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Home Truths
How far would you go to keep your family safe?
Angie Watts had the perfect ordinary family. A new home. A beloved husband. Three adored children.
But Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd. And when her son’s bad choices lead to the murder of her husband, it’s up to Angie to hold what’s left of her family together.
Her son is missing. Her daughter is looking for help in dangerous places. And Angie is fighting just to keep a roof over their heads.
But Angie is a mother. And a mother does anything to protect her children – even when the world is falling apart…
Angie Watts had the perfect ordinary family. A new home. A beloved husband. Three adored children.
But Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd. And when her son’s bad choices lead to the murder of her husband, it’s up to Angie to hold what’s left of her family together.
Her son is missing. Her daughter is looking for help in dangerous places. And Angie is fighting just to keep a roof over their heads.
But Angie is a mother. And a mother does anything to protect her children – even when the world is falling apart…
416 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2019
421 people are currently reading
4674 people want to read
About the author
Susan Lewis
67 books1,202 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 382 reviews
August 2, 2019
* 3.5 stars *
Home Truths’ could have come straight from the news headlines, portraying as it does, the problem of county line gangs that infiltrate small communities, preying on vulnerable children, turning them into addicts or couriers, or both! It also deals with the issues of internet predators and ruthless landlords - something that is both shocking and heartbreaking. However, if it all sounds like doom and gloom, it really isn’t, because what does stand out in this novel is the love for one’s family, and also the way ordinary everyday people are more than happy to help lift you when life has kicked you to the bottom of the pile.
Steve and Angie’s eldest son Liam has fallen victim to one of the county line gangs, he’s being used as a courier under threat that as long as he does as he’s told, then his family will be safe. Sadly, Steve is brutally murdered by the gang when he goes searching for Liam, and when Liam returns home after the murder, Angie tells him she wants nothing more to do with him, after discovering that Liam was present when Steve was killed.
Left without her husband, and with her other two children, Grace and Zac to provide for, Angie gets into some serious debt, owing money all over the place, and with threats of eviction, life takes on a desperation that spirals ever downwards. When daughter Grace looks for ideas to bring some much needed money into the household, she too finds herself involved in a situation that no 13 year old girl should ever find herself in. In addition to all this Angie needs to know if Liam is ok, she said some unforgivable things to him, but she was drowning in grief at the time, and she just needs to know that he’s still alive.
Well written and sensitive, this was an emotional and powerfully charged novel that really held my interest. The tension builds to such a pitch that it’s hard to know where this devastated family will end up. Not entirely convinced about the ending, not quite believable enough for me, otherwise it would have been a definite 4 star review not 3.5, but overall I enjoyed it.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Home Truths’ could have come straight from the news headlines, portraying as it does, the problem of county line gangs that infiltrate small communities, preying on vulnerable children, turning them into addicts or couriers, or both! It also deals with the issues of internet predators and ruthless landlords - something that is both shocking and heartbreaking. However, if it all sounds like doom and gloom, it really isn’t, because what does stand out in this novel is the love for one’s family, and also the way ordinary everyday people are more than happy to help lift you when life has kicked you to the bottom of the pile.
Steve and Angie’s eldest son Liam has fallen victim to one of the county line gangs, he’s being used as a courier under threat that as long as he does as he’s told, then his family will be safe. Sadly, Steve is brutally murdered by the gang when he goes searching for Liam, and when Liam returns home after the murder, Angie tells him she wants nothing more to do with him, after discovering that Liam was present when Steve was killed.
Left without her husband, and with her other two children, Grace and Zac to provide for, Angie gets into some serious debt, owing money all over the place, and with threats of eviction, life takes on a desperation that spirals ever downwards. When daughter Grace looks for ideas to bring some much needed money into the household, she too finds herself involved in a situation that no 13 year old girl should ever find herself in. In addition to all this Angie needs to know if Liam is ok, she said some unforgivable things to him, but she was drowning in grief at the time, and she just needs to know that he’s still alive.
Well written and sensitive, this was an emotional and powerfully charged novel that really held my interest. The tension builds to such a pitch that it’s hard to know where this devastated family will end up. Not entirely convinced about the ending, not quite believable enough for me, otherwise it would have been a definite 4 star review not 3.5, but overall I enjoyed it.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for my ARC, for which I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
August 13, 2019
Angie Watts has three children. She's a widow who is still coming to terms with the brutal murder of her husband, Steve and the disappearance of her eldest son Liam. Liam had once been a loving son but he gets into a notorious gang that brings trouble to their door.
This is a well written story. The characters are true to life and the circumstances that they find themselves in are current and poignant. It covers the unfair ways hat Uni resale Credits were handed out and the effects that this had on many families. Some having to sell their beloved possessions just to make ends meet. There are parts of this story that are sad. I liked that Angie and her sister stood by each other through thick and thin. This is the best book so far that I have read by the author.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Susan Lewis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well written story. The characters are true to life and the circumstances that they find themselves in are current and poignant. It covers the unfair ways hat Uni resale Credits were handed out and the effects that this had on many families. Some having to sell their beloved possessions just to make ends meet. There are parts of this story that are sad. I liked that Angie and her sister stood by each other through thick and thin. This is the best book so far that I have read by the author.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Susan Lewis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Maybe she could talk to Ivan… but no sooner had the thought entered her head than she dismissed it… he’d just channel the vicar and start spouting passages from the Bible, as if holy words were some sort of universal panacea that held the answer to everything.
Angie started to speak, but only a sob came out. “Please don’t be kind to me… it's making me cry and I've already made a big enough fool of myself."
My Review:
This emotive, heartbreaking, and thoughtfully written book has ruined me. I was emotionally gutted and thoroughly shattered. It took four days to get through it as I was occasionally compelled to put the book down and walk away from it and do some horrible and thankless task (like house cleaning) while I contemplated and digested the insightfully written words. It was wretchedly realistic and reeked of disheartening despair and distress, and happens repeatedly, every day and everywhere. This was only my second time experiencing the intense and profound storytelling mastery of Susan Lewis, and while I am emotionally drained it was well worth the discomfort and I sense I just may be a better person going forward having done so.
