Gracie's Secret

by Jill Childs

My dearest daughter, I will never forget the day I nearly lost you. The day you learned the secrets that would tear our lives apart…

Time stops for Jen when her beloved daughter, Gracie, is involved in a terrible car crash. Pronounced dead at the scene, it's a miracle when paramedics manage to then resuscitate the little girl.

The relief Jen feels at Gracie's recovery is matched only by her fury at the driver of the car - her ex-husband's new girlfriend Ella. Jen has never trusted Ella, and now her worst fears have been confirmed.

But then Gracie begins to tell strange stories about what she heard in the car that day, and what she saw in those moments near death. It's clear that there's something shocking hidden in Ella's past… but exposing it could tear all their lives apart.

An emotional page-turner that will take your breath away. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Wingate and Kerry Fisher.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Book Club, Mystery

306 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2018

About the author

Jill has always loved stories - real and imaginary. She's spent 30 years travelling the world as a journalist, living overseas and reporting wherever the news took her. She's now made her home in London with her husband and twin girls who love stories as much as she does.

Although she's covered everything from earthquakes and floods, riots and wars, she's found some of the most extraordinary stories right here at home - in the secrets and lies she imagines behind closed doors on ordinary streets, just like yours.

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Intriguing Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.25

I really have been so fortunate as of late, I have read so many wonderful books! And this book was absolutely no exception to that... I usually go into books blind, I hardly ever read the blurb... so halfway through this I was 🤔 is this a thriller or am I seeing a twist because I read so many thrillers? I’m sure all of my fellow thriller Readers do the same thing, we are always looking for that crazy twist.... not going to tell you if this book twists or not, but I am going to tell you it was an engaging and unique read....

The book starts out with Jen getting the phone call every parent fears, her young three-year-old daughter Gracie is in the hospital... she gets to the hospital to find out her daughter is in a coma and her ex-husband‘s new girlfriend Ella was driving the car at the time of this accident.... needing to place blame Jen places all the blame on Ella... The mama bear in me completely empathize with Jen... and even though I didn’t necessarily fine Jen all that relatable, I did always have her back... Ella on the other hand just rubbed me the wrong way.... even when I found out there was more to her story, I still could not find much compassion for her... The majority of the story is told from Jen‘s point of view.... although we did get some of Ella’a perspective as well, yet that still did not make her more likable...

Gracie was an adorable three-year-old, however I must admit there are times I wished she was five... We’ll just say she was a very mature three-year-old, or it has been so long since I’ve had a three-year-old I don’t remember... when Gracie recovers from her coma she begins to tell her mom about some unusual things such as a light and angels... I really found this part of the book unique and well done... whether you are a believer or not the idea of an angel is comforting... I do want to emphasize however this is not a religious book, there is just some mentions of what happens when you die.... there also is to be quite honest an Erie element to it all as well...

All in all this was a really wonderful debut novel, that I would absolutely recommend for a little change of pace...

*** many thanks too Bookouture for my copy of this wonderful book ***

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been listening to this in between reading physical books and ebooks on my kindle. So if I’m bathing, getting dressed, doing chores or driving audio books come out.

I’m late getting to this that’s why I downloaded the audio version. Playing catch up.
All avid readers know how that is, right?

At the beginning of this book until halfway I would think, family drama, but, was I oh so very wrong, It was so much more!

This had mystery, thriller and heartbreaking poignant moments inside this book.

It’s kept my readers nose into this at every chance I could get. I love it so much I now own the paperback to display on my bookcase.

The narrator I didn’t feel was the best as she always sounded so softly spoken even when it merited a harsher voice.
My other moan was that Gracie was written as a 3 year old but she seemed more like 5 or older really, her voice, vocabulary fitted someone older.
Hence the drop in one star.

But this was so cleverly written it.
The epilogue was so very sad.

.......
But at the same time......joyous for the future.

Thank you Bookoutour

[Lindsay L · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

A mother’s journey to heal after almost losing her young daughter in an accident.

This book grabbed me right away. On page one, it pulled me directly into the initial devastation of a mother finding out about an accident involving her three year old daughter. It was heart wrenching, emotional, and worrisome. I found myself invested and connected to the mother immediately. The dual perspective was an interesting way to present this story and had me intrigued and curious at the start.

