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Perdoa-me
A vida pode mudar num segundo.
O instante em que encontrou a mãe sem vida nunca se extinguirá da memória de Eva Patterson. Num bilhete, as suas últimas e enigmáticas palavras: Perdoa-me.
O mundo seguro de Eva ruiu naquele momento devastador. Mas o inesperado suicídio de Flora vai marcar apenas o início de uma sucessão de acontecimentos surpreendentes. No seu testamento, Flora deixa a Eva um estúdio em Londres. Este sítio é a primeira pista para o passado secreto de uma mulher que, Eva percebe agora, lhe é totalmente desconhecida.
No sótão do estúdio, a jovem encontra os diários e os quadros da mãe, provas de uma fulgurante carreira artística mantida em segredo. O que levou Flora a esconder tão fundo o seu passado? Ao aproximar-se da verdade, Eva descobre um crime tão chocante que a leva a questionar-se se alguma vez conseguirá, de facto, perdoar.
O instante em que encontrou a mãe sem vida nunca se extinguirá da memória de Eva Patterson. Num bilhete, as suas últimas e enigmáticas palavras: Perdoa-me.
O mundo seguro de Eva ruiu naquele momento devastador. Mas o inesperado suicídio de Flora vai marcar apenas o início de uma sucessão de acontecimentos surpreendentes. No seu testamento, Flora deixa a Eva um estúdio em Londres. Este sítio é a primeira pista para o passado secreto de uma mulher que, Eva percebe agora, lhe é totalmente desconhecida.
No sótão do estúdio, a jovem encontra os diários e os quadros da mãe, provas de uma fulgurante carreira artística mantida em segredo. O que levou Flora a esconder tão fundo o seu passado? Ao aproximar-se da verdade, Eva descobre um crime tão chocante que a leva a questionar-se se alguma vez conseguirá, de facto, perdoar.
488 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
283 people are currently reading
1779 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Pearse
71 books2,215 followersLesley Pearse is one of the UK's best-loved novelists with fans across the globe and sales of over 2 million copies of her books to date. A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines that keep the reader hooked from beginning to end, Pearse introduces you to characters that it is impossible not to care about or forget. There is no formula to her books or easily defined genre. Whether crime as in 'Till We Meet Again', historical adventure like 'Never Look Back', or the passionately emotive 'Trust Me', based on the true-life scandal of British child migrants sent to Australia in the post war period, she engages the reader completely.
Truth is often stranger than fiction and Lesley's life has been as packed with drama as her books. She was three when her mother died under tragic circumstances. Her father was away at sea and it was only when a neighbour saw Lesley and her brother playing outside without coats on that suspicion was aroused - their mother had been dead for some time. With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried - a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse - and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. The impact of constant change and uncertainty in Lesley's early years is reflected in one of the recurring themes in her books: what happens to those who are emotionally damaged as children. It was an extraordinary childhood and in all her books, Lesley has skilfully married the pain and unhappiness of her early experiences with a unique gift for storytelling.
Truth is often stranger than fiction and Lesley's life has been as packed with drama as her books. She was three when her mother died under tragic circumstances. Her father was away at sea and it was only when a neighbour saw Lesley and her brother playing outside without coats on that suspicion was aroused - their mother had been dead for some time. With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried - a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse - and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. The impact of constant change and uncertainty in Lesley's early years is reflected in one of the recurring themes in her books: what happens to those who are emotionally damaged as children. It was an extraordinary childhood and in all her books, Lesley has skilfully married the pain and unhappiness of her early experiences with a unique gift for storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
July 18, 2013
If they made themselves another cup of tea I was going to scream
November 13, 2017
Mais um excelente livro desta autora da qual gosto bastante. Apenas fiquei um bocadinho desiludida com o final, pois achei que foi precipitado. Um livro tão grande, com tantas folhas e de repente tudo se resolve e é cor de rosa... Mas gostei muito da história, que li com muito prazer
June 23, 2015
I have never read a Lesley Pearce which I now realise was a huge mistake on my part. However, this gave me the added advantage of having no expectations when I started reading. The main character Eva Patterson is the lead character and the opening chapters put you firmly into the horrifying discovery Eva makes as she finds her mother following her suicide. It is this event that starts a chain reaction that is horrifying and I certainly didn’t expect from a book with some an endearingly beautiful cover.
Aside from her Mothers suicide it’s hard to mention anything else within the story for fear of spoiling it for others. As a reader you literally follow Eva throughout her life and as each new trauma unfolds you feel yourself willing her on and hoping that things turn out okay for her. It’s an extremely gripping book and I can honestly say buy the end of it I was certain that I needed to stock up on Lesley Pearse’s back catalogue.
From start to finish I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster and found myself utterly enthralled by this book. The cover (although beautiful) didn’t even give me the slightest hint that this book would be so full of drama and tension. I would truly recommend this book and am thrilled that I have discovered just how great an author she is. I am now eagerly looking forward to reading her other books.
Aside from her Mothers suicide it’s hard to mention anything else within the story for fear of spoiling it for others. As a reader you literally follow Eva throughout her life and as each new trauma unfolds you feel yourself willing her on and hoping that things turn out okay for her. It’s an extremely gripping book and I can honestly say buy the end of it I was certain that I needed to stock up on Lesley Pearse’s back catalogue.
