friend/flatmate angel, who is both accurately and ironically named. but who says "babe" way too much.
the story is told primarily through cat's eyes, but there are other, shorter POV chapters from her mother, her father, her sister, angel, and briefly, ben.
the book does a good job keeping the reader guessing, and the multiple POVs give a more rounded perspective than had it been told from cat's viewpoint alone.
particularly strong are caroline's narratives, because she is a character who has lived one of those roman candle existences, pissing off so many people along the way, but in her own voice, we see a more vulnerable figure than she comes across, and she has her own problems that make her more sympathetic to the reader, problems that she hides under her bluff exterior which protects her.
but i think she is treated a little unfairly.
i think fans of anita shreve or jodi picoult would enjoy this book - it's a solid women's fiction book about family and tragedy and getting in over one's head, and hopefully coming out of it with a new understanding of how fragile our connections can be.
*oh, yeah, this is a UK book, so i am allowed to use UK slang!
come to my blog!
April 25, 2013
*contains slight spoiler*
I found this a really strange book and I CANNOT BELIEVE the rave reviews it is getting here!
The other reviews will outline the plot, which is straight forward, I'm here to say step forth with caution!
Initially I was really engaged and looked forward to picking this back up. But then I realised nothing was going to happen for a while and I bedded in to read the, pretty mundane, daily going-ons of a recently missing woman to find out why she walked out on her life. That's fine, but be prepared to sit through Ikea trips, unrealistic career progressions and multiple storylines that don't seem to matter, in order to get to "the secret".
I found all the characters, Emily/Cat included, completely irritating and unrelateable (we follow Emily/Cat over a year, yet she doesn't mention her son's birthday). You can write as many back stories as you like, that doesn't automatically mean your characters have layers. As for the plot, it just becomes laughable. Ok, so the twist is neat, but getting there is a bizarre journey indeed. I mean, the thing with the footballer....REALLY?!
Having said that, it's an easy read and does for a mindless dip in on the commute and the reveal made my eyebrows go up.
Oh, and Seskis loves an adverb. Hopelessly, achingly, screamingly, completely and constantly.
I found this a really strange book and I CANNOT BELIEVE the rave reviews it is getting here!
The other reviews will outline the plot, which is straight forward, I'm here to say step forth with caution!
Initially I was really engaged and looked forward to picking this back up. But then I realised nothing was going to happen for a while and I bedded in to read the, pretty mundane, daily going-ons of a recently missing woman to find out why she walked out on her life. That's fine, but be prepared to sit through Ikea trips, unrealistic career progressions and multiple storylines that don't seem to matter, in order to get to "the secret".
I found all the characters, Emily/Cat included, completely irritating and unrelateable (we follow Emily/Cat over a year, yet she doesn't mention her son's birthday). You can write as many back stories as you like, that doesn't automatically mean your characters have layers. As for the plot, it just becomes laughable. Ok, so the twist is neat, but getting there is a bizarre journey indeed. I mean, the thing with the footballer....REALLY?!
Having said that, it's an easy read and does for a mindless dip in on the commute and the reveal made my eyebrows go up.
Oh, and Seskis loves an adverb. Hopelessly, achingly, screamingly, completely and constantly.
December 23, 2015
There are about a 100 reasons I didn't like this book. Let me list the main ones:
1.) The structure -- The whole unfolding mystery through flashbacks thing is a bit overdone in this type of story anyway, but I found it especially trying in this case because the flashbacks were so inane. The tedious slow build toward the twist turned me off this book almost from the get-go. Not once I did feel any real interest or engagement in the mystery.
2.) The plot -- The premise of this book wasn't all that bad, but the execution was seriously lacking. Instead of reading about a woman's harrowing journey to establish a new identity after a family tragedy, I got to read about shopping trips, the apparent ease of acquiring a job in London, and descriptions of stereotypically "kooky" housemates. I was a good hundred pages into the book and couldn't even be bothered to care about anything that was happening because it was all just so....blah.
3.) The characters -- I mentioned the stereotypical housemates, but pretty much all the characters fit into some sort of stereotype, and it grated on me the entire time I was reading. Not to the mention the fact that the narration style really distanced me from the characters, even the protagonist -- I struggled to feel any sort of connection to the main characters and often failed to care about their issues.
4.) The twist -- I hate it when books pull the kind of twist this book relies on -- because the twist itself relies on "clever" misinformation and false implications. There's no real shock value; I find these twists annoying because they make me feel cheated, that I was lied to. And not in any interesting way for any interesting reason -- but just because there was no other way to hide the twist without lying. -sigh-
Guess this one just wasn't my sort of book.
_____
Rating
2/5
1.) The structure -- The whole unfolding mystery through flashbacks thing is a bit overdone in this type of story anyway, but I found it especially trying in this case because the flashbacks were so inane. The tedious slow build toward the twist turned me off this book almost from the get-go. Not once I did feel any real interest or engagement in the mystery.
2.) The plot -- The premise of this book wasn't all that bad, but the execution was seriously lacking. Instead of reading about a woman's harrowing journey to establish a new identity after a family tragedy, I got to read about shopping trips, the apparent ease of acquiring a job in London, and descriptions of stereotypically "kooky" housemates. I was a good hundred pages into the book and couldn't even be bothered to care about anything that was happening because it was all just so....blah.
3.) The characters -- I mentioned the stereotypical housemates, but pretty much all the characters fit into some sort of stereotype, and it grated on me the entire time I was reading. Not to the mention the fact that the narration style really distanced me from the characters, even the protagonist -- I struggled to feel any sort of connection to the main characters and often failed to care about their issues.
4.) The twist -- I hate it when books pull the kind of twist this book relies on -- because the twist itself relies on "clever" misinformation and false implications. There's no real shock value; I find these twists annoying because they make me feel cheated, that I was lied to. And not in any interesting way for any interesting reason -- but just because there was no other way to hide the twist without lying. -sigh-
Guess this one just wasn't my sort of book.
_____
Rating
2/5
May 8, 2013
I won my first book on Goodreads!! Yaaaay!
Welllllll...I didn't see that coming at all! I don't think I will be giving anything away when I say there was a big twist in this book. Almost all the reviews say something about it, and it is also mentioned on the back cover. Even though I knew it was coming, when it happened I re-read that page about three times, and actually went back to different parts in the book to make sure I was getting it. So it wasn't that "Oh my God!" moment I had when watching the movie -The Sixth Sense- it was more like "Oh myyyy -am I really THIS STUPID that I missed something or I read something wrong somewhere?" In all fairness to me, I was up until 3am -waaaaaaaaay past my bedtime -not wanting to put the book down until I reached the end. So I was rather sleepy.
Now that I have joined the many people that talk about the twist in ONE STEP TOO FAR I am going to say that knowing about the twist may have been a bit of a distraction to me while reading. I kept trying to figure it out as I was going along. So if I can give one piece of advice it is, forget there is a twist coming, don't try to figure it out, and just sit back and let it happen.-instead of what I did..."Oooh maybe the twist is going to be this...Ohhh maybe this is going to happen...Nooo maybe it's this...Maybe it's going to happen now...or now" allllll through the book.
This is a great read with interesting characters. I found the main character- Emily/Cat very likable and sympathetic even though in the very first chapter she abandons her family to start a new life. I found myself questioning whether I could ever do that many times, and I don't think I could, but it didn't keep me from wanting Cat to be okay and to have her happy ending.
Welllllll...I didn't see that coming at all! I don't think I will be giving anything away when I say there was a big twist in this book. Almost all the reviews say something about it, and it is also mentioned on the back cover. Even though I knew it was coming, when it happened I re-read that page about three times, and actually went back to different parts in the book to make sure I was getting it. So it wasn't that "Oh my God!" moment I had when watching the movie -The Sixth Sense- it was more like "Oh myyyy -am I really THIS STUPID that I missed something or I read something wrong somewhere?" In all fairness to me, I was up until 3am -waaaaaaaaay past my bedtime -not wanting to put the book down until I reached the end. So I was rather sleepy.
Now that I have joined the many people that talk about the twist in ONE STEP TOO FAR I am going to say that knowing about the twist may have been a bit of a distraction to me while reading. I kept trying to figure it out as I was going along. So if I can give one piece of advice it is, forget there is a twist coming, don't try to figure it out, and just sit back and let it happen.-instead of what I did..."Oooh maybe the twist is going to be this...Ohhh maybe this is going to happen...Nooo maybe it's this...Maybe it's going to happen now...or now" allllll through the book.
This is a great read with interesting characters. I found the main character- Emily/Cat very likable and sympathetic even though in the very first chapter she abandons her family to start a new life. I found myself questioning whether I could ever do that many times, and I don't think I could, but it didn't keep me from wanting Cat to be okay and to have her happy ending.
