MISTAKE I MADE, THE

by Paula Daly

We all think we know who we are.

What we’re capable of.

Roz is a single mother, a physiotherapist, a sister, a friend. She’s also desperate.

Her business has gone under, she’s crippled by debt and she’s just had to explain to her son why someone’s taken all their furniture away.

But now a stranger has made her an offer. For one night with her, he’ll pay enough to bring her back from the edge.

Roz has a choice to make.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook

426 pages, Paperback

First published July 16, 2015

About the author

Paula Daly is the acclaimed author of six novels. Her work has been sold in sixteen countries, shortlisted for CWA Gold Dagger award, and developed for the ITV drama, DEEP WATER, starring Anna Friel. She was born in Lancashire and lives in the Lake District with her family.

Reviews

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed a few of Paula Daly's other books so I was pretty sure I would enjoy this one too.

Right at the start, I couldn't help but feel for main character, Roz. She's struggling at work, then rushing home to pick right home to up her son, George on time from after school care. Her husband ran up a bunch of debt, ran around on her, and then ran home to his mother. As a result she lost her business and home (and even the family dog) and now her low paying job leaves her with barely enough money to pay the rent.

Many of the struggles she was having as a single mother rang true. Her relationship with her son was really sweet, you could feel how she was trying to do right by him. Nine-year-old George also came across very genuine. I loved the way the two of them interacted. Circumstances just kept knocking her closer to the breaking point.

Then she comes home to find an eviction notice on her door. She now has just two weeks to figure everything out.

Who wouldn't at least consider agreeing to an indecent proposal?

I really felt for what Roz was going through. The desperation was clear to see and I found myself trying to figure out what I would do in some of the same situations. Many of the author's descriptions were bang on. The cast of characters was great. Some of the interactions she had while working with her patients were laugh out loud funny.

While this is definitely not a typical thriller, it was quite suspenseful and it had me gripped. I had to know what was going to happen next. "The Mistake I Made" is a well written, witty, and entertaining novel that I read in just a couple of sittings.

I really enjoyed this novel from Paula Daly and I am definitely looking forward to more.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

April...2016 UPDATE.................
I just noticed that this book is $1.99 on Kindle today! I LOVED IT!!!!!! Soooooooooooooo much fun!!!!
Pala Daly is a 'go-to' author -for pure enjoyment! This was just so darn GREAT!!!
Heck --I'd buy it for $1.99.....(beach read --'at least'!!!)

.....Original review:
"Because the only reason you want to leave is because you're ashamed of what you've
done. And you can't run away from things, George. What happens if you get into trouble at your next school? Then what? We move again? And again? Every time you don't like something, you can't just pack it in and runaway."
"Why not?"
"Because you run out of options, honey. And sooner or later you have to face up to stuff."

George, (9years old), was not the only person ashamed for what he has done. His mother Roz,
(Rosalind Veronica Toovey), too, was ashamed. She didn't want to tell anyone...(sister, parents, etc ), about the extent of the mess she was in financially.
As for why & what happened....READ THIS BOOK!

Roz is a physiotherapist. "Given a chance the body will fix itself. Given rest and TLC,
It will recover, generate new tissues, even new pathways ".
If the body can't repair itself, that is where Roz, (physiotherapist), helps bring the body back into balance.

THIS NOVEL IS SO GOOD... I'm sooooo EXCITED to tell EVERYONE to read it!!!!!
The symbolism between the job in Roz's life -- and her personal life is interesting to contemplate.

Roz makes personal choices ... ( "The Mistake I Made"), that "given a chance may not heal on its own"...
As for how she can bring her life back into balance- well, it's not as easy as seeing a
physiotherapist, that's for sure. One mistake leads to another - to another... Until..?????

THIS STORY IS A PAGE TURNER... Addicting!!! GREAT GREAT read!!!!

ITS BEST TO READ THIS BOOK ... 'NOT' reading too many details... Its a READERS TREAT......like a yummy slice of Godiva chocolate cheesecake!

One little teaser...(that's it)... then I've said enough...other than I PROMISE readers will enjoy this book! Then grab you own favorite dessert with this book ... and start reading!!! MUCH more exciting than a passengers on trains!!!

For those who are old enough to remember the movie "Indecent Proposal"... with Robert Redford and Demi Moore....This story makes that look like a child's sandbox compared to the drama that goes on within these pages!!!

You know that feeling.. When you walk out of the movie theater from just having seen a terrific film... and you feel like you just gotta share??? THIS BOOK IS THAT EXPERIENCE!!! ( but, I'm holding back, because I love my reader-friends). This book is delicious ENJOYMENT!

Thank you to Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Paula Daily!!!

Many congrats Paula!!! Wow... I sure loved your book. All the characters are so well developed too. I hope they make a movie from your novel!

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "The Mistake I Made" by Paula Daly and found it a brilliant weekend read that didn't require loads of concentration but was entertaining and surprisingly addictive. A slow burner of a story that's intriguing and thought provoking and one that I enjoyed from the very first page.
Roz Toovey is in serious financial debt, separated from her unreliable husband Winston, she continues to work as a physiotherapist trying to stay afloat and keep her young son George fed and watered. Except the bailiffs have just been and removed all her furniture. Could there be a way out of the mess she's found herself in? A stranger has a proposition for her. Spend one night with him and he'll pay her enough to bring her back from the edge of ruin. Should she accept and what will be the implications if she does?
Until you're in that financial position it's very difficult to judge what Roz finally decided, though I don't know if I'd have allowed things to get quite so out of hand, but who knows? An interesting moral dilemma which opens up for quite a debate.
Paul Daly is a fabulous writer that I'm eagerly keen to read again and I'd happily recommend this book as a well written, entertaining and enjoyable read that fulfils the psychological angle very well indeed.