From start to finish I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster and found myself utterly enthralled by this book. The cover (although beautiful) didn’t even give me the slightest hint that this book would be so full of drama and tension. I would truly recommend this book and am thrilled that I have discovered just how great an author she is. I am now eagerly looking forward to reading her other books.
February 19, 2013
Average. This was the first Lesley Pearse novel I have read and found the style of writing very hohum, a lot of telling but not showing. The amount of tragedy Eva underwent I'm surprised she didn't commit suicide! It felt like it would never end
March 17, 2013
It's years since I've read a Lesley Pearse and this is not the style of writing I remember. Found this far too sweet to be wholesome. Reminded me of a something written by someone starting out as a writer. Read it to the end as I HATE to not finish a book. Won't be passing this on!
December 23, 2012
I'm always very excited when a new novel from Lesley Pearse arrives, I've been a fan of hers since her very first book was published back in 1993.
Her latest novel Forgive Me will be published on 14 February 2013 by Michael Joseph (Penguin) - I have spent the last couple of days engrossed in it, and yet again she has produced another epic story that has kept me gripped until the end.
Forgive Me is set in the early 1990s and once again Lesley Pearse has created a strong and gutsy female lead character in Eva Patterson. The story opens on the day that Eva returns home to find that her beloved mother Flora has committed suicide, from that moment on, everything that Eva believed about herself and her family is proved to have been based on lies. Flora's will states that Eva will inherit an artist's studio in London, but Eva didn't know anything about it, she didn't even know that her mother had been a successful artist. Eva discovers a bundle of old diaries and paintings in the studio which tell her a little about her past and lead her to Scotland to try and discover more. Along the way, she uncovers some shocking secrets that will change her life forever.
This was a really fast-paced and emotional read. Although the story centres around Eva and her search for answers about her beginnings, there is a hint of thrill and mystery added to the mix. The writing is superb as always, the characters are wonderfully drawn, I especially loved Phil the builder who rescued Eva and made her feel special again.
The story moves from leafy Cheltenham, to fast-paced London and up to rural Scotland, and Lesley Pearse's descriptions are wonderful, really evoking a strong sense of place and era. The story covers some serious issues which are dealt with sensitively, yet realistically.
At the beginning of the story, Eva Patterson is a fairly innocent young girl, living comfortably in a nice house with loving parents. During her quest to find out the truth about her mother she experiences heartache and let-down, violence and depression, yet at the end of the book, she is a strong woman - no longer a girl, but happier and finally content.
This is another epic story from one of the best storytellers published today who never lets me down with her fabulous characters and her engrossing plots. I loved it!
Her latest novel Forgive Me will be published on 14 February 2013 by Michael Joseph (Penguin) - I have spent the last couple of days engrossed in it, and yet again she has produced another epic story that has kept me gripped until the end.
Forgive Me is set in the early 1990s and once again Lesley Pearse has created a strong and gutsy female lead character in Eva Patterson. The story opens on the day that Eva returns home to find that her beloved mother Flora has committed suicide, from that moment on, everything that Eva believed about herself and her family is proved to have been based on lies. Flora's will states that Eva will inherit an artist's studio in London, but Eva didn't know anything about it, she didn't even know that her mother had been a successful artist. Eva discovers a bundle of old diaries and paintings in the studio which tell her a little about her past and lead her to Scotland to try and discover more. Along the way, she uncovers some shocking secrets that will change her life forever.
This was a really fast-paced and emotional read. Although the story centres around Eva and her search for answers about her beginnings, there is a hint of thrill and mystery added to the mix. The writing is superb as always, the characters are wonderfully drawn, I especially loved Phil the builder who rescued Eva and made her feel special again.
The story moves from leafy Cheltenham, to fast-paced London and up to rural Scotland, and Lesley Pearse's descriptions are wonderful, really evoking a strong sense of place and era. The story covers some serious issues which are dealt with sensitively, yet realistically.
At the beginning of the story, Eva Patterson is a fairly innocent young girl, living comfortably in a nice house with loving parents. During her quest to find out the truth about her mother she experiences heartache and let-down, violence and depression, yet at the end of the book, she is a strong woman - no longer a girl, but happier and finally content.
This is another epic story from one of the best storytellers published today who never lets me down with her fabulous characters and her engrossing plots. I loved it!
July 6, 2014
Já li todos os volumes de Lesley Pearse, publicados em Portugal, e todos eles guardo com um carinho especial. De cada vez que leio um livro novo, penso logo ;) que novidade a autora nos trará?
Não é segredo para ninguém, que sou fã incondicional de Lesley Pearse ^_^
Um livro de leitura fácil e uma história encantadora. Uma narrativa fluida e bem estruturada.
Embora a história não seja igual, dei por mim a recordar o livro “Procuro-Te” da autora.
Tudo pode mudar num segundo e naquele dia de 29 de Março de 1991, o mundo de Eva Patterson rui. Quando se depara com o corpo da mãe inerte na banheira, banhado de sangue e um bilhete que simplesmente dizia “PERDOA-ME”.
Para muitas jovens, tudo podia ter acabado naquele momento. O trauma com que Eva se deparou foi tremendo e o pai no mesmo momento, comunica-lhe maldosamente que era enteada e não sua filha.
Mas a força desta personagem que nos vai sendo apresentada em todo o livro é de uma pessoa extremamente forte.
