Losing Juliet

by June Taylor

You can’t escape the past…

Juliet and Chrissy were best friends until one fateful summer forced them apart. Now, nearly twenty years later, Juliet wants to be back in Chrissy’s life.

But Chrissy doesn’t want Juliet anywhere near her, or her teenage daughter Eloise. After all, Juliet is the only person who knows what happened that night – and her return threatens to destroy the life that Chrissy has so carefully built.

Because when the past is reawakened, it can prove difficult to bury. And soon all three of them will realize how dangerous it can get once the truth is out there…

Genres: Fiction

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2016

About the author

June Taylor writes mainly psychological thrillers and YA fiction, as well as plays. In 2011 she almost won the Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition. The only proof of this is a back-pocket cutting from the Times that she showed to her mum!
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She studied French, followed by an MA in Scriptwriting. She has done many jobs from TV promos producer to EFL and French club teacher, as well as volunteer work with Childline and the Refugee Council.
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June is on the Board of Script Yorkshire and a big supporter of Leeds Big Bookend. She lives in Leeds and loves to travel to new places.

Reviews

[Nicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

From reading other reviews of this book I know I am in the minority here but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would after reading the synopsis.I felt no connection to any of the three women Chrissy,Juliet and Eloise.Once Juliet explained her plans for what she and Chrissy were going to be doing during the ill faited trip to France it wasn't hard to work out what was going to happen.There was drawn out descriptions of the scenery in France and Italy that made the book come across as more like a tourist guide than a thriller.There was also sentences in French and Italian that I couldn't read so I had no idea what that character was saying.I know that comes across as me just being picky but when I read a book I like to understand what the characters are saying too each other.

The story is told in the third person and flips back and forth between 1989 and 2007.The chapters set in 2007 are about what happens once Juliete gets in touch with Chrissy and tries to rekindle their broken friendship something that Chrissy is not in the least bit interested in.Chrissy has a teenage daughter called Eloise who cannot understand why Chrissy does not want anything to do with her glamorous best friend and makes it her mission to find out why.After a lot of pressure and nagging from Eloise, Chrissy starts to open up and tell her daughter about the events of 1989,how she met Juliet at University,how they became friends and events during and after their working holiday in France.

There were some elements of the story that I did find intreguing,why was Chrissy so insistent about not wanting anything to do with Juliete and why had Juliete suddenly got in touch after so many years had passed?.There was some interesting twists and reveals in the final quarter of the book including a shocking final twist which is why I have given the book two stars.As I said the synopsis made this sound like my sort of book but unfortunately I am going to have to add it to my list of books in 2016 that could have been better.

Many thanks to Harper Collins UK,Killer reads for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Losing Juliet rated three stars but the plot deserves four. I had to stay with it to the very end, even though at half way two principal twists had become apparent. But I wanted to know how daughter Eloise would react to finding out. The second half, however, is very tedious. In mediaeval literature there was a trope called digressio, techniques authors used to stretch out the story. Here it was the descriptions of visiting Rome and Tuscany, & whilst they brought back some wonderful old memories of my 1st visit to Italy as an undergraduate in the summer of '60, much of it was sheer padding that read like travel writing from the kind of magazines you find in the seat-back pouch on passenger aircraft. There was also an unforeseeable twist that relied on a most unlikely coincidence, tho' once it occurred it was easy to anticipate how it would affect Eloise. So artistically a two-star verdict is more than generous.

Of the characters, I quite liked Juliet, who had an appealing insouciance for me, tho' she most surely was the kind of travel companion who will get you into trouble. Chrissy seemed insufferable, tho' the more we learn of her backstory the more slack we cut her. Had we been through what she has, we'd probably have a bad case of PTSD too. I did not believe, tho', in how it was narrated, as she reveals the full story to her daughter only slowly in little bits & pieces. That's not how it generally works in real life; we can feel the author doling out her material slowly to make it last. Usually if we decide to tell our secret, we do it in one go to get it over with as painlessly as possible, even if we try to mitigate our guilt with half-truths, lies, and evasions. We encounter these from Chrissy as well, but in an intolerably extended trickle. So if you're looking for something to read on the plane & forget, I can recommend this book. But I doubt it can add anything to making your life better, unless you're planning to visit Rome for the 1st time, in which case it has good sightseeing advice.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book description up on Amazon, I knew I HAD to read it. As a fan of psychological thrillers featuring strong women characters and the relationships they have formed, I thought that Losing Juliet sounded just my cup of tea so settled down to lose myself in its twisty tale of lost friendships and divided loyalties.