Thank you to fellow reader and friend Rachel Hall for sharing her copy of the book.

5 stars

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Single mother Roz is struggling to make ends meat, even trying to pay the rent has become a struggle as her crippling debt continues to rise.
Desperate for her next pay check as low paid physiotherapist, there’s the real possibility of eviction from her home.

So when wealthy businessmen Scott propositions her for one night together, this seems like a perfect way to get back onto a financially stable position.
Surly it’s a no strings attached situation?

I’ve seen a few people talk about the mini-series that this novel was the basis of and having enjoyed Daly’s other book Open Your Eyes that I’d previously read, it was a simple decision to by this edition.
The story was simple but effective, I think they would need to expand the story slightly to help sustain a 6 part mini-series but the characters were great and I could see why it’s been picked for a TV adaptation.

It was so easy to warm to the narrator Roz as ever so slowly seeing her become powerless as even through hard work she was finding it impossible to try and keep a roof over her and son George’s head.
I could see why she’d eventually accept the indecent proposal.

Highly addictive especially as one decision soon created a ripple effect that inevitably started to effect others around Roz, this was another great page turner by Daly.
I’m curious to see how much they’d kept in for the show!

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

The mistake I made recently, was only reading this book purely because it was given to me as gift and because it has been sat on a shelf gathering dust for three years. I probably should have listened to my gut instinct and skipped it, but me being me, I just couldn't resist.

The very first thing that I noticed about this so-called psychological thriller, is how simple the writing reads. Sometimes this isn't a problem for me, but during this particular read, I felt like Daly was holding back and possibly could have developed the plot into something with more bite. Instead, I was left reading something that resembles All-bran, flavourless with a cardboard consistency.

Our apparent heroine, Roz Toovey, is the least likely person one would be deemed a heroine, and that's the honest truth. She was portrayed as being pretty shallow and one-dimensional, and to be blunt; I didn't like her. She was constantly whining about something, and only seemed to be switched on when she had just been to bed with one of the men that were sniffing around her. I also found it hard to believe that various males were interested in this dreary being.

I think more could have been done with this story, and I was wanting it to be a bit darker with sinister twists, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mistake I Made is part Indecent Proposal and part Fatal Attraction. It's creative problem solving that turns into regretful mistakes, it's a sexy thought that turns into a disturbing reality, and all-in-all it's pretty good!

The Mistake I Made is a psychological suspense/thriller novel written by Paula Daly. It started out pretty slow but once the thriller/suspense element came into play, I quickly felt engaged. There weren't too many components I haven't seen/read before but this novel was still a very enjoyable reading experience for me personally. I'd recommend it for a rainy afternoon. Check it out!

My favorite quote:
"Consider the following a public service announcement: I have treated a grand total of two skinny women in my twenty years of practice who have naturally big boobs. I have treated at the last reckoning anyway zero patients over forty-five years of age who don't sag somewhere. Even the desperately thin ones. You get them to turn over and their skin falls away from their bodies in the most remarkable way. Beautifully curved ladies are criss-crossed with Cesarean scars with striations of stretch marks with indentations as if they were still wearing an underwire bra. Body building men have purple keloid scarred acne backs and give off a peculiar smell from steroid use. Elderly, wirey, superfit fell runners often have buldging varicose veins like small bunches of grapes on their calves, and have flaps of surplus skin around their upper arms and rib cages. Voluptious young women can be covered in black hair all the way from their navel to their knees courtesy of the cruel polycystic ovary syndrome. There are botched tattoos, missing toes, missing slabs of muscle, missing breasts. This is the human body. It does not look like it does in the movies, but that doesn't make it any less wondrous, any less perfectly suited to doing everything you ask of it."

Note: Any errors in spelling/punctuation in the above quote are mine, as I typed this quote as I listened to it via audio.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Paula Daly's third novel. I had read her book What Kind of Mother Are You and found it a bit of a let down so I'm thrilled to say this book had a lot more going for it in my opinion.

Every choice has a consequence...

You know the saying you don't know until you walk in someone else's shoes? This book reflects and shares a brilliant story that might have many wondering what they would do.

Single mother Roz has a reached breaking-point. After the dissolution of her marriage, Roz’s business has gone under, debts are racking up, the rent is late (again), and she's struggling to provide for her nine-year-old son, who is starting to misbehave in school. Roz is in trouble. Real trouble.

When Roz returns home from work one day and finds an eviction notice, she knows that it’s time for action—she has two weeks to find a solution otherwise they will be kicked out of their home. Increasingly desperate, Roz doesn’t know where to turn. Then the perfect opportunity presents itself. At her sister’s fortieth birthday party, Roz meets Scott Elias—wealthy, powerful, and very married. But the impression Roz leaves on him is indelible.

He tracks her down and makes Roz an offer to spend the night with him—for money. He wants no-strings-attached intimacy and can guarantee total discretion. Could it be as simple as it sounds? With that kind of cash, Roz could clear her debts and get her life back on track. But as the situation spirals out of her control, Roz is forced to do things she never thought herself capable of. Can she ever set things right again?

I really liked this book, the plot is very interesting right from the start and had me thinking which I love. Roz is a great character and very quickly I felt like I knew her very well and her life became very tangible. Author Paula Daly used to be a Physiotherapist just like Roz, the central character. This made for accurate portrayal around Roz's work which I loved.

Faced with an opportunity to clear her debts, but at a price? Can Roz become a woman she never thought she was? What would you say if you were in her situation?

I loved the way the book takes us on a journey that is both interesting and challenging. As the situation starts to spiral in all directions the element of tension flows through the words, I was keen to read to the end to see the final outcome. It did not let me down.