Senti logo empatia por Eva e Phil e uma pavorosa raiva de Andrew Patterson. Que segredos esconderia este ser vil.
Disposta a descobrir a sua verdadeira identidade, Eva sai de casa e vai à procura do seu passado.
Remexendo em objectos e realidades, que a sua mãe deixou na casa que lhe transmitiu por herança. Eva irá fazer a viagem das memórias da sua mãe.
Seria Flora a pessoa simples e humilde que Eva conhecia? Ou muitos segredos se iriam revelar? Quem era na verdade Eva Patterson????? Que passado teria Flora ocultado?
Com ameaças, mistérios e crueldades com que se vai deparar, continuará a remexer o passado, ou irá parar?
Embora Flora tenha morrido no Prólogo do livro, nem chegado ao I capítulo, irá estar sempre presente na história toda. Também esta é a sua história e uma história bastante obscura.
Eva não era mulher de desistir, e queria levar até ao fim a sua investigação.
Eva que no início era um pouco ingénua, veio a tornar-se numa mulher forte e determinada.
Eva irá questionar-se, se algum dia conseguirá de facto perdoar?
Sorrirá a vida a esta menina de 21 anos? Apesar de em poucos meses ter passado tanto, conseguiria ultrapassar todos os traumas e um futuro risonho se adivinhará?
Façam como eu, não deixem de ler “PERDOA-ME” que não se vão arrepender.
Obrigada ASA por mais este livro sensacional e maravilhoso de Lesley Pearse.
Lesley Pearse espero ansiosamente outra publicação sua <3
Não é segredo para ninguém, que sou fã incondicional de Lesley Pearse ^_^
Um livro de leitura fácil e uma história encantadora. Uma narrativa fluida e bem estruturada.
Embora a história não seja igual, dei por mim a recordar o livro “Procuro-Te” da autora.
Tudo pode mudar num segundo e naquele dia de 29 de Março de 1991, o mundo de Eva Patterson rui. Quando se depara com o corpo da mãe inerte na banheira, banhado de sangue e um bilhete que simplesmente dizia “PERDOA-ME”.
Para muitas jovens, tudo podia ter acabado naquele momento. O trauma com que Eva se deparou foi tremendo e o pai no mesmo momento, comunica-lhe maldosamente que era enteada e não sua filha.
Mas a força desta personagem que nos vai sendo apresentada em todo o livro é de uma pessoa extremamente forte.
Senti logo empatia por Eva e Phil e uma pavorosa raiva de Andrew Patterson. Que segredos esconderia este ser vil.
Disposta a descobrir a sua verdadeira identidade, Eva sai de casa e vai à procura do seu passado.
Remexendo em objectos e realidades, que a sua mãe deixou na casa que lhe transmitiu por herança. Eva irá fazer a viagem das memórias da sua mãe.
Seria Flora a pessoa simples e humilde que Eva conhecia? Ou muitos segredos se iriam revelar? Quem era na verdade Eva Patterson????? Que passado teria Flora ocultado?
Com ameaças, mistérios e crueldades com que se vai deparar, continuará a remexer o passado, ou irá parar?
Embora Flora tenha morrido no Prólogo do livro, nem chegado ao I capítulo, irá estar sempre presente na história toda. Também esta é a sua história e uma história bastante obscura.
Eva não era mulher de desistir, e queria levar até ao fim a sua investigação.
Eva que no início era um pouco ingénua, veio a tornar-se numa mulher forte e determinada.
Eva irá questionar-se, se algum dia conseguirá de facto perdoar?
Sorrirá a vida a esta menina de 21 anos? Apesar de em poucos meses ter passado tanto, conseguiria ultrapassar todos os traumas e um futuro risonho se adivinhará?
Façam como eu, não deixem de ler “PERDOA-ME” que não se vão arrepender.
Obrigada ASA por mais este livro sensacional e maravilhoso de Lesley Pearse.
Lesley Pearse espero ansiosamente outra publicação sua <3
September 7, 2016
Um dos melhores livros que li da Lesley, até agora. Tal como "Segue o teu coração" e "A Promessa" este livro é emocionante e cheio de tragédia mas também personagens fortes e marcantes. Sendo este o último livro dela publicado em Portugal até hoje, e o que me faltava ler dela, agora aguardo ansiosa por futuras publicações. Que venham mais!!
November 9, 2020
I found this book very similar to a lot of Lesley Pearse books and believe me over the years I have read quite a few!! They same to follow a similar theme, young girl, difficult childhood, wronged in adulthood. This time no pregnancy but, still the character was “taken in” by a guy who didn’t love her just wanted her for sex. So, unfortunately this book got a little boring as I kept thinking I’ve read this before....don’t get me wrong if you’ve never read Ms. Pearse’s books you’ll probably love it, but not for me.
September 23, 2018
3,5
Já há muitos anos que leio esta autora e já li alguns livros dela embora tenha mais uns 6 ou 7 para ler.
Sinto que cada vez mais tenho menos paciência para tanta tragédia e desgraça junta e principalmente neste livro depois de tanta coisa, tivemos um final demasiado apressado mas felizmente cor de rosa e feliz.
--
(...)