Maybe she could talk to Ivan… but no sooner had the thought entered her head than she dismissed it… he’d just channel the vicar and start spouting passages from the Bible, as if holy words were some sort of universal panacea that held the answer to everything.
Angie started to speak, but only a sob came out. “Please don’t be kind to me… it's making me cry and I've already made a big enough fool of myself."
My Review:
This emotive, heartbreaking, and thoughtfully written book has ruined me. I was emotionally gutted and thoroughly shattered. It took four days to get through it as I was occasionally compelled to put the book down and walk away from it and do some horrible and thankless task (like house cleaning) while I contemplated and digested the insightfully written words. It was wretchedly realistic and reeked of disheartening despair and distress, and happens repeatedly, every day and everywhere. This was only my second time experiencing the intense and profound storytelling mastery of Susan Lewis, and while I am emotionally drained it was well worth the discomfort and I sense I just may be a better person going forward having done so.
August 20, 2019
Angie's young son Liam is missing and he is known to be part of a local gang.
When her husband tries to track Liam down he is brutally murdered in front of his son.
This leaves Angie on her own to look after her other two small children.
After she loses her job as a teaching assistant due to council cuts, she finds it very difficult to survive on her benefits.
This is a gritty crime drama and not my usual genre. I found the content hard to read in parts.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
When her husband tries to track Liam down he is brutally murdered in front of his son.
This leaves Angie on her own to look after her other two small children.
After she loses her job as a teaching assistant due to council cuts, she finds it very difficult to survive on her benefits.
This is a gritty crime drama and not my usual genre. I found the content hard to read in parts.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2019
Another great book by Susan Lewis, this emotional story is so beautifully written in a way that will capture you’re heart and made me shed a few tears.
In a blink of an eye Angie’s life is turned upside down, how one decision dramatically changed Angie’s and her children’s life’s forever!!
When Angie’s husband Steve finds their five year old son with a syringe Steve seeing red goes looking for their eldest son Liam, and is attacked.
Angie not only loses her husband that night but when she finds out her son was present, she tells him to go for good.
Angie now has to bring up her children without their dad and add to that all the money worries she has, trying to find money for food, rent and their clothes.
This really opened my eyes to the hardships families endure, it’s heartbreaking that someone can work full time and still have to rely on food banks to survive.
The topic of homelessness is a sad one, but Susan Lewis writes in a very compassionate and understanding way and proves that there are good people in the world.
A book that will stay in my thoughts long after reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
In a blink of an eye Angie’s life is turned upside down, how one decision dramatically changed Angie’s and her children’s life’s forever!!
When Angie’s husband Steve finds their five year old son with a syringe Steve seeing red goes looking for their eldest son Liam, and is attacked.
Angie not only loses her husband that night but when she finds out her son was present, she tells him to go for good.
Angie now has to bring up her children without their dad and add to that all the money worries she has, trying to find money for food, rent and their clothes.
This really opened my eyes to the hardships families endure, it’s heartbreaking that someone can work full time and still have to rely on food banks to survive.
The topic of homelessness is a sad one, but Susan Lewis writes in a very compassionate and understanding way and proves that there are good people in the world.
A book that will stay in my thoughts long after reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 22, 2020
A gripping emotional page turner as Angie's life is shattered after the death of her husband, the ramifications which soon spiral out of control as Angie is facing eviction after mounting debts soon escalate.
The situation Angie finds herself in is horrific enough, her struggles are compounded by the fact her Steve confronted the group that their eldest son Liam has fallen into after the couple's youngest son Zac aged 5 is playing with a needle.
The altercation ends tragically.
Angie's task of trying to keep the rest of the family together is hindered by the benefit system.
Not only struggling until Universal Credit payment, the authorities only seem interested in the children.
The suggestion of them staying with a local resident sees Angie sleeping in her husband's old van.
Whilst rules and guidelines are obviously in place, theres a distinct lack of compassion from a service that Angie is desperate for support.
Whilst the novel deals with a bleak and tough subject, theres a glimmer of hope as friends do rally around Angie and the kids.
A brilliantly written strong character drama that showed just a little support is needed when people have found themselves in a bad situation.
Angie was such a strong determined character who wasn't prepared to fall foul to pay day loans, lacking in options she was determined to ride the storm.
Reading that some find the system so hard that suicide seemed the only option was heartbreaking.
The situation Angie finds herself in is horrific enough, her struggles are compounded by the fact her Steve confronted the group that their eldest son Liam has fallen into after the couple's youngest son Zac aged 5 is playing with a needle.
The altercation ends tragically.
Angie's task of trying to keep the rest of the family together is hindered by the benefit system.
Not only struggling until Universal Credit payment, the authorities only seem interested in the children.
The suggestion of them staying with a local resident sees Angie sleeping in her husband's old van.
Whilst rules and guidelines are obviously in place, theres a distinct lack of compassion from a service that Angie is desperate for support.
Whilst the novel deals with a bleak and tough subject, theres a glimmer of hope as friends do rally around Angie and the kids.
A brilliantly written strong character drama that showed just a little support is needed when people have found themselves in a bad situation.
Angie was such a strong determined character who wasn't prepared to fall foul to pay day loans, lacking in options she was determined to ride the storm.
Reading that some find the system so hard that suicide seemed the only option was heartbreaking.
August 14, 2019
I used to read Susan Lewis' books all the time when I was younger. Earlier this year I read One Minure Later and balled my eyes out and just loved it so much. I jumped at the chance to read Home Truths but I really struggled with it. For me it didn't feel like a Susan Lewis book at all. It didn't have the characters to fall in love with and want to succeed. This book was a lot rougher than her usual books and I was disappointed. In saying that it was an OK read but I was hoping for more.