I have to start by saying I loved the format of how the story passed from present to past. Chrissy is forced to reminisce about her friendship with Juliet, an old friend from university who has made contact with her daughter, Eloise. Eloise doesn’t understand why her mother seems so shell shocked by the communication and the offer of a renewed friendship. What happened to those two young women to ruin such a close relationship between them?

Losing Juliet is a slow burner which means it takes its time to build up the suspense and tension to whatever it was that destroyed the trust between Chrissy and Juliet. Chrissy is obviously hiding secrets in her past from Eloise but why doesn’t she want Juliet back in her life? Eloise, with the optimism and tunnel vision of her youth is seduced by Juliet’s glamour and status, ultimately forcing a reunion that Chrissy doesn’t want.

The first part of the book was probably my favourite as we are introduced to the characters and are drip fed the background information of how the girls meet at university. The atmosphere was full of tension between everyone and I found myself not sure who I liked or believed as Chrissy seemed to be that old favourite-the unreliable narrator. She was nervous and guarded, living a quiet and unassuming life as opposed to the openness and vitality of Juliet. But by the time we reach part two and the action moves to Italy the pace started to quicken as it built up to a shocking denouement.

June Taylor has a wonderfully self assured style of writing that spins a twisty tale into a page turning living nightmare. She stirs the pot of shadows from the past and then sits back to watch how the fallout affects both the characters and us, as the reader. And the ending was as unexpected  as it was shocking. Losing Juliet is well worth a look if you’re after a slowly developed, creepy psychological suspense to give you goosebumps and I’m certainly going to keep an eye out for any future books by June Taylor.

[Katherine Sunderland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chrissy and Juliet meet at University. Chrissy was sensible, shy and hardworking. Juliet was extrovert, confident and a risk taker. She was bold and a bit reckless. Initially seeking Chrissy out as someone who can help her with her essays, the two then become friends. Chrissy is swept away in the new world of parties, boys and alcohol. The girls take a last minute holiday to France but when they return, they go their separate ways.

Why has Chrissy spent the last twenty years trying to stay away from Juliet? Why has Chrissy not told her daughter about Juliet? Why does she react so badly when Juliet makes contact out of the blue? Why is so frightened of her daughter taking risks?

It's easy to relate to a friendship which forms itself a little too quickly, which is perhaps a little one-sided or where one person has more influence than the other; where two very different people bring out different qualities in each other and then sadly, when someone suddenly calls time on a friendship and cuts that person out of their life. I think this is what will stir any readers' interest in June Taylor's story. That alongside the idea of someone turning up from your past - the one person who knows the one thing you have been trying to hide all these years. It's a great premise.

The reader finds themselves asking questions all the way through the novel, trying to work out which of the women they can trust or rely on for the truth. Are either of them reliable? Are either of them likeable? Who do we feel sympathy for?

Both the characters are fallible and both are flawed. Although we are led to feel more sympathy towards Chrissy, this is sometimes tricky to maintain. It is hard to understand her motivation and behaviour, her fears and obsessions -and it's not until right at the end of the story that the reader can fully understand her character.

As well as Chrissy and Juliet, we have the character of Eloise, Chrissy's daughter. She is perplexed by her mother's reaction towards Juliet. Juliet is exotic, attractive, generous and there seems to be no reason for her mum to refuse to have anything to do with her. But then there are clues sprinkled across the pages that indicate perhaps Juliet isn't as up front as she claims. She knows a little too much about them as they live now, about Eloise, about their routine. She seems to undermine Chrissy and the fact that Eloise begins to lie to her mother in order to meet Juliet immediately increases the tension and suspense.

However I also liked that Eloise feels quite burdened by her mother. At the age of 11 her father made her promise that she would always look after her and never leave her on her own. This is a lot of responsibility for her and does affect the relationship between the women as the novel - and Chrissy's past- unravels.