O livro começa logo com Eva a encontrar a sua mãe Flora morta na banheira da casa de banho. O início é muito promissor e ficamos a conhecer as nossas principais personagens: Eva, Ben, Sophie e Andrew. Depressa Eva descobre que não é filha biológica de Andrew e portanto sai de casa e refugia-se no antigo estúdio de trabalho da mãe, deixado por ela em testamento.
A partir daqui como já é comum em todos os livros da Lesley, a nossa protagonista vai sofrer bastante, desde tentativas de violação, a incêndios ao mesmo tempo que tenta descobrir o passado da mãe e o seu verdadeiro pai.
(...)
A Lesley é perita em transformar tudo em tragédia só para mostrar que a protagonista é uma coitadinha sem sorte na vida mas que é muito forte. Isto às vezes é um bocado desgastante especialmente porque por vezes é levado ao extremo dos exageros. Não digo que na vida real não haja pessoas que não tenham passado por fases bastante complicadas da sua vida mas para isso leio não ficção e não um livro de literatura de ficção
Opinião completa: https://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogs...
Já há muitos anos que leio esta autora e já li alguns livros dela embora tenha mais uns 6 ou 7 para ler.
Sinto que cada vez mais tenho menos paciência para tanta tragédia e desgraça junta e principalmente neste livro depois de tanta coisa, tivemos um final demasiado apressado mas felizmente cor de rosa e feliz.
--
(...)
O livro começa logo com Eva a encontrar a sua mãe Flora morta na banheira da casa de banho. O início é muito promissor e ficamos a conhecer as nossas principais personagens: Eva, Ben, Sophie e Andrew. Depressa Eva descobre que não é filha biológica de Andrew e portanto sai de casa e refugia-se no antigo estúdio de trabalho da mãe, deixado por ela em testamento.
A partir daqui como já é comum em todos os livros da Lesley, a nossa protagonista vai sofrer bastante, desde tentativas de violação, a incêndios ao mesmo tempo que tenta descobrir o passado da mãe e o seu verdadeiro pai.
(...)
A Lesley é perita em transformar tudo em tragédia só para mostrar que a protagonista é uma coitadinha sem sorte na vida mas que é muito forte. Isto às vezes é um bocado desgastante especialmente porque por vezes é levado ao extremo dos exageros. Não digo que na vida real não haja pessoas que não tenham passado por fases bastante complicadas da sua vida mas para isso leio não ficção e não um livro de literatura de ficção
Opinião completa: https://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogs...
May 22, 2015
9,5 de 10*
Termino mais um livro de Lesley Pearse com aquela sensação boa de que existe sempre uma luz ao fundo do túnel, mesmo quando tudo parece desesperado.
"Perdoa-me" volta a dar-nos uma história complexa com personagens ricas e interessantes, como é habitual nesta autora.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
Termino mais um livro de Lesley Pearse com aquela sensação boa de que existe sempre uma luz ao fundo do túnel, mesmo quando tudo parece desesperado.
"Perdoa-me" volta a dar-nos uma história complexa com personagens ricas e interessantes, como é habitual nesta autora.
Comentário completo em:
http://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.pt/...
February 24, 2016
A very begrudging three stars. Still trying to gather my thoughts on this train wreck.
Review time!
I think I'm finally done with Lesley Pearse and her ever worsening books. I was never a diehard fan to begin with; I read them as light entertainment when I wanted to read a book I didn't have to get lost in or think about. I've always noticed that her novels are extremely formulaic and that her heroines are copy and pasted cardboard but I've never really gotten angry about it until this book. This book was just too unrealistic; I know that's a ridiculous complaint from someone who reads fantasy but when I read contemporary fiction I want it to have some semblance of realism. It is not realistic that everyone Pearse's MC meets loves them and thinks they're an amazing and incredible person, it's not realistic that every man the MC meets thinks that they're the most beautiful woman in the world and falls hopelessly head over heels for them, but this happens in every single one of Pearse's novels and 'Forgive Me' is no exception. Let's not forget that these women are only attractive because they're thin, wholesomely and unrealistically good, prim and super feminine, because according to Pearse that's the only right way to be a woman! The more of her books I read the more I realise how conservative, old-fashioned and borderline sexist Pearse is. It gets extremely tedious reading this crap.
Eva is no exception to any of these things; she's a traditionally feminine, thin, beautiful, plucky young woman who's so wholesomely good and naive she'd actually make you sick. My main problem with 'Forgive Me' was that for most of the time I spent reading it I felt angry, very very angry. It started off with really irritating, degrading things being said about 'goths'; of course all goths are delinquents, and a bad crowd who poisoned the mind of our sweet little Eva, of course all goths are just attention-seeking freaks, because god forbid someone is different to Pearse and her 1950s aesthetics. As a former 'goth' this made me want to throw the book through the window; yes I dressed differently but I wasn't an attention seeking thug, I just liked it.
And then we come to my main problem with this wreck of a novel: NOBODY IN THIS BOOK, NOR PEARSE, UNDERSTANDS DEPRESSION! You cannot just snap yourself out of it, you are not just sitting around whining and trying to make people feel sorry for you, you cannot just magically get over it! Nobody in this book gets that and every single character tries to make Eva feel terrible when she suffers from it, especially the apparent love of her life Phil who tries to make it all about him and complains that she doesn't pretty herself up for him anymore because she's miserable! UGGGHHHH. I swear to god, I almost wanted to set fire to this piece of trash. At the end I actually thought we were going to get a different sort of ending for once: Eva leaving Phil to travel the world, try to understand her mental health, become independent and focus on her own needs and self-care for once. But nope, she ends up back with Phil because, in typical Pearse fashion, all a woman needs in life is a man.