Angie's life is turned upside down when her husband Steve is killed while one of her sons watches on. From there on she struggles to keep a roof over her family's head, to stay afloat in a tough world. It is a tough and emotional read but it just was not for me this time.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and net for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Angie's life is turned upside down when her husband Steve is killed while one of her sons watches on. From there on she struggles to keep a roof over her family's head, to stay afloat in a tough world. It is a tough and emotional read but it just was not for me this time.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and net for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
February 1, 2022
3 Brutally realistic stars
This book paints a brutally realistic picture of how easy it is to have your life fall apart. Angie is married to Steve, and they have three children, living in England, and life seems to be going swimmingly. Then, Steve is brutally murdered, Angie is forced out of her home, her oldest son is missing, and the debts are piling up.
This one was hard to read as Angie tried all the avenues to find proper housing for her family, only to be turned away. She tried working odd jobs but couldn’t earn enough to make a dent in her bills. She’s really at her wit’s end when she breaks down in front of one of Steve’s old clients. He is able to help her start to work her way out of the mess. It takes a while, but things begin to turn around for Angie.
This one had lots of things going on – cyber stalking, drugs, gangs, and homelessness. I’m glad I stuck with it, but the brutal reality made it hard to hope for Angie. I wondered what would happen next to her.
I have to say that it ended on a hopeful note, but it was a long road!
Thank you to Book Club Girls/Harper Collins for the complimentary copy of this one to read and review.
This book paints a brutally realistic picture of how easy it is to have your life fall apart. Angie is married to Steve, and they have three children, living in England, and life seems to be going swimmingly. Then, Steve is brutally murdered, Angie is forced out of her home, her oldest son is missing, and the debts are piling up.
This one was hard to read as Angie tried all the avenues to find proper housing for her family, only to be turned away. She tried working odd jobs but couldn’t earn enough to make a dent in her bills. She’s really at her wit’s end when she breaks down in front of one of Steve’s old clients. He is able to help her start to work her way out of the mess. It takes a while, but things begin to turn around for Angie.
This one had lots of things going on – cyber stalking, drugs, gangs, and homelessness. I’m glad I stuck with it, but the brutal reality made it hard to hope for Angie. I wondered what would happen next to her.
I have to say that it ended on a hopeful note, but it was a long road!
Thank you to Book Club Girls/Harper Collins for the complimentary copy of this one to read and review.
August 10, 2019
My review of Home Truths is on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
I have beautiful pictures of the hardcover and review of this book on my website.
I'm a big fan of Susan Lewis, I have actually read eight books by Susan Lewis, Home Truths is my 9th. Susan Lewis over the years has written about all different subjects. Home Truths was a story that reduced me to tears, with its difficult subjects.
Angie and Steve's young five year old son is found with a syringe.
Her eldest son was trouble he got expelled from school, but even more trouble is looming with Liam.
Angie was so happy she could live anywhere just her and her husband and their children.
I did feel so sorry for Angie, it all felt real-life to me.
One minute Angie is happy, then suddenly everything changed. Steve, Angie's husband was beaten to death, the worst thing for Angie is that the police notified her that her son Liam was present during the attack on her husband, with a gang.
It's so sad that one day Angie has everything,then the next she became a widow, having to scrimp by to feed her family, until she received benefits.
Homeless is another very sad topic that Suan Lewis tackles.
Overall I think Home Truths has been one of the saddest stories that I have read by author Susan Lewis, but it now has become my favourite. I recommend Home Truths with its strong storyline showing how much someone can struggle in life, with characters you can relate to.
I have beautiful pictures of the hardcover and review of this book on my website.
I'm a big fan of Susan Lewis, I have actually read eight books by Susan Lewis, Home Truths is my 9th. Susan Lewis over the years has written about all different subjects. Home Truths was a story that reduced me to tears, with its difficult subjects.
Angie and Steve's young five year old son is found with a syringe.
Her eldest son was trouble he got expelled from school, but even more trouble is looming with Liam.
Angie was so happy she could live anywhere just her and her husband and their children.
I did feel so sorry for Angie, it all felt real-life to me.
One minute Angie is happy, then suddenly everything changed. Steve, Angie's husband was beaten to death, the worst thing for Angie is that the police notified her that her son Liam was present during the attack on her husband, with a gang.
It's so sad that one day Angie has everything,then the next she became a widow, having to scrimp by to feed her family, until she received benefits.
Homeless is another very sad topic that Suan Lewis tackles.
Overall I think Home Truths has been one of the saddest stories that I have read by author Susan Lewis, but it now has become my favourite. I recommend Home Truths with its strong storyline showing how much someone can struggle in life, with characters you can relate to.
August 14, 2019
This book shows the horribly realistic decent into poverty and helplessness that one woman, Angie Watt’s ( yep I pictured THAT Angie all the way through as well ) life takes after a spiralling set of circumstances take over her life.
Written in ‘real speak’ the book covers horrific spouse murder, a missing drug taking teenager, poverty ( real poverty, not having to get rid of Sky Movies poverty), homelessness, debt, county line gangs, despair and many other related topics to these things, it is relentless from the start and there are few ‘light’ moments to break it up!
It is a detailed and harrowing account of what happens to Angie and her children when all the above come into play and to be honest its not an easy read, nor is it a cosy one!
Angie throughout all this carries on her work, with her Sister, in 2 kind of halfway houses and I found her ability to do this exemplary as well
as a bit unbelievable!
The last quarter of the book, where things greatly improve was a bit ‘Mills and Boonish’ for me, saying that Ive never read one but it is how I imagine they would be!!!
It is though a well written and obviously well researched book into how people’s lives go from ‘ordinary’ to ‘ terrible’ within a very short time and with just a few life changing circumstances
6/10
3 Stars
August 8, 2019
I'm a big fan of Susan Lewis, I have actually read eight books by Susan Lewis, Home Truths is my 9th. Susan Lewis over the years has written about all different subjects. Home Truths was a story that reduced me to tears, with its difficult subjects.
Angie and Steve's young five year old son is found with a syringe.
Her eldest son was trouble he got expelled from school, but even more trouble is looming with Liam.
Angie was so happy she could live anywhere just her and her husband and their children.