January 17, 2019
Utterly fantastic read with one hell of an ending. My emotions are still reeling! I had my eyes on this book for some time and wish I had read it earlier. Absolutely brilliant fiction! It's just one of those reads with everything going for it - a great plot, perfect pace, plenty of twists, interesting characters and an ending that knocked the stuffing out of me. A total page-turner in every sense.
An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life to start all over again? Has she had a breakdown? Was it to escape her dysfunctional family - especially her flawed twin sister Caroline who always seemed to hate her? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past? No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?
The questions I had whilst reading this book really kept me intrigued as I tried to guess and put the dots together to form a picture. I do enjoy a book that has it's share of broken, damaged characters and Tina Seskis did a fine job of making sure this book is one that hooks the reader in early and does not let go. The storyline and the characters really got under my skin and I was quite emotional by the end of the book.
It barrelled along at a great pace and I knew from the very start I was going to love this book and I really did. I have not read anything from Tina prior to this book but am very keen to see more from this talented author. I give this one 5 stars, totally loved it and highly recommend.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
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An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life to start all over again? Has she had a breakdown? Was it to escape her dysfunctional family - especially her flawed twin sister Caroline who always seemed to hate her? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past? No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?
The questions I had whilst reading this book really kept me intrigued as I tried to guess and put the dots together to form a picture. I do enjoy a book that has it's share of broken, damaged characters and Tina Seskis did a fine job of making sure this book is one that hooks the reader in early and does not let go. The storyline and the characters really got under my skin and I was quite emotional by the end of the book.
It barrelled along at a great pace and I knew from the very start I was going to love this book and I really did. I have not read anything from Tina prior to this book but am very keen to see more from this talented author. I give this one 5 stars, totally loved it and highly recommend.
Thanks for reading my review! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, author interviews and features come over to join me for book fun at: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
To enquire about joining my reviewers team: http://goo.gl/forms/GWMOvlofZg
Finally to enquire about my book publicity services: http://goo.gl/forms/eVwa2HFKnK
March 4, 2013
I was hooked when I first started reading and couldn't put it down. Half way into the book as it started getting weird I started to change my opinion. This book went down hill totally after that and I was annoyed by the ending and the fact that I wasted many days on this book. There were sentences that I read and re-read and they never made any sense and used the wrong tense of words. The description set me up by stating that a woman leaves her husband and son to start a new life. Half way through the book I find that her son had died a year earlier and she actually left her husband and her dog. Emily also known as Cat leaves her husband and dog and moves to London and moves into a dumpy dirty house with some questionable people. She gets a job and quickly becomes promoted and addicted to drugs. She becomes the opposite of what she was in her other life. More crazy things happen and this book just gets wackier as it goes along. In the end she winds up with her husband and has two daughters and still has the dog. I forgot to add that she had a twin sister who was wacko, a mother who takes to mountain climbing after divorcing Emily's father because he had sex with one of his daughters friends at Emily's wedding. Trust me you don't really want to read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2013
The novel One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis is the story of a woman named Emily Brown who walks out on her life. She leaves behind a loving husband, a son, and a host of family and friends. What causes her to leave her life is the catalyst which drives this novel and places her into the most bizarre situations. I will not divulge the secret because that would just be wrong.
Emily sets out one day with money in her purse, a passport, and the clever idea to change her name in hopes of becoming someone else and escaping the life she desperately wants to leave behind. In her attempt at fleeing she finds her self lodgeing with some less than savory people who seem to be the worlds' rejects and are in no way the peers of her former life. She finds friendship with a woman named Angel, for better or worse. A woman she appreciates doesn't try to change her or ask her to divulge her past. Before long, the new life she's embarked on is riddled in challenges and pure insanity.
Initially I loved to hate Emily Brown. I couldn't understand why someone would walk out on such a seemingly perfect life. At times she just didn't seem to care that she'd left behind people who cared for her and were concerned for her well-being. As the novel progresses, her character experiences growth through the most unimaginable circumstances. When reading the second part of the book, I often thought the author was being comical but after having finished the book, I understood that Emily's perils were all necessary for her to find herself.
The novel switches between Emily narrating and other essential characters points of view. The parts that were concerning the husband Ben made my heart break. Ben's chapters gave my raging hate for Emily fuel. The only reason I didn't throw the book at the wall is because I didn't want to break my Kindle and I had to findout why. Why did Emily leave? What could be so bad that she'd leave someone as loving as Ben?
Caroline is a focal character as well. Caroline is Emily's twin sister who seemingly hates her. They've never had the bond that twins share and it's often unfortunate because I think if they'd had that, Emily could have managed a little better. Caroline screws up every chance at redemption and if Emily wasn't in the lead at being the character I loved to hate in this novel then Caroline was definitely a contender.
Why finish a book if you don't like the characters? Deciphering the mystery of this novel kept my eyes glued to the page even when I was disinterested during Part 1. Part 1 at times became meandering and dull but I was grasping at clues as to what the heck could be this huge and begin this domino effect of chaos. Part 2 is often times comical and really had me just worried for Emily although I had the nagging feeling she deserved everything she got. Those feelings of disgust towards Emily totally go away once the huge mystery is revealed. Therefore, I'm happy I stuck in there. The mystery is unimaginable.
Overall, this is a well written novel about guilt, redemption, and growth which I'm sure will tug at some heart strings. Moving on and trying on a new life for size isn't what it's cracked up to be and it's better to just face the past with the people you love. I've learned that picking up the pieces to a life that is no longer desired is what's required and no matter where you go, who's life you try to live, it can never be as beautiful or fulfilling as the life already assembled.
Emily sets out one day with money in her purse, a passport, and the clever idea to change her name in hopes of becoming someone else and escaping the life she desperately wants to leave behind. In her attempt at fleeing she finds her self lodgeing with some less than savory people who seem to be the worlds' rejects and are in no way the peers of her former life. She finds friendship with a woman named Angel, for better or worse. A woman she appreciates doesn't try to change her or ask her to divulge her past. Before long, the new life she's embarked on is riddled in challenges and pure insanity.
Initially I loved to hate Emily Brown. I couldn't understand why someone would walk out on such a seemingly perfect life. At times she just didn't seem to care that she'd left behind people who cared for her and were concerned for her well-being. As the novel progresses, her character experiences growth through the most unimaginable circumstances. When reading the second part of the book, I often thought the author was being comical but after having finished the book, I understood that Emily's perils were all necessary for her to find herself.
The novel switches between Emily narrating and other essential characters points of view. The parts that were concerning the husband Ben made my heart break. Ben's chapters gave my raging hate for Emily fuel. The only reason I didn't throw the book at the wall is because I didn't want to break my Kindle and I had to findout why. Why did Emily leave? What could be so bad that she'd leave someone as loving as Ben?
Caroline is a focal character as well. Caroline is Emily's twin sister who seemingly hates her. They've never had the bond that twins share and it's often unfortunate because I think if they'd had that, Emily could have managed a little better. Caroline screws up every chance at redemption and if Emily wasn't in the lead at being the character I loved to hate in this novel then Caroline was definitely a contender.
Why finish a book if you don't like the characters? Deciphering the mystery of this novel kept my eyes glued to the page even when I was disinterested during Part 1. Part 1 at times became meandering and dull but I was grasping at clues as to what the heck could be this huge and begin this domino effect of chaos. Part 2 is often times comical and really had me just worried for Emily although I had the nagging feeling she deserved everything she got. Those feelings of disgust towards Emily totally go away once the huge mystery is revealed. Therefore, I'm happy I stuck in there. The mystery is unimaginable.
Overall, this is a well written novel about guilt, redemption, and growth which I'm sure will tug at some heart strings. Moving on and trying on a new life for size isn't what it's cracked up to be and it's better to just face the past with the people you love. I've learned that picking up the pieces to a life that is no longer desired is what's required and no matter where you go, who's life you try to live, it can never be as beautiful or fulfilling as the life already assembled.
October 14, 2015
Well. This book threw me for a loop, and that's a rare feeling these days.
Emily/Cat has run away from her family to start a new life. The whole pull of this book is her secret, the reason why she ran away; it's why you keep turning the pages. The book jumps around from different points of view which adds some flavor to the storyline. It felt more reliable to me to hear from multiple narratives rather than just Emily/Cat's viewpoint.
If you've picked this book up it's likely because of the big twist that is boasted of. I read another review after finishing this book that said if you focus too much on the big twist, you'll miss most of the important parts. She's right; just know the twist is coming and enjoy the book leading up to it. I still can't believe I had it all wrong; I had to go back and reread pages and find something earlier on in the story just to move on. I would recommend this book if you like a good twist, but don't care about liking the characters. It was hard for me to sympathize with any of them until the end because until you find out what happens, they just aren't like able. That said, it was a short, easy read that would be great to bring on a summer trip.