An enjoyable read with some good twists and strong developed characters. I liked the moral challenge this book presents, you might be find you are surprised in how you view the plot and choices that Roz makes.

The ending may surprise a few readers also, personally I loved it and could see how many different endings the author could have presented.

An easy 4 paw prints from Booklover Catlady for this drama filled psychological novel.

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I received a copy of this novel to read and review from the publisher via NetGalley, many thanks.

[Mark Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paula Daly makes writing gripping, page-turning thrillers look easy. I liked 'Just What Kind of Mother Are You?' and loved 'Keep Your Friends Close' but 'The Mistake I Made' takes her writing to a new level. Paula writes with great wit and warmth and has that knack of creating flawed but loveable characters and telling their tale in a natural, compelling voice with lots of entertaining asides and observations.

But despite all this talk of wit and warmth, TMIM is a thriller: a kind of Indecent Proposal set in the Lake District. When debt-ridden Roz is offered a way out of her financial predicament by a friend of her sister's, she sets in motion a chain of events that gets increasingly worse, sending her into a spiral of disaster and panic. It's tense but great fun. I was completely unable to put it down. Every now and then I read a book that I feel confident about recommending to everyone, regardless of their taste, and this is one such book. It's just absolutely bloody brilliant and deserves to be a massive bestseller.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to the audiobook of What Kind of Mother Are You? and reading The Trophy Child, both of which left a memorably strong impression, I was keen for another page-turning read from Paula Daly. With a knack for throwing a cast of credibly flawed characters into a variety of awkward situations, Paula Daly’s witty, compassionate and loquacious style of prose draws the reader in. Effortlessly humorous and genuinely perceptive, reading this author’s novels is like sharing a bottle of wine with your best friend! Whilst the premise of a debt laden single mother being propositioned in the “Indecent Exposure” sense didn’t overly inspire me, after a sluggish but always engaging first half, The Mistake I Made, worked up a head of steam, albeit requiring a huge suspension of disbelief!

Roz Toovey is a physiotherapist and single mother caught up in an escalating spiral of debt, the large part of which was not her doing but that of her feckless but lovable ex-husband, Winston, and father to her nine-year-old son, George. Having lost just about everything, from a house to her own practice working self-employed, Roz is renting, very overemployed at a health clinic with a conveyor belt of patients and in debt to the tune of eighteen thousand pounds on jointly held credit cards. With errant Winston unemployed and therefore not paying child support, the whole burden of cash flow issues falls on frazzled Roz. As the crunch looms and slightly pretentious sister Petra makes it clear that she will not forgive Roz turning to their parents once again, her options are running out fast. After picking George up late from after school club, thereby accruing yet another fine, coming home to find the bailiffs have cleared out their home and an eviction notice is waiting, the last thing Roz fancies is an evening of convivial small talk at Petra’s fortieth birthday party. In the thrall of glamorous and wealthy married couple Nadine and Scott Elias, a fawning Petra makes several indiscreet mentions of Roz’s ex, her inability to find a suitable man and her all too precarious finances. Attentive Scott, a Ferrari owning CEO of an electronics firm catches Roz’s eye on several occasions but as a married man and with a raft of her own problems Roz thinks little of the encounter and she has decidedly more important things to think about than the impression she makes on Petra’s cronies. As Monday morning turns however, Roz is taken aback to find herself treating Scott and presented with a proposition.. one night, four thousand pounds and a no-strings agreement to potentially benefit both of them. Undoubtedly a moral dilemma but as the oldest trade of all and with financial renumeration provided it has the potential to be the answer to Roz’s problems. But, can things ever be that simple? In the world of psychological thrillers - not a chance!

From this one event things swiftly become more complicated for Roz as she finds herself caught up in a vicious circle and compromised in ways she never previously conceived. When someone else eavesdrops and wants in on her services and a potential romance looms, what began as a simple original agreement takes on a darker significance.. Just after the half way juncture the arrival of DS Joanne Aspinall and DS Ron Quigley from Kendal CID sends Roz’s fears escalating, however working out what they are after when Roz has her fingers in a significant number of pies is decidedly more tricky. Set in and around the clinic where Roz is based, the breathtaking backdrop of Cumbrian villages and Lake Windermere create a real ambience, especially with Roz’s genuine appreciation for her surroundings. I instantly warmed towards Roz who is a disarmingly natural, candid and self-effacing woman with none of the airs and graces of her sister, Petra, and as such it isn’t hard to envisage admirers being drawn to her, despite her readily admitting she is no more than rather ordinary in the looks department. As a parent Roz is placed in a particularly awkward situation when George’s behaviour at school takes a turn for the worse and the irony of her explanations about not simply running away and starting afresh is definitely not lost on her.

The depth of Daly’s own knowledge regarding the specifics of Roz’s work as a physiotherapist will certainly capture the readers imagination and furnishes the whole narrative in realistic territory, and the ins and outs of her job and its symbolism in light of the proposition are presented in a typically profound manner. Roz’s narration is filled with perceptive insights on how the assets she uses in her regular work (“bodies were my business”), roughly translates to the same requirements of her new forays into being a ‘lady of the night’ and she makes a highly convincing job of doing so (selling herself in an albeit more acceptable, but just as damaging way as she pummels solid muscle mass):

“... even though I was no longer self-employed, I was very much aware if I didn’t perform well as a clinician, if I didn’t give the patients exactly what they expected, I would be replaced. And so I gave my best physical self: performing back-breaking lifting and manoeuvring, bending over for extended periods, my thumbs losing their feeling from the unremitting pressure put through them. I gave my best emphatic self.... and I gave my best in merriment and entertainment...”