I did feel so sorry for Angie, it all felt real-life to me.
One minute Angie is happy, then suddenly everything changed. Steve, Angie's husband was beaten to death, the worst thing for Angie is that the police notified her that her son Liam was present during the attack on her husband, with a gang.
It's so sad that one day Angie has everything,then the next she became a widow, having to scrimp by to feed her family, until she received benefits.
Homeless is another very sad topic that Suan Lewis tackles.
Overall I think Home Truths has been one of the saddest stories that I have read by author Susan Lewis, but it now has become my favourite. I recommend Home Truths with its strong storyline showing how much someone can struggle in life, with characters you can relate to.
Angie and Steve's young five year old son is found with a syringe.
Her eldest son was trouble he got expelled from school, but even more trouble is looming with Liam.
Angie was so happy she could live anywhere just her and her husband and their children.
I did feel so sorry for Angie, it all felt real-life to me.
One minute Angie is happy, then suddenly everything changed. Steve, Angie's husband was beaten to death, the worst thing for Angie is that the police notified her that her son Liam was present during the attack on her husband, with a gang.
It's so sad that one day Angie has everything,then the next she became a widow, having to scrimp by to feed her family, until she received benefits.
Homeless is another very sad topic that Suan Lewis tackles.
Overall I think Home Truths has been one of the saddest stories that I have read by author Susan Lewis, but it now has become my favourite. I recommend Home Truths with its strong storyline showing how much someone can struggle in life, with characters you can relate to.
July 25, 2023
Three and a half stars.
Angie Watts had a loving husband in Steve, three kids and a comfortable home in Willow Close. But when their eldest son Liam, gets in with the wrong crowd life changes in ways Angie never expected. The murder of her husband leaves Angie struggling to hold the rest of her family, Grace, and Zac, and her home together since Liam went missing. Trying to help her mother out financially puts thirteen year old Grace in a dangerous situation that neither she or her friend Lois anticipated. Angie’s sister Emma tries to support Angie as much as she can. They work together at Bridging the Gap, caring for and helping find work and homes for men down on their luck.
This is a book of family, friendship, homelessness and associated problems, the dangers of gangs and other issues caused by predatory people. And let us not forget the dangers of the internet and social media!
Thankfully, among the evil in society there are those who seek to support and help others. Both are represented in this book. I loved the relationship between Angie and her sister Emma. Martin Stone, who Angie meets and his family also present a positive picture of family life.
While I found this an interesting read, if a bit repetitive at times, I wondered about the author’s fascination with the letter A for characters. As well as Angie, there is Andee, Martin’s ex wife who used to be a detective, Martin’s daughter Alayna, another one Grace meets in Anya and another character called Alice. There was no chance of confusing the characters but I just found it a distraction.
All in all a largely engaging read that does bring up some important issues. I did query some aspects towards the end though. Still, worth reading.
Angie Watts had a loving husband in Steve, three kids and a comfortable home in Willow Close. But when their eldest son Liam, gets in with the wrong crowd life changes in ways Angie never expected. The murder of her husband leaves Angie struggling to hold the rest of her family, Grace, and Zac, and her home together since Liam went missing. Trying to help her mother out financially puts thirteen year old Grace in a dangerous situation that neither she or her friend Lois anticipated. Angie’s sister Emma tries to support Angie as much as she can. They work together at Bridging the Gap, caring for and helping find work and homes for men down on their luck.
This is a book of family, friendship, homelessness and associated problems, the dangers of gangs and other issues caused by predatory people. And let us not forget the dangers of the internet and social media!
Thankfully, among the evil in society there are those who seek to support and help others. Both are represented in this book. I loved the relationship between Angie and her sister Emma. Martin Stone, who Angie meets and his family also present a positive picture of family life.
While I found this an interesting read, if a bit repetitive at times, I wondered about the author’s fascination with the letter A for characters. As well as Angie, there is Andee, Martin’s ex wife who used to be a detective, Martin’s daughter Alayna, another one Grace meets in Anya and another character called Alice. There was no chance of confusing the characters but I just found it a distraction.
All in all a largely engaging read that does bring up some important issues. I did query some aspects towards the end though. Still, worth reading.
June 16, 2025
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️'s not my most favourite by this author. It didn't grab me like I taught it would. Did have good elements throughout. I think the second half of this book was better than the first half.
October 5, 2019
I've read so many Susan Lewis books over the years and loved them but this was a disappointment. I found the characters annoying, there was no proper story to it, no twists. The ending was ridiculous and unbelievable. Was glad to finish this one!
January 28, 2020
3.5/5
Angie and Steve have three children. Their oldest son, Liam, is addicted to drugs and is involved with a violent gang. The same gang ends up violently killing Steve while their son watches on, and Angie ends up banning Liam from coming back to the house. Angie does everything she can to scrape together a life for herself and her remaining two children after Steve’s murder, but she isn’t able to make things work out before getting evicted from the home they all shared together in happier times.
Truly, this story felt intense. Angie has so much to deal with. Grief over the loss of her husband, of course, but also low wages that aren’t enough to cover her bills, getting further and further behind on her bills, a son involved in bad activities and practically missing, and how to handle everything when it catches up with her. I love that she has a supportive sister, Emma, but there’s only so much that Emma can do for Angie. Their bond is a really good one and it made me feel good for Angie and her children. But I also felt frustrated that various government programs that could have really made a difference in the lives of Angie and her kids but held back because they expected Emma to take them on and provide for them. Emma does what she can, but she has some issues of her own. The whole “You have relatives in the area. You can stay with them.” argument was something that I was not expecting and it definitely increased many of the feelings that I had while I was reading.
ALSO: watching Angie’s young teenage daughter, Grace, navigate social media throughout all of the hardship was probably the most intense and stressful part of the story for me. Grace is quite young and clearly does not fully understand how dangerous and scary the internet and direct messaging can be when we aren’t careful. I cringed over and over and over at how she was so out there and forthcoming and comfortable with her social media posts. I have three teenagers myself and occasionally I wonder if I’m a little too involved and/or restrictive with their social media/messaging allowances, but watching Grace navigate all of this alone (albeit some of her motives are good ones) was terrifying.