After the initial shock and worry over the accident, the storyline changes to follow the mother healing and searching for answers. There were two main focuses of the remainder of the book — romance and religion. Both of these did not work for me so my initial connection disappeared completely. I found myself skim reading the last quarter as I wasn’t invested and wanted it to be over.

There were several moments where dialogue from a child didn’t ring true for the age which bothered me and kept me at a distance from the characters.

Overall, what started out as a promising premise, turned into something I didn’t find any connection to. This wasn’t a good fit for me.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!

[Janina s. Asselin · Rating 2 out of 5]

No tears shed here

As a mother I was sickened by Jennifer's obsessive behavior with her daughter. This was not love! Jennifer was a deeply flawed character who created chaos around her. This book did not bring me to tears but rather nausea. Very sad in a sick way. I could not recommend this book.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can also be found on my blog here: www.booksonthebookshelf.wordpress.com

Gripping, heart breaking, thrilling, and a heck of a roller coaster ride. Brace yourself, as you will go through many emotions while reading this novel. It was very well written and I often found myself unable to put the book down as I was wanting to know what would unfold in the story next. This was my first book I have read by Jill Childs and I am interesting in reading more of her novels.

In the story we read about Jen and her daughter Gracie. At the beginning of the book, Jen gets a call from her ex-husband who proceeds to tell her that Gracie has been in a terrible car accident and is in a coma. Once Jen arrives at the hospital she finds out that her daughter Gracie was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, and was miraculously resuscitated.

The story continues with Gracie’s recovery, and she begins telling her mother Jen things about what she has seen and heard, strange stories that are hard for Jen to believe. Is Gracie telling the truth with these stories? Did she dream and think they were real and actually happened? Jen is unsure what to believe. And to make things worse, Jen is furious when she learns that her ex-husband’s new girlfriend Emma was the one driving the car when the accident happened. Jen was never fond of Emma and this makes her dislike Emma even more. Gracie tells Jen things she heard in the car that day, before the accident, and Jen has a lot of questions.

There are a lot of surprises and twists and turns in the book that will have you gasping! Many secrets are revealed and shockers that will thrill you throughout, with a great twist at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very surprised with this novel as I didn't know what to expect going into it. It was a very suspenseful novel that had me guessing different theories throughout.

Although I did guess one of the mysteries that were eventually uncovered, I had many other predictions that were unfounded. Seriously. I felt my brain spinning with different theories and predictions while reading. I really had no idea where this story was going and thought the narrator was very untrustworthy.

I would say that this novel would be good for those that want a 'light' suspense thriller or for those who are new to the genre. This book captured the spooky and eerie vibes without being too dark or graphic.

***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

An accident and the worst possible news comes to Jen. Her ex-husband Richard rings with the news there has been an accident and their daughter Gracie is in hospital in a coma. Gracie had been pronounced dead and resuscitated. Jen is relieved but also angry at Richard’s girlfriend who was driving the car. When Gracie comes out of the coma and begins to tell strange stories, of what she herd and saw, Jen doesn’t know what to make of it. Is this just a child’s imagination or could it be something more? As time goes on, secrets emerge about Ella’s past. Secrets exposed could tear all their lives apart.
Initially I was quite drawn to this story but then it turned into something I wasn’t expecting and later did another turn to become something different again. In the end I wasn’t sure what to make of it at all. It seemed like the author couldn’t make up her mind what she wanted it to be so threw in too many different elements. For this reader, it just didn’t work. Added to this I didn’t think Gracie sounded like a three year old.
This book is told mostly from Jen’s point of view with some chapters in Ella’s point of view. I struggled with both the main characters. In so many ways Jen, seemed pretty obsessed with her daughter, which you might expect after a tragic accident. And yet how many times did she let Gracie run off and not be watching her when they were out? And she still happily drops her off at pre-school or goes out for the evening leaving her with a sitter. So Jen’s behaviour was not consistent and didn’t ring true to me. And I found Ella an unlikeable character too I did finish it because I was interested enough to see where it was heading. But in the end which I hadn’t bothered. So much of this felt contrived. As for the ending! The less said the better.
What I thought was going to be a read that would tug at the emotions turned out not to be. I felt removed from what was going on. Others may love it, but while some aspects early on were good, in the end I found it disappointing. Sorry I bought this one.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story starts off with Jen getting a phone call telling her to get to the hospital. Knowing it was to do with her daughter my heart was literally in my mouth. To come so close to losing your child, I could feel the emotions washing over me.