I really liked the way the story was revealed. Although you can begin to guess what might have happened in France twenty years ago there are a few red herrings along the way and a few further twists in the very last chapters to keep you on your toes. I like it when an author makes you think they have told you everything and then catch you out with a last minute twist. Even when I had kind of guessed what might be coming, I was still keen to read on and still took a sharp intake of breath at the final revelation.

Taylor's writing is well paced and some of the scenes are very well captured. She creates an atmosphere of fear and tension very effectively and when we learn more of Juliet and Chrissy's past, there is a real sense of panic.

Taylor also uses the idea of questions effectively. One character says you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions, but then, what happens when you do? When do the questions stop and what are the answers that you then have to hear?

There is a lot about promises, responsibility, motivations and friendship in this novel. I enjoyed the themes explored by Taylor. I enjoyed the questions she asks about what it means to put someone first, what it means to promise to look after someone always and what it means when you say you would have done the same for them as they did for you. Are these promises just words? Would they really have done the same for each other? Any how do you forgive yourself for those decisions you made in your past?

Secrets also play a large part. Juliet has secrets, and she is secretive about why she has reappeared. She keeps secrets from Chrissy and Eloise even once they have begun to spend time together again. Eloise keeps secrets from her mother. She keeps her visits to Juliet secret. And Chrissy has the biggest secrets of all. Secrets that threaten to destroy the one thing she has been trying to protect for nearly twenty years.

I thought Taylor explored the dynamics between the main characters with conviction and there was certainly enough intrigue, drama and human interest to keep me reading. This is a story that will resonate with many women. Writing a story which is based around friendships, misjudged decisions, finding yourself out of depth, a desperate need to forget and run away from the past are always going to be appealing. Taylor's story has believable characters, a relatable storyline and a good sense of pace, drama and suspense. A satisfying read with some slightly predictable but still enjoyably shocking twists!

Losing Juliet is published on November 25th 2016.

[Donna Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping read from start to finish. A story of friends, mothers, daughters, of love, loss, tragedy and how the past catches up especially when helped on its way. The story unfolds through the eyes of Eloise, who cannot understand why her mother, Chrissy does not want anything to do with her oldest friend, Juliet, who is trying to get in touch after a number of years.
Eloise is drawn into the apparent glamour of Juliet's world accepting her invitations to stay against her mothers wishes. Chrissy has always been very protective of Eloise, especially after the death of her adored father, Dan but gradually she is forced to reveal what happened that fateful summer in France when she and Juliet were students. This is cleverly done in a number of episodes, interspersed with Eloise's contact with Juliet so that as the book goes on , and as more is revealed and the plot twists and turns, we don't know who to believe.
The last part of this book had me almost breathless with its fast twists and turns and finally we find out the meaning of the message left by her father.
This book was really well written and plotted and the characters well drawn. It is also quite disturbing. Five stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)

Actual rating - 3.25

There were a few times in this where it felt a bit slow, and there were one or two parts that I found quite predictable, but despite that, it managed to keep my interest okay.

It didn't turn out to be a book that I loved, but it was an okay read overall.

[Andrew Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed everything about this book, which is told in segments past and present. I found myself wanting to spend more time in the past though - and I worked out why that was about three-quarters of the way through it. Each time we were in the present story one of the characters was incredibly rude to the other - constantly. It wore me down that a discussion about their broken relationship was never properly nailed down, and it became a little irritating that we'd hop from one scene to the next without any signs of resolution. But, that said, I enjoyed the book very much, and all the characters were great company.

[Joyce Wilby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cleverly crafted book and if you like slow-burn thrillers that really get inside characters heads - and yours! - then you will love this. The narrative alternates between the mother and daughter's perspective and there is a drip feed of information which allows the reader to piece things together slowly. It's disturbing and stays with you long after you've finished it, which is the sign of a great book. Strongly recommend.

[Lesley Petty · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a load of tosh. 2 hours I will never get back

[Kim Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this psychological thriller about Juliet and Chrissy who were best friends in college until an incident that draw them apart. Now 20 years later Juliet wants to be part of Chrissy’s life again. Chrissy's instinct is to keep away but after Juliet befriends Chrissy's daughter, they reunite. Alternating between past and present, we learn of their friendship in the late 80s to the present with Juliet's reappearance into Chrissy's life.
This is an engaging story taking place in London and Rome that is well written with an unexpected, shocking ending.