One thing that is abundantly clear from the very beginning of the story is Angie’s total love for her children. She seems to make her decisions with them in mind, which I completely understand. Still, there are times that I’d probably have done things a little differently than Angie. Made some different decisions. The difference here, I suppose, is that I am able to make different choices because of my where I am situated in life, and I fully realize this.
Home Truths really made me think a lot and I felt a lot of emotions throughout the story. While her previous book One Minute Later was written about entirely different things, I remember feeling a lot of emotion throughout that story too and I remember all of those intense feelings. Susan Lewis definitely has knack for writing about subjects that really pull our heart strings, especially where family is concerned, and I’m genuinely curious about her extensive backlist.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
Angie and Steve have three children. Their oldest son, Liam, is addicted to drugs and is involved with a violent gang. The same gang ends up violently killing Steve while their son watches on, and Angie ends up banning Liam from coming back to the house. Angie does everything she can to scrape together a life for herself and her remaining two children after Steve’s murder, but she isn’t able to make things work out before getting evicted from the home they all shared together in happier times.
Truly, this story felt intense. Angie has so much to deal with. Grief over the loss of her husband, of course, but also low wages that aren’t enough to cover her bills, getting further and further behind on her bills, a son involved in bad activities and practically missing, and how to handle everything when it catches up with her. I love that she has a supportive sister, Emma, but there’s only so much that Emma can do for Angie. Their bond is a really good one and it made me feel good for Angie and her children. But I also felt frustrated that various government programs that could have really made a difference in the lives of Angie and her kids but held back because they expected Emma to take them on and provide for them. Emma does what she can, but she has some issues of her own. The whole “You have relatives in the area. You can stay with them.” argument was something that I was not expecting and it definitely increased many of the feelings that I had while I was reading.
ALSO: watching Angie’s young teenage daughter, Grace, navigate social media throughout all of the hardship was probably the most intense and stressful part of the story for me. Grace is quite young and clearly does not fully understand how dangerous and scary the internet and direct messaging can be when we aren’t careful. I cringed over and over and over at how she was so out there and forthcoming and comfortable with her social media posts. I have three teenagers myself and occasionally I wonder if I’m a little too involved and/or restrictive with their social media/messaging allowances, but watching Grace navigate all of this alone (albeit some of her motives are good ones) was terrifying.
One thing that is abundantly clear from the very beginning of the story is Angie’s total love for her children. She seems to make her decisions with them in mind, which I completely understand. Still, there are times that I’d probably have done things a little differently than Angie. Made some different decisions. The difference here, I suppose, is that I am able to make different choices because of my where I am situated in life, and I fully realize this.
Home Truths really made me think a lot and I felt a lot of emotions throughout the story. While her previous book One Minute Later was written about entirely different things, I remember feeling a lot of emotion throughout that story too and I remember all of those intense feelings. Susan Lewis definitely has knack for writing about subjects that really pull our heart strings, especially where family is concerned, and I’m genuinely curious about her extensive backlist.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
Find this review and more like it on my blog, Into the Hall of Books!
February 14, 2020
3.5
Her life is not one she would have picked for herself—a dead husband, a missing son, an imminent eviction—but Angie Watts cannot give up. She desperately wants to make ends meet and settle into a new normal, whatever that may be, but obstacle after obstacle stands in her way.
Home Truths conveys this challenging experience with ease. Though there are points in the book where nothing seems to be happening, I still could not stop reading. I just wanted something to go right for Angie and her family. They deal with problem after problem after problem, and it seems like there is little hope—but there is always love.
If you love stories of family and hard times, Home Truths by Susan Lewis is for you.
This review is also posted on Hallie Reads.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Her life is not one she would have picked for herself—a dead husband, a missing son, an imminent eviction—but Angie Watts cannot give up. She desperately wants to make ends meet and settle into a new normal, whatever that may be, but obstacle after obstacle stands in her way.
Home Truths conveys this challenging experience with ease. Though there are points in the book where nothing seems to be happening, I still could not stop reading. I just wanted something to go right for Angie and her family. They deal with problem after problem after problem, and it seems like there is little hope—but there is always love.
If you love stories of family and hard times, Home Truths by Susan Lewis is for you.
This review is also posted on Hallie Reads.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
November 12, 2020
This was a great book to read. The writing is sharp and fast-paced; heartrending but with a Happily Ever After. It’s about human trafficking, bereavement, and financial insolvency. It’s also about a very strong woman who, with some assistance from kind people, claws her way out of poverty, homelessness, and hunger to save her family.
Home Truths is a powerful tale of persistence, dedication, perseverance, and survival in the face of repeated devastation. It shows the failure of the governmental support system to help those who suddenly or repeatedly, through no fault of their own, whether by unexpected downturns or not, find themselves without funds or accommodation, despite working hard.
You’ll find that this book brings you hope in the face of hopelessness. The power of friends and family when there is no one else to help you. How it is possible for the downtrodden to find justice, but that it’s a very hard road to get there and all are not so lucky.
The letter from Hamish was the hardest part of this book for me to read. It’s realistic, painful to read, paints a sad but true picture of what it’s like to be homeless, as well as what it means to be lucky.
There’s a lovely touch of romance. It’s definitely a slow-burn type of romance, and a damsel in distress rescue. It’s very much secondary to the main story, but it is important to the plot.
I loved this book. I’ll be looking for more books by Susan Lewis. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
Home Truths is a powerful tale of persistence, dedication, perseverance, and survival in the face of repeated devastation. It shows the failure of the governmental support system to help those who suddenly or repeatedly, through no fault of their own, whether by unexpected downturns or not, find themselves without funds or accommodation, despite working hard.
You’ll find that this book brings you hope in the face of hopelessness. The power of friends and family when there is no one else to help you. How it is possible for the downtrodden to find justice, but that it’s a very hard road to get there and all are not so lucky.