Emily/Cat has run away from her family to start a new life. The whole pull of this book is her secret, the reason why she ran away; it's why you keep turning the pages. The book jumps around from different points of view which adds some flavor to the storyline. It felt more reliable to me to hear from multiple narratives rather than just Emily/Cat's viewpoint.
If you've picked this book up it's likely because of the big twist that is boasted of. I read another review after finishing this book that said if you focus too much on the big twist, you'll miss most of the important parts. She's right; just know the twist is coming and enjoy the book leading up to it. I still can't believe I had it all wrong; I had to go back and reread pages and find something earlier on in the story just to move on. I would recommend this book if you like a good twist, but don't care about liking the characters. It was hard for me to sympathize with any of them until the end because until you find out what happens, they just aren't like able. That said, it was a short, easy read that would be great to bring on a summer trip.
April 27, 2013
3.5 Stars
One step too Far by Tina seskis is a marvellous rollercoaster of a novel with a compelling plot that keeps you turning those pages.
The story is written using both the present tense and flashbacks and reveals the intriguing story of twin sisters Emily and Caroline. We first meet Emily on a train, running away from what would seem to be the perfect suburban life. Emily has it all, a husband and son whom she has had a very happy life with. Something happens and Emily plots her escape from this life and we see her seeking anonymity and an a whole new life for herself, but from what or why she is escapin is not clear and the author does a great job in keeping us guessing. Emily’s alter ego is Cat and she soon finds some rather seedy digs in London and is taken under the tender wing of flatmate Angel. Her life becomes polar opposite of the life she has lived previously.
The book is separated into three parts with short chapters within each part. The story is set in the present and flashbacks to the past and I thought this worked well within the story and was not at all confusing.
I loved the Characters, as they are dark and well fleshed out and all come with their own set of problems and stories which really makes interesting reading.
Half ways through this novel I was thinking this was going to be a 5 star read, but I was very disappointed with the story's conclusion, as I found it very contrived and far fetched and out of sync with the rest of the story. I did enjoy the read as I like dark characters and plot driven novels like this but the ending just seemed to go “one step too far” which is the reason for my 3.5 stars.
One step too Far by Tina seskis is a marvellous rollercoaster of a novel with a compelling plot that keeps you turning those pages.
The story is written using both the present tense and flashbacks and reveals the intriguing story of twin sisters Emily and Caroline. We first meet Emily on a train, running away from what would seem to be the perfect suburban life. Emily has it all, a husband and son whom she has had a very happy life with. Something happens and Emily plots her escape from this life and we see her seeking anonymity and an a whole new life for herself, but from what or why she is escapin is not clear and the author does a great job in keeping us guessing. Emily’s alter ego is Cat and she soon finds some rather seedy digs in London and is taken under the tender wing of flatmate Angel. Her life becomes polar opposite of the life she has lived previously.
The book is separated into three parts with short chapters within each part. The story is set in the present and flashbacks to the past and I thought this worked well within the story and was not at all confusing.
I loved the Characters, as they are dark and well fleshed out and all come with their own set of problems and stories which really makes interesting reading.
Half ways through this novel I was thinking this was going to be a 5 star read, but I was very disappointed with the story's conclusion, as I found it very contrived and far fetched and out of sync with the rest of the story. I did enjoy the read as I like dark characters and plot driven novels like this but the ending just seemed to go “one step too far” which is the reason for my 3.5 stars.
May 23, 2013
I was disappointed in this book, I expected much more from it. For a debut novel it wasn't bad, it was 'just okay'. On the plus side, the author did a good job of keeping my interest right up until the end to find out what actually happened and the reason why Emily left her family, but the ending totally fell flat for me. Additionally, even though it's a quick read, I think the writing was perhaps a bit 'too informal' (for want of a better phrase) for my personal tastes. I felt that there was too much going on in this book, too much chopping and changing between different characters, places and situations. Sadly, not one of my favourite reads this year. Tagged as 'The book EVERYONE'S going to be talking about this summer.' I beg to disagree.
April 15, 2013
Amazing and psychologically intense debut novel by Seskis. Dysfunctional family, twins that are far from close and totally different. This is a novel that requires some patience, but not much because the writing is very good, as the story line slowly reveals itself. The reader is presented with the narration of one character, we learn about her before life in flashbacks, and from the beginning I had a hard time aligning the two different faces of this character. I could not believe they were the same person, the now actions so did not fit the before actions of this character. The ending explains everything and than it all came together in an emotional aand intense tour de force that was heartbreaking and ultimately somewhat uplifting. Quite impressed. ARC fro NetGalley and publisher.
April 8, 2013
I will start by saying that this was a weird book. It was good, but there were so many parts where I started to really hate Emily not just as a mom and wife but as a person. Even though I can sympathize with wanting to just start all over because it's hard. Life is hard but you add the duties of motherhood and being a good wife into the mix, it's even harder. But she has had a lot of confusion and inner demons her entire life and I guess over time, it just gets to be too much.
The secret that essentially drives this book, it's what keeps you reading because you want to know what it is, isn't earth shattering. I read it and was like, "Ok. No reason to freak out, totally something you could work out.". But given the personality of Emily, I understand why it would be a big deal for her.
Things I didn't like about the book- is that she seems really cold. I mean, the thing keeping me back from running away is knowing it would screw my children up forever. Now, she thinks it's doing her son a favor but come on.... does anyone really think that? I mean, somewhere in your mind you have to know this is wrong. Then she moves into the most bizarre living situation with all of these randomly put together flatmates and eventually develops a drug habit along with shoplifting and yeah. How a person thinks this is the way to turn your life around is beyond me.
I so badly want to give my two cents on how the book ends because I hated the ending. Oh, did I hate the ending. The only thing about the ending that I did like is that everything had closure. A lot of authors like to leave loose strings and you're left wondering what the characters did after all, but this book ties it all up. Nothing is left to your imagination, you get the answer for everything and I really appreciated that. Especially with this book weaving different points of view and just bizarre topics into the story in general. So overall... I'm a 2/5. I just... I just can't give it more. I really struggled through it and I felt myself irrationally angry through most of it and I just can't give a book more than 2 for that because it's not one I would pick up again and it's not one I would necessarily recommend.
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
The secret that essentially drives this book, it's what keeps you reading because you want to know what it is, isn't earth shattering. I read it and was like, "Ok. No reason to freak out, totally something you could work out.". But given the personality of Emily, I understand why it would be a big deal for her.
Things I didn't like about the book- is that she seems really cold. I mean, the thing keeping me back from running away is knowing it would screw my children up forever. Now, she thinks it's doing her son a favor but come on.... does anyone really think that? I mean, somewhere in your mind you have to know this is wrong. Then she moves into the most bizarre living situation with all of these randomly put together flatmates and eventually develops a drug habit along with shoplifting and yeah. How a person thinks this is the way to turn your life around is beyond me.
I so badly want to give my two cents on how the book ends because I hated the ending. Oh, did I hate the ending. The only thing about the ending that I did like is that everything had closure. A lot of authors like to leave loose strings and you're left wondering what the characters did after all, but this book ties it all up. Nothing is left to your imagination, you get the answer for everything and I really appreciated that. Especially with this book weaving different points of view and just bizarre topics into the story in general. So overall... I'm a 2/5. I just... I just can't give it more. I really struggled through it and I felt myself irrationally angry through most of it and I just can't give a book more than 2 for that because it's not one I would pick up again and it's not one I would necessarily recommend.
http://strandupdate.blogspot.com
July 8, 2019
There's a lot going on in this book. And I mean A LOT. I don't think it's a spoiler to say there are drugs, death, arrests, parachuting, anorexia, alcoholism, mental illness, runaways, sex work, adultery and what sounds like a completely exhausting trip to Ikea. It's kind of a lot to take in.
In the beginning, Emily runs away from her family, changes her name to Cat (happily already her legal first name), finds a flat to live in in London in a couple of hours (!), gets a job instantly (!!) and works her way up from temporary receptionist to advertising account manager (!!!) in NINE MONTHS. Guys, if you're planning to runaway, please, PLEASE don't think it's that easy in this city. London can eat you alive if you're not a fictional character.
Basically, A Bad Thing Happened and she left and you pretty much just read the book trying to figure it out. There is a twist - and it finally, FINALLY comes - and no, it was not what I was expecting at all. I had a couple of theories and they weren't even close. But I felt a little cheated by "the twist", actually. It was a bit cheap. A low blow, as far as twists go.
Post big twist there are a couple of mini-twists but by that time I was exhausted. The changes in character through this book can be a bit tiring and, although Emily/Cat is the only first-person narrator, there are some deliberate uses of nouns rather than proper nouns, just to keep you on your toes at the end. But I was already lost, I'm afraid.