'Forgive Me' has a terrible plot, horrible characters, too much of Pearse's biased thinking showing through and is terribly written; I've said it before and I'll say it again, Pearse cannot write dialogue. Characters from the 90s should not be talking with the exact same slang, vocabulary and sentence structure as one of her characters from the 1800s, it's appalling.
I orginally gave 'Forgive Me' 3 stars for some unknown reason and after further thought it drops to a 1. This is definitely going to be my last Lesley Pearse novel.
1 / 5
Review time!
I think I'm finally done with Lesley Pearse and her ever worsening books. I was never a diehard fan to begin with; I read them as light entertainment when I wanted to read a book I didn't have to get lost in or think about. I've always noticed that her novels are extremely formulaic and that her heroines are copy and pasted cardboard but I've never really gotten angry about it until this book. This book was just too unrealistic; I know that's a ridiculous complaint from someone who reads fantasy but when I read contemporary fiction I want it to have some semblance of realism. It is not realistic that everyone Pearse's MC meets loves them and thinks they're an amazing and incredible person, it's not realistic that every man the MC meets thinks that they're the most beautiful woman in the world and falls hopelessly head over heels for them, but this happens in every single one of Pearse's novels and 'Forgive Me' is no exception. Let's not forget that these women are only attractive because they're thin, wholesomely and unrealistically good, prim and super feminine, because according to Pearse that's the only right way to be a woman! The more of her books I read the more I realise how conservative, old-fashioned and borderline sexist Pearse is. It gets extremely tedious reading this crap.
Eva is no exception to any of these things; she's a traditionally feminine, thin, beautiful, plucky young woman who's so wholesomely good and naive she'd actually make you sick. My main problem with 'Forgive Me' was that for most of the time I spent reading it I felt angry, very very angry. It started off with really irritating, degrading things being said about 'goths'; of course all goths are delinquents, and a bad crowd who poisoned the mind of our sweet little Eva, of course all goths are just attention-seeking freaks, because god forbid someone is different to Pearse and her 1950s aesthetics. As a former 'goth' this made me want to throw the book through the window; yes I dressed differently but I wasn't an attention seeking thug, I just liked it.
And then we come to my main problem with this wreck of a novel: NOBODY IN THIS BOOK, NOR PEARSE, UNDERSTANDS DEPRESSION! You cannot just snap yourself out of it, you are not just sitting around whining and trying to make people feel sorry for you, you cannot just magically get over it! Nobody in this book gets that and every single character tries to make Eva feel terrible when she suffers from it, especially the apparent love of her life Phil who tries to make it all about him and complains that she doesn't pretty herself up for him anymore because she's miserable! UGGGHHHH. I swear to god, I almost wanted to set fire to this piece of trash. At the end I actually thought we were going to get a different sort of ending for once: Eva leaving Phil to travel the world, try to understand her mental health, become independent and focus on her own needs and self-care for once. But nope, she ends up back with Phil because, in typical Pearse fashion, all a woman needs in life is a man.
'Forgive Me' has a terrible plot, horrible characters, too much of Pearse's biased thinking showing through and is terribly written; I've said it before and I'll say it again, Pearse cannot write dialogue. Characters from the 90s should not be talking with the exact same slang, vocabulary and sentence structure as one of her characters from the 1800s, it's appalling.
I orginally gave 'Forgive Me' 3 stars for some unknown reason and after further thought it drops to a 1. This is definitely going to be my last Lesley Pearse novel.
1 / 5
January 25, 2013
Forgive Me opens with Flora and the stomach-churning vivid description of her suicide. The moment her daughter Eva Patterson discovers the body is brutally realistic and if that wasn't enough to traumatise her for the rest of her life, the death of her mother sets into motion much bigger wheels. It turns Eva's existence completely upside down and changes everything she's ever known about herself and her family.
Throughout the book I felt a lot of sympathy for Eva, who is a very likeable character and doesn't deserve all the harm that comes her way. It seems that from the moment her mother gets brutally ripped from her life she's in for one devastating encounter after another and it's a testimony to her character and inner strength that all the horrible things that happen to her don't encourage her to follow in Flora's footsteps within the first few chapters.
The novel is immensely sad and often distressing, not only for protagonist Eva but also for the reader. It is filled with shocking twists, emotionally draining discoveries and deceiving characters, which make it very hard to trust anyone or believe anything at all.
Author Lesley Pearse has a flair for depicting the dramatic and in this book she ticks many gritty boxes; suicide, physical and mental abuse, attempted murder and derangement, to name a few. Combined with her incredible ability for highly intriguing storytelling this novel will mesmerise the reader from start to finish.
Many thanks to Penguin UK for an advanced reader copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review for Lovereading.
Throughout the book I felt a lot of sympathy for Eva, who is a very likeable character and doesn't deserve all the harm that comes her way. It seems that from the moment her mother gets brutally ripped from her life she's in for one devastating encounter after another and it's a testimony to her character and inner strength that all the horrible things that happen to her don't encourage her to follow in Flora's footsteps within the first few chapters.