Whilst I do not think this is Paula Daly’s strongest effort with suspense pretty minimal, an increasing unlikely sequence of events in the second half and a mawkish denouement, it is a thought-provoking read with a cast of well-defined secondary characters and a well-meaning and genuinely caring protagonist in Roz Toovey. So, despite this novel descending into the realms of unlikely territory in the later stages it easily holds the attention and in the same manner that we cannot tear our eyes away from car-crash nightmares, Roz’s predicament and ensuing decisions will inevitably see the reader comparing with their own likely behaviour in such circumstances.

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Great concept. Roz is a single mother living in the Lake District. She is in horrible debt which leads her to make one cringe worthy decision after another, slowly leading to a cascade of worse and worse consequences. I won't say much more to avoid spoilers, but overall it makes for a good read -- if you enjoy the tension of watching a life gradually unravel before your eyes. Told in the first person, Roz is an engaging narrator -- frank and spunky. What kept this out of the 4 star category for me is that at times it felt like the flow of the story is a bit too random and disjointed -- it wasn't as tight as it could be given the clever concept -- and the end really held no surprises. But still a good quick read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I read “The Mistake I Made” yesterday as a buddy read alongside a few of my favourite blogging pals, we all enjoyed it thoroughly and had a great deal of fun on Twitter as we read – today though it’s time to turn my thoughts to an actual review of the book – which turned out to be typical Paula Daly brilliance.

The Mistake I Made is kind of Indecent Proposal in the Lake District with added dark humour and a propensity to make you giggle when perhaps you shouldn’t be – a deeply absorbing tale of a small group of individuals who between them manage to completely lose the plot.

Roz is a woman on the edge of financial disaster, attempting to bring up a child and recover from her marriage breakdown – when a rich and charming man offers her money in return for no strings attached sex. Unlike me who would probably have just said hell yes why not, Roz does pay lip service to perhaps turning him down, but ultimately realises she has run out of options. He’s a charming man and initially it seems like easy money. But “no strings” as we know rarely turns out that way, and a cascading series of events ends up threatening Roz’s life in unexpected ways.

It is SO addictive, seriously, I did actually read it in one sitting (apart from stopping every now and then to send a tweet) – so caught up was I in the lives of these characters and so desperate to know how it was all going to pan out. Paula Daly has an excellent eye for intricate character details and foibles, a way of describing their environment that puts you right on the spot and then a terrific inclination to mess with them utterly, giving them more and more hurdles to overcome. Fascinating, funny, a dark undertone, but always grounded in reality, any and all of this could absolutely happen. Hopefully not though. Mainly as I feel sorry for the fish.

The Lake District is a beautiful setting and the author brings it to life vividly and with grace – in a way that makes me really want to go and live there – oh if only. Although now we are on the 3rd novel I’m fairly sure I would view any and all of my neighbours with a good hint of suspicion, wondering what they were doing behind those closed doors…

Old friends return (all the novels are peripherally connected but each has a fully cohesive standalone story), there are twists and turns galore, a really engaging and captivating voice in Roz who you will sympathise with whilst also wanting to metaphorically clip her round the ear on occasion. Add to that an intricately woven narrative that will keep you fully immersed and one of Paula Daly’s trademark quirky and unusual solutions and you have a really really excellent reading experience.

Highly Recommended.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. If you're familiar with the film, Indecent Proposal with Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, and Robert Redford, you will certainly feel after reading the book synopsis that you know how this story is going to be done. What I was completely unaware of was the roller coaster ride of emotions that Paula Daly's story was going to invoke. Admittedly,I know I have preconceived notions about a variety of topics. But I like to approach each book I'm reading with the understanding that occasionally, an author will call upon me to reorganize my thoughts on certain issues. Hence why I try and expose myself to a variety of genres, writing styles, and authors. Nothing prepared me for how I was going to feel by the end of this book or the sinister bend the storyline would take. After all, aside from Robert Redford, what would ever lead any woman to agree to sleeping with someone for money?

Enter our main protagonist, Rosalind Toovey or "Roz." Roz is a hardworking single mom, whose asshat of a husband left her with a stack of bills that she just cannot seem to get ahead of. Although she doesn't feel up to it, Roz attends her sister's 40th birthday party. It's at this party that she first meets Nadine and Scott. A couple that are friends with Petra and her husband Vince. Although a spark ignites between the two, Roz would never fathom sleeping with a married man. After all, this was the cause of her marital separation. Why then would she ever do this to another woman? Why indeed?

Roz thinks nothing more of it until Scott arrives at her workplace and offers her a shocking proposal. One night together in exchange for a sum of money. Roz, horrified, refuses, but it continues to cross her mind. When Roz receives an eviction notice and her son, George, is accused of stealing, Roz finds herself reconsidering Scott's offer. Much to my horror, it's at this point I went from the prosecution to becoming Roz's defense lawyer. Points to Paula Daly!

I'll stop my summary of the story there, but suffice it to say that the text grows and the storyline gets darker. I just know that upon completing the reading, I wanted to hash this out with a group of readers. I think what was extremely well done was the impact of Roz's actions and the anger and sadness that is exhibited by the cast of characters. I found myself caught in the middle by the end of the story. It's messy, but a great conversation piece for any book people.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to the audiobook of What Kind of Mother Are You? and reading The Trophy Child, both of which left a memorably strong impression, I was keen for another page-turning read from Paula Daly. With a knack for throwing a cast of credibly flawed characters into a variety of awkward situations, Paula Daly’s witty, compassionate and loquacious style of prose draws the reader in. Effortlessly humorous and genuinely perceptive, reading this author’s novels is like sharing a bottle of wine with your best friend! Whilst the premise of a debt laden single mother being propositioned in the “Indecent Exposure” sense didn’t overly inspire me, after a sluggish but always engaging first half, The Mistake I Made, worked up a head of steam, albeit requiring a huge suspension of disbelief!

