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Whitethorne

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Catherine Whitethorne has emerald eyes. She stands 5'7 in sheer black stockings. Her hair is long and dark and thick with shiny waves. She has the body of a goddess; iridescent as sunlight, seductive as a mermaid. She smiles brilliant white smiles. Her perfect pink lips whisper breathless promises into willing, eager ears. Catherine Whitethorne is rich. She's driven and successful, has a thriving business and a clever brain. Her heart is small and clenched and hard. She lives above the law, does not know love and cares only for herself. She steals husbands. Catherine Whitethorne always, always wins.

332 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2018

4 people want to read

About the author

Nene Davies

9 books40 followers
Born in England to Welsh parents, Nene was raised in beautiful Pembrokeshire, West Wales. In 2002 Nene, her husband and three children emigrated to Australia and now live at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Nene's debut novel, Distance, was published in 2013 and she has gone on to complete the trilogy with Further and Surfacing.
Redhanded was published in November, 2016 and Whitethorne in 2018. The Narrows was published in 2020. Nene has a coffee shop,Chapter, and a bookstore, Hannah Jones. She is the founding director of the Capricorn Coast Writers Festival.
http://www.nenedavies.com
@nene_davies
@nenedavieswrites



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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life.
909 reviews179 followers
March 11, 2020
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Whitethorne by Nene Davies. (2018).

**Thank you to the author for getting in contact and sending me a free copy of this novel, I am very appreciative**

Catherine Whitethorne has emerald eyes, stands 5'7 in sheer black stockings with long, dark and thick shiny hair. She has the body of a goddess; iridescent as sunlight, seductive as a mermaid. She smiles brilliant white smiles and her perfect pink lips whisper breathless promises into willing, eager ears. Catherine is rich; she's driven and successful, has a thriving business and a clever brain. But her heart is small, clenched and hard. She lives above the law, does not know love and cares only for herself. She steals husbands. Catherine Whitethorne always, always wins.

I mistakenly assumed from the synopsis that the book would be set from Catherine's perspective but actually it is from a woman named Connie's point of view; Connie suspects her husband is having an affair with Catherine. While I thought Connie was a bit naive at times, it's easy to see why she was; who wouldn't trust their beloved husband? I felt for her and couldn't imagine the confusion of being in her situation. I did like her friend Pixie who seemed to be pretty clued on and also a supportive friend. I thought the storyline escalated a lot at the end, it became very intense very fast and I would have liked an epilogue just to end it all off with some closure for me. I think this could make a good beach holiday read.
Profile Image for Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews.
2,247 reviews331 followers
April 14, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

Whitethorne is a contemporary fiction novel from Australian author Nene Davies. A story that follows a rich and complex character, who leaves plenty destruction in her wake, this quick paced novel can easily be read in just a sitting.

Whitethorne regales the story of title character Catherine Whitethorne. Catherine is a magazine cut out, renowned for her glossy locks, perfect stature and alluring personality. She can win anyone over by just her smile and she can promise you the world. Catherine is also wealthy and she has successfully cultured a booming business model, which is down to her determined personality. She leaves absolutely no casualties in her path to ultimate domination. Catherine has little care for people’s feelings and she looks out for herself only. She is partial to taking other people’s husbands, with no qualms. Although she does always come out the victor, will Catherine Whitethorne always reign supreme?

Whitethorne was released in 2018 by Hammer and Tongs Publishing. An endorsement from respected Australian author Jenn J. McLeod directed me to the latest release by Nene Davies. An engaging and consuming novel, I raced through this one in no time, thanks to the author’s direct approach to her writing.

While some books are plot action based, other books are character driven. It would be safe to say that Whitethorne falls very easily into the latter category. This is not to say that Whitethorne is devoid of plot and narration action, rather I feel that this book looks directly at the behaviour and mindset of the lead character, along with the supporting characters of this text. Davies does a fine job of outlining all aspects of her characters. I developed a very clear picture in my mind of the cast. These protagonists are interesting, complex and at times unpredictable, but there is also a sense of normality that follows them, so it is easy to relate to the story at hand.

