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The Secrets We Keep
A tragic accident, a broken heart, and a marriage drowning in secrets...
Mike always walks the dog in the evening while Elizabeth relaxes in the bathtub--but one night he doesn’t come back. Mike has drowned while saving a teenage girl named Kate, his dog standing on the bank barking frantically as the police pull his body from the water.
But despite her husband being lauded as a hero, Elizabeth can’t wrap her mind around the fact that Mike is gone--and Kate won’t reveal the details of what really happened that night.
Elizabeth finds herself facing the unfathomable possibility that she may not have known her husband at all. Does she really want to know the truth? Or will the weight of Mike’s secrets pull her under?
Mike always walks the dog in the evening while Elizabeth relaxes in the bathtub--but one night he doesn’t come back. Mike has drowned while saving a teenage girl named Kate, his dog standing on the bank barking frantically as the police pull his body from the water.
But despite her husband being lauded as a hero, Elizabeth can’t wrap her mind around the fact that Mike is gone--and Kate won’t reveal the details of what really happened that night.
Elizabeth finds herself facing the unfathomable possibility that she may not have known her husband at all. Does she really want to know the truth? Or will the weight of Mike’s secrets pull her under?
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
176 people are currently reading
1873 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Butland
16 books825 followersStephanie Butland is a writer, who is thriving after breast cancer. (She used to say she was a survivor, but that was a bit lacking in joie de vivre.)
Although she’d never have chosen it, her dance with cancer has changed her life in many positive ways. Now she is happier, healthier, and more careful with her precious life and the precious people and things in it.
Her writing career began with her dance with cancer, and now she is a novelist.
Aside from writing, she works as a speaker and trainer, and she works with charities to help raise awareness and money in the hope that cancer will soon be about as scary as a wart.
She lives in Northumberland.
Although she’d never have chosen it, her dance with cancer has changed her life in many positive ways. Now she is happier, healthier, and more careful with her precious life and the precious people and things in it.
Her writing career began with her dance with cancer, and now she is a novelist.
Aside from writing, she works as a speaker and trainer, and she works with charities to help raise awareness and money in the hope that cancer will soon be about as scary as a wart.
She lives in Northumberland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
May 1, 2015
Letters to my husband.
I knew by this it would be kinda sad, but I didn't get too upset, I think I was expecting more emotional upheaval, not that it wasn't, it was! And it did make me reach for the tissues.
We have open letters to Mike from his wife Elizabeth. The difference is, he will NEVER get to read them, he will NEVER get to see them. He will NEVER know just what Elizabeth is going through without him, because, he is dead.
Something happened one day whilst taking his dog out for a walk, which he does often, near the water.
Mike is a respected Police Officer. He has the kind reputation for doing things for people, he even went into a burning house to save a little child and its Mother. Dangerous? Foolish? maybe. But its not strange, a lot of people would do this. Even though he put his life at risk.
That day by the waters edge, something happened and he drowned whilst saving a girl, a 19 year old girl named Kate.
Kate doesn't remember what happened. Or is she hiding something?
All the way through we have privy to Elizabeth's open letters every now and again, she pours out her heart, her soul, and several questions.
Those around her are devastated, they cannot get her out of her deep thoughts, her withdrawel.
This is wonderfully written, its something that will make you think.
There are twists in this book especially at the end. OK, you can guess it, but you DO NOT KNOW IT, why and the wherefore.
Can you be happily married and still yearn for more?
Mike and Elizabeth wanted children, but it didn't come easy for her to get pregnant, they had to go through IVF in the end. But they were strong, right?
Family secrets
Communication in a marriage is a MUST and this couple had it, but, what wasn't said?
This is a highly recommended read that had me well engrossed for hours.
I would like to say a big thank you to the author and to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via Net Galley for my copy to read and review
April 23, 2018
I'm a sucker for any story about losing someone dearly loved. However, while I enjoyed this story I didn’t end up a blubbering mess as I had feared.
I liked the character of Elizabeth and her certainty about her husband Michael. Her grief came across as real. I also could feel for Patricia, with the death of her only son and the way she tried to still care for her daughter in law. I liked Elizabeth’s sister Mel and thought the family dynamics of Kate the girl who was rescued and the relationship between her parents added another dimension to the story being told.
What I found unsettling at times was the writing style. There are a number of long sentences littered with commas. Perhaps it was this that took away the emotional impact for me? Or was it because I was disappointed in at one of main characters and their actions? I don’t know. I do know that I never for a moment wanted to stop reading it. I couldn’t have if I tried but grabbed it every chance I got. Though it never ended up going how I wanted it to, it is well worth reading. It gives a realistic picture of grief on several levels.
Not quite sure I’d agree with the quote on the cover from Katie FForde about it being, ’an immensely powerful and ultimately uplifting debut novel.’ I agree with the first part it is the ‘uplifting’ I queried because at the end I was left just a little disappointed, which is why I haven't given it five stars. I will be interested to see what this author writes next though.
I liked the character of Elizabeth and her certainty about her husband Michael. Her grief came across as real. I also could feel for Patricia, with the death of her only son and the way she tried to still care for her daughter in law. I liked Elizabeth’s sister Mel and thought the family dynamics of Kate the girl who was rescued and the relationship between her parents added another dimension to the story being told.
What I found unsettling at times was the writing style. There are a number of long sentences littered with commas. Perhaps it was this that took away the emotional impact for me? Or was it because I was disappointed in at one of main characters and their actions? I don’t know. I do know that I never for a moment wanted to stop reading it. I couldn’t have if I tried but grabbed it every chance I got. Though it never ended up going how I wanted it to, it is well worth reading. It gives a realistic picture of grief on several levels.
Not quite sure I’d agree with the quote on the cover from Katie FForde about it being, ’an immensely powerful and ultimately uplifting debut novel.’ I agree with the first part it is the ‘uplifting’ I queried because at the end I was left just a little disappointed, which is why I haven't given it five stars. I will be interested to see what this author writes next though.
April 6, 2015
Quite simply, Letters To My Husband just didn’t do it for me. I had the ‘surprise’ and the ending worked out by the end of the first quarter, and then it was a matter of reading and waiting for the novel to catch up with me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.
April 13, 2014
Thank you kindly to the author and publisher for the review copy.
Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down when her husband dies in a tragic drowning accident.
How typical of her kind, generous husband – a respected police officer – to sacrifice his own life saving a complete stranger’s.
Elizabeth must face the consequences of her husband’s actions. As she does so, it seems that the end of Mike’s life is only the beginning of his wife truly getting to know him.
A very good friend of mine sent me a quote the other day. That quote was “You learn more about someone at the end of a relationship than at the beginning” How absolutely true that can be…as Elizabeth discovers in “Surrounded by Water”..
This is a novel about family. This is a novel about secrets. But mostly, mostly, this is a novel about grief. In all its forms, in all its gut wrenching, heart stopping, can’t breathe eat or sleep moments. And about coming out the other side no matter what the cost.