In the beginning, Emily runs away from her family, changes her name to Cat (happily already her legal first name), finds a flat to live in in London in a couple of hours (!), gets a job instantly (!!) and works her way up from temporary receptionist to advertising account manager (!!!) in NINE MONTHS. Guys, if you're planning to runaway, please, PLEASE don't think it's that easy in this city. London can eat you alive if you're not a fictional character.
Basically, A Bad Thing Happened and she left and you pretty much just read the book trying to figure it out. There is a twist - and it finally, FINALLY comes - and no, it was not what I was expecting at all. I had a couple of theories and they weren't even close. But I felt a little cheated by "the twist", actually. It was a bit cheap. A low blow, as far as twists go.
Post big twist there are a couple of mini-twists but by that time I was exhausted. The changes in character through this book can be a bit tiring and, although Emily/Cat is the only first-person narrator, there are some deliberate uses of nouns rather than proper nouns, just to keep you on your toes at the end. But I was already lost, I'm afraid.
April 14, 2013
Does anyone else get that tingly feeling when they are just a few chapters into a book and they just know that they are in for an amazing read? I don't get it very often, although over the past few months I've discovered more tinglers than usual and One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis is one of those. I'd never heard of the book, or the author before and made sure that I didn't read any reviews of the novel before I started to read it, so I really had no idea what to expect. I certainly didn't anticipate a tingly moment!
We meet Emily/Cat on the London to Manchester train. In London she is Emily, qualified lawyer, happily married to Ben, mother of a small son and living the good life. Emily's only dark spot in her life is her twin sister Caroline, they have never really got along together and are different as chalk and cheese.
It is clear that this is not an easy journey for Emily, she is not heading out for a spot of shopping, or to see the sights or meet a friend. She is leaving everything behind. When she gets to London, she becomes Catherine or Cat. Emily is running away, nobody knows that she has left or where she is going, in fact Emily herself has no clue where she will live or how she will get by. All that she does know is that she has to get away.
When Cat takes a room in a run-down, filthy shared house she finds a friend in Angel. It is Angel that saves her, who looks after her and never questions her. Angel has her own skeletons in the cupboard too and senses that there is more to Cat than she is revealing.
Although it may sound like a cliche; One Step Too Far really is difficult to put down. Tina Seskis is an extremely clever author, she has produced a story that is so intricate and tightly plotted that the reader really has no choice to keep reading ..... just another chapter, and another, and another.
Although Emily/Cat is the lead character, she gives little away and the reader never knows the reasons why she has chosen to run away. We know that she is desperately unhappy, but apart from problems with her twin Caroline, it is hard to understand why she has made this decision. The clever structure of the novel allows us to learn a little bit more, piece by piece as the author begins to introduce the other characters and their own version of events. Starting from the birth of the twins Emily and Caroline, from the point of view of their parents, right up to the day that Emily left Manchester. This really is an incredibly clever way of telling the story and entices the reader on every page.
We learn just how distressing Caroline's actions have been for the whole family, how each of them have been shaped by her addictions, her behaviours and her wicked tongue. Angel too tells her story in short, sharp bursts, revealing just why she has chosen the life that she has.
Since finishing the book, I've read some existing reviews of One Step Too Far and have noted that some other readers really didn't like the character of Emily/Cat. I do like her, I don't like some of the decisions that she made, but once her back story is revealed these decisions don't seem quite so random. There is a vulnerability to her that she tries her best to overcome.
Not once did I guess how this excellent story would turn out, there were times when I thought that I'd got it all sussed, but Tina Seskis throws another spanner in the works many times, causing the story to take twists that I could never have imagined. It is these twists and turns that make the book so engaging, and made me keep reading and reading until finally every layer fitted together and at last the real story emerged.
One Step Too Far is intriguing and compelling, it is paced well and will most certainly stay in my head for some time. I was very impressed by the plot and by the writing and will look forward to Tina Seskis' next novel.
We meet Emily/Cat on the London to Manchester train. In London she is Emily, qualified lawyer, happily married to Ben, mother of a small son and living the good life. Emily's only dark spot in her life is her twin sister Caroline, they have never really got along together and are different as chalk and cheese.
It is clear that this is not an easy journey for Emily, she is not heading out for a spot of shopping, or to see the sights or meet a friend. She is leaving everything behind. When she gets to London, she becomes Catherine or Cat. Emily is running away, nobody knows that she has left or where she is going, in fact Emily herself has no clue where she will live or how she will get by. All that she does know is that she has to get away.
When Cat takes a room in a run-down, filthy shared house she finds a friend in Angel. It is Angel that saves her, who looks after her and never questions her. Angel has her own skeletons in the cupboard too and senses that there is more to Cat than she is revealing.
Although it may sound like a cliche; One Step Too Far really is difficult to put down. Tina Seskis is an extremely clever author, she has produced a story that is so intricate and tightly plotted that the reader really has no choice to keep reading ..... just another chapter, and another, and another.
Although Emily/Cat is the lead character, she gives little away and the reader never knows the reasons why she has chosen to run away. We know that she is desperately unhappy, but apart from problems with her twin Caroline, it is hard to understand why she has made this decision. The clever structure of the novel allows us to learn a little bit more, piece by piece as the author begins to introduce the other characters and their own version of events. Starting from the birth of the twins Emily and Caroline, from the point of view of their parents, right up to the day that Emily left Manchester. This really is an incredibly clever way of telling the story and entices the reader on every page.
We learn just how distressing Caroline's actions have been for the whole family, how each of them have been shaped by her addictions, her behaviours and her wicked tongue. Angel too tells her story in short, sharp bursts, revealing just why she has chosen the life that she has.
Since finishing the book, I've read some existing reviews of One Step Too Far and have noted that some other readers really didn't like the character of Emily/Cat. I do like her, I don't like some of the decisions that she made, but once her back story is revealed these decisions don't seem quite so random. There is a vulnerability to her that she tries her best to overcome.
Not once did I guess how this excellent story would turn out, there were times when I thought that I'd got it all sussed, but Tina Seskis throws another spanner in the works many times, causing the story to take twists that I could never have imagined. It is these twists and turns that make the book so engaging, and made me keep reading and reading until finally every layer fitted together and at last the real story emerged.
One Step Too Far is intriguing and compelling, it is paced well and will most certainly stay in my head for some time. I was very impressed by the plot and by the writing and will look forward to Tina Seskis' next novel.
October 24, 2022
Solo puedo decir que jamás se dejen llevar por las malas o buenas reseñas.
Denle oportunidad ya que probablemente es lo que necesites estar leyendo y aún no lo sabes
Para mi fue hermoso
Y aparte ame los capítulos tan cortos, sentía que podía leer todo de corrido, si no tendría una vida tan ocupada me lo hubiera terminado en un solo día
Jamás me había gustado este genero y con este libro fue un gran descubrimiento después de lecturas tan malas y básicas
Denle oportunidad ya que probablemente es lo que necesites estar leyendo y aún no lo sabes
Para mi fue hermoso
Y aparte ame los capítulos tan cortos, sentía que podía leer todo de corrido, si no tendría una vida tan ocupada me lo hubiera terminado en un solo día
Jamás me había gustado este genero y con este libro fue un gran descubrimiento después de lecturas tan malas y básicas
March 28, 2016
17/20
Un thriller addictif, que j’ai eu beaucoup de mal à poser. Une intrigue qui semble incompréhensible au départ même si des éléments viennent peu à peu donner du sens au comportement de l’héroïne. J’ai beaucoup aimé cette lecture.
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
Un thriller addictif, que j’ai eu beaucoup de mal à poser. Une intrigue qui semble incompréhensible au départ même si des éléments viennent peu à peu donner du sens au comportement de l’héroïne. J’ai beaucoup aimé cette lecture.
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
May 27, 2018
One Step Too Far is stunningly brilliant, with very clever twists. I really enjoyed the character Emily Coleman although she had done a bad thing that is what made her really interesting to read. I found that Emily just seemed really to bounce of the pages.
Emily Coleman has a happy marriage for five years and a beautiful son with a lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman wake up one morning and decide to walk out and leave her husband and son behind?.
No-one knows why and no-one knows her secret.
In July 2010 Emily leaves her home on a train to London. Once Emily arrives at Euston train station she takes off her wedding ring and leaves it there.
In London no-one will know her story she is now anonymous. This is where she leaves her old life to begin a new one. Emily knows she must not think of all of the people that she left behind.
Emily has created a new name for herself she is now Catherine Brown. The lie she will tell everyone is that she has just split up from her boyfriend and felt like she needed a change.
Emily's new life as Catherine in London means she will have to get a job to survive. Emily has thought all this through she has invented a new CV with her new name, new address,new mobile number and a new hotmail address. To add to lies she goes one step too far and puts two references from two big firms in Manchester where she has never worked. I highly recommend One Step to Far to all readers that like reading stories with the full ingredients of twists.
Emily Coleman has a happy marriage for five years and a beautiful son with a lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman wake up one morning and decide to walk out and leave her husband and son behind?.