Roz Toovey is a physiotherapist and single mother caught up in an escalating spiral of debt, the large part of which was not her doing but that of her feckless but lovable ex-husband, Winston, and father to her nine-year-old son, George. Having lost just about everything, from a house to her own practice working self-employed, Roz is renting, very overemployed at a health clinic with a conveyor belt of patients and in debt to the tune of eighteen thousand pounds on jointly held credit cards. With errant Winston unemployed and therefore not paying child support, the whole burden of cash flow issues falls on frazzled Roz. As the crunch looms and slightly pretentious sister Petra makes it clear that she will not forgive Roz turning to their parents once again, her options are running out fast. After picking George up late from after school club, thereby accruing yet another fine, coming home to find the bailiffs have cleared out their home and an eviction notice is waiting, the last thing Roz fancies is an evening of convivial small talk at Petra’s fortieth birthday party. In the thrall of glamorous and wealthy married couple Nadine and Scott Elias, a fawning Petra makes several indiscreet mentions of Roz’s ex, her inability to find a suitable man and her all too precarious finances. Attentive Scott, a Ferrari owning CEO of an electronics firm catches Roz’s eye on several occasions but as a married man and with a raft of her own problems Roz thinks little of the encounter and she has decidedly more important things to think about than the impression she makes on Petra’s cronies. As Monday morning turns however, Roz is taken aback to find herself treating Scott and presented with a proposition.. one night, four thousand pounds and a no-strings agreement to potentially benefit both of them. Undoubtedly a moral dilemma but as the oldest trade of all and with financial renumeration provided it has the potential to be the answer to Roz’s problems. But, can things ever be that simple? In the world of psychological thrillers - not a chance!

From this one event things swiftly become more complicated for Roz as she finds herself caught up in a vicious circle and compromised in ways she never previously conceived. When someone else eavesdrops and wants in on her services and a potential romance looms, what began as a simple original agreement takes on a darker significance.. Just after the half way juncture the arrival of DS Joanne Aspinall and DS Ron Quigley from Kendal CID sends Roz’s fears escalating, however working out what they are after when Roz has her fingers in a significant number of pies is decidedly more tricky. Set in and around the clinic where Roz is based, the breathtaking backdrop of Cumbrian villages and Lake Windermere create a real ambience, especially with Roz’s genuine appreciation for her surroundings. I instantly warmed towards Roz who is a disarmingly natural, candid and self-effacing woman with none of the airs and graces of her sister, Petra, and as such it isn’t hard to envisage admirers being drawn to her, despite her readily admitting she is no more than rather ordinary in the looks department. As a parent Roz is placed in a particularly awkward situation when George’s behaviour at school takes a turn for the worse and the irony of her explanations about not simply running away and starting afresh is definitely not lost on her.

The depth of Daly’s own knowledge regarding the specifics of Roz’s work as a physiotherapist will certainly capture the readers imagination and furnishes the whole narrative in realistic territory, and the ins and outs of her job and its symbolism in light of the proposition are presented in a typically profound manner. Roz’s narration is filled with perceptive insights on how the assets she uses in her regular work (“bodies were my business”), roughly translates to the same requirements of her new forays into being a ‘lady of the night’ and she makes a highly convincing job of doing so (selling herself in an albeit more acceptable, but just as damaging way as she pummels solid muscle mass):

“... even though I was no longer self-employed, I was very much aware if I didn’t perform well as a clinician, if I didn’t give the patients exactly what they expected, I would be replaced. And so I gave my best physical self: performing back-breaking lifting and manoeuvring, bending over for extended periods, my thumbs losing their feeling from the unremitting pressure put through them. I gave my best emphatic self.... and I gave my best in merriment and entertainment...”

Whilst I do not think this is Paula Daly’s strongest effort with suspense pretty minimal, an increasing unlikely sequence of events in the second half and a mawkish denouement, it is a thought-provoking read with a cast of well-defined secondary characters and a well-meaning and genuinely caring protagonist in Roz Toovey. So, despite this novel descending into the realms of unlikely territory in the later stages it easily holds the attention and in the same manner that we cannot tear our eyes away from car-crash nightmares, Roz’s predicament and ensuing decisions will inevitably see the reader comparing with their own likely behaviour in such circumstances.

[Dana ****Reads Alot**** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Grove Atlantic,Paula Daly for letting me read this fantastic read.. I read it all in one sitting. I really felt for Roz and her situation as a single mother taking care of her son George, who seemed to be having issues acting out in his school.
Roz''s ex Winston sure left her in a bind financially, To have debt collectors come take your stuff and just being near eviction, I dont even know what I would do in her place. Even though she has a good job its not going to get her out of her predictament in a day.
Well Roz meets Scott Elias at her sisters for dinner (he was with his wife) the next day he propositioned her with an indecent proposal and she thought about it and accepted.
That was the start of all her issues and troubles. I really enjoyed this thriller and would highly recommend it .

Thank you Elyse my goodreads friend for telling me about this wonderful book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paula Daly's "The Mistake I Made" was marketed as a "thriller". Either I don't know what a thriller is, or Daly's publishers have taken some liberties with with word.

Main character Roz has been down on her luck for awhile. Her n'er do well husband left her and their son with a mound of debt, she's lost her business, and she's currently on the verge of being evicted from her rental. Seeing no other option, Roz compromises her principles and makes a decision that ends up causing a chain reaction of unintended consequences.