I absolutely refuse to tell you much about the ongoing story here apart from some very basic details. This book needs to be felt…and the more you know the less you will feel it. When Elizabeth loses her husband to a tragic accident, the ramifications of that spread like wildfire through the small community setting. As Elizabeth tries to come to terms with her loss, and realises that she didnt know everything there was to know about the man she loved after all, it is compelling, emotional, utterly profound and oh so very authentic.
This is not just about one woman. This speaks to the whole, the family unit which extends to friends and even acquaintances – How you support others in their grief when you are grieving yourself, how different personalities cope with the myriad of consequences to just one action…and how lives unravel with the simplicity of just knowing. I can’t make any more sense than that.
This was a wonderful if sobering reading experience. I will never forget this book. It will stay with my reading soul in the way that some do. Exquisite writing. Graceful and in a lot of ways inspiring, this one will hit you right in the heart. And the letters. Oh my, the letters. I don’t think I have any tears left to cry.
To leave you with another quote.. Grief is the price we pay for love.
Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down when her husband dies in a tragic drowning accident.
How typical of her kind, generous husband – a respected police officer – to sacrifice his own life saving a complete stranger’s.
Elizabeth must face the consequences of her husband’s actions. As she does so, it seems that the end of Mike’s life is only the beginning of his wife truly getting to know him.
A very good friend of mine sent me a quote the other day. That quote was “You learn more about someone at the end of a relationship than at the beginning” How absolutely true that can be…as Elizabeth discovers in “Surrounded by Water”..
This is a novel about family. This is a novel about secrets. But mostly, mostly, this is a novel about grief. In all its forms, in all its gut wrenching, heart stopping, can’t breathe eat or sleep moments. And about coming out the other side no matter what the cost.
I absolutely refuse to tell you much about the ongoing story here apart from some very basic details. This book needs to be felt…and the more you know the less you will feel it. When Elizabeth loses her husband to a tragic accident, the ramifications of that spread like wildfire through the small community setting. As Elizabeth tries to come to terms with her loss, and realises that she didnt know everything there was to know about the man she loved after all, it is compelling, emotional, utterly profound and oh so very authentic.
This is not just about one woman. This speaks to the whole, the family unit which extends to friends and even acquaintances – How you support others in their grief when you are grieving yourself, how different personalities cope with the myriad of consequences to just one action…and how lives unravel with the simplicity of just knowing. I can’t make any more sense than that.
This was a wonderful if sobering reading experience. I will never forget this book. It will stay with my reading soul in the way that some do. Exquisite writing. Graceful and in a lot of ways inspiring, this one will hit you right in the heart. And the letters. Oh my, the letters. I don’t think I have any tears left to cry.
To leave you with another quote.. Grief is the price we pay for love.
April 8, 2015
Despite the melancholy subject of this book, I loved it and if this is a debut novel then it bodes well for future titles.
The book opens with Elizabeth's first letter to her husband Mike, after she's been told he's been drowned in a tragic accident. While out walking the dog, he saves a young woman Kate Micklethwaite from drowning but somehow loses his own life.
It is not clear what happened and Kate can't remember, so Elizabeth doesn't even have the comfort of knowing how/why he drowned. As police officer, Mike had previously been involved in a Fire rescue, this incident consolidates his standing as a local hero. I don't intend revealing any more of the plot as you really need to discover it for yourself to feel the full impact.
The book develops by alternating chapters of Now, Then and latterly Between as facts begin to emerge. Consequently we get a full picture of how Elizabeth and Mike met and married along with the ups and downs of their relationship. It also fleshes out the other characters and their lives, particularly Kate who plays an increasingly pivotal role in the way the book develops.
The book presents a heartbreaking portrait of Elizabeth as she struggles to come to terms with Mike's death. It is a study in grief in all its facets and how it effects each person differently and how they develop strategies to cope. It is of course not just Elizabeth, but also Mike's mother, his best friends and Elizabeth's sister Mel. So as well as a book about grief, it's a book about friendships and relationships. It's a book about people perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others
As the story progresses it is clear that many of those perceptions may be shattered as there are unacknowledged tensions and secrets that will eventually surface. It is those hints and suspicions that keep you reading to the end, as well as the heartbreaking letters. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and happily give it 5 stars which is not something I do regularly.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The book opens with Elizabeth's first letter to her husband Mike, after she's been told he's been drowned in a tragic accident. While out walking the dog, he saves a young woman Kate Micklethwaite from drowning but somehow loses his own life.
It is not clear what happened and Kate can't remember, so Elizabeth doesn't even have the comfort of knowing how/why he drowned. As police officer, Mike had previously been involved in a Fire rescue, this incident consolidates his standing as a local hero. I don't intend revealing any more of the plot as you really need to discover it for yourself to feel the full impact.
The book develops by alternating chapters of Now, Then and latterly Between as facts begin to emerge. Consequently we get a full picture of how Elizabeth and Mike met and married along with the ups and downs of their relationship. It also fleshes out the other characters and their lives, particularly Kate who plays an increasingly pivotal role in the way the book develops.
The book presents a heartbreaking portrait of Elizabeth as she struggles to come to terms with Mike's death. It is a study in grief in all its facets and how it effects each person differently and how they develop strategies to cope. It is of course not just Elizabeth, but also Mike's mother, his best friends and Elizabeth's sister Mel. So as well as a book about grief, it's a book about friendships and relationships. It's a book about people perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others
As the story progresses it is clear that many of those perceptions may be shattered as there are unacknowledged tensions and secrets that will eventually surface. It is those hints and suspicions that keep you reading to the end, as well as the heartbreaking letters. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and happily give it 5 stars which is not something I do regularly.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 27, 2017
This book, for me, was way drawn out. I understand the widow is grieving for weeks, months whatever. However I don't think that the reader has to go through that entire grieving process with her. I think a few days here and there could have been skipped and maybe the words "one week later" or even "one month later". Like I understand there is a grieving process, but I read to be entertained and, for me, this was not all that entertaining.
The only reason I kept skipping and skimming most of the pages of this book was to find out if the teenage girl killed him because he was breaking up with her. Sorry this book just did not appeal to me and I was glad when it was over. I really liked the cover though.
Thanks Sourcebooks and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
The only reason I kept skipping and skimming most of the pages of this book was to find out if the teenage girl killed him because he was breaking up with her. Sorry this book just did not appeal to me and I was glad when it was over. I really liked the cover though.
Thanks Sourcebooks and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2021
2 ⭐⭐ - Meh!
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‘He did it, Blake,’ she says, turning stamped-on eyes to him, ‘Mike did it. He did it with a girl just over half his age. He did it over and over again. He did it in the dark and the cold at Butler’s Pond. He did it in the place we walked the dog together. He did it with the dog there. He did it with her and then he came home and did it with me,’ her voice is growing softer and softer, ‘he did it, presumably, without a condom. He did it and he made a baby.’
Kate had said, ‘She had no right to speak to me like that,’ and waited for her mother’s unstinting agreement. Instead, Richenda had sat down next to her, and said, ‘Kate, that woman has done nothing wrong. Even if they were unhappily married, she did nothing wrong. And she’s done nothing to you. She trusted her husband and he betrayed that trust—’
April 16, 2014
My View:
A remarkably moving read – this review written with silent tears running down my face. I am holding in the sobs.