Gracie is an adorable little girl. Even though her parents are no longer living together she seems to take everything in her stride. To a certain extent, this story will stretch your beliefs. We hear so much about near death experiences and I suppose unless it happens to any of us, we will never quite know but either way I do think it brings some comfort. From Jen's point of view I could totally understand her concerns on how to react to what her daughter tells her.

Gracie's Secret is a definite page turner of a read. It's very much about a mothers love and how far as a mother you would go for your child. In parts it really does make for an emotional read and I had to take a moment to compose myself before carrying on. Packed full of suspense, Gracie's Secret is a gripping and emotive read. Look forward to reading more by the author.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second book by Childs. I will be reading more. She writes emotional reads. You have all the feels, Mad, sad. angry. You name you feel it. I read this one in one sitting. You are going to love Gracie and all she has to offer. I recommend this one!

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book as the cover was extremely enticing. A mother's intense love for her child was the core root of this story.

The story started with a phone call asking the mother Jen to come to the hospital where her 3 year old Gracie was admitted after the vehicular accident. This scene itself would put a shiver down any mother's spine. Gracie did recover from the head injury and coma, but she started describing certain events which were a bit eerie and something like an out-of-body experience.

In the hospital 2 things happened, Jen learnt that the car at that time was driven by her husband's girlfriend Ella, who was on the phone, distracted while driving; Jen was awash with anger, but the police did not take her accusations seriously. (no idea why, I thought driving and talking on the cell phone was a crime, especially if there is an accident). And she met Matt, a kind and courteous paediatrician and love blossomed.

Jill Childs' debut was interesting. It made way for the possibilities of life enveloped in spiritual and mysterious occurrences. A mother's love for her child, especially after such an life changing event was well described by the author.

Though Gracie's visions were pivotal to the story, it took a suspenseful direction in the mid half of the story. Narrated from Jen and Ella's POV, the book had its moments. I didn't like any of the characters Jen was a bit weird, Ella indifferent, and Gracie was too mature for a 3 year old (her dialog suited a 5 or 6 year old).

Though different, the book did keep me occupied for the whole afternoon.

[Linda Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was a little too contrived for me. While it kept me turning the pages - the Story was too "hokey". Gracie was a precocious 3 year old who nearly died in a car accident and the mother, Jen, was totally "taken in" by an imposter who professed to love her and wanted to make a family. It was obvious the whole way through that he wasn't for real, and I felt like I just wanted to get to the end.

[Debbie Scholem · Rating 1 out of 5]

I understand that Ms Childs wanted to write a powerful book about the strength of a mother's love but the actual book was repetitive and tedious. The character of Jill is hardly believable. Her love borderlines on obsession - it's so boring to read over and over about the smell of Gracie's hair. The other characters are two dimensional at best. How are we meant to believe that Matt could pass himself over as a specialist doctor? Their affair was corny and her descriptions of his body annoying. Losing a child is possibly the most tragic event in a parent's life. Is this novel actually trying to make us feel that meeting up with a dead grandfather or father makes it any better? How can you invest your emotions in a story that asks you to believe in the supernatural? I obviously chose the wrong book to download onto my kindle.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jen receives a phone call all mothers dread. Her three year old daughter Gracie has been in a traffic accident and is in a coma. Now, you can see from the book description that Gracie recovers but she’s a bit different as she seems to be able to remember things she shouldn’t. Everything points to Ella, the woman who stole Jen’s husband and the driver of the car Gracie was in.

I must say I wasn’t entirely prepared for how this story unfolded and I think a lot of your enjoyment will depend on whether or not you believe in that big, bright light at the end of the tunnel and angels. If you put that aside though, Gracie’s Secret is centred around a mystery and a mother’s love. There’s no hardship in sympathising with Jen when her daughter starts saying all kinds of weird things. As a single mother, she has nowhere to turn to. Her ex-husband is far too busy keeping his new girlfriend happy.