The story line is engaging and has entertainment value. I didn't know for sure exactly how it would all end up, and I also didn't know how we'd get there, so kudos to Daly for crafting an interesting tale. I definitely would not describe this book as "edge of your seat" or "suspenseful" though. I listened to the audio version of this book on my daily walk to work. The audio was well-done, and I suspect that I enjoyed the audio more than I would have enjoyed the text.

3 stars.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that fascinated me from the start. Physiotherapist Roz is a single mother to George and times are hard. Her business has failed and she is up to her eyeballs in debt, struggling to keep her head above water from one month’s end to the next. When local millionaire Scott Elias offers her a way to make some extra cash in this Indecent Proposal type storyline, she gives it serious consideration. She has to consider it, as this money could really make a difference, it would get her out of the deep financial hole she is in and if the arrangement between her and Scott is “business only” then surely, nobody is going to get hurt? I was gripped by the whole concept of the book, that of an ordinary woman driven to desperate measures to keep her head above water and provide for her son and as the story got slowly darker and darker, I could not put it down. As the repercussions from the arrangement start to become apparent I was totally hooked waiting to see how it would all end.

Roz is a very honest character and the whole story is told from her perspective, warts and all. She is just an ordinary likeable woman, very human and fallible, just like the rest of us and that really made me warm to her. Despite the road she treks in this book and all the mistakes she makes, I just could not help rooting for her and, probably because of how desperate she was at the start of the read, I found I could not condemn her for the actions she took. It would make a fantastic book club read as it is one that is bound to instigate some lively discussions. After all, if you were in that position, would you do it?

I started reading the story the night before I was due to come home from holiday and was amazed to find out that it was set not 10 miles away from where I was staying in the Lake District. I could identify so many places and visualise the setting so easily and my family are lucky that I started reading it at the end of the holiday and not the beginning or I am sure that I would have been dragging them round all the places mentioned.

This is a really good, gripping read that anybody reading it will be sure to have an opinion about and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the review copy.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and really enjoying this author's Open Your Eyes I decided to dive in again. Yes, your eyes are fine - that is indeed five stars from me. I know, I know, its not strictly speaking my kind of book but, damn it, it was just so darn good and I guess I was reacting to an overdose of mediocrity in recent times.

Roz Toovey is a single mum struggling to make ends meet. She is a physiotherapist and a darn good one. She used to have her own practice but the waste of space she married bled her dry, left her in debt and she lost her business and her home. Not one to moan she is renting a shitty flat and tries her hardest to make ends meet. When, however, her landlord threatens eviction for rent arrears she feels hopeless. An out of left field offer (think Indecent Proposal) that she would normally not countenance looks like a lifesaver at the time. A rich man she meets through her sister offers her a decent whack for money for one night of sex. How bad can it be?

Unfortunately Roz soon finds out just how bad it can be as it all spirals out of control and she risks losing everything (that she hasn't already lost). Why I loved this story is that Roz was so relatable. It could have been me or you (if you are a woman that is, OK maybe a man could be propositioned this way as well I shouldn't be sexist). She is strong, resilient, warm and funny and loves her job and her family. There is no whining, no boring circular introspection, no guilt (well not much). She just gets on with it and tries to make the best of an increasingly bad situation. Therefore this book seemed so realistic which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. It was also written, dare I say it, perfectly in that the pacing, the revelations and shocks were just right. What could have been a boring old re-hash of a domestic non-thriller instead became a riveting, page-turning story that many of us could relate to (in theory at least). It actually gripped me from start to finish.

[Jülie ☼♄  · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I was held interested throughout, I thought this book dragged on a bit for the first half and I was never quite sure where it was heading.
So by the time I had reached the 61% mark I was relieved that things had started to pick up pace and the story was getting intriguing.
Still I was a bit miffed that it had taken that long to get to the really exciting bits but also glad as it was in fact getting quite exciting by then.

Overall I found it to be an intriguing story with lots going on.
I do think the author might have got a bit overwhelmed at times with so many irons in the fire at once by the time it really got going, and I thought some areas could have been explored in a bit more detail to add to the suspense, whereas others tended to get a bit bogged down and drawn out with too much unecessary detail, making some parts finish abruptly while other parts tended to drag on.

I did like the well thought out and complicated plot which showed how easily one bad decision made in desperate and extenuating circumstances can quickly spiral into many associated consequences with potentially calamitous effects.

Having said all that, it did keep me interested and I thought it was a very well thought out plot with loads of scope.
I will read more from this author.

3.5★s

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy to read and review.

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read! for the first few chapters i grapple with how the author took the storyline,it was then that i notice that i have to keep on reading the plot because only then would i understand really what the book was all about..a single penniless mom who choose to do it all by herself..with lots of debts,selfish ex-cheating husband that did nothing for her..left her in debt..and now came an offer out of the blue which she never thinks twice about and it's every women's worst nightmare(being played and used by rich-MEN)..she took advantage of and got caught up in this thriller/mystery...the writing was well but the ending meh.. recommend to all

[Malia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mistake I Made questions what you might be capable of if circumstances became desperate. Paula Daly has a talent for placing seemingly ordinary people in very challenging situations, and I thought Roz was a really well developed, believable character. The book is clever and fast paced, and though it's my third by this author, I think it is my favorite. Recommended for fans of domestic suspense and clever mysteries!

Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychological Thrillers / Domestic Thrillers
Publication date : ‎ September 15, 2015

Single mother Roz has reached her breaking-point and is forced to do things she never thought herself capable of. She's about to find out that things can get more messier than they were before...

This story has been on my TBR list for some time but I haven't wanted to read it because there are some morally wrong dilemmas Sleeping with a stranger. Who's married. For money. Yikes!!!