The letter from Hamish was the hardest part of this book for me to read. It’s realistic, painful to read, paints a sad but true picture of what it’s like to be homeless, as well as what it means to be lucky.
There’s a lovely touch of romance. It’s definitely a slow-burn type of romance, and a damsel in distress rescue. It’s very much secondary to the main story, but it is important to the plot.
I loved this book. I’ll be looking for more books by Susan Lewis. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
October 22, 2020
OK so I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this had that but it was slow to start with and was a bit long winded. But I couldn't help but love angie and hate everything she went through.
3.5 🌟
3.5 🌟
February 11, 2020
This book grabbed me right at the beginning and me hooked right to the end. One decision, and it changed the lives of Angie and her family forever. This is another of those stories that had me in tears at some points, angry at others and cheering partway through this story. I sit her, a rather privileged woman and am feeling guilty that I do not do enough to help others in need. When Angie finds herself a widow, not making enough money to pay her rent and her taxes she ends up facing eviction. What she goes through with social services to try and get help had me angry and sad. Her children, two who love with her and one who is addicted to drugs and living on the streets are all affected by this turn of events.
Angie was an amazing character. She loved her family, works hard to support them, is willing to do what she needs to do to make sure they are safe, yet works in a not for profit to help others at minimum wage. Her sister tries to help her as much as she can. I loved the relationship between the sisters. Throw in a nasty landlord, who is suspected of being a kingpin in both sex trafficking and the drug trade and you have characters to hate as well. When her daughter puts herself in danger, I found myself yelling at my phone. This book really opened my eyes to the hardships families endure, it’s heartbreaking that someone can work full time and still have to rely on food banks to survive. The working poor group seems to get bigger all the time as wages don't keep up with inflation. The topic of homelessness is a sad one, and her descriptions of "sleeping rough" made my heart break. What I loved about this story is that Susan Lewis writes in a very compassionate and understanding way. This book has a somewhat happy ending, but it left me thinking about what I can do to be more helpful to those in need.
I did a read/listen with this book and enjoyed the narration of Antonia Beamish. The last book I listened to with her as a narrator was a cast of three, this book she narrated by herself. She did a good job with the various characters. She did not try to imitate male voices, but with different intonation and inflection, she was able to distinguish the various characters. I definitely enjoyed this book more because of her performance. I received a copy of this book from the publisher upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Angie was an amazing character. She loved her family, works hard to support them, is willing to do what she needs to do to make sure they are safe, yet works in a not for profit to help others at minimum wage. Her sister tries to help her as much as she can. I loved the relationship between the sisters. Throw in a nasty landlord, who is suspected of being a kingpin in both sex trafficking and the drug trade and you have characters to hate as well. When her daughter puts herself in danger, I found myself yelling at my phone. This book really opened my eyes to the hardships families endure, it’s heartbreaking that someone can work full time and still have to rely on food banks to survive. The working poor group seems to get bigger all the time as wages don't keep up with inflation. The topic of homelessness is a sad one, and her descriptions of "sleeping rough" made my heart break. What I loved about this story is that Susan Lewis writes in a very compassionate and understanding way. This book has a somewhat happy ending, but it left me thinking about what I can do to be more helpful to those in need.
I did a read/listen with this book and enjoyed the narration of Antonia Beamish. The last book I listened to with her as a narrator was a cast of three, this book she narrated by herself. She did a good job with the various characters. She did not try to imitate male voices, but with different intonation and inflection, she was able to distinguish the various characters. I definitely enjoyed this book more because of her performance. I received a copy of this book from the publisher upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
August 11, 2019
Initial insight into a family in crisis facing debt and eviction debased by a far-fetched second half.
Home Truths focuses on the very relevant themes surrounding the harrowing turn that mother of three, Angie Watt’s, life has taken since her eldest son, Liam, fell prey to a notorious local gangs influence and her husband’s attempt to put a stop to his son’s descent ended with him paying the price with his life. Two years on, having thrown Liam out of the family home and his involvement in his father’s murder shrouded in doubt, early forties working widow, Angie, is struggling to cope. Managing a transition house alongside her sister, Emma, she supports those who have fallen on hard times and ended up homeless. Set in what could pass for any small town away from the big city lights, Home Truths presents itself as a story of the lengths that a mother will go to in order to protect her children and I was expecting a story of one woman discovering her previously unknown inner strength.
Whilst Angie might be all optimism, kindness and encouragement to the men on whose behalf she works, two years after her husband’s murder, her own personal situation has taken an ominous turn as debt escalates and rent goes unpaid and she struggles on one wage. Supported by her thirteen-year-old, Grace, and seven-year-old, Zac, she scours charity shops, pawns their valuables and sells their old toys in order to make ends meet. When an eviction notice is served and the bailiffs arrive, Angie’s plight goes into free fall and the horrors of a young family in such dire straits is hammered home. From the details of Angie’s budget and her exact day to day expenses to the intimidation of her landlord’s menacing thug, the devastating repercussions are made evident. In contrast to the two previous novels by Susan Lewis which I have read and had a firmer mystery focus, the impetus for establishing wayward Liam’s whereabouts comes when the police suspect him of involvement with another crime and Angie’s heartbreak intensifies her quest for knowledge.
The social commentary for the most part is solid and well-researched, illustrating everything from the county line gangs to the introduction of Universal Credit through to online grooming and the behaviour of the sex trafficking gangs. As the novel unfolds my disappointment was that Angie’s dire situation and finances takes an unrealistic ‘pie in the sky’ turn and this served to reduce the import of the early hard-hitting groundwork. As the second half unfolds the author also opts for a decidedly simplistic view of the austerity era and the problems faced by a government with reduced tax revenues and a rising population by simplistically ascribing funding cuts to the government making struggling people’s lives worse. What is believable, however, is thirteen-year-old daughter Grace’s social media appeal for ideas on alleviating the financial difficulties facing her family and how she soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous world of online predators targeting vulnerable youngsters. Together with savvy best friend, Lois, her character’s ordeal is far more compelling and credible than her mothers!