The story is mostly told through Jen but sometimes we get a few glimpses from Ella’s point of view. Obviously, Jen hates the woman who took her husband from her and is quick to jump onto anything that will prove her point. I must say I didn’t really take to Ella myself and while there is a moment where I felt I should have at least sympathised with her, by that point I was a bit tired of her playing the “victim card”. I’m putting that in between quotation marks because that may just be me and she may not come across like that to other readers.

What starts out rather emotionally quickly takes a more sinister turn. There are lies and secrets to uncover and Jen will discover not all is at it seems. Personally I found a few things to be a bit on the predictable side but ultimately, Gracie’s Secret is about the things a mother will do to keep her child safe.

This is a story about deceit, manipulation, betrayal and the unbreakable bond between mother and child. Sometimes moving, sometimes suspenseful and with quite the unexpected ending that, while somehow perfect, also made me rather sad.

[Shanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished this book. It made me so sad. I was not expecting the ending. Sob. I felt that Gracie was cheated. Her mother was cheated. Why does hateful Ella get to raise Jenny’s daughter guilt free? Why didn’t she try to tell her how crazy Matt was. She should have warned her. She took Jenny’s husband and eventually got her daughter. I was so mad. This story did not have a HEA. But it is true to life. There are not always happy endings. Good story but I am seriously mad about Jenny’s life. Richard was a horrible husband to Jenny and seemed to forgive Ella everything. What a wimp of a man. Jenny should have been the person to get a happy ending. I get that she was too overprotective of her daughter but I guess ultimately she was right.

So many questions unanswered. What happened to Jenny’s mother? Who would take care of her? She had dementia. Did Richard even yell at Ella for not informing him that a crazy man was dating his ex and around his daughter? Wow! Nothing happens to Brittle brassy bitchy Ella? Really?

[Susan Hampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jen’s three-year old daughter is involved in a horrific car accident, Jen knows who to blame. Jen’s emotions are still very raw from her husband, and father of Gracie, leaving them to go make a new life with Ella and Ella had been driving the car when the accident happened. Little Gracie had to be resuscitated and isn’t quite the little girl that she was before the accident. What she tells her mummy sets Jen on a one track mission to expose Ella and the secrets she is hiding.
Now I have to be honest here, Jen was not a character that I really liked. Yep I know she was hurting but whoa she was one massive tight ball of jealous, frustrating rage that all of a sudden found a loop-hole to excuse herself for exposing Ella’s hidden past. Oh wow, this is such a powerful story of emotions, feelings, letting go and really being thankful for what you have.
The story is mainly told through Jen so as I got the facts of what had happened in an unbiased way but then saw how Jen’s mind interpreted them. Oh boy did I cringe at times. There is the sort of super natural element to the story too, whether you believe this sort of thing or not it is necessary. It is all so very clever with additional elements being slipped in all the way through and becomes far deeper than you could imagine. Then shocked me over and over as the story worked its way to the end, something that I was half guessing so didn’t want to get there.
This is a beautifully written book that many people will be able to connect with on so many levels. Some people just get stuck in the past. While others find ways to move on but never forget. A very sad story and extremely emotive.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an e-copy of this book which I reviewed honestly.

[Laura Holmgrain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable & Frustrating

It was easy to figure out early on the majority of the plot. It seemed ridiculous to me that her ex’s girlfriend harbored such hard feelings towards Jennifer as well as keeping such meaningful and important information from her. What happened in the end was senseless and was in some ways Ella is accountable for her silence.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I can say for sure : this story is about the love of a mother for her child. Being a mother myself, I could certainly understand how Jen felt. You always want to protect your child and definitely after what she had been through.
But there is much more in this book. You also get suspense mixed with lies and deceit. You feel for Jen after the accident and you are relieved when Gracie recovers. Little by little Jen seems to get her life back on the rails but all that glitters is not gold and dreams can shatter easily when everything is revealed.
All is well that ends well? That's for me to know and you to read. So grab your copy and enjoy.
Thank you Jill Childs, Bookouture and Netgalley.

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com/...