The novel is immensely sad and often distressing, not only for protagonist Eva but also for the reader. It is filled with shocking twists, emotionally draining discoveries and deceiving characters, which make it very hard to trust anyone or believe anything at all.
Author Lesley Pearse has a flair for depicting the dramatic and in this book she ticks many gritty boxes; suicide, physical and mental abuse, attempted murder and derangement, to name a few. Combined with her incredible ability for highly intriguing storytelling this novel will mesmerise the reader from start to finish.
Many thanks to Penguin UK for an advanced reader copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review for Lovereading.
June 16, 2014
Ler um livro de Lesley Pearse traduz-se normalmente em fazer uma viagem com a sua protagonista, assistir ao desenvolvimento e crescimento pessoal da mesma enquanto a sua vida é moldada por acontecimentos traumáticos. Tal como na vida real, nos livros de Pearse é a forma como decidimos reagir às atribulações que ditam o futuro e não propriamente a eventualidade percursora.
'Perdoa-me' segue esse mesmo estilo; começando com uma intensa cena de suicídio Lesley Pearse estampa imediatamente o livro com um carácter, viciando-nos na continuação da leitura. Quando a jovem Eva se depara com o cadáver da mãe na banheira é impossível não desenvolver de imediato uma empatia pelo seu sofrimento e vulnerabilidade. Ignorada pelo pai desde sempre, Eva recebe da pior forma, na pior altura, uma informação que a leva a colocar em causa todo o seu passado e, forçada a vasculhar as suas memórias, percebe que não sabe, na realidade, muito sobre a sua mãe. Assim, Eva lança-se numa investigação que, cada vez mais, significa encontrar-se a si própria para além de encontrar as respostas que procura.
Uma narrativa simples mas emocionalmente forte que nos mostra a importância de não desistir, a influência que a boa ou má vontade alheia pode ter nas nossas vidas e a relevância de assumirmos o papel principal nas nossas próprias histórias.
'Perdoa-me' segue esse mesmo estilo; começando com uma intensa cena de suicídio Lesley Pearse estampa imediatamente o livro com um carácter, viciando-nos na continuação da leitura. Quando a jovem Eva se depara com o cadáver da mãe na banheira é impossível não desenvolver de imediato uma empatia pelo seu sofrimento e vulnerabilidade. Ignorada pelo pai desde sempre, Eva recebe da pior forma, na pior altura, uma informação que a leva a colocar em causa todo o seu passado e, forçada a vasculhar as suas memórias, percebe que não sabe, na realidade, muito sobre a sua mãe. Assim, Eva lança-se numa investigação que, cada vez mais, significa encontrar-se a si própria para além de encontrar as respostas que procura.
Uma narrativa simples mas emocionalmente forte que nos mostra a importância de não desistir, a influência que a boa ou má vontade alheia pode ter nas nossas vidas e a relevância de assumirmos o papel principal nas nossas próprias histórias.
October 24, 2014
Eva comes home one day to find her mother Flora dead in the bath with her wrists slit. She then finds a note saying, ‘Forgive me.’ Eva wants to try and understand what drove her mother to suicide. She thinks life can barely get worse, but it does. Her younger brother Ben and sister Sophie don’t seem to appreciate all she does to try and keep the family running smoothly and then she receives some news that rocks her to the core.
Life becomes impossible at home. After her mother leaves her a studio in London, Eva sets out to make a new life. She meets a man that changes her view of herself. At the same time she discovers from those who knew her mother when younger just how little she knew about the woman she called 'Mother.'
I found this novel interesting enough to keep reading with a few twists and turns in the plot. I did think some of the male characters were a bit unbelievable, especially Phil who seemed almost too good to be true. As the story moves towards the ending, I thought it got more farfetched and melodramatic. At times too, Eva’s attitude irritated me but perhaps it was understandable given her circumstances. While I enjoyed it and it kept me reading uncovering the secrets of Flora’s life, I thought it could have done with being a bit shorter.
Life becomes impossible at home. After her mother leaves her a studio in London, Eva sets out to make a new life. She meets a man that changes her view of herself. At the same time she discovers from those who knew her mother when younger just how little she knew about the woman she called 'Mother.'
I found this novel interesting enough to keep reading with a few twists and turns in the plot. I did think some of the male characters were a bit unbelievable, especially Phil who seemed almost too good to be true. As the story moves towards the ending, I thought it got more farfetched and melodramatic. At times too, Eva’s attitude irritated me but perhaps it was understandable given her circumstances. While I enjoyed it and it kept me reading uncovering the secrets of Flora’s life, I thought it could have done with being a bit shorter.
May 6, 2014
This is possibly the worst Lesley Pearse book ive read so far unfortunately....
I struggled to empathise with Eva, mainly because she was an irritating drama queen. Plus she was probably the luckiest unlucky person ever! everybody did everything for her! she stumbled from white knight to white knight who did everything from fit her kitchen to tie her shoelaces. Found not one but two men who'd never laid eyes on her before yet were falling over themselves to be her replacement daddy. Walked in and out of jobs whenever she pleased with the most understanding bosses ive ever come across, then walked out on her saint of a boyfriend for months while she magically snapped herself out of her depression. Luckily he'd been waiting patiently for her return and to walk seemlessly back into his life. Don't even get me started on the tail end of the book that kept hammering home how attractive and appealing to men she now was....she was skinnier, tanned and getting wolf whistles from men! horray what more can you want? your life is fixed twit twoo.