The story captured me from the beginning. Reading it made me feel like I am watching a train wreck I simply cannot stop. Roz was easy to symphatize with but at times she was exhausting and got on my nerves She complained her ex put her in debt, yet, she herself let down her parents with her failed business (her parents lost their savings, were forced to move). Keeping on joint account is screaming for trouble. Or her stealing from her work, then whining that George is stealing. When she got the money, she was again spending it. Naturally all work out in the end of the book. But if it hadn't been for that additional sum of money for her sexual services, then what?
Neverless it was interesting to see how Rozz will wiggle out of the mess and find her way again.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roz is a single Mum, trying to juggle her busy job as a Physiotherapist and bringing up her 9 year old son. Her ex has left her with huge debts to pay off and refuses to pay child support even though she has lost her business and home and is in danger of being evicted from her rented house. When handsome, married businessman, Scott Elias offers to pay her a lot of money to spend a single night with him she finds the offer too good to refuse and thus starts a sequence of events that gets more and more out of control ending in tragedy.

Roz is the narrator throughout the book which gives us insight into her character and the choices she makes. She is a normal, likeable Mum, not perfect but could be any ordinary woman making bad decisions and covering up with little lies when pushed to the brink. There is a sprinkle of humour throughout the book and Roz's interactions with her patients are often amusing. Overall, a compelling page turner which kept you guessing until the end.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book to read and review.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars--I liked the book. (But 5 stars for the audiobook reader; she was excellent.)

A better title for this book might be "All the Mistakes I Made" or "The Mistake After Mistake After Mistake I Made," because Roz, the protagonist of this book, sure makes some doozies. (A minor example: She's buried in debt and her furnishings are repossessed, so she buys new ones by applying for new credit cards. OMG why would you compound your financial problems like that?!) Despite being dumb and flawed, Roz is charming, so I couldn't totally dislike her. And she does grow, too.

This book is completely unrealistic and melodramatic, but I quite liked it anyway.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really a thought provoking read, much like the movie Indecent Proposal many years ago. Single mother Roz's marriage is over, her business is no longer viable, she is in major debt and has her nine year old son to support.
Then Roz receives an eviction notice and from here the story picks up pace. Roz meets Elias, an extremely wealthy man and Elias is extremely interested in Roz. He offers Roz money to spend the night with him. I can remember having a discussion about this with girlfriends once and the question arises, would you sleep with a stranger for money? morally is this an issue for you personally or not? These are the questions and many others that Roz will have to find answers for, to see what she decides to do you will need to read the book. Highly recommended.

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roz is completely broke and drowning in debt thanks to her ex husband, Winston. When she goes to a small get together her sister hosts she meets a married couple, Nadine and Scott. Scott tries to get close to Roz, but Roz turns him down. Scott then shows up to her work and offers a lot of money to sleep with her. This then results in Roz sleeping with Scott a number of times in exchange for money, and then blackmailed by her boss Wayne, who tells her to sleep with him or he will tell everyone that she has been stealing money from their workplace. Wayne assaults Roz, and then goes missing. I can't say much more than that without giving the spoilers and twists away!

I LOVED reading this book! It was so easy to read, keeping me gripped with every page! Roz is really easy to feel sympathy for, because paths in life can change so easily - who can say what they would do if they were completely broke, had a young son and were going to lose their home.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I really wanted to love this book but I struggled from the beginning.
Like any good recipe, it had all the right ingredients to really be a hit, but something was missing or not prepared properly because it just didn't deliver.
There were moments where I felt it was picking up steam, but then like a popped balloon it just fell flat again.
What did keep me reading was the premise of the storyline and I wanted to see how it was all going to end.
Was hoping for more from this book but was disappointed.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A special thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

S C A N D A L O U S!

Top 50 Books of 2015 "Best Domestic Indecent Proposal Suspense --Cover Love."

Paula Daly delivers an enthralling domestic psychological suspense page-turner, THE MISTAKE I MADE -- a gripping 5 stars+.

Was utterly delighted when I scored an early reading copy- "Christmas Comes Early,” with a stunning front cover, drawing you into the temptation. Anytime I see the name, “Paula Daly” my eyes light up, anxiously awaiting her next addictive suspense masterpiece. One of my favorite authors, she delivers creativity, top shelf quality, wit, and intensity.

In her third electrifying domestic thriller, Daly takes us into the home of single mother, Roz Toovey. Roz is a hard-working single mom, struggling to keep her professional and home life balanced. She has all sorts of financial issues; a failing business, a mountain of debt, and a no-good cheating ex-husband, Winston— of little support, or assistance with their nine-year-old son, George.

Winston is like a little kid himself, a grown man with no responsibility, living with his mother, bouncing from one woman to another. Poor George loves his mom and just wants to fit in at school. He knows they need money, and your heart goes out to him, while sympathizing with the mother.

Roz, formerly a self-employed physiotherapist in England’s Lake District. When there was no more money left, she found herself at a chain on clinics, working fifty hours a week, cooped up in an airless cubicle with a production line of patients. Of course, the fruits of her labors go straight into someone else’s pocket and at the mercy of a practice manager, named Wayne. She is always rushing every day to get to the ferry, balancing her clients, with continuous calls from the school--parenting, financial, and work stress has reached its limits.

Roz is being evicted, has lost her furniture, her pride, her business, and has borrowed all the money she can from her sister. She is DESPERATE. George has issues at school, and they need money in order for food and survival. She has no clue what she will do.

When she attends her sister’s birthday party, her sister’s best friend and husband is in attendance. Scott Elias is wealthy, powerful, and married. However, the conversation turns to a subject which leads Scott to believe, she is liberal and open-minded. Could Roz be open to being his mistress? He can pay for her services. Appears to be simple. What could go wrong?

Scott shows up at her office the next day and makes a proposition. He wants one night with her. He will pay her. She can get out of debt. No strings. There is NO way she can even consider this. Or can she? Why would someone be interested in her? She does not even date?