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jen gets a phone call to tell her that her daughter Gracie’s been rushed to hospital after being in a car crash. Gracie is a miracle. She died at the scene and pulled through after being resuscitated.

When Jen tries to find out what caused the accident she gets more than she bargained for.

Gracie’s Secret is a well told page turner. The love Jen feels for her daughter Gracie is portrayed well throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this emotional and suspenseful story. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers .... CNF meaning can not finish. I'm about 60% through this book and just can't handle the sheer stupidity of the main character. First of all, did the author do any research into concussions and traumatic brain injury in children? After recovering from near death due to brain bleed this author has the mother taking the child daily to the park, putting her on spinning rides and backless swings which, as the author states, she often falls from. Sorry but this just made me stop reading as this mother is being painted as overbearing, protective and caring but instead is being painted as dumber than a sack of hammers. The rest of the story is just boring and dragging along and just going nowhere. I don't even care how it ends. Note to the author - do some research regarding recovering from severe concussion in children.

[Kristen Leary Lofstrom · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline kept me curious so i managed to finish the book. That’s the only positive I have.
The main character was incredibly predictable and so easy to dislike. The story only worked bc she was made to be stupid, clueless, weak, needy and naive.
The narrators voice was ok for the calm adult portions but the main character was almost constantly shrieking and whining - so overall the narrators shrill tone was beyond irritating. The portions where she narrated for the child were unbearable. Thank goodness they were brief - frequent but brief.
Very disappointed. I’d had high hopes for this book. I’m not good at quitting on a book - but this one makes me vow to when necessary.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing like the blurb implied; I thought it would be physiological but it turned out to be more spiritual with a twist. A decent enough read, but not one I'd have bothered with had the blurb been honest.

[Ericka · Rating 3 out of 5]

very different book

This book wasn’t anything like I thought it would be. Neither good nor bad, just a very odd twist of plots and people.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

A piece of drivel. Poor writing, flat unsympathetic characters, and a plot unreal and unbelievable and yet entirely predictable. The only reason I finished the book was so I could warn other readers away.

A pure waste of time. I can’t wait to start another book and wipe this one from my mind.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautiful emotional story which ended up in a suprising way. Cant wait for another book by Jill. The writing kept flowing and you wanted to read more. It has all your lies , secrets, betrayal, etc...

[Shereen Khan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gracie should have kept her secret