More unsatisfactory still is the fact that Angie’s personal plight has a sea change when she crosses paths with the owner of a construction company who retains a lot of goodwill towards her husband from their past work together. From here on in the story reads like predictable women’s fiction with a knight in shining armour coming to Angie’s aid. As someone who was expecting to read a realistic and emotionally charged story of a woman triumphing in the face of adversity, I felt short-changed as Susan Lewis sidesteps the realistic solutions and battles of everyday folk and discredits Angie’s entire story. Ardent feminists will be disappointed by the introduction of a good-looking and charismatic male coming to the rescue in more ways than one.
Both Angie and her sister, Emma, are strong, determined women and keep their plight in perspective with humour but in common with the rest of the cast, their characterisation is very black or white, and yet another aspect which minimises how compelling the novel is. Not only do the rest of the supporting cast feel decidedly one-dimensional but so many of the scenes are the stuff of dreams, particularly numerous people superseding the necessary channels that a person in Angie’s position would face and pulling strings on her behalf. Opting to forget the ‘ordinary woman in the grip of debt’ premise, Lewis forgets about the less well connected folk who find themselves at the back of the queue and what begins as the story of how no one is immune to the “vagaries of fate” and financial hardship takes a decidedly rosy turn to whimper to a close. All in all, a lightweight read that I would be hard pushed to recommend.
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Home Truths focuses on the very relevant themes surrounding the harrowing turn that mother of three, Angie Watt’s, life has taken since her eldest son, Liam, fell prey to a notorious local gangs influence and her husband’s attempt to put a stop to his son’s descent ended with him paying the price with his life. Two years on, having thrown Liam out of the family home and his involvement in his father’s murder shrouded in doubt, early forties working widow, Angie, is struggling to cope. Managing a transition house alongside her sister, Emma, she supports those who have fallen on hard times and ended up homeless. Set in what could pass for any small town away from the big city lights, Home Truths presents itself as a story of the lengths that a mother will go to in order to protect her children and I was expecting a story of one woman discovering her previously unknown inner strength.
Whilst Angie might be all optimism, kindness and encouragement to the men on whose behalf she works, two years after her husband’s murder, her own personal situation has taken an ominous turn as debt escalates and rent goes unpaid and she struggles on one wage. Supported by her thirteen-year-old, Grace, and seven-year-old, Zac, she scours charity shops, pawns their valuables and sells their old toys in order to make ends meet. When an eviction notice is served and the bailiffs arrive, Angie’s plight goes into free fall and the horrors of a young family in such dire straits is hammered home. From the details of Angie’s budget and her exact day to day expenses to the intimidation of her landlord’s menacing thug, the devastating repercussions are made evident. In contrast to the two previous novels by Susan Lewis which I have read and had a firmer mystery focus, the impetus for establishing wayward Liam’s whereabouts comes when the police suspect him of involvement with another crime and Angie’s heartbreak intensifies her quest for knowledge.
The social commentary for the most part is solid and well-researched, illustrating everything from the county line gangs to the introduction of Universal Credit through to online grooming and the behaviour of the sex trafficking gangs. As the novel unfolds my disappointment was that Angie’s dire situation and finances takes an unrealistic ‘pie in the sky’ turn and this served to reduce the import of the early hard-hitting groundwork. As the second half unfolds the author also opts for a decidedly simplistic view of the austerity era and the problems faced by a government with reduced tax revenues and a rising population by simplistically ascribing funding cuts to the government making struggling people’s lives worse. What is believable, however, is thirteen-year-old daughter Grace’s social media appeal for ideas on alleviating the financial difficulties facing her family and how she soon finds herself drawn into a dangerous world of online predators targeting vulnerable youngsters. Together with savvy best friend, Lois, her character’s ordeal is far more compelling and credible than her mothers!
More unsatisfactory still is the fact that Angie’s personal plight has a sea change when she crosses paths with the owner of a construction company who retains a lot of goodwill towards her husband from their past work together. From here on in the story reads like predictable women’s fiction with a knight in shining armour coming to Angie’s aid. As someone who was expecting to read a realistic and emotionally charged story of a woman triumphing in the face of adversity, I felt short-changed as Susan Lewis sidesteps the realistic solutions and battles of everyday folk and discredits Angie’s entire story. Ardent feminists will be disappointed by the introduction of a good-looking and charismatic male coming to the rescue in more ways than one.
Both Angie and her sister, Emma, are strong, determined women and keep their plight in perspective with humour but in common with the rest of the cast, their characterisation is very black or white, and yet another aspect which minimises how compelling the novel is. Not only do the rest of the supporting cast feel decidedly one-dimensional but so many of the scenes are the stuff of dreams, particularly numerous people superseding the necessary channels that a person in Angie’s position would face and pulling strings on her behalf. Opting to forget the ‘ordinary woman in the grip of debt’ premise, Lewis forgets about the less well connected folk who find themselves at the back of the queue and what begins as the story of how no one is immune to the “vagaries of fate” and financial hardship takes a decidedly rosy turn to whimper to a close. All in all, a lightweight read that I would be hard pushed to recommend.
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 11, 2019
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this insightful book
this will hit a lot of nerves with some people with what is happening with todays society....gangs, drugs, benefits, universal credit...the good and the bad in society its all in this book
very well written and the characters could be the person next door..your best friend or a work colleague...its life ats its best and worst...
well worth a read
this will hit a lot of nerves with some people with what is happening with todays society....gangs, drugs, benefits, universal credit...the good and the bad in society its all in this book
very well written and the characters could be the person next door..your best friend or a work colleague...its life ats its best and worst...
well worth a read
December 19, 2019
Home Truths packs a wallop. It is a story of a gritty widow and her family, from being solidly middle-class to homeless, to maybe something more, and enduring unspeakable violence that tears her family apart. The story illustrates how even the most solid members of society are often just a hair’s breadth away from losing everything, and illustrates just as well that there is always hope, even redemption.
December 18, 2022
The book though boring in some places makes up for with the characters they are just so heartfelt and so relatable to the cruelty of the world these days that I'd sometimes leave tye book for weeks to cry.