A book that makes you really feel is unique and wonderful, a book that makes you cry is a gift to be treasured – this is such a book! I loved the way the author has the protagonist write letters to her dead husband…the letters are so moving, poignant and achingly sad and yet at the same time share with the reader the wonder and marvel of a true lasting love.
However there is an undercurrent of suspicion delicately woven into this narrative - just what was her husband up to on that fateful night and begs the question did he actually know this stranger he died to save? The mystery gently gnaws at your subconscious as you continue reading. This is a wonderful portrait of love, loss, grief and… infertility – I don’t think I have come across grief and grieving so authentically revealed – or love for that matter. The author gives her characters such great voices – I loved listening to them.
A remarkably moving read – this review written with silent tears running down my face. I am holding in the sobs.
A book that makes you really feel is unique and wonderful, a book that makes you cry is a gift to be treasured – this is such a book! I loved the way the author has the protagonist write letters to her dead husband…the letters are so moving, poignant and achingly sad and yet at the same time share with the reader the wonder and marvel of a true lasting love.
However there is an undercurrent of suspicion delicately woven into this narrative - just what was her husband up to on that fateful night and begs the question did he actually know this stranger he died to save? The mystery gently gnaws at your subconscious as you continue reading. This is a wonderful portrait of love, loss, grief and… infertility – I don’t think I have come across grief and grieving so authentically revealed – or love for that matter. The author gives her characters such great voices – I loved listening to them.
May 29, 2018
Stephanie Butland is an incredible gifted intelligent author. I have never ever read a novel like this that has such powerful emotion on every page. I can assure every reader Stephanie Butland is an author to keep a look out for.
Letters to my Husband is where Elizabeth writes letters to her dead husband. Elizabeth always believed they were happy married in love but Elizabeth discovers that her husband is not the man she thought he was. Huge twists and turns are waiting for readers to discover more.
I really do urge all readers one hundred percent to buy Letters to my Husband by Stephanie Butland. I know readers will not be able to stop the turning pages.
Letters to my Husband is where Elizabeth writes letters to her dead husband. Elizabeth always believed they were happy married in love but Elizabeth discovers that her husband is not the man she thought he was. Huge twists and turns are waiting for readers to discover more.
I really do urge all readers one hundred percent to buy Letters to my Husband by Stephanie Butland. I know readers will not be able to stop the turning pages.
July 1, 2015
At first this seems straightforward enough: it's a story about a grieving widow trying to regain her footing in an unfamiliar world. That doesn't do it justice, though, because it captures the visceral pain of loss, the feeling that an entire side of you has been lost with them, the feeling that you'll never recover, leaving you almost as breathless and devastated as Elizabeth, grieving in a different way from her mother-in-law, trying to cope in a different way, each feeling that the other is somehow wrong, loved him less. There's the defining moment when she starts, consciously, to move on. And then you start getting hints that maybe, just maybe, there's something else there. Maybe appearances are deceptive, things weren't as they appeared.
Stephanie Butland's choice of the perfect tense for narration and first-person present tense for the letters makes it incredibly experiential, giving the writing a sense of immediacy as hurtful, devastating secrets are exposed with brutal honesty.
Elizabeth's letters to Mike describe the gut-wrenching grief and denial, and although she cannot see past her grief we can see how she is gradually adjusting, accepting her new reality. Step by step we journey with her, feeling the rawness her all-consuming grief until we can hardly bear it when life kicks her again. She wants to know how, she wants to know why, and yet these answers may never be hers.
I could identify very strongly with more than one character, and am proud to say I too have a Mell in my life, a fierce protector and sharer of memories.
But despite all this, it isn't a story of sadness. It's a story of hope. It's a story of suffering and making it through, of friends and family and rebuilding, and life.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Stephanie Butland's choice of the perfect tense for narration and first-person present tense for the letters makes it incredibly experiential, giving the writing a sense of immediacy as hurtful, devastating secrets are exposed with brutal honesty.
Elizabeth's letters to Mike describe the gut-wrenching grief and denial, and although she cannot see past her grief we can see how she is gradually adjusting, accepting her new reality. Step by step we journey with her, feeling the rawness her all-consuming grief until we can hardly bear it when life kicks her again. She wants to know how, she wants to know why, and yet these answers may never be hers.
I could identify very strongly with more than one character, and am proud to say I too have a Mell in my life, a fierce protector and sharer of memories.
But despite all this, it isn't a story of sadness. It's a story of hope. It's a story of suffering and making it through, of friends and family and rebuilding, and life.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2015
Here is a secret I won't keep-Pass on this title!
When Elizabeth's husband Mike dies unexpectedly we journey with her through the grieving process. Unfortunately, this journey is incredibly long and drawn out-most of the book.
True, there are a few secrets that will keep some readers engaged as the title suggests, but they are predictable. The secondary characters are poorly developed and the primary character is so emotionally devastated that it is difficult to get a true sense of her personality.
When Elizabeth's husband Mike dies unexpectedly we journey with her through the grieving process. Unfortunately, this journey is incredibly long and drawn out-most of the book.
True, there are a few secrets that will keep some readers engaged as the title suggests, but they are predictable. The secondary characters are poorly developed and the primary character is so emotionally devastated that it is difficult to get a true sense of her personality.
June 18, 2019
The seemingly heroic death of a police officer in saving a teenage girl from drowning has a ripple affect throughout his inner circle. Secrets are revealed and mournful love is tested. The stages of Grief are examined. Lifetime movie good.
Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley
Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley
October 23, 2018
The book is well written, but the storyline is COMPLETELY obvious. That tends to make the book drag since you already know exactly where you are headed.
July 17, 2015
The Secrets We Keep is one women’s story of coming to terms with the fact that her husband wasn’t who she thought he was. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a storyline you’ve read many times before because it isn’t. Elizabeth's husband, Mike has just died while saving a young girl from potentially drowning. Everyone now sees Mike as a hero who tragically died but Elizabeth still can’t understand why her husband was even at the river to save this girl in the first place. Then she meets Kate, the young girl Mike saved, and pieces to a puzzle that Elizabeth could have never fathomed start fitting into place. I don’t want to say anything more about the plot because this is one of those stories where it’s best to go into knowing as little as possible.
I loved how this book deals with grief which is then compounded by hurt and betrayal. I’ve never been through anything like Elizabeth has, thank God, but it felt very realistic to me. Even if you find out someone you loved wasn’t who you thought they were or that they did something terrible it doesn’t mean you stop loving them or mourning their loss. I thought this was beautifully portrayed by the author, Stephanie Butland. I especially loved Elizabeth’s letters to Mike and how this formed a type of therapy for her; it was brilliant and added such a unique element to the storyline. This isn’t just a story about loss & grief though, there’s also much suspense surrounding the night Mike died. You’ll want to know just as much as Elizabeth does what really happened that night. Did Mike really die why trying to save Kate or did something more sinister go down?