This book was so poorly written and exaggerated that it literally made me want to scream. The protagonist lacked depth of character and was gulible beyond belief.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jen and her ex-husband have been on rocky ground as he left Jen when he cheated on her with Ella. One day when Gracie is spending the weekend with her dad, Jen gets a call from her ex-husband to say there has been a car accident and Ella and Gracie are in the hospital. Ella got a few stitches but poor Gracie had her heart stop and had to be resuscitated and now is hanging on as Jen calls her "her little fighter". Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jen meets a doctor - Matt whom the pair strike up a friendship, and when Gracie comes out of the hospital - the pair start to spend more time together. During this time, Jen notices her daughter has changed and starts talking about things that happened when she was unconscious/ dead. Soon memories of the accident and other little details come to the light that all point to it being Ella's fault but who will believe a three-year-old? Who was Ella yelling to on the phone and who is Caroline to Ella? The book took an interesting twist when we start to learn more about Ella's past and also how Matt is connected to all the characters of the story. Gracie's Secret was a fast-paced thriller filled with lots of twists and turns and also has a strong focus on St. Michael and the Afterlife/Heaven.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there was some way to indicate this book was 10 stars in my opinion. The book blurb gives a pretty straight forward account of the story. 3 year old Grace is almost killed in a car accident and her mother Jen starts to notice some strange and bizarre occurrences once she comes home. Grace starts telling Jen stories about Ella, the car's driver and her ex-husband's girlfriend . Little did Jen know just how intertwined Ella and her life would become. I never in a million years would have predicted the last several chapters in this book, it was breath taking. I will be looking for Jill Child's 1st book, Jessica's Promise on my next trip to the bookstore. If you only have time for one book pick up this one. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the synopsis of this book and I just knew that I had to read it. It sounded just my cup of tea. I was not to be disappointed because I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
The majority of the book is narrated by Jen, who is the proud mother of Gracie. She gets the sort of phone call that every parent dreads and that is to say that Gracie has been involved in an accident and that Jen needs to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Of course all sorts of scenarios run through her head and I am surprised that she managed to get herself to the hospital in one piece. Since her husband (Gracie’s Dad) left them for another woman, Jen and Gracie have formed an even closer bond that they had before. The whole accident scenario is made even worse by the fact that Jen’s ex-husband’s new girlfriend was driving the car at the time. Gracie is in a coma, which she eventually wakes up from. Jen very rarely leaves Gracie’s bed side and if she did then she was only a phone call away. Jen begins to form a friendship with one of the paediatric doctors from the hospital and it was nice to see her having support in her corner. That said there was a little bit of me that was suspicious of the doctor and his motives. Gracie begins to talk about things that she saw or heard whilst she was in her coma or in the immediate aftermath of the accident, which unsettles Jen a bit. In a way I found it comforting to listen to descriptions of Gracie’s ‘visions’, as I believe in that sort of thing. It appears that certain things have been kept secret.
Oh my goodness this book had my heart in my mouth from the moment I started reading. I am not a mother myself but I fully appreciate how hard it must be for a woman to lose her child because that is what happened to my mother, whose son (my brother) died at 4 days old. I know how it affected and still affects her to this day and so I was easily able to see and understand Jen’s fear of losing Gracie. I felt empathy with Jen and there were several times when I wanted to jump inside the pages of the book and give her a hug. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story from the first word on the first page. That certainly happened to me. I became addicted to reading this book as I just had to know what Gracie’s secret was, if her father’s new girlfriend was hiding something and what the motives of the paediatric doctor were. The pages were going so fast that it was almost as if they turning themselves and before I knew what was happening I had finished the book which I had mixed feelings about. I was pleased to finish because I knew how the story ended but I was enjoying reading this book so much that I just wanted it to continue. By the time I had finished reading, I really did feel as though I had been through an emotional wringer. I didn’t cry but I wasn’t far off as I kept putting myself in Jen’s position and on more than one occasion I felt a lump in my throat.
In conclusion I have to say that I really did enjoy reading ‘Gracie’s Secret’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I found it hard to believe that this was the author’s debut novel as the story, the characters and the writing were so polished and so good. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Rachel Harries · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping to be a fan but was not at all 😔

The premise seems interesting. When Jen's three-year old daughter, Gracie, almost died in a car wreck, she is understandably angered at the driver, her ex's new girlfriend. However, Gracie's memories from the day of the wreck will alter what they all know about that day.

First of all, the main character is not likeable at all. She is convinced the wreck is the fault of her ex's girlfriend (Ella), even though it was the other driver who was drunk and on the wrong side of the road! In further punishment of Ella, who already feels dreadful about the whole thing, Jen, with absolutely no evidence whatsoever, becomes obsessed with proving Ella killed her own baby girl, even though she is told the coroner's report stated she died from natural causes. I understand how love can drive people to do crazy things, but Jen is honestly a more irresponsible caretaker than Ella. She lets her 3-year old run off in the park, in London, and on the streets of a foreign country, rationalizing with herself that her little girl is "so strong and independent" and almost losing her at least four times. She also lets a known stalker upstairs alone with her little girl. 🤦‍♀️

Second, the book is predictable from very early on. Ella obviously did not kill her child. Jen's "doctor" boyfriend, Matt, is obviously not a doctor at all and is in fact Ella's ex and an obsessive stalker himself (hm, he and Jen have more in common than they thought!). It's clear Matt has stored up some anger against Ella and wants to help Jen believe Ella killed her daughter, against any reasonable evidence.

Third, the book's cover and summary do not suggest it will be religious, but it turns very much so. Readers really should be warned when this is the case because reading a book with religious/superstitious overtones can ruin the experience sometimes. The book has somewhere between Catholic and agnostic overtones, and the ending is not satisfying at all.

And oh, I almost forgot...fourth, the whole book is written in second person (Jen speaking directly to her daughter). I became so sick of reading some of the cliches used over and over again and the mother's obsessive behavior in talking to her daughter. When the author writes an explicit scene and the narration is still that of the mother talking to her three-year-old...it's time to find a better read.