The narrative unfolds around questions on morality, selfishness, jealously, trust, mental illness, marriage, relationships and self-preservation. There is a sense of here and now about Whitethorne that firmly anchors this novel to the contemporary domestic fiction genre. The pace speeds along well and builds up to a frantic conclusion. It is best to go into this one with a blank canvas and enjoy all the twists the author throws at you. Nene Davies certainly presents the reader with a tumultuous journey to contend with in Whitethorne.

Intense, vehement, shocking and consuming, Whitethorne is one that will be sure to clasp a hold of contemporary fiction fans.

*I wish to thank the author for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

Whitethorne is book #42 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
2 reviews
June 23, 2019
It's not normally a book I would pick up but I'm so glad I did. It really made me think about mental health and the behaviours of society and others. I was grasped from beginning to end. Nene does a really good job of painting a scene, I felt like I could picture everything in the writing.
Profile Image for Auro Books.
504 reviews
January 28, 2020
Thank you so so much @nene_davies for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book!

As soon as I read the synopsis I knew it was something I would like and I wasn't wrong at all!

I loved this book!!

I loved the story, the pace, the characters, the writing style, the twists and turns, the beginning, the ending... Everything!

I liked the story and how Nene introduced it. The prologue was very intriguing and I was even nervous waiting for Whitethorne to appear in the book!

I liked the pace. This book is so fast paced that if you blink you miss half of what is going on! There is drama and ups and downs and twists and turns in every single chapter! Such a wild ride!

I liked the writing style. I could say that 70% of the books are dialogues within the characters and that made it very easy and quick to read!

I liked the characters very much. I liked them all but especially Connie, the main character. She is a very hard working mum trying to fight her monsters and having a lot of trouble while doing it. I liked her when she was kind and loving but I liked her best when she was jealous, paranoid, impulsive and protective.

I also liked Catherine. I think her performance was superb. She plays her role amazingly and gets the reactions she is looking for!

The end was very satisfying and perfect for the story. The last scene was crazy! I had so many mixed emotions that I didn't realised I was holding my breath until I read the last word!

Overall, a great book that I really enjoyed!
I will definitely read more Nene Davies books in the future!
Profile Image for Claire - TheBookendReviews.
396 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2020
At first when I picked up this book, I thought we would be following Catherine Whitethorne herself, instead we follow Connie who appears to have the perfect life but begins to fear her husband is having an affair with the beautiful Catherine.

I really liked this character driven book, the author allowed for you to really imagine the cast and get an insight in to the behaviour and mindset of the main character. Both Connie and the secondary characters were complex, imaginable and realistic. The thought processes Connie went through were realistic and I'm sure what anyone in that situation would feel.

This book isn't just about the characters though. It explores infidelity, faith, friendship, jealousy, mental health and the breakdown of marriage.

I found the book started slow but ramped up pace towards the latter half of the book, speeding towards a conclusion that packs a punch. Full of frenzy, love and the betrayal of a mother.

I found this to be a brilliant book, one that I couldn't put down.
Profile Image for Jenn J McLeod.
Author 15 books133 followers
May 6, 2019
Whitethorn was unexpected. Initially drawn in by the description and cover, the story was riveting. I was so engaged, I read this in one sitting, desperate to know what happens. It is a very modern story (perhaps too close to reality). Nene has a beautiful way with words. Not over the top, but imagery that lets readers know where the characters are at all times. Speaking of characters. Terrific! I was totally engrossed with her building of the female title character (Whitethorn). This is a story about an ordinary family that basically implodes. I loved it. My only regret is the ending. I wanted more!!!!
1 review
May 11, 2019
Whitethorne

A really good book Nene kept you on your toes all the way as to what would happen next X 👍👍
Profile Image for Samantha.
1 review
September 5, 2021
Read this book in just a day!
I just couldn’t wait to read what would happen next. I loved the story and that it follows along with Connie, not what I expected.
I will 100% be recommending this book to everyone!
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