The Secrets We Keep is a wonderful, compelling read; a complex story surrounding secrets and relationships and the one that I believe readers will connect with whether they’ve been through a heavy loss or not. Elizabeth is such a beautiful, strong and intelligent woman who’s had to deal with the life given to her as best as she can, you can’t help but admire and want to root for her to find peace. But fair warning, you’ll need to keep a box of tissues close at hand for this one! I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a psychological thriller with an emotional, deep vibe woven in. This would also make a fantastic Book Club read. This is the first book I’ve read by Stephanie Butland and I look forward to reading what she has in store for us next :)
Thank you to the publishers, Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary, advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And a special thank you to Michelle Podberezniak, Publicity Intern at Sourcebooks for inviting me to join The Secrets We Keep official Blog Tour!
I loved how this book deals with grief which is then compounded by hurt and betrayal. I’ve never been through anything like Elizabeth has, thank God, but it felt very realistic to me. Even if you find out someone you loved wasn’t who you thought they were or that they did something terrible it doesn’t mean you stop loving them or mourning their loss. I thought this was beautifully portrayed by the author, Stephanie Butland. I especially loved Elizabeth’s letters to Mike and how this formed a type of therapy for her; it was brilliant and added such a unique element to the storyline. This isn’t just a story about loss & grief though, there’s also much suspense surrounding the night Mike died. You’ll want to know just as much as Elizabeth does what really happened that night. Did Mike really die why trying to save Kate or did something more sinister go down?
The Secrets We Keep is a wonderful, compelling read; a complex story surrounding secrets and relationships and the one that I believe readers will connect with whether they’ve been through a heavy loss or not. Elizabeth is such a beautiful, strong and intelligent woman who’s had to deal with the life given to her as best as she can, you can’t help but admire and want to root for her to find peace. But fair warning, you’ll need to keep a box of tissues close at hand for this one! I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a psychological thriller with an emotional, deep vibe woven in. This would also make a fantastic Book Club read. This is the first book I’ve read by Stephanie Butland and I look forward to reading what she has in store for us next :)
Thank you to the publishers, Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary, advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And a special thank you to Michelle Podberezniak, Publicity Intern at Sourcebooks for inviting me to join The Secrets We Keep official Blog Tour!
July 6, 2015
3.5 stars. In "The Secrets We Keep," Elizabeth's husband, Michael, drowns while saving a nineteen year old girl named Kate. At first, it seems like Michael saved Kate selflessly and sacrificed himself. Then the secrets start coming out. Michael and Kate seem to know each other a little bit more than Elizabeth originally knew. Now Elizabeth can't be sure that she really ever knew her husband. Told through Elizabeth's letters to her dead husband and third person present tense, this book takes a look at what happens and how we cope when we don't really know the people closest to us.
This book was a little bit predictable for me but I still enjoyed it. The story itself is one that has been done a lot: one person in a marriage happens to be carrying on a relationship with another person and their spouse doesn't find out until after they are gone. I did like the addition of Elizabeth's letters to Michael as she starts to unravel the mystery of who he really was. That addition really helped me to get into the book.
The character that we get to know best is Elizabeth. Although this story is told from the third person, we get the best sense of who Elizabeth is and what makes her tick. We the readers don't really get a good picture of what make some of the other characters do what they do in the book. Some of the characters like Michael and Kate seem to be not as clearly described to me and I really wanted to get a little closer to those characters since they made up so much of the story arc in this book. I really wanted to know a little bit more about why they did what they did.
Overall, I found this book to be predictable but still enjoyable. I enjoyed seeing how Elizabeth comes to terms with understanding that the Michael she thought she knew is not really the Michael that existed. This would be a good pick for someone looking for a book with a familiar story that they can get into easily.
This book was a little bit predictable for me but I still enjoyed it. The story itself is one that has been done a lot: one person in a marriage happens to be carrying on a relationship with another person and their spouse doesn't find out until after they are gone. I did like the addition of Elizabeth's letters to Michael as she starts to unravel the mystery of who he really was. That addition really helped me to get into the book.
The character that we get to know best is Elizabeth. Although this story is told from the third person, we get the best sense of who Elizabeth is and what makes her tick. We the readers don't really get a good picture of what make some of the other characters do what they do in the book. Some of the characters like Michael and Kate seem to be not as clearly described to me and I really wanted to get a little closer to those characters since they made up so much of the story arc in this book. I really wanted to know a little bit more about why they did what they did.
Overall, I found this book to be predictable but still enjoyable. I enjoyed seeing how Elizabeth comes to terms with understanding that the Michael she thought she knew is not really the Michael that existed. This would be a good pick for someone looking for a book with a familiar story that they can get into easily.
April 10, 2014
The more I read of this book, the more I liked it. It is the story of Elizabeth, overwhelmed with grief by the accidental drowning of husband Michael, and her struggle to accept his absence in her life. A situation not helped by the fact that nobody really knows what happened on the night he died. The story is told in the present time, following his death, and also in flashbacks to their courtship and marriage, as well as interspersed by letters that she writes to her dead husband, detailing how much she misses him and that she can’t understand why he is dead. Her sister Mel, and friends Blake and Andy all rally round to try and help her through this time, along with mother in law Patricia who is also grieving the loss of her son in her own way.
However, it soon becomes pretty clear to the reader, if not Elizabeth, that her idealised view of her perfect marriage may not be completely accurate as there are some huge surprises in store for her in the book.
At times it is a very moving read, but also very intense and I am afraid for quite some part of the read I did tend to feel very drained by Elizabeth herself. Her grief is so overwhelming throughout the whole book that eventually you start thinking “oh please, cheer up woman”. The support she gets from her sister and friends is incredible, and I wasn’t completely convinced that in real life that would happen. They are all professional people with careers and lives of their own, yet spend months sitting with her trying to help her. That having been said it is an intriguing read. Like a fly on the wall, you want to know what exactly happened when Michael died and why. You don’t find out the full picture until right at the end, but the build up, full of secrets and lies, makes for a darn good read. Thanks to the publishers for an ARC via Netgalley.
However, it soon becomes pretty clear to the reader, if not Elizabeth, that her idealised view of her perfect marriage may not be completely accurate as there are some huge surprises in store for her in the book.
At times it is a very moving read, but also very intense and I am afraid for quite some part of the read I did tend to feel very drained by Elizabeth herself. Her grief is so overwhelming throughout the whole book that eventually you start thinking “oh please, cheer up woman”. The support she gets from her sister and friends is incredible, and I wasn’t completely convinced that in real life that would happen. They are all professional people with careers and lives of their own, yet spend months sitting with her trying to help her. That having been said it is an intriguing read. Like a fly on the wall, you want to know what exactly happened when Michael died and why. You don’t find out the full picture until right at the end, but the build up, full of secrets and lies, makes for a darn good read. Thanks to the publishers for an ARC via Netgalley.
April 16, 2014
Elizabeth’s husband Michael is out in the evening walking their dog, but tragically he never returns home. Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down as she learns her police officer husband has drowned in an accident, sacrificing his life saving a stranger’s. But why was her husband near the lake that night? As Elizabeth begins to uncover more, she realizes there are many things she may not know about him….