I definitely love the way Angie and Martin dance in circles around each other
And hamish's relationship with Angie is like that of a father and daughter and I cried so hard after his death
I think this book teaches more about homelessness and other problems like drug dealing and gangs and stuff and that's what makes it more heart-felt I guess
I definitely love the way Angie and Martin dance in circles around each other
And hamish's relationship with Angie is like that of a father and daughter and I cried so hard after his death
I think this book teaches more about homelessness and other problems like drug dealing and gangs and stuff and that's what makes it more heart-felt I guess
July 11, 2020
I have to say, this book went in a different direction to what I expected - but I enjoyed this insight into difficult circumstances.
August 11, 2019
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty novels based on family drama, thriller, suspense and crime genres. “Home Truths” is her latest publication and is a powerfully emotive family drama, focusing on how far you would go to keep your family safe.
Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd and leads to her husband’s murder. It is left to her to hold what’s left of the family together. With her son missing and her daughter looking for help in dangerous places, Angie is barely able to keep a roof over their heads. But when the world is falling apart, a mother will do anything to protect her children....
I had never read a Susan Lewis novel before but I knew she was a well respected author who writes very powerful women’s fiction. I did feel an instant connection with the story when I started reading and found it initially to be quite brutal. Angie is portrayed as a strong character even though she infuriated me as she continued to bury her head in the sand, instead of seeking help from debt consolidators. Her daughter Grace, in my opinion, was the steal of the show and I liked how together with her friend she was adamant to try and help her mother with the financial difficulties.
Sadly as the story developed I did feel that the plot started to lose its way and focus more on the plight of the homeless and those in poverty. Although a huge amount of research has obviously been carried out by the author, I personally felt she surpassed what was needed to convey her feelings and emotions regarding those impoverished, to the reader and it soon became rather tedious reading. I was also starting to no longer be invested in what happened with Angie and where she was going to live. Without belittling the subject of the homeless, the story lacked depth and I wasn’t too impressed with the instantly predictable outcome and the sickly sweet, happy ever after, fairy tale ending. There was some emotional content during the closing chapters that I did experience, though I was saddened the author chose this route for the character involved. However, I appreciate she was trying to keep the story realistic to true life and through her research with the homeless she must have discovered these things sadly occur and wanted to tell their stories and do them justice.
Saying all this, I did want to see the story through to the end and I may still be tempted to read more by Susan again, subject depending. If women’s fiction, featuring poignant family drama is to your liking you should enjoy this book and I wish the author every success with another suspected bestseller.
3 stars
Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd and leads to her husband’s murder. It is left to her to hold what’s left of the family together. With her son missing and her daughter looking for help in dangerous places, Angie is barely able to keep a roof over their heads. But when the world is falling apart, a mother will do anything to protect her children....
I had never read a Susan Lewis novel before but I knew she was a well respected author who writes very powerful women’s fiction. I did feel an instant connection with the story when I started reading and found it initially to be quite brutal. Angie is portrayed as a strong character even though she infuriated me as she continued to bury her head in the sand, instead of seeking help from debt consolidators. Her daughter Grace, in my opinion, was the steal of the show and I liked how together with her friend she was adamant to try and help her mother with the financial difficulties.
Sadly as the story developed I did feel that the plot started to lose its way and focus more on the plight of the homeless and those in poverty. Although a huge amount of research has obviously been carried out by the author, I personally felt she surpassed what was needed to convey her feelings and emotions regarding those impoverished, to the reader and it soon became rather tedious reading. I was also starting to no longer be invested in what happened with Angie and where she was going to live. Without belittling the subject of the homeless, the story lacked depth and I wasn’t too impressed with the instantly predictable outcome and the sickly sweet, happy ever after, fairy tale ending. There was some emotional content during the closing chapters that I did experience, though I was saddened the author chose this route for the character involved. However, I appreciate she was trying to keep the story realistic to true life and through her research with the homeless she must have discovered these things sadly occur and wanted to tell their stories and do them justice.
Saying all this, I did want to see the story through to the end and I may still be tempted to read more by Susan again, subject depending. If women’s fiction, featuring poignant family drama is to your liking you should enjoy this book and I wish the author every success with another suspected bestseller.
3 stars
August 11, 2019
Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty novels based on family drama, thriller, suspense and crime genres. “Home Truths” is her latest publication and is a powerfully emotive family drama, focusing on how far you would go to keep your family safe.
Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd and leads to her husband’s murder. It is left to her to hold what’s left of the family together. With her son missing and her daughter looking for help in dangerous places, Angie is barely able to keep a roof over their heads. But when the world is falling apart, a mother will do anything to protect her children....
I had never read a Susan Lewis novel before but I knew she was a well respected author who writes very powerful women’s fiction. I did feel an instant connection with the story when I started reading and found it initially to be quite brutal. Angie is portrayed as a strong character even though she infuriated me as she continued to bury her head in the sand, instead of seeking help from debt consolidators. Her daughter Grace, in my opinion, was the steal of the show and I liked how together with her friend she was adamant to try and help her mother with the financial difficulties.
Sadly as the story developed I did feel that the plot started to lose its way and focus more on the plight of the homeless and those in poverty. Although a huge amount of research has obviously been carried out by the author, I personally felt she surpassed what was needed to convey her feelings and emotions regarding those impoverished, to the reader and it soon became rather tedious reading. I was also starting to no longer be invested in what happened with Angie and where she was going to live. Without belittling the subject of the homeless, the story lacked depth and I wasn’t too impressed with the instantly predictable outcome and the sickly sweet, happy ever after, fairy tale ending. There was some emotional content during the closing chapters that I did experience, though I was saddened the author chose this route for the character involved. However, I appreciate she was trying to keep the story realistic to true life and through her research with the homeless she must have discovered these things sadly occur and wanted to tell their stories and do them justice.
Saying all this, I did want to see the story through to the end and I may still be tempted to read more by Susan again, subject depending. If women’s fiction, featuring poignