Tell Me Tomorrow

by Lynda Bellingham

Meredith Lee is one of the most successful women in television. She has a daytime show that has an audience of millions. She seems to have it all. But behind the tirelessly successful facade lies the story of a woman who nearly lost everything. This is the story of a woman who could not keep love in her life. The love of neither her father nor her mother. Who lost the love of her life the first time around, then lost the love of her own child. She could not even find love in herself. This is a story about women, about their sugar and spice, about the deep natural instincts that drive women through whatever society is trying to pin on them at the time. It is also about love, where to look for it and how to hold on to it when it is found.

Genres: Fiction

471 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2013

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. Recommended.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was good but it got a bit repetitive. By the time it got to 1995 and another single woman was about to give birth I was ready to give up. It tries to be a pot boiler but it wasn't gripping enough to keep me hooked and I struggled to finish it.

[Christina Rochester · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly good book looking at Meredith's family and how the women of each generation faced their problems, before Meredith has to confront her own.

The story muddles along quite nicely, however I found myself incredibly upset over the stillbirth storyline. I blubbed for ages.

Still I'd recommend this one.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meredith's mother Jane has been born under unusual circumstances and the same goes for Meredith herself. She has a wonderful childhood, especially due to her loving father. They live on a farm and Meredith loves it there. She leaves her childhood home after finishing high school, because life in the city is so much more exciting. She starts with a catering course and finds an apartment to share with the lovely and equally ambitious Oliver. As she isn't very lucky in love Meredith works very hard to make something of herself in the television world. When she least expects it she finds out she's pregnant. Of course she's bringing up her daughter with everything she has to give and more. She has her mother's wisdom to guide her and Oliver is a wonderful help. She's a lucky woman and feels like everything is going very well in her life. That won't last, because soon her daughter Anna has some news of her own...

Tell Me Tomorrow is a family story about four women and their connection not only through family, but also through the many things they have in common and due to the secrets they have to keep. The main part of the book focuses on Meredith, but they all play an equally important role. It's such a beautiful story about strong women who are trying to make the best of their lives. Of course each of them has to deal with the customs and characteristics of their time. They all have a past they can't tell their daughters, but eventually they don't have a choice and they have to talk. These moments were significant, it made them understand their mothers so much better. This isn't a quick read, it takes a few pages to tell such a story. The writing is excellent, it's always vivid and there isn't even one dull moment. I enjoyed every single page and I really loved this book. The story is absolutely amazing and the great style makes it a joy to read.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so wanted to love this book but I found that perhaps Lynda struggled to settle on her own 'style' - at first it seemed like a gentle saga that you would buy for your Granny to read; but then there was extremely bad language that really grated against the opening feel of the book. The actual plotlines themselves were very good but I found myself really struggling after the 4th unexpected pregnancy. I found it quite clunky towards the end and I'm sorry but I found the dreadful and unnecessary swearing a real turn off.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even though I was on the home stretch with this book, I simply don't give a monkey's any more. I got to the part where this stately home coincidentally backs on to family farm ... and I gave up.
I. Don't. Care.

If I see one more pregnancy, one more 'spill the beans', one more 'my lover' or one more "!" then I'm going to lose the will to live.

So rather than spoil my weekend continuing with this book, I'm going close it and consign it to the "did not finish" pile.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first half of this book.
The second half was from Meredith's point of view, and I didn't enjoy her as a character. She was too much of a snob and a little self-centered. She and Jack also swear a lot, which I thought was completely unnecessary, and took away from the author's writing.
I was also disappointed we never moved on to Anna's point of view.
I had a really hard time finishing this book and would not read it again.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to love this but just...didn't. Far too many coincidences and incidences of history repeating itself and the dialogue throughout seemed stilted and awkward. Sex scenes not good, definitely would have preferred less detail at times.

[Lesley Milburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant book but just that!! It was a family saga of 5 generations all making the same mistakes really! I found Jack calling Meredith‘my lover’ every time he spoke to her so annoying and unrealistic, on one occasion he had not seen her for 20 years and immediately referred to her as that!!! As if!!!! It was almost like the author wanted to remind us he was from Somerset! I found the story very Mills and Boon style , all a bit gooey and too good to be true, everyone was perfect, money no object and puke worthy, sex scenes were over the top, too detailed and all to bloody perfect, the book was too long and padded out too, could have been 100 pages lighter!!! I enjoyed other books by Lynda Bellingham but not this one, bit lack lustre and unexciting!!! Shame

# Tell Me Tomorrow
# 19/04/2024 ~ 07/05/2024
# 3.5 / 5.0

[Corinna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very likeable characters if a little frustrating at times, but I found the writing style a little tedious and not particularly engaging at times. I did chuckle at the reference to 'famous writers dictating into a machine' and having a ghost writer to write their books. So I presume the much loved and missed Lynda didn't do this. Bless her.

[Julie Coles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book almost felt like it had three different writers and styles. The first few chapters were dark and upsetting with the stillbirth and rape. Then everything speeded up in the middle to conclude with a fluffy drawn out fantasy end.
I liked the Meredith character. She was flawed and authentic. Glad I picked it up again as I enjoyed it.