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I was quickly drawn in to the writing as in the first few pages it starts with the news of Elizabeth’s husband and so immediately I was thrown in to an emotional scene. From this moment I was gripped with so many questions in my head and wanting to know what would happen next!
Stephanie is a talented writer – I particularly enjoyed her descriptions in the book, the characters were so well written and described it was as though they had jumped from the pages into real life. I really liked Elizabeth, and her grief at the loss of her husband was so raw and real that I really felt for her, and at many times wanted to reach into the pages and give her a big hug. I could feel the sadness and grief radiating from the novel and I became rally lost in the emotion and feeling of what I was reading. I particularly enjoyed that as a reader we are given some of the backstory to Elizabeth and Michael’s relationship too.
I was very keen to find out the truth about Michael and what had happened to him, and Stephanie did a great job of building up the intrigue and suspense, leaving me desperate to find out more. Surrounded By Water is a brilliant novel and one that I’d very much recommend.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I was quickly drawn in to the writing as in the first few pages it starts with the news of Elizabeth’s husband and so immediately I was thrown in to an emotional scene. From this moment I was gripped with so many questions in my head and wanting to know what would happen next!
Stephanie is a talented writer – I particularly enjoyed her descriptions in the book, the characters were so well written and described it was as though they had jumped from the pages into real life. I really liked Elizabeth, and her grief at the loss of her husband was so raw and real that I really felt for her, and at many times wanted to reach into the pages and give her a big hug. I could feel the sadness and grief radiating from the novel and I became rally lost in the emotion and feeling of what I was reading. I particularly enjoyed that as a reader we are given some of the backstory to Elizabeth and Michael’s relationship too.
I was very keen to find out the truth about Michael and what had happened to him, and Stephanie did a great job of building up the intrigue and suspense, leaving me desperate to find out more. Surrounded By Water is a brilliant novel and one that I’d very much recommend.
January 27, 2014
Although beautifully written, I was a little disappointed in this book. The story begins with the death of the heroine's husband, and the author gorgeously writes about Elizabeth's grief in such a way that made my heart hurt. The characters were written in such a way to make me want to learn all I could about them, I really felt involved in their story.
However, a third of the way into the book, Elizabeth is still grieving, and grieving and grieving, and I'm left still wanting more, and having to make do with nothing more than hints as to the unknown nature of her husband's death. And although you do get to learn more about his death, and his relationship with the woman he died saving, I was still left at the end of the novel disappointed and thinking 'is that it?'.
However, a third of the way into the book, Elizabeth is still grieving, and grieving and grieving, and I'm left still wanting more, and having to make do with nothing more than hints as to the unknown nature of her husband's death. And although you do get to learn more about his death, and his relationship with the woman he died saving, I was still left at the end of the novel disappointed and thinking 'is that it?'.
April 9, 2015
What a brilliant thought provoking book! Elizabeths husband, who is a policeman, drowns while saving a young girls life. No-one can believe how this has happened but all rally round Elizabeth and try to work out what happened that night.
Through a third person narrative, we learn not only what happened to an extent but also many secrets that Michael had. The story keeps you gripped and unable to predict what happens, as with many other books. I have to say i loved every page and I found out today its the first of three books surrounding the village of Throckton which is so exciting that i may just have to pre order all of the books!! Bloody brilliant!!
Information Gained from:-
(http://stirlingwriter.com/2015/04/08/...)
Through a third person narrative, we learn not only what happened to an extent but also many secrets that Michael had. The story keeps you gripped and unable to predict what happens, as with many other books. I have to say i loved every page and I found out today its the first of three books surrounding the village of Throckton which is so exciting that i may just have to pre order all of the books!! Bloody brilliant!!
Information Gained from:-
(http://stirlingwriter.com/2015/04/08/...)
October 4, 2021
This book was mostly boring. Picked up twords the middle. I had to keep turning pages to see what happened in The end. Why he was Unfaithful became clear. But how he could be so hurtful to the wife he loved was unfathomable. The book blurb claims that it is uplifted but sadly it is not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2018
This is a terrific first novel (though it's been already re-badged twice which means confusion a lot of the time when authors do this-I wish they wouldn't) and I really enjoyed it and spent the most of a lovely, sunny day in the garden whizzing through it. It's a clever and interesting way of bringing the story about through Elizabeth's letters to Mike. And there are plenty of secrets and lies uncovered as it progresses.
She does go with American spellings and I wondered at the beginning where it was set as it took some pages before a village was referred to and I realiSed it is set here. So we did not need recognize or scrutinized or hospitalized.......
One of the nicest inclusions was Pepper the Westie AND he wasn't killed off !! (I've had Westies and my current dog is a Pepper, too). Every time a dog is mentioned as a rule in a book my heart sinks as you just know it'll be dead by the end so this was a very pleasant surprise indeed for this reader.
Patricia, Mike's mum was one of my favourite characters. She had a great attitude and at heart was so nice to Elizabeth, when at times she was probably worn down by her. Same goes for Mel, her sister, who probably felt like shaking her at times and heading off home but stuck by her. She was very down-to-earth, too, which I always appreciate.
Kate's parents are called Richenda and Rufus and I pictured them as a black family and thought this was going to head off in a totally different direction to the one it took. I found Rufus interesting in the way he handled things and one particular scene with his daughter was a very touching one.
A couple of times I was left a little baffled. I don't know what a "grace card" is so that being mentioned left me confused and adding the "well" here, too-"....he could barely believe it would last. Well." Saying this, she writes these one or two word sentences and I like them. Another writer does the same and I remember mentioning it in that review, too. And one whole, long passage I re-read perhaps 50 times and it still didn't make any sense to me, though it's too long to re-type it all out here. The butterfly wing reference sailed over my head, too.
Hand in hand needs hyphens and un expected doesn't need a space but that was it for mistakes which is highly commendable. I did smile at the end to read of the original concept the author had for the story, comparing it to the story I'd just read and the massive gulf in-between !! She took a proper departure, though.....!!
I'm definitely going to read The Other Half of my Heart as I see some of the characters from this one are in that, too.
She does go with American spellings and I wondered at the beginning where it was set as it took some pages before a village was referred to and I realiSed it is set here. So we did not need recognize or scrutinized or hospitalized.......
One of the nicest inclusions was Pepper the Westie AND he wasn't killed off !! (I've had Westies and my current dog is a Pepper, too). Every time a dog is mentioned as a rule in a book my heart sinks as you just know it'll be dead by the end so this was a very pleasant surprise indeed for this reader.
Patricia, Mike's mum was one of my favourite characters. She had a great attitude and at heart was so nice to Elizabeth, when at times she was probably worn down by her. Same goes for Mel, her sister, who probably felt like shaking her at times and heading off home but stuck by her. She was very down-to-earth, too, which I always appreciate.
Kate's parents are called Richenda and Rufus and I pictured them as a black family and thought this was going to head off in a totally different direction to the one it took. I found Rufus interesting in the way he handled things and one particular scene with his daughter was a very touching one.
A couple of times I was left a little baffled. I don't know what a "grace card" is so that being mentioned left me confused and adding the "well" here, too-"....he could barely believe it would last. Well." Saying this, she writes these one or two word sentences and I like them. Another writer does the same and I remember mentioning it in that review, too. And one whole, long passage I re-read perhaps 50 times and it still didn't make any sense to me, though it's too long to re-type it all out here. The butterfly wing reference sailed over my head, too.
Hand in hand needs hyphens and un expected doesn't need a space but that was it for mistakes which is highly commendable. I did smile at the end to read of the original concept the author had for the story, comparing it to the story I'd just read and the massive gulf in-between !! She took a proper departure, though.....!!
I'm definitely going to read The Other Half of my Heart as I see some of the characters from this one are in that, too.
October 27, 2017
I'm not into romance novels but I don't know why I gave it a try. Maybe because I found the idea of writing letters to a dead husband a bit intriguing.
But it was a bit disappointing. And this might fall under the kind of books I don't want to read often.
Here are my reasons why:
1. The narration or the whole storytelling pace was so slow that it failed to keep me hooked up. I wanted answers to my questions about what had exactly happened but then it got so monotonous & slow that I didn't even feel like reading all of the pages. There were times when I felt like reading the last letter but the other side of me didn't let me do it. Maybe I was not so patient while reading this book or it's simply very slow.
2. I understand that the plot was a situation to grief but I don't know why but it felt like it too sophisticated. Everything I was reading felt too sad like the saddest thing ever. And I felt that wasn't necessary at a certain level. Although the good part of the book is also that it is beautifully detailed.
So those were the reasons why it didn't work for me. I like the idea of sad stories that leave me weeping but I don't know if this is those kinds of stories that will, for me.
But it was a bit disappointing. And this might fall under the kind of books I don't want to read often.
Here are my reasons why:
1. The narration or the whole storytelling pace was so slow that it failed to keep me hooked up. I wanted answers to my questions about what had exactly happened but then it got so monotonous & slow that I didn't even feel like reading all of the pages. There were times when I felt like reading the last letter but the other side of me didn't let me do it. Maybe I was not so patient while reading this book or it's simply very slow.
2. I understand that the plot was a situation to grief but I don't know why but it felt like it too sophisticated. Everything I was reading felt too sad like the saddest thing ever. And I felt that wasn't necessary at a certain level. Although the good part of the book is also that it is beautifully detailed.
So those were the reasons why it didn't work for me. I like the idea of sad stories that leave me weeping but I don't know if this is those kinds of stories that will, for me.
July 29, 2018
Another good one from Stephenie Butland. Once again, she nails the FEELINGS. Lost Words Bookshop was the mother-daughter relationship and feelings of self worth. This one tackles multiple husband-wife relationships. You’re almost guaranteed to recognize some of them. This author has tremendous insight into the human psyche and it makes her characters exceptionally relatable.
October 20, 2023
Rounded down to a 3.5
December 29, 2022
The best way to describe this book is meh.
Mike dies while saving a teenage girl from drowning. Elizabeth grieves his loss almost excessively or so it felt to me. Inevitably secrets come to light, but if you’re a thoughtful reader, you saw these coming, and you’re not overly surprised.
Mike dies while saving a teenage girl from drowning. Elizabeth grieves his loss almost excessively or so it felt to me. Inevitably secrets come to light, but if you’re a thoughtful reader, you saw these coming, and you’re not overly surprised.
April 11, 2014
This book was the subject of much discussion on Twitter and I thought it would be right up my street - I knew I just had to read it and was sent a copy in exchange for an honest review by Stephanie's publisher at Transworld. My gut instincts weren't wrong - it was outstanding. This is Stephanie's first novel and all I can say is WOW! How can you top this?
The story begins with the sudden death of Michael, Elizabeths husband who drowns whilst out walking the dog late one evening.
It's fair to say Elizabeth literally falls apart and is supported by her sister, mother in law and Michaels two best friends. Michael was her soul mate and they had a perfect life, it is only as the story unfolds do we find out it had tiny, little fractures - not visible until you look closely.
Stephanie's descriptions of each of the characters was beautiful and clear. I could visualise every person and each seemed just perfect - I could have been reading about an incident in my village and about people I knew.
I loved the way that as the book moved forward the author also took us back allowing a glimpse into Michael and Elizabeths relationship from their first meeting, including highlighting past events that shaped the couple into the people they had become. I was also deeply moved by the letters that Elizabeth wrote to Michael after his death - a very important part of her grieving process.
Grief is an emotion that affects everybody differently and Stephanie took me on a journey with Elizabeth that was quite exhausting - she was literally poleaxed when Michael died, barely able or willing to function. She really was at rock bottom, shock and denial playing a big part - for every step forward another revelation would appear and Elizabeth would once again plunge into a despairing, depressed world and Stephanie cleverly took me with her.
I must have felt every emotion possible reading this book, from helplessness and sadness to happiness and elation. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and how we react depends upon the people and characters we are to begin with. Both Elizabeth and Michaels mother were suffering grief for the death of the same person but reacted in totally different ways - that doesn't mean either was suffering less. I kept having to close the book and take stock as I was so immersed in the story I felt physically drained at times - feeling the sadness as vividly and deeply as if Elizabeth was my friend or sister.
Just like real life things are not always what we see on the surface so just when I thought I had it all worked out Stephanie added another twist and had me guessing again. I have to say it got to the point where I thought 'how much more can one person take?' Enough, please!! It was quite harrowing and heart breaking to read. This story is full of secrets that required lies to hold it all together and little bits are gradually revealed throughout the book.
It does beg the question though - do we ever really know the people we are close to? How many times have we lied by omission and not communicated how we really feel? I for one shall take stock and thank my lucky stars for the loving relationships felt by my family and hope that they are as real and true as I believe they are.
I highly recommend this novel and truly loved every page - an emotional journey that left me sitting, silently, contemplating every aspect of the story long after it had ended.
The story begins with the sudden death of Michael, Elizabeths husband who drowns whilst out walking the dog late one evening.
It's fair to say Elizabeth literally falls apart and is supported by her sister, mother in law and Michaels two best friends. Michael was her soul mate and they had a perfect life, it is only as the story unfolds do we find out it had tiny, little fractures - not visible until you look closely.
Stephanie's descriptions of each of the characters was beautiful and clear. I could visualise every person and each seemed just perfect - I could have been reading about an incident in my village and about people I knew.
I loved the way that as the book moved forward the author also took us back allowing a glimpse into Michael and Elizabeths relationship from their first meeting, including highlighting past events that shaped the couple into the people they had become. I was also deeply moved by the letters that Elizabeth wrote to Michael after his death - a very important part of her grieving process.
Grief is an emotion that affects everybody differently and Stephanie took me on a journey with Elizabeth that was quite exhausting - she was literally poleaxed when Michael died, barely able or willing to function. She really was at rock bottom, shock and denial playing a big part - for every step forward another revelation would appear and Elizabeth would once again plunge into a despairing, depressed world and Stephanie cleverly took me with her.
I must have felt every emotion possible reading this book, from helplessness and sadness to happiness and elation. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and how we react depends upon the people and characters we are to begin with. Both Elizabeth and Michaels mother were suffering grief for the death of the same person but reacted in totally different ways - that doesn't mean either was suffering less. I kept having to close the book and take stock as I was so immersed in the story I felt physically drained at times - feeling the sadness as vividly and deeply as if Elizabeth was my friend or sister.
Just like real life things are not always what we see on the surface so just when I thought I had it all worked out Stephanie added another twist and had me guessing again. I have to say it got to the point where I thought 'how much more can one person take?' Enough, please!! It was quite harrowing and heart breaking to read. This story is full of secrets that required lies to hold it all together and little bits are gradually revealed throughout the book.
It does beg the question though - do we ever really know the people we are close to? How many times have we lied by omission and not communicated how we really feel? I for one shall take stock and thank my lucky stars for the loving relationships felt by my family and hope that they are as real and true as I believe they are.
I highly recommend this novel and truly loved every page - an emotional journey that left me sitting, silently, contemplating every aspect of the story long after it had ended.
July 7, 2015
A special thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 Stars
THE SECRETS WE KEEP, an exploration of grief, secrets, betrayal, and love of a marriage – a powerful, yet uplifting debut novel by Stephanie Butland.
Michael Gray, age 37 has drowned in Butler’s Pond on a late Sunday night. While walking his dog, Pepper, and spots a 19-year old Kate Micklethwaite in trouble in the water and dives in the freezing lake to save her. Michael, a brave police officer was an important member of the community, and left behind widowed wife, Elizabeth.
Michael and Elizabeth met when they were traveling around Australia. Less than forty-eight hours from the knock on the door –would mark the Before and After of Elizabeth’s life. She then begins to worry about the night he died. She continues waiting for him to return, thinking it is a horrible dream.
Kate is home from the hospital and her heart labors and burns under the weight of Michael Gray’s death, and when interviewed she recalls nothing more of what happened that night.
Thereafter, we hear from Elizabeth through letters to Mike, of her grief, her breaking heart. About 60% through the book, we finally get glimpses into the awaited secrets of the marriage, the ones Elizabeth is drowning in.
The author keeps you in suspense regarding the events of the dreadful night. Why was Kate in the water and why did Mike drown versus Kate? What really happened that night?
Some reviewers mention the book is drawn out, which it can be at times, especially the first half. You may get impatient with Elizabeth’s grief, until discovering there is much more. This is when the pain, loss and the devastation moves to a different level; when everything is not as it appears. There is something deeper, and this is the real beauty of the novel and the writing.
Elizabeth’s letters seem at times like she is in denial, naïve; however, as we move on, you see the shift; the change in her, as she goes through the emotions, and steps of grief- until she gets to the anger and hatred part. She wants answers to all her questions, doubts, fears- the what ifs, the where, and the why?
A complex novel with an unraveling of lives, secrets, a past. Even though a novel of grief, loss, and sadness; ultimately we hear from Mike, a final letter written to Elizabeth, which may change the way you think about the relationship, and his love for his wife. The explosive ending will reveal the events leading up to that tragic night, for answers behind the mystery.
An ongoing theme of water, representing significance in many ways and lives throughout the novel. Water, a flowing element – symbolizing purity, healing, and cleansing; life, rebirth, and happiness. Water not only represents all things good, but bad too. As we see the grief, as it also represents death, entrapment, life storms, sinking, and drowning.
Recommend to those readers preferring a more psychological, emotional and deeper read. Look forward to reading more by Butland!
JDCMustReadBooks
THE SECRETS WE KEEP, an exploration of grief, secrets, betrayal, and love of a marriage – a powerful, yet uplifting debut novel by Stephanie Butland.
Michael Gray, age 37 has drowned in Butler’s Pond on a late Sunday night. While walking his dog, Pepper, and spots a 19-year old Kate Micklethwaite in trouble in the water and dives in the freezing lake to save her. Michael, a brave police officer was an important member of the community, and left behind widowed wife, Elizabeth.
Michael and Elizabeth met when they were traveling around Australia. Less than forty-eight hours from the knock on the door –would mark the Before and After of Elizabeth’s life. She then begins to worry about the night he died. She continues waiting for him to return, thinking it is a horrible dream.
Kate is home from the hospital and her heart labors and burns under the weight of Michael Gray’s death, and when interviewed she recalls nothing more of what happened that night.
Thereafter, we hear from Elizabeth through letters to Mike, of her grief, her breaking heart. About 60% through the book, we finally get glimpses into the awaited secrets of the marriage, the ones Elizabeth is drowning in.
The author keeps you in suspense regarding the events of the dreadful night. Why was Kate in the water and why did Mike drown versus Kate? What really happened that night?
Some reviewers mention the book is drawn out, which it can be at times, especially the first half. You may get impatient with Elizabeth’s grief, until discovering there is much more. This is when the pain, loss and the devastation moves to a different level; when everything is not as it appears. There is something deeper, and this is the real beauty of the novel and the writing.
Elizabeth’s letters seem at times like she is in denial, naïve; however, as we move on, you see the shift; the change in her, as she goes through the emotions, and steps of grief- until she gets to the anger and hatred part. She wants answers to all her questions, doubts, fears- the what ifs, the where, and the why?
A complex novel with an unraveling of lives, secrets, a past. Even though a novel of grief, loss, and sadness; ultimately we hear from Mike, a final letter written to Elizabeth, which may change the way you think about the relationship, and his love for his wife. The explosive ending will reveal the events leading up to that tragic night, for answers behind the mystery.
An ongoing theme of water, representing significance in many ways and lives throughout the novel. Water, a flowing element – symbolizing purity, healing, and cleansing; life, rebirth, and happiness. Water not only represents all things good, but bad too. As we see the grief, as it also represents death, entrapment, life storms, sinking, and drowning.
Recommend to those readers preferring a more psychological, emotional and deeper read. Look forward to reading more by Butland!
JDCMustReadBooks
April 19, 2014
Elizabeth and Mike have lived a love story of fairy tales, although they have had their disappointments along the way, their love never faded. They were strong; best friends, lovers, running partners. Mike was generous and brave, a police officer who was dutiful and loyal. Now Mike is dead. Mike drowned in a nearby lake, doing what Mike did best - putting others before himself. Typical Mike ...... or was it?
Elizabeth's heartbreak and despair is palpable, she is broken, she cannot imagine life without Mike. She does not want to imagine it. She writes letters to her dead husband that are raw with grief, that express her love and her shattered heart. Mike was her one true love, she travelled across the world from her home in Australia to make a home with him in the small village where he grew up. Now she feels alone, despite being supported by Mike's two best friends and her sister Mel who has rushed across the world to be by her side, she cannot imagine how she will continue without him. Mike's mother Patricia is also heartbroken by his death, but finds herself unable to comfort Elizabeth, everything she says seems to sound hurtful, everything she does is wrong.
Elizabeth wants to know why Mike died, what happened in those moments before he jumped into the lake to save nineteen-year-old Kate Micklethwaite? Kate claims that she can't remember anything, she has no answers.
Told in the form of Elizabeth's letters to Mike, interspersed with scenes from 'Then', 'Between' and 'Now', this is an intensely moving and beautifully written story. Elizabeth's grief is raw, her pain seeps through the words that she writes to Mike and become more desperate and tragic with each letter.
The reader is always just one step ahead of Elizabeth and it is this that adds to the sorrow that I felt for Elizabeth, the anticipation of her reaction when she eventually finds out the truth is almost unbearable as she pours out her love to her beloved husband.
With powerful messages of hope, of disappointment, of secrets and of consequences, Surrounded By Water is a novel that draws the reader in from the first page. It is a journey of discovery; for Elizabeth, for Mike's friends and family and also for a young girl whose life will be changed for ever by secrets and lies.
A story to savour and to talk about. Stephanie Butland is a skilled author, it's very difficult to believe that this is her debut.
Elizabeth's heartbreak and despair is palpable, she is broken, she cannot imagine life without Mike. She does not want to imagine it. She writes letters to her dead husband that are raw with grief, that express her love and her shattered heart. Mike was her one true love, she travelled across the world from her home in Australia to make a home with him in the small village where he grew up. Now she feels alone, despite being supported by Mike's two best friends and her sister Mel who has rushed across the world to be by her side, she cannot imagine how she will continue without him. Mike's mother Patricia is also heartbroken by his death, but finds herself unable to comfort Elizabeth, everything she says seems to sound hurtful, everything she does is wrong.
Elizabeth wants to know why Mike died, what happened in those moments before he jumped into the lake to save nineteen-year-old Kate Micklethwaite? Kate claims that she can't remember anything, she has no answers.
Told in the form of Elizabeth's letters to Mike, interspersed with scenes from 'Then', 'Between' and 'Now', this is an intensely moving and beautifully written story. Elizabeth's grief is raw, her pain seeps through the words that she writes to Mike and become more desperate and tragic with each letter.
The reader is always just one step ahead of Elizabeth and it is this that adds to the sorrow that I felt for Elizabeth, the anticipation of her reaction when she eventually finds out the truth is almost unbearable as she pours out her love to her beloved husband.
With powerful messages of hope, of disappointment, of secrets and of consequences, Surrounded By Water is a novel that draws the reader in from the first page. It is a journey of discovery; for Elizabeth, for Mike's friends and family and also for a young girl whose life will be changed for ever by secrets and lies.
A story to savour and to talk about. Stephanie Butland is a skilled author, it's very difficult to believe that this is her debut.
August 6, 2014
A well deserved 9/10 from me for this debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I didn't get round to reading it before the galley was archived, so reserved a copy from my local Library.
I really enjoyed this story and I couldn't help but have empathy with all of the main characters involved in the main plot. Oh what a tangled web life can turn out to be.
Elizabeth and Mike seemed to have it all, a good solid relationship and the perfect marriage, apart from a child to consolidate their family. The attempts to become pregnant, soon take over the relationship. It must be so frustrating and hard to come to terms with, when so many others around you seem to get pregnant at the drop of a hat.
Elizabeth's life is turned upside down, following the death of Mike as he dies trying to save a young lady one night while walking the dog.
As we read the story which is told in the present with flashbacks to the past and from multiple POV, we see all the pieces falling into place slowly. Elizabeth learns that not only has she to cope with grief, she also has to cope with certain aspects in Mike's life that she wasn't aware of.
How would we cope? If our partner turned out to be someone that we didn't know that well, with secrets that we weren't aware of. I know that I would find it hard to come to terms with and I'm sure that we'd all be devastated if this happened to us, following the loss of a loved one and it just goes to show that we never know all about our partners.
I loved how the characters developed and thought it was a very well written story and I'll definitely be waiting to see what Stephanie Butland comes up with next. Thanks for sharing this story with us. Definitely one not to be missed, please grab a copy soon you'll not be disappointed.
I really enjoyed this story and I couldn't help but have empathy with all of the main characters involved in the main plot. Oh what a tangled web life can turn out to be.
Elizabeth and Mike seemed to have it all, a good solid relationship and the perfect marriage, apart from a child to consolidate their family. The attempts to become pregnant, soon take over the relationship. It must be so frustrating and hard to come to terms with, when so many others around you seem to get pregnant at the drop of a hat.
Elizabeth's life is turned upside down, following the death of Mike as he dies trying to save a young lady one night while walking the dog.
As we read the story which is told in the present with flashbacks to the past and from multiple POV, we see all the pieces falling into place slowly. Elizabeth learns that not only has she to cope with grief, she also has to cope with certain aspects in Mike's life that she wasn't aware of.
How would we cope? If our partner turned out to be someone that we didn't know that well, with secrets that we weren't aware of. I know that I would find it hard to come to terms with and I'm sure that we'd all be devastated if this happened to us, following the loss of a loved one and it just goes to show that we never know all about our partners.
I loved how the characters developed and thought it was a very well written story and I'll definitely be waiting to see what Stephanie Butland comes up with next. Thanks for sharing this story with us. Definitely one not to be missed, please grab a copy soon you'll not be disappointed.
April 14, 2014
This is such a beautifully written book - a wonderful evocation of grief, love and loss. Elizabeth and Mike were an unlikely partnership when they first met – he was a rather gauche British tourist in Australia, she was the receptionist at the hotel where he stayed who enjoyed his company. Mike is a policeman in a small community where everyone knows and respects him, and Elizabeth moves across the world to be with him. Other than their failure to have a child, the marriage is a perfect one – until, one night, while taking the dog for a walk, Mike drowns while trying to save a teenage girl from the icy waters of a lake.
Elizabeth is totally overcome by grief and friends and family rally round. Her sister Mel – straight talking, and the source of the book’s lighter moments – travels over from Australia to support her. Mike’s friends and his mother are there too – but Elizabeth is untouchable in her desperate need to understand what happened. She writes to Mike throughout her grief – wonderful letters, full of love and emotion, that had me in tears more than once. As the secrets begin to emerge, we feel every turn of the knife with her.
This is a powerful story that has you in its grip from the first page and the opening lines of Elizabeth’s first letter. It’s a story of secrets and their impact, but also of heartbreaking grief – grief that you physically experience through the beauty of the writing. But, at the end, it’s also uplifting – at some point, everyone has to come out on the other side. This is a book that everyone should read and feel – it was quite wonderful.
Elizabeth is totally overcome by grief and friends and family rally round. Her sister Mel – straight talking, and the source of the book’s lighter moments – travels over from Australia to support her. Mike’s friends and his mother are there too – but Elizabeth is untouchable in her desperate need to understand what happened. She writes to Mike throughout her grief – wonderful letters, full of love and emotion, that had me in tears more than once. As the secrets begin to emerge, we feel every turn of the knife with her.
This is a powerful story that has you in its grip from the first page and the opening lines of Elizabeth’s first letter. It’s a story of secrets and their impact, but also of heartbreaking grief – grief that you physically experience through the beauty of the writing. But, at the end, it’s also uplifting – at some point, everyone has to come out on the other side. This is a book that everyone should read and feel – it was quite wonderful.
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