Could this be a simple business transaction? Clean and clear-cut? Nothing is as simple as it seems. She does not see herself as sexy or a package any man would want. However, when George gets caught stealing at school, she knows she has to do something.

What comes next is a series of complex events which spirals out of control. How in the heck can this be happening? What has she gotten herself into? How does Wayne (creep) fit into the equation?

Blackmail, murder, conspiracy, illegal activities, fraud, an investigation, a stalker? A devil in disguise? What if her sister finds out about her new little side job? Little does she know, she may put her own son and herself in harm’s way?

Loved, loved this psycho-suspense! Would love to see this one played out, on the big screen--can only imagine the cast of characters. As a single mom, sympathize with Roz, as most of us have been there, trying to raise our children, and circumstances making it difficult. Desperate times call for desperate measures. At what cost?

The twists and turns are heart-pounding with head spinning action. Fans will love the revisit with DC Joanne Aspinall (from previous books). She was the perfect tenacious advocate for Roz, in order to assist her, out of this mess.

What really adds to the intensity, is the insurance guy, Henry with his background and connections--brilliant; keeping you on the edge-of-your seat to see how his character will play into the complicated saga. Loved the ending, which will leave you smiling.

Once again, Daly exceeds all expectations with an “Indecent Proposal-like” addictive domestic drama. If you have not read Daly’s previous books, highly recommend.

Keep Your Friends Close
Just What Kind of Mother Are You

JDCMustReadBooks

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve loved both of Paula Daly’s previous books, What Kind of Mother Are You and Keep Your Friends Close and have been eagerly awaiting the publication of this third one.

In The Mistake I Made the main character is Roz. She is separated from her husband Winston (a waste of space as a husband, but with a certain charm about him) and lives alone with their young son, getting by on a hand to mouth existence. She has a job as a physiotherapist but after paying the bills and the debt that Winston left her with, she cannot meet all her payments and reaches her lowest point when the bailiffs are called in and she faces eviction. When her path crosses with rich and handsome Scott Elias, he makes her a proposition which is so hard to resist. Although Roz struggles with the morality of the situation, his proposition could be the answer to her financial worries – just once, and she could start to clear some debts and give herself some breathing space. However nothing can be that straightforward and Roz unwittingly finds herself caught up in the consequences.

Paula Daly has a talent for taking an ordinary person and placing them in desperate situations where they have to make a decision, for good or bad, quite often without realising what the consequences could be. Sometimes they seem naive or reckless and you want to shake some sense into them but you still have to ask yourself ‘what would I have done’? Her characters are suitably flawed and realistic - and some are just downright twisted but her stories are written with compassion and humour. I think her wit is her trademark throughout all her novels – no matter how twisty the story gets, there is always some relief from the tension.

This story is again set in the beautiful Lake District, not only is the landscape vividly described but the author’s first-hand knowledge of physiotherapy adds an interesting and authentic element.

This was such an addictive and suspenseful story that I sat up until the early hours of the morning to finish it, I just couldn’t put it down. Although all three books are standalones, it was great to see a familiar character return, albeit having a slightly smaller role this time.

Three books in and Paula Daly is most definitely a favourite author whose books I always look forward to.

My copy was received from the publisher via Netgalley

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on [Between My Lines]I love that this book tackles ethics and some big questions straight on!  It’s a book just made for discussion and if you are in a book club, then you need to get this one on your reading list.


First Line of The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly:

“Bodies were my business.”

My Thoughts on The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly:
I thoroughly enjoyed squirming my way through this one.  The theme is dark and disturbing and it digs deep into the seedier side of life.  Roz is a struggling single mother.  Despite having a good career as a physiotherapist, she is finding it impossible to make ends meet as she has accumulated huge debts in the past, thanks mostly to her ex-husband.  So when she is gets a proposition along the lines of Indecent Proposal from one of her clients, she finds herself seriously considering it.

This is a book that everyone will have their own thoughts about and mine run along the lines of NO WAY, NO HOW!  But I can see why Roz considers it.  I did find it annoying that she didn’t explore other avenues (like approach family) but that is explained in part in the book.  But not fully, I still think she should have been honest about just how bad her financial circumstances were.  Still I understood her motivation.

But Scott (the married man who was offering to pay), I hated him!  His excuse was paltry.  He wanted real intimacy with a real woman.  But when you add money in, that equation just doesn’t work.

What I really enjoyed about the book was that unexpected events cropped up and it’s not a predictable read.  I definitely didn’t love the characters but I fully appreciated how complex they were and I know when I love to hate a character that is a good sign for how developed they are.

The only downside for me was that while it started out very realistic and relatable, it then went the other extreme and got a little too melodramatic.

Overall though this is a quick, entertaining read because when everything starts spiralling out of control, it becomes impossible to put down.  Thumbs up and I definitely want to read more by Paula Daly as I really enjoyed how she set the scene and built interesting characters.

 



 
Who should read The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly?
I’d recommend this to fans of domestic psychological thrillers who like moral ethics themes.  Fans of Samantha Hayes, Sinead Crowley and C L Taylor should also enjoy this one.  If you don’t like reading about adultery and betrayal, then this is not the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 / 5
Değişik konulu acayip bir kitaptı. Kimi zaman bu ne biçim kitap dedim, kimi zaman sonraki sayfayı sabırsızlıkla çevirdim. Ama klişe bir kurgu ve karakterler olmadığı kesindi. Bir de keşke gereksiz laf kalabalıkları ve özellikle fizyoterapi ile ilgili haddinden fazla detaylı anlatımlar olmasaydı. Belki o zaman daha çok severdim kitabı 🤔