Im normally a Lesley Pearse fan, and maybe im too cynical but this one just wasn't for me....and if i didn't know when it was written id assume it was one her earlier books because she's definately written better.
I struggled to empathise with Eva, mainly because she was an irritating drama queen. Plus she was probably the luckiest unlucky person ever! everybody did everything for her! she stumbled from white knight to white knight who did everything from fit her kitchen to tie her shoelaces. Found not one but two men who'd never laid eyes on her before yet were falling over themselves to be her replacement daddy. Walked in and out of jobs whenever she pleased with the most understanding bosses ive ever come across, then walked out on her saint of a boyfriend for months while she magically snapped herself out of her depression. Luckily he'd been waiting patiently for her return and to walk seemlessly back into his life. Don't even get me started on the tail end of the book that kept hammering home how attractive and appealing to men she now was....she was skinnier, tanned and getting wolf whistles from men! horray what more can you want? your life is fixed twit twoo.
Im normally a Lesley Pearse fan, and maybe im too cynical but this one just wasn't for me....and if i didn't know when it was written id assume it was one her earlier books because she's definately written better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2014
Lesley Pearse é qualquer coisa de magnifico! Tudo o que ela constrói - desde as personagens, o enredo, os conflitos, os crimes - é feito para nos chocar e fazer pensar. E este livro é uma boa prova disso.
Eva Patterson tem tudo o que se pode desejar. Uma família feliz, dinheiro e uma carreira. Até ao dia em que encontra a mãe morta na banheira. Esse é o dia que irá desencadear todas as desgraças e revelações pelas quais ela vai passar.
Eva é uma personagem forte e bem construída. Tem todo o ar de mulher frágil e carente, mas ela não é nada disso. Ele é independente, forte e corajosa. Vai fazer tudo o que está ao seu alcance para descobrir a verdade por detrás do seu nascimento e das mentiras que lhe foram contadas ao longo da vida.
Um livro muito bem escrito (como já é hábito de Lesley Pearse) e que nos prende até ao último segundo. É impossível largar.
Recomendo.
Eva Patterson tem tudo o que se pode desejar. Uma família feliz, dinheiro e uma carreira. Até ao dia em que encontra a mãe morta na banheira. Esse é o dia que irá desencadear todas as desgraças e revelações pelas quais ela vai passar.
Eva é uma personagem forte e bem construída. Tem todo o ar de mulher frágil e carente, mas ela não é nada disso. Ele é independente, forte e corajosa. Vai fazer tudo o que está ao seu alcance para descobrir a verdade por detrás do seu nascimento e das mentiras que lhe foram contadas ao longo da vida.
Um livro muito bem escrito (como já é hábito de Lesley Pearse) e que nos prende até ao último segundo. É impossível largar.
Recomendo.
May 19, 2013
Lesley Pearse is my favourite author, she the only author I will buy new in Hardback as I just cannot wait until the paperback is released. I have read & loved all of her books and once again this is another extremely well-written and emotional story full of drama, believable characters and unexpected twists. Unmissable!
March 4, 2018
É curioso que esta autora já despertou o meu interesse há muito tempo, mas este foi o primeiro livro que li dela e fiquei bastante satisfeita.
É uma história plena de voltas e reviravoltas, com muitos dramas e surpresas e acima de tudo, conseguiu manter o meu interesse ao longo das suas 488 páginas. Sinto-me pronta a ler "De Amor e Sangue", outro livro de Lesley Pearse que aguarda leitura na minha estante e estou certa de que me vou deliciar ao longo de 664 páginas.
É uma história plena de voltas e reviravoltas, com muitos dramas e surpresas e acima de tudo, conseguiu manter o meu interesse ao longo das suas 488 páginas. Sinto-me pronta a ler "De Amor e Sangue", outro livro de Lesley Pearse que aguarda leitura na minha estante e estou certa de que me vou deliciar ao longo de 664 páginas.
January 2, 2023
Åh så mycket bättre än den första boken. Tycker om hur hon väver samman historia och kriget vid fronten. Har precis sett filmen På västfronten intet nytt och de bilderna kom upp igen när Pearse beskriver eländet, massakern, kylan och leran också.
September 12, 2018
Este livro é muito mais do que romance. É uma história de superação de uma mulher ao longo das adversidades da vida.
Gostei bastante para um primeiro livro lido da escritora.
Gostei bastante para um primeiro livro lido da escritora.
May 12, 2019
minha opinião no blog atmosfera dos livros
http://atmosferadoslivros.blogspot.co...
http://atmosferadoslivros.blogspot.co...
October 29, 2020
This was a pretty good read, not the worst Lesley Pearse.
Worth a read though.
Worth a read though.
June 10, 2022
This is the first book i’ve read of Lesley Pearse and it was absolutely incredible. I felt like it never dragged it wasn’t boring at any times and overall was such a good read. I will definitely read more of Lesley Pearse💕💕5/5
February 22, 2013
Well it has been quite some time since I have read anything by Lesley Pearse so when Forgive Me arrived through the post it didnt take me long to finish up my current read and jump into this authors writing world again.