[Navya Sama · Rating 2 out of 5]

The repetitive nature of book makes you irritated the plot story was really weak could have been written more thoughtfully characters were not that muck likeable as well... It was getting tough to finish skipped some pages in between because I wanted to know how the author particularly ends the book but ending wasn't that great as well...

[Mrs Maureen Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

What a great book . Such a brillianr story of the lives of four mothere and the way thier lives followed the same path. Couldn`t put it cown . So sad Lynda isn`t with us to continue her brilliant writting,

[~ riv ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3/5⭐️

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this! What a journey of brave and resilient women! Highly recommended

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the writing of this book was cliche and unnatural, it was so boring and awkward to read. Not for me.

[Steve Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up immediately after reading both of Lynda's wonderful autobiographies back-to-back, & was curiously intrigued to see how she'd fare in the guise of a fiction author.
I have to say, the first few chapters of Tell Me Tomorrow nearly put me off continuing - the story seemed to be progressing at the pace of a steamroller, & felt slightly quaint & old-fashioned.

But, it soon began to gather pace as it moved through the years (& generations) of the female line of one family's trials & tribulations, & one tragically key scene seemed to propel the whole story into a much more interesting direction & towards its conclusion - as we learn that family secrets aren't always best kept secret...

There are many echoes of Lynda's own life within the book - especially the naming of the book's main character (Meredith Lee) after her own original name, the settings in London/Hampstead where she made her home, & Lynda's own personal quest to search for her birth parents.

It's a book that I imagine would mainly appeal to women, as it's told mainly from a woman's perspective - but having said that, there's much to enjoy for anyone who loves intelligent fiction & a good story!
As Lynda says, it's a book 'to mothers everywhere', & celebrates the bond that mothers share with their daughters - not to mention the dark secrets that families often prefer to keep locked away that can come back later to haunt the next generation.

All in all, I feels Lynda's done an excellent job, and it's a remarkably well-written & enjoyable debut novel from the much-missed & greatly-loved actress.

[Martin Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a borderline 2/3 but made a 3 due to the latter half of the book. So great a time span was covered in such brevity in the beginning of the book that it reminded of something that one might read from a schoolchild. It was only when it started to concentrate on some of the characters that were introduced latterly did it begin to resemble a proper novel. There is a hint in the text that the author maybe did not physically write it, but instead dictated it it to a ghost writer. This is often the case with celebrity authors but I am not entirely sure that this is the case here. I am afraid that none of the characters were particularly likeable and I thought that the female characters, who fell into the same "trap" generation on generation,were rather pathetic. Predictable ending too, but readable in its way. I am sure it will gain many readers following the tragic all too early death of Ms Bellingham and that her fans will no doubt love it.

[Sally Flint · Rating 2 out of 5]

A long book that I was tempted to give up on at times, there just seemed so many pregnancies and so much trauma and drama that it was exhausting to read. However, the plot did hold together in its showbiz crossed with Catherine Cooksony manner and the final hundred pages were fun to read as it all slipped in to place. Lynda Bellingham wrote really well on the experience Anna faced at 17 and I think that was the most convincing part of the book - can't say more as would be too much of a spoiler. The main character, Meredith, was interesting as her flaws were apparent, the granny figure Jane, just seemed a bit too much of a saint to be true. Anyway, in respect for Lynda I ploughed through and finished. Would have to say though that I find her autobiographies far more inviting to read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting novel, I think perhaps it could have been made into several volumes as there were parts of the book that I felt
Linda rushed. I would have preferred her to have lingered more on the events she covered and not rushed on to the next one. Having said that once I got half way through the book it seemed to slow pace and became much more enjoyable. A good start, hopefully her next attempt will be better!

[Karenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book totally unputdownable, a wonderful family saga that starts in the Great War and meanders through the generations up to the present day. It is a great social comment on society's changing attitudes to illegitimacy through the decades. The characters are often flawed but brilliantly drawn. Shortly after I read this, I heard that Lynda Bellingham is terminally ill. What a tremendous loss to literature this will be. My heart goes out to her and her family.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant family 'saga' - just my sort of book. This is the story of generations of women in one family, Mary, Jane, Meredith and Anna, and how their lives all take a similar course. My only slight criticism was that the second half of the book was almost a book in itself, and I think the story could have been made into at least two books and the first half padded out with a lot more information. Rest in peace Lynda.

[E88 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant debut novel, keeps you hooked from the beginning. Couldn't put it down. The characters are real and believable and many twists and turns along the way they I didn't expect. Can't wait for the sequel.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book, great first book look forward to many more

[Kate Parkinson]

Not sure on this. You could tell was a first book by the author. Some of the characters were hard to believe at times.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed the story. Linking different female members of the family. Easy read.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was very repetitive and that has put me off quite a bit. The story is quite predictable and that 'happy forever after' ending was just too much.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book the story was about a family, good plot and very enjoyable.
a book about families getting to know one another and understanding them.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Story was great. The kind of book you cannot put down.

[Sharon Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Couldn't put it down.