No-one knows why and no-one knows her secret.
In July 2010 Emily leaves her home on a train to London. Once Emily arrives at Euston train station she takes off her wedding ring and leaves it there.
In London no-one will know her story she is now anonymous. This is where she leaves her old life to begin a new one. Emily knows she must not think of all of the people that she left behind.
Emily has created a new name for herself she is now Catherine Brown. The lie she will tell everyone is that she has just split up from her boyfriend and felt like she needed a change.
Emily's new life as Catherine in London means she will have to get a job to survive. Emily has thought all this through she has invented a new CV with her new name, new address,new mobile number and a new hotmail address. To add to lies she goes one step too far and puts two references from two big firms in Manchester where she has never worked. I highly recommend One Step to Far to all readers that like reading stories with the full ingredients of twists.
August 27, 2014
This book left me absolutely stunned. It is the story of Emily, a woman who walks out on her husband and baby one day and just disappears. As a mother, there were certainly times when my own kids drove me so barmy that I often thought “what would it be like to just disappear …” and so I was fascinated to try and understand what exactly would drive a mother to do this. As we watch Emily start a new life, her back story is revealed in bits and pieces and there are a number of different view points. Chapters are short and punchy, and there were so many twists and turns in the book that every time I thought I had it sussed, another one came along and blew each of my theories out of the window. When that final reveal came I was absolutely gobsmacked because the plot was so intricate and clever I had never even considered that possibility. Even then, the author still had more surprises and twists to come.
If I could have given this book six stars I would, but suffice to say that it is a gripping psychological drama that left me totally open mouthed. Highly recommended.
If I could have given this book six stars I would, but suffice to say that it is a gripping psychological drama that left me totally open mouthed. Highly recommended.
July 5, 2015
this book was disappointing. first there were way too many side stories that had nothing to do with the story and I found distracting. it was like the author had a page count she wanted to make. the entire plot was too much it would have been a much better book to start with the event and go from there with the consequences of that moment. instead the book leads up to this event and while tragic not worth the 250 pages it took to get there.
March 11, 2013
The story opens with a woman who's decided that she is going to run away from her current life and start anew, without the benefit of any family or friends. By the time the main character, Catherine Emily, has come full circle, the author has explored greed, poverty, adultery, fame, fortune, divorce, marriage, drugs, life and death just to name a few.
From the start of the book, you become engrossed to the point you don't want to put it down. The author does this by telling each persons' point of view; thereby giving the reader a perspective she may not have considered, had the author decided to focus on Emily alone. From her parents marriage, to Emily and Carolines birth, to Cats' end and Emily's beginning, the reader continues to question what happened until the end when you finally learn the unexpected.
I think this is a story, which the reader may take away several different ideas. For me, I found the most significant meaning to be selfishness. It made me think how as a society today, most of us place our wants and needs above those around us, to the point that we may even consider our lives more important than that of the stranger we stand beside each day. When I thought of the friend inviting Emily and her husband to her wedding, risking it being ruined by an embarrassing outburst, I found myself thinking how the best things, the moments we truly cherish and remember come when we choose to place anothers needs/wants above our own.
From the start of the book, you become engrossed to the point you don't want to put it down. The author does this by telling each persons' point of view; thereby giving the reader a perspective she may not have considered, had the author decided to focus on Emily alone. From her parents marriage, to Emily and Carolines birth, to Cats' end and Emily's beginning, the reader continues to question what happened until the end when you finally learn the unexpected.
I think this is a story, which the reader may take away several different ideas. For me, I found the most significant meaning to be selfishness. It made me think how as a society today, most of us place our wants and needs above those around us, to the point that we may even consider our lives more important than that of the stranger we stand beside each day. When I thought of the friend inviting Emily and her husband to her wedding, risking it being ruined by an embarrassing outburst, I found myself thinking how the best things, the moments we truly cherish and remember come when we choose to place anothers needs/wants above our own.
February 2, 2015
Leaving her husband and child both physically and emotionally? What would make Emily, a happily married woman, just leave one day without a trace and make a new life for herself?
Emily renamed herself Cat, moved into a run down house, and made new friends that really were not her style, but she didn't go back even as she second-guessed her decision especially when she thought of Ben and Charlie.
ONE STEP TOO FAR went back and forth between Emily/Cat's childhood and her current life as well as going back and forth between all of the main characters. None of the characters were likable. They all had some addiction or problem.
When you reach page 100 or so, hints about what happened to make Cat leave are introduced. The hints are usually flashbacks or simply Cat's thoughts at the time.
Just as the first hundred pages were a bit slow, the rest of the book will have you turning the pages and reading as fast as you can.
ONE STEP TOO FAR pulls you in and makes you want to find out what was going on with Cat and to find out her secret. It didn’t pull me in enough, though, to say I enjoyed the read. It was too much all over the place.
ONE STEP TOO FAR was confusing and unconventional but definitely creative in style. I was lost at times. 3/5
August 4, 2013
One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis was published by Kirk Parolles and is an April 2013 release.
The book begins in 2010. Emily decides to do what many people fantasize about. She packs a bag, withdraws money from the bank and skips out her husband, Ben and her family. She moves into a run down flophouse. She immediately becomes friends with Angel. The two hit off and Emily changes her name to Cat and picks up Angel's habits. She steals clothes, drinks to excess, and begins doing drugs. While at first we have no clue as to why Emily has made this decision, we get the feeling she is really proud of herself. She gets a job and starts the bottom and works her way up in record time. She becomes close with her boss, Simon. It all seems like she pulled it off. She actually left her old life behind and started an entirely new one.
Of course there is a back story. First of all Emily is a twin. While Emily has always been the stable, responsible, successful sister, Caroline was always going through one crisis or another. She had eating disorders, drug and alcohol addictions, abortions, and was always in and out of rehab. Emily's parent's marriage was a sham and finally they divorce after Emily's marriage.
We begin to get the idea that something happened that drove Emily and Ben apart. Something disrupted Emily's life to the point where she thought everyone was better off with her out of the picture. I also felt like Emily was in denial and had been unable to face whatever had happened. Therefore, she became a different person -from the dependable Emily, to party girl, Cat.
Meanwhile, bits and pieces of Emily's life unfold. We learn how she and Ben met, fell in love, and got married. We learn about Caroline's problems and all the stunts she has pulled over the years. We learn about Emily's parents and her philandering father.
Finally toward the end of the book we begin to get glimpses of what Ben has been going through after his wife walks out on him.
Eventually, though things catch up to "Cat" and she is forced to face up to the events that caused her to run away.
If you have read any reviews about this book, you have been told there is a major twist at the end. There is a twist, an no, I don't anyone would ever be able to see it coming. Once you digest that new view of things, the author still keeps you guessing a bit. I was rather pleased with the ending.
This was an interesting novel. The themes explored are difficult and the road was hilly and curvy, very painful and sad. But, I loved how Emily still managed to land on her feet.
I'm not sure what genre to place this one in. It was a mystery, but not in the traditional sense. It was I suppose more a drama about life and family and friendship and the curves life throws at us that we either are strong enough to deal with or we find some other way of coping. Some recover and get their lives back on track and others are never the same. Thankfully, we get the idea that things will work out for all the people featured in the novel.
Overall I give this on an A-.
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the DRC of this book.
The book begins in 2010. Emily decides to do what many people fantasize about. She packs a bag, withdraws money from the bank and skips out her husband, Ben and her family. She moves into a run down flophouse. She immediately becomes friends with Angel. The two hit off and Emily changes her name to Cat and picks up Angel's habits. She steals clothes, drinks to excess, and begins doing drugs. While at first we have no clue as to why Emily has made this decision, we get the feeling she is really proud of herself. She gets a job and starts the bottom and works her way up in record time. She becomes close with her boss, Simon. It all seems like she pulled it off. She actually left her old life behind and started an entirely new one.
Of course there is a back story. First of all Emily is a twin. While Emily has always been the stable, responsible, successful sister, Caroline was always going through one crisis or another. She had eating disorders, drug and alcohol addictions, abortions, and was always in and out of rehab. Emily's parent's marriage was a sham and finally they divorce after Emily's marriage.
We begin to get the idea that something happened that drove Emily and Ben apart. Something disrupted Emily's life to the point where she thought everyone was better off with her out of the picture. I also felt like Emily was in denial and had been unable to face whatever had happened. Therefore, she became a different person -from the dependable Emily, to party girl, Cat.
Meanwhile, bits and pieces of Emily's life unfold. We learn how she and Ben met, fell in love, and got married. We learn about Caroline's problems and all the stunts she has pulled over the years. We learn about Emily's parents and her philandering father.
Finally toward the end of the book we begin to get glimpses of what Ben has been going through after his wife walks out on him.
Eventually, though things catch up to "Cat" and she is forced to face up to the events that caused her to run away.
If you have read any reviews about this book, you have been told there is a major twist at the end. There is a twist, an no, I don't anyone would ever be able to see it coming. Once you digest that new view of things, the author still keeps you guessing a bit. I was rather pleased with the ending.
This was an interesting novel. The themes explored are difficult and the road was hilly and curvy, very painful and sad. But, I loved how Emily still managed to land on her feet.
I'm not sure what genre to place this one in. It was a mystery, but not in the traditional sense. It was I suppose more a drama about life and family and friendship and the curves life throws at us that we either are strong enough to deal with or we find some other way of coping. Some recover and get their lives back on track and others are never the same. Thankfully, we get the idea that things will work out for all the people featured in the novel.
Overall I give this on an A-.
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the DRC of this book.
March 23, 2013
Sit up straight and pay attention! There’s a lot going on in ONE STEP TOO FAR and if you zone out for even a second, you could miss something crucial.
ONE STEP TOO FAR is a story of jealousy, greed, heartbreak and madness with a little bit of happiness thrown in for good measure. The manner in which the story is told can be confusing if you are not firing on all cylinders. Told from multiple points of view, the reader gains insight to all the players in this crazy game called Emily Coleman’s life and although it is beneficial, it was also a bit confusing at times.
Emily Coleman had a seemingly perfect life… until you meet her philandering father, self-absorbed twin sister and slightly off-balance mother. There’s more, but that would spoil the story! She’s lived with that nut-house-of-a-family forever and now she has a family of her own that really is fantastic and a great job, so, what makes her wake up one day and walk out on her life? That’s the focus of the whole story, so you will just have to read it to find out.
I really enjoyed the mystery behind the tale that was told, but I felt that there were a few holes in the plot that made me go… hmmm… One of the big questions I had was: Did her husband really look for her? I mean look for her like he really wanted to find her? I’m not so sure of that, but I am getting ahead of myself… Emily Coleman’s adventure into her new life as “Cat” was disconcerting, but interesting. I was disappointed in Emily/Cat’s lack of growth and personal development while living on the wild side, but then again maybe it was time for Emily to be a little selfish and not think too much about consequences and just live for the moment… I was also very disappointed by Emily’s attitude about her twin’s final fate – I don’t believe for a second that is how Emily’s character would have behaved, it lacked believability in my opinion. Despite the bumps, I was engrossed in the story.
Overall, ONE STEP TOO FAR was an enjoyable read and I found myself wondering what on earth could possibly happen next and to my delight, something usually happened that I wasn’t expecting!
New author, Tina Seskis just might be what you are in the mood for if you are looking for a good mysterious drama to keep you entertained. Check it out – I know I will definitely be checking out her other title, A SERPENTINE AFFAIR due out in the fall of 2013.
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
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ONE STEP TOO FAR is a story of jealousy, greed, heartbreak and madness with a little bit of happiness thrown in for good measure. The manner in which the story is told can be confusing if you are not firing on all cylinders. Told from multiple points of view, the reader gains insight to all the players in this crazy game called Emily Coleman’s life and although it is beneficial, it was also a bit confusing at times.
Emily Coleman had a seemingly perfect life… until you meet her philandering father, self-absorbed twin sister and slightly off-balance mother. There’s more, but that would spoil the story! She’s lived with that nut-house-of-a-family forever and now she has a family of her own that really is fantastic and a great job, so, what makes her wake up one day and walk out on her life? That’s the focus of the whole story, so you will just have to read it to find out.
I really enjoyed the mystery behind the tale that was told, but I felt that there were a few holes in the plot that made me go… hmmm… One of the big questions I had was: Did her husband really look for her? I mean look for her like he really wanted to find her? I’m not so sure of that, but I am getting ahead of myself… Emily Coleman’s adventure into her new life as “Cat” was disconcerting, but interesting. I was disappointed in Emily/Cat’s lack of growth and personal development while living on the wild side, but then again maybe it was time for Emily to be a little selfish and not think too much about consequences and just live for the moment… I was also very disappointed by Emily’s attitude about her twin’s final fate – I don’t believe for a second that is how Emily’s character would have behaved, it lacked believability in my opinion. Despite the bumps, I was engrossed in the story.
Overall, ONE STEP TOO FAR was an enjoyable read and I found myself wondering what on earth could possibly happen next and to my delight, something usually happened that I wasn’t expecting!
New author, Tina Seskis just might be what you are in the mood for if you are looking for a good mysterious drama to keep you entertained. Check it out – I know I will definitely be checking out her other title, A SERPENTINE AFFAIR due out in the fall of 2013.
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
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July 26, 2014
Emily is happily married with a lovely son and seemingly has it all. So what makes her get up one morning and leave it all behind to start a new life alone in London? That is the premise for this novel and it really was a terrific read. I was immediately drawn into Emily's world and that of her identical twin sister and it kept me reading long into the night.
Now anyone who has read reviews of this novel previously know that there is a twist in the tale. What IS it that makes Emily behave this way - and what is the date she is dreading? When I first sat down to pick up this book my aim was to work it out - I do love a good game of "beat the author" don't you? However the story is so compelling and addictive that a few pages in I had forgotton all about that and was deep into Emily's London life and the amazingly well imagined characters that she meets along the way. Through flashback we learn something of her past and that of others and so the story pulls you along, immersing you deeper into the lives of these characters and I would say even if that was all you got from this book it would be plenty good enough.
However, here we go. As I moved along through the novel, towards the end I suddenly remembered that something was coming. At this stage I DID have a go at "beat the author". I reviewed in my head all the steps Emily had taken, all the information the author had given, and I had a go at deciding what was what. I mean you have to try don't you? Then I read on, eager to find out what happens ultimately to Emily and those around her. Was I right? Well the book blurb says "No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?" The answer to that is a resounding NO. I didnt. I was floored. It happens to me sometimes - the last book to make my jaw drop in such a brilliant way was Erin Kelly's "The Burning Air". I thought I'd never find an author as clever as that - but here is Ms Seskis with her vivid and imaginative writing - sucking me in, making me think I was clever and then realising that I'm not half as clever as I think I am.
This is an extremely well written novel, not just because of the twist, but generally speaking. As I said earlier, although the twist in the tale is great, the STORY is terrific even if it didnt ultimately have that head in hands moment. The characters practically leap off the page - not only Emily but pretty much all of them. Her twin is compelling and I ADORED Angel - would that we all had a friend like her. Its an emotional read in places - Emily struggles with her new life and you will feel it all right along with her - and it is a story of redemption. I love those. I loved this. I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway so thank you kindly to Tina Seskis for sending it to me. Her next novel, A Serpentine Affair, is out later this year and trust me - I'm going to be the very first in the queue. FIRST I tell you. Back off!
Now anyone who has read reviews of this novel previously know that there is a twist in the tale. What IS it that makes Emily behave this way - and what is the date she is dreading? When I first sat down to pick up this book my aim was to work it out - I do love a good game of "beat the author" don't you? However the story is so compelling and addictive that a few pages in I had forgotton all about that and was deep into Emily's London life and the amazingly well imagined characters that she meets along the way. Through flashback we learn something of her past and that of others and so the story pulls you along, immersing you deeper into the lives of these characters and I would say even if that was all you got from this book it would be plenty good enough.
However, here we go. As I moved along through the novel, towards the end I suddenly remembered that something was coming. At this stage I DID have a go at "beat the author". I reviewed in my head all the steps Emily had taken, all the information the author had given, and I had a go at deciding what was what. I mean you have to try don't you? Then I read on, eager to find out what happens ultimately to Emily and those around her. Was I right? Well the book blurb says "No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?" The answer to that is a resounding NO. I didnt. I was floored. It happens to me sometimes - the last book to make my jaw drop in such a brilliant way was Erin Kelly's "The Burning Air". I thought I'd never find an author as clever as that - but here is Ms Seskis with her vivid and imaginative writing - sucking me in, making me think I was clever and then realising that I'm not half as clever as I think I am.
This is an extremely well written novel, not just because of the twist, but generally speaking. As I said earlier, although the twist in the tale is great, the STORY is terrific even if it didnt ultimately have that head in hands moment. The characters practically leap off the page - not only Emily but pretty much all of them. Her twin is compelling and I ADORED Angel - would that we all had a friend like her. Its an emotional read in places - Emily struggles with her new life and you will feel it all right along with her - and it is a story of redemption. I love those. I loved this. I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway so thank you kindly to Tina Seskis for sending it to me. Her next novel, A Serpentine Affair, is out later this year and trust me - I'm going to be the very first in the queue. FIRST I tell you. Back off!
November 24, 2013
I dont like giving one star reviews but a 2-star is listed by GR as "It was OK" and I cant really say "One Step Too Far" was. I truly thought it was bad. Partly because I don't like twists - obvious twists - books where I am manipulated with soap opera hangers. I prefer twists that are a great deal more subtle as in "We need to talk about Kevin" that come about without being telegraphed at the end of every chapter - Stay tuned or you'll miss the big one.
I found myself cringing at the atrocious grammar - did this author attend high school? Every time I read sentences such as "Angel is sat on a chair" I wanted to throw the book away. "The phone goes", "The door went"; WHERE?
Tried to keep going but the swinging wildly between characters and the changes in tense (even mid-page) from past to present, made me stop to regroup and work out who I was reading about. Kept going because I love psychological exploration, but was badly disappointed in this rather superficial book. For readers who like reality TV more than World Cinema
I found myself cringing at the atrocious grammar - did this author attend high school? Every time I read sentences such as "Angel is sat on a chair" I wanted to throw the book away. "The phone goes", "The door went"; WHERE?
Tried to keep going but the swinging wildly between characters and the changes in tense (even mid-page) from past to present, made me stop to regroup and work out who I was reading about. Kept going because I love psychological exploration, but was badly disappointed in this rather superficial book. For readers who like reality TV more than World Cinema
June 7, 2015
There is a good twin and a bad twin and you don't know what happened on "that day" till part three. By that point, you hardly care, because when you don't even like the "good twin" it's hard to like the book. And, after you find out what the twist is..you will dislike it even more. It kept me reading, which is the only reason that I gave it two stars instead of one. Unfortunately, I disliked everything that I learned in "part three"!
November 11, 2024
Παίρνοντας στα χέρια μου το "Φεύγω" της Tina Seskis, και διαβάζοντας την περίληψή του, σκέφτηκα ευθύς αμέσως πως είχα να κάνω με μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία, αν και κάτι μου θύμιζε. Ξεκινώντας την ανάγνωση, συνειδητοποίησα πως σχεδόν τρία χρόνια νωρίτερα, το αξιολογήσει για λογαριασμό ενός εκδοτικού οίκου, με το κείμενο να μην μου έχει αφήσει τις καλύτερες εντυπώσεις. Ωστόσο, θεώρησα σωστό να του δώσω μία ακόμα ευκαιρία, εφόσον κατάφερε να μου κεντρίσει το ενδιαφέρον, έστω και αν η πρώτη του ανάγνωση δεν είχε αποδειχτεί ευχάριστη εμπειρία. Ξαναδιαβάζοντάς το, λοιπόν, θυμήθηκα όλους εκείνους τους λόγους που με είχαν κάνει να μην αγαπήσω το βιβλίο αυτό, αλλά με μια πιο ώριμη και ψύχραιμη, πλέον, ματιά, να αναθεωρήσω ορισμένα πράγματα.
Η Έμιλι είναι μια γυναίκα που μοιάζει να έχει τα πάντα. Έναν ευτυχισμένο γάμο, έναν υπέροχο σύζυγο, έναν αξιολάτρευτο γιο, ενώ περιμένει δεύτερο παιδί. Με άλλα λόγια, έχει μια ήρεμη και αρμονική, πλήρη ζωή, που πολύ θα ζήλευαν. Ξημερώνει, όμως, η μέρα εκείνη που η Έμιλι εγκαταλείπει τα πάντα. Τον άντρα και το παιδί της, το σπίτι και τη ζωή της. Ποιος είναι ο λόγος; Μήπως κατέρρευσε συναισθηματικά; Μήπως οφείλεται σε κάτι που έχει να κάνει με την δίδυμη αδερφή της, την Καρολάιν, με την οποία ποτέ δεν είχαν καλές σχέσεις. Μήπως έχει κάποιο σκοτεινό μυστικό που αφορά το παρελθόν της; Και το σημαντικότερο, θα μπορέσει η Έμιλι να ανακτήσει τον έλεγχο της ζωή της;
Η κεντρική ιδέα, είναι πραγματικά ενδιαφέρουσα. Από άποψη θεματολογίας και μόνο, είναι σίγουρα ένα βιβλίο που προσελκύει την προσοχή και τραβά το ενδιαφέρον σου. Ακόμα και κατά την διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης, και παρά τα προβλήματα του βιβλίου, θες να διαβάσεις παρακάτω για να μάθεις τι θα γίνει. Η αφήγηση έχει έντονο, γρήγορο ρυθμό, οι εξελίξεις είναι συνεχείς, τα γεγονότα τρέχουν, και αυτό έχει ως αποτέλεσμα ο αναγνώστης να βρίσκεται σε μια μόνιμη εγρήγορση, παρά τις όποιες προσωπικές του ενστάσεις, που αναπόφευκτα θα υπάρχουν. Αυτό από μόνο του, είναι το μεγαλύτερο ατού του βιβλίου, αφού ακόμα και τις στιγμές που σε ενοχλεί, είναι τόσο εθιστικό που δύσκολα το αφήνεις από τα χέρια σου.
Βέβαια, και αυτό έχει να κάνει με μένα, υπάρχουν πολλά στοιχεία της ιστορίας, και κυρίως στον χαρακτήρα της Έμιλι, τα οποία με ενόχλησαν, ως γυναίκα, ως σύζυγο και κυρίως, ως μητέρα. Θεωρώ πως το μυστικό που βρίσκεται θαμμένο στο παρελθόν της δεν είναι τόσο τραγικό όσο η ίδια το παρουσιάζει, και πως θα μπορούσε είτε να το έχει διαχειριστεί διαφορετικά, είτε η συγγραφέας να την τοποθετήσει μέσα σε μια πολύ πιο δύσκολη και περίπλοκη κατάσταση. Ωστόσο, οφείλω να αναγνωρίσω πως το ισχύον σενάριο δεν είχε περάσει από το μυαλό μου, ίσως γιατί οι αναγνώστες συνηθίζουμε να σκεφτόμαστε ό,τι πιο ακραίο χωράει ο ανθρώπινος νους ενώ θα έπρεπε να λειτουργούμε με πιο απλό συλλογισμό.
Για να μην παρεξηγηθώ, το "Φεύγω" δεν είναι ένα κακό βιβλίο. Αντίθετα, είναι ένα μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία, απλά θεωρώ πως δεν δουλεύτηκε όσο θα έπρεπε ή και όσο θα μπορούσε, προκειμένου να μας προσφέρει μια καθηλωτική αφήγηση που θα οδηγούσε σε ένα συγκλονιστικό φινάλε, αν και πρέπει να αναγνωρίσουμε πως αυτό που δίνεται, εκτός από ξεκάθαρο, είναι και ειλικρινές. Θα ήθελα η σχέση ανάμεσα στις δύο αδερφές να έχει αναπτυχθεί λίγο περισσότερο, ενώ η όλη ιστορία θα μπορούσε να έχει ακόμα πιο έντονο το άρωμα του μυστηρίου, οδηγώντας μας στο να προβληματιστούμε και όχι απλά στο να διαβάσουμε μια ιστορία που ρέει σαν νερό, ενώ διακατέχεται από πάθος -ή και πάθη- και ένταση. Παρ' όλα ταύτα, ως ανάγνωσμα, είναι ευχάριστο, έστω κι αν δεν αλλάξει την κοσμοθεωρία σας.
Η Έμιλι είναι μια γυναίκα που μοιάζει να έχει τα πάντα. Έναν ευτυχισμένο γάμο, έναν υπέροχο σύζυγο, έναν αξιολάτρευτο γιο, ενώ περιμένει δεύτερο παιδί. Με άλλα λόγια, έχει μια ήρεμη και αρμονική, πλήρη ζωή, που πολύ θα ζήλευαν. Ξημερώνει, όμως, η μέρα εκείνη που η Έμιλι εγκαταλείπει τα πάντα. Τον άντρα και το παιδί της, το σπίτι και τη ζωή της. Ποιος είναι ο λόγος; Μήπως κατέρρευσε συναισθηματικά; Μήπως οφείλεται σε κάτι που έχει να κάνει με την δίδυμη αδερφή της, την Καρολάιν, με την οποία ποτέ δεν είχαν καλές σχέσεις. Μήπως έχει κάποιο σκοτεινό μυστικό που αφορά το παρελθόν της; Και το σημαντικότερο, θα μπορέσει η Έμιλι να ανακτήσει τον έλεγχο της ζωή της;
Η κεντρική ιδέα, είναι πραγματικά ενδιαφέρουσα. Από άποψη θεματολογίας και μόνο, είναι σίγουρα ένα βιβλίο που προσελκύει την προσοχή και τραβά το ενδιαφέρον σου. Ακόμα και κατά την διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης, και παρά τα προβλήματα του βιβλίου, θες να διαβάσεις παρακάτω για να μάθεις τι θα γίνει. Η αφήγηση έχει έντονο, γρήγορο ρυθμό, οι εξελίξεις είναι συνεχείς, τα γεγονότα τρέχουν, και αυτό έχει ως αποτέλεσμα ο αναγνώστης να βρίσκεται σε μια μόνιμη εγρήγορση, παρά τις όποιες προσωπικές του ενστάσεις, που αναπόφευκτα θα υπάρχουν. Αυτό από μόνο του, είναι το μεγαλύτερο ατού του βιβλίου, αφού ακόμα και τις στιγμές που σε ενοχλεί, είναι τόσο εθιστικό που δύσκολα το αφήνεις από τα χέρια σου.
Βέβαια, και αυτό έχει να κάνει με μένα, υπάρχουν πολλά στοιχεία της ιστορίας, και κυρίως στον χαρακτήρα της Έμιλι, τα οποία με ενόχλησαν, ως γυναίκα, ως σύζυγο και κυρίως, ως μητέρα. Θεωρώ πως το μυστικό που βρίσκεται θαμμένο στο παρελθόν της δεν είναι τόσο τραγικό όσο η ίδια το παρουσιάζει, και πως θα μπορούσε είτε να το έχει διαχειριστεί διαφορετικά, είτε η συγγραφέας να την τοποθετήσει μέσα σε μια πολύ πιο δύσκολη και περίπλοκη κατάσταση. Ωστόσο, οφείλω να αναγνωρίσω πως το ισχύον σενάριο δεν είχε περάσει από το μυαλό μου, ίσως γιατί οι αναγνώστες συνηθίζουμε να σκεφτόμαστε ό,τι πιο ακραίο χωράει ο ανθρώπινος νους ενώ θα έπρεπε να λειτουργούμε με πιο απλό συλλογισμό.
Για να μην παρεξηγηθώ, το "Φεύγω" δεν είναι ένα κακό βιβλίο. Αντίθετα, είναι ένα μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία, απλά θεωρώ πως δεν δουλεύτηκε όσο θα έπρεπε ή και όσο θα μπορούσε, προκειμένου να μας προσφέρει μια καθηλωτική αφήγηση που θα οδηγούσε σε ένα συγκλονιστικό φινάλε, αν και πρέπει να αναγνωρίσουμε πως αυτό που δίνεται, εκτός από ξεκάθαρο, είναι και ειλικρινές. Θα ήθελα η σχέση ανάμεσα στις δύο αδερφές να έχει αναπτυχθεί λίγο περισσότερο, ενώ η όλη ιστορία θα μπορούσε να έχει ακόμα πιο έντονο το άρωμα του μυστηρίου, οδηγώντας μας στο να προβληματιστούμε και όχι απλά στο να διαβάσουμε μια ιστορία που ρέει σαν νερό, ενώ διακατέχεται από πάθος -ή και πάθη- και ένταση. Παρ' όλα ταύτα, ως ανάγνωσμα, είναι ευχάριστο, έστω κι αν δεν αλλάξει την κοσμοθεωρία σας.
March 18, 2013
The tagline "the book everyones going to be talking about" nearly put me off this new title when I spotted it on Netgalley but I decided it did sound pretty interesting and decided to give it a whirl. I'm really glad I did, I absolutely loved it.
Its romantic fiction with lots of twists and turns not quite a psychological chiller but enough twists and whys and what's and who's to keep you guessing and second guessing all the way through.
It tells the story of identical twin Emily, on a train, running away from what would seem to be the perfect life and changing her identity, seeking anonymity and escape but from what or why is not clear and the book keeps us wondering and guessing. Emilys alter ego is Cat and she soon finds some rather seedy digs in London and is taken under the tender wing of Angel, herself an escapee from a difficult past. The 2 young women become firm friends but their troubled backgrounds are perhaps not the best basis to build a new life on and despite giving both the ability to accept and tolerate each others flaws an foibles they lurch from drama to crisis together, eventually becoming reliant on drugs, going off th erails somewhat and living an increasingly erratic lifestyle.
We are taunted with glimpses of both girls pasts, but never quite enough to work out why Cat would walk out on a much adored husband and a son she obviously still loves deeply. Her twin is shown to be a very unreliable, flawed and dislikeable character, her family rather dysfunctional and her own past obviously conceals some deeply traumatic event which has caused her inability to cope and just run away, but what could be so awful that you'd leave your family without a word of explanation.
It's only when tragedy occurs once more that Cat/ Emily is forced to confront her past and we discover exactly what has gone on that she couldn't cope with and it's truly, deeply disturbing.
A fabulous debut novel which I think would appeal to lovers of books by Diane Chamberlain and who enjoyed books like The Playdate or The Rose Petal Beach its womens fiction at its very best, human interest drama, well written, teasing and puzzling with exceptional characters you'll feel as though you really know. HIGHLY recommended!
Its romantic fiction with lots of twists and turns not quite a psychological chiller but enough twists and whys and what's and who's to keep you guessing and second guessing all the way through.
It tells the story of identical twin Emily, on a train, running away from what would seem to be the perfect life and changing her identity, seeking anonymity and escape but from what or why is not clear and the book keeps us wondering and guessing. Emilys alter ego is Cat and she soon finds some rather seedy digs in London and is taken under the tender wing of Angel, herself an escapee from a difficult past. The 2 young women become firm friends but their troubled backgrounds are perhaps not the best basis to build a new life on and despite giving both the ability to accept and tolerate each others flaws an foibles they lurch from drama to crisis together, eventually becoming reliant on drugs, going off th erails somewhat and living an increasingly erratic lifestyle.
We are taunted with glimpses of both girls pasts, but never quite enough to work out why Cat would walk out on a much adored husband and a son she obviously still loves deeply. Her twin is shown to be a very unreliable, flawed and dislikeable character, her family rather dysfunctional and her own past obviously conceals some deeply traumatic event which has caused her inability to cope and just run away, but what could be so awful that you'd leave your family without a word of explanation.
It's only when tragedy occurs once more that Cat/ Emily is forced to confront her past and we discover exactly what has gone on that she couldn't cope with and it's truly, deeply disturbing.
A fabulous debut novel which I think would appeal to lovers of books by Diane Chamberlain and who enjoyed books like The Playdate or The Rose Petal Beach its womens fiction at its very best, human interest drama, well written, teasing and puzzling with exceptional characters you'll feel as though you really know. HIGHLY recommended!
December 6, 2015
Take "One Step Too Far" - Seriously - Tina Seskis is giving away TEN copies at Tome Tender!
Click on Banner to Enter - Open to US Only - Remember, Books Make GREAT Gifts for YOU or your favorite reader!
Tina Seskis has done a marvelous job of creating a compelling and intense novel with One Step Too Far. Written using both the present tense and flashbacks to the past, we live through the painful journey of Emily Coleman, who escapes her life one morning, turning her back on her family and her identity. Emily has decided its better for everyone if she were to leave Ben and Charlie behind. She heads to London, changes her identity, tries to recreate herself, forget the painful memories of the past. As Cat Brown, she finds she is ill-equipped to deal with life, everything is an uphill battle. With the help of a slightly quirky new friend, she stumbles through life, becomes moderately successful in her job, makes new friends, but her secret past still haunts her, its always there. Through one of her many dubious and self-destructive choices, Cat's new life comes crashing down around her.
She must face reality and her past, how it has affected her and those around her. She must learn to forgive herself for being human. Is she strong enough? Can she face her new future? Can those around her accept her as she is?
There was not one point in this brilliantly written story that I could clearly know what would happen to Cat. The tangled twists and turns made the answers illusive until the very end! The world building put me right there, watching over Cat's shoulder, living her story along with her, sometimes painfully.
This Arc copy was provided by NetGalley and Kirk Parolles in exchange for my honest review.
Click on Banner to Enter - Open to US Only - Remember, Books Make GREAT Gifts for YOU or your favorite reader!
Tina Seskis has done a marvelous job of creating a compelling and intense novel with One Step Too Far. Written using both the present tense and flashbacks to the past, we live through the painful journey of Emily Coleman, who escapes her life one morning, turning her back on her family and her identity. Emily has decided its better for everyone if she were to leave Ben and Charlie behind. She heads to London, changes her identity, tries to recreate herself, forget the painful memories of the past. As Cat Brown, she finds she is ill-equipped to deal with life, everything is an uphill battle. With the help of a slightly quirky new friend, she stumbles through life, becomes moderately successful in her job, makes new friends, but her secret past still haunts her, its always there. Through one of her many dubious and self-destructive choices, Cat's new life comes crashing down around her.
She must face reality and her past, how it has affected her and those around her. She must learn to forgive herself for being human. Is she strong enough? Can she face her new future? Can those around her accept her as she is?
There was not one point in this brilliantly written story that I could clearly know what would happen to Cat. The tangled twists and turns made the answers illusive until the very end! The world building put me right there, watching over Cat's shoulder, living her story along with her, sometimes painfully.
This Arc copy was provided by NetGalley and Kirk Parolles in exchange for my honest review.
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