[Juliet Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliet and Chrissy were best friends at Bristol University in 1989. Juliet was glamorous, popular, fun and care free and from a rich family, the opposite to Chrissy. Chrissy is drawn into Juliet's world until a holiday in the summer of 1989, they have to go their separate ways and have no contact.
Nearly twenty years later Juliet contacts Chrissy and wants to be part of her life again. Chrissy's instinct is to keep Juliet away from her and her daughter Eloise. Only Juliet knows what happened in France that summer, and her return could jeopardise Chrissy's relationship with her daughter and ultimately destroy her life. Bringing the past into the present puts all three women in danger, and could ruin their lives forever; can they survive the consequences of their actions?

This is a well written and engaging book. From the dramatic prologue until the last page the reader is gripped by Juliet and Chrissy's story. The plot follows their relationship whilst at University in 1989 and in the present with Juliet's emergence into Chrissy's life. We see the juxtaposition of their close friendship at University to the present, where Chrissy resents Juliet's return and doesnt want her in her life. Chrissy is a very haunted, distrusting figure, scarred by her actions in 1989. This manifests itself in her overprotecting of her daughter Eloise, her lack of friends and the security of her home. Juliet is the complete opposite; she is glamorous, lives between London and Rome, is full of confidence and runs her own fashion house. Chrissy resents that she has just been able to continue her life with no obvious effect of the past. Eloise sees Juliet as an escape, she has so much to offer and if Juliet and Chrissy can reconcile Eloise can go away to University with out feeling guilty of leaving her mother alone. These relationships demonstrate how one action is like a pebble in a lake, where the ripples go beyond just those who were there at the time. This book takes us from Manchester to London to France and to Rome, bringing their delights into our lives, with the descriptive quality of the writing.
This is a thriller that has many twists and turns, just when you think you know the what happened in the summer of 1989 the plot takes you in another direction. This is a well thought out psychological thriller, full of detail and atmosphere, and it is will shock you with its twist.

[Tanya Farrelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

At university, Chrissy, somewhat against her better judgement, forms an unlikely friendship with wild, wilful Juliet. In the summer of 1989, the girls take a trip to Europe - a trip that will change both of their lives irrevocably. This is a story of friendship and of how it goes awry. The reasons are drip-fed in alternating chapters - moving back and forth between 2007 and 1989 as Chrissy relays the story to her nineteen year old daughter, Eloise. Taylor's debut is beautifully written with wonderful narrative detail. Her characters, particularly Juliet, are very engaging. The dialogue too reads very naturally. An impressive debut. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely top read. Gripping, page turner. Called a 'slow burn' but had me enthralled from page 1 to the end. Great for anyone into psychological thrillers.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a boring book with characters a reader could do without in my opinion.
Chrissy and Juliet were supposedly best friends in university, goodness knows why as they never really seemed to 'gel' in the story and had nothing in common. Then something happened and they lost touch for 20 years until Juliet found Chrissy again.
Chrissy is as miserable as can be has no personality and no friends. Chrissy's daughter Eloise is like a fill in character just there to link Chrissy and Juliet together plus Eloise is a tad relevant to the plot in the end.
Juliet comes back into Chrissy's life and then the rest of the book is basically Juliet trying to lick Chrissy's backside and Chrissy kicking Juliet to the kerb at every opportunity. Enjoyable or what??
The plot once it was revealed was actually a good one but by then with these characters I had lost interest. I am so so glad to be finished with this one. I gave 2 stars for the plot. I could not recommend this in any way.

[Lea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utterly predictable. It was a chore to finish.

[teresa allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible, skimmed to read predictable finish

[Tracy Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had such good premise. Could have been amazing but felt drawn out with an ending you could see two miles off, strangely with loose ends. I hate when authors emit detail that should be included to keep you guessing when actually a good story doesn’t even make you think of it. You’ll read through to the end but it’s a marmite read

[Lewis King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid thriller and drama

Was hooked by this first off, especially with the flashback format kept you reading. It slows down somewhat at the start of part 2 but picks up the pace right near the end with some well developed tension and both expected and unexpected twists. A good solid read!