This is such an emotional and captivating read. Forgive Me is one of the few books that kept th eoutcome a mystery all the way through the book. I thought I knew on a number of occasions through out the book what the answers were but then all of a sudden another part of the jigsaw would fall into place but putting a spanner in the works on my theories so you can't help feeling gripped with this storyline you can not wait to find out the truth!
The opening of the book was very shocking and sure does get of to a quick start and sets the emotions running. Eva was a fabulous main character who was very easy to warm to not only because of the situation she finds herself in which means you cant help but sympathies with her but also because of her raw emotion and determination which shines through in the authors writing. There is a wide cast of characters all who feel very realistic, some I loved and some I hated especially Eva's cold hearted father.
This is a difficult review to write because there are many scenes in this book that I would like to praise but the reason these parts were so good was the fact you couldn't predict them coming.
Forgive Me is a beautifully written book that is full of suspense, often leading you down the complete wrong path. If you are looking for a compelling unpredictable and emotional read this book should be top of your list.
This is such an emotional and captivating read. Forgive Me is one of the few books that kept th eoutcome a mystery all the way through the book. I thought I knew on a number of occasions through out the book what the answers were but then all of a sudden another part of the jigsaw would fall into place but putting a spanner in the works on my theories so you can't help feeling gripped with this storyline you can not wait to find out the truth!
The opening of the book was very shocking and sure does get of to a quick start and sets the emotions running. Eva was a fabulous main character who was very easy to warm to not only because of the situation she finds herself in which means you cant help but sympathies with her but also because of her raw emotion and determination which shines through in the authors writing. There is a wide cast of characters all who feel very realistic, some I loved and some I hated especially Eva's cold hearted father.
This is a difficult review to write because there are many scenes in this book that I would like to praise but the reason these parts were so good was the fact you couldn't predict them coming.
Forgive Me is a beautifully written book that is full of suspense, often leading you down the complete wrong path. If you are looking for a compelling unpredictable and emotional read this book should be top of your list.
December 1, 2015
Fico sempre bastante reticente antes de me iniciar neste género de literatura. Não sou fã de romances demasiado trágicos, onde os personagens são apresentados como heróis constantemente postos à prova por inúmeros acontecimentos, cada um mais grave que o outro. E foi exatamente isso o que aconteceu neste livro...
No início tinha grandes expectativas devido a opiniões que lera anteriormente, mas assim que comecei soube que não ia ser daquelas leituras misteriosas, onde somos constantemente surpreendidos e nunca sabemos o que vem a seguir. Tirando uma ou duas exceções, os acontecimentos ocorridos ao longo da trama foram todos mais ou menos fáceis de prever, o que retirou um pouco da magia do livro.
Não posso dizer que detestei, no entanto, mas a única personagem pela qual eu consegui sentir qualquer empatia ou reconhecimento foi Phil, pois tinha uma paciência infinita e era um homem com um coração enorme. Quanto a Eva, achei irritante a sua inocência ao acreditar piamente nas pessoas após terem trocado apenas duas palavras, pelo que fiquei com a sensação de que ela era um pouco tonta.
No geral foi uma leitura boa para entreter, mas não foi um livro que me cativasse por aí além.
No início tinha grandes expectativas devido a opiniões que lera anteriormente, mas assim que comecei soube que não ia ser daquelas leituras misteriosas, onde somos constantemente surpreendidos e nunca sabemos o que vem a seguir. Tirando uma ou duas exceções, os acontecimentos ocorridos ao longo da trama foram todos mais ou menos fáceis de prever, o que retirou um pouco da magia do livro.
Não posso dizer que detestei, no entanto, mas a única personagem pela qual eu consegui sentir qualquer empatia ou reconhecimento foi Phil, pois tinha uma paciência infinita e era um homem com um coração enorme. Quanto a Eva, achei irritante a sua inocência ao acreditar piamente nas pessoas após terem trocado apenas duas palavras, pelo que fiquei com a sensação de que ela era um pouco tonta.
No geral foi uma leitura boa para entreter, mas não foi um livro que me cativasse por aí além.
March 17, 2014
I usually have loved her books...and maybe that's why this one is getting a 2 and not even a 3...I expect way better from her and the 400+ pages of this book are a little drag....it's not accepted how you can make us look at the same person as being strong and then weak...she is counting every penny and then suddenly spending mindless...she talks of love, and then runs away...
The plot might have been good...but has too many loopholes...and even when the book was thick enough for every character to have their own proper story, no character really seemed built up...all in all, it was a let from what's expected from a Lesley Pearse novel...
The plot might have been good...but has too many loopholes...and even when the book was thick enough for every character to have their own proper story, no character really seemed built up...all in all, it was a let from what's expected from a Lesley Pearse novel...
May 16, 2013
I have outgrown Lesley Pearse. Although I have read all of her books, I have not really enjoyed the last two. Forgive Me was just more of the same. So much tragedy. A very unbelieveable plot. And one dimensional characters. I was often so put off by the descriptions of characters reactions. Everything was too emotive. I can't help but think she is writing these books too fast. I battled to finish this one and will think twice about buying the next one.
December 30, 2020
It was a rather unbelievable story with what seems like every person the main character came into contact with falling in love with her in some fashion. With all the drama she had going on in her life I’m surprised she’s still standing. Storyline over all was interesting enough to finish the book, but I found the writing lacking.
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