[Sarah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a brilliant and engaging book. I loved the characters and the slow-burn twists and turns. The settings are wonderfully described and I found myself fully immersed in them. All the characters are wonderfully flawed. I shall be watching out for this author ...

[Derith Rolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting

This is a good read. I had to finish it and read on until I had done so. Lots of emotion going o. Here but the underlying theme is love. Love and the actions taken in the name of love.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant twists

I loved the story but didn't give it 5 as I really couldn't like Chrissie I found her an unlikable person so this in turn stopped the story reaching my heart strings enough to want things to work out for her, in my opinion the wrong friend lived.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read, Find it totally unbelievable that it would take so long for Chrissie and Eloise to finish the story she was telling, once she had finally started ! It made the book a bit disjointed. However, the story was finally told, and it wasnt the biggest shock in the world either !

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juliet and Chrissy were friends until events during one summer tore them apart. This was one I read a few weeks ago and wish I had got to it sooner. Decent read and interesting enough to keep me guessing. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review,

[sally whitfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page turner

This was well written with very good characters, I certainly didn't see the ending coming. Quite a sad story but well worth a read.

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

Great story line. Characters very believable. Editing very well done. Would like to read more from this author. The end

[DAVID ALSPECTOR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

This one is nice and twisty, just like a good book should be. Definitely will have to look into more of her books

[Joanne Cheek · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author ought to stick to her YA novels, as Losing Juliet was a childish, boring read. DNF

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing Juliette's by June Taylor.
You can’t escape the past…
Juliet and Chrissy were best friends until one fateful summer forced them apart. Now, nearly twenty years later, Juliet wants to be back in Chrissy’s life.
But Chrissy doesn’t want Juliet anywhere near her, or her teenage daughter Eloise. After all, Juliet is the only person who knows what happened that night – and her return threatens to destroy the life that Chrissy has so carefully built.
Because when the past is reawakened, it can prove difficult to bury. And soon all three of them will realize how dangerous it can get once the truth is out there…
Fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved the story. Lots of emotions reading this book. Wow. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

[Terry Medford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found losing Juliet quite by accident. Whilst browsing twitter I happened upon a tweet from whom I dont remember. The tweet told me to forget my TBR pile and put Losing Juliet to the top. As I believe everything I read on twitter I had no choice. I had to do as I was being told by a faceless 140 character paragraph on the internet.

The book is told in alternating chapters through the eyes of Chrissy, who is reluctantly explaining to her daughter Eloise why she no longer speaks to her one time best friend Juliet. This comes about after Juliet, who is now a worldwide fashion designer, finds Chrissy and wants to rekindle their friendship. So we are taken back to France 1989 with the two of them working their way their summer break.

The second part of the book takes part in Italy where Chrissy, Juliet and Eloise are staying at a luxury getaway. This is where plans come to a head. Truth and lies are exposed until a quite fantastic last 20%, which left me on a few occasions breathless, quite literally.I hold my breath when im reading tense parts of a story. There are a few twists and I just didn't see the first one. It was marvelous. The kind that made me turn off my kindle to take it all in. My only tiny criticism of the book is the start of the second part felt like a tourist guide to Italy but that's me being extra picky. I loved this book and felt so so sorry for Chrissy. I have read some fantastic books this year and without doubt losing Juliet is in my top 10. Loved it.

[Angela Mellor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank netgalley and harpercollins for this ARC I received in return for an honest review.
Wow what a book!! From the start this is a tense read building up the more you read.
The book alternates between 1989and 2007 from Chrissys point of view. In the late nineties chrissie is at uni and meets Juliet and become the best of friends, deciding to go to France for summer. So the chapters from the nineties are told by chrissie as they happen and the chapters from 2007 are told from chrissie but to her daughter, Elouise who has just met Juliet and wants to know why their friendship was severed years ago with no contact. As the story evolves it builds up suspense and I found it hard to put it down. The writing style was easy to follow with good character descriptions and they were also believable and by the end I felt so sorry for what Chrissy had had to live with over the years once the secret was revealed to Eloise.
This book had a good plot that kept you guessing all the way through and only at the end do you find out the whole truth.
I haven't read anything by June Taylor before but will definately be reading more as this was a great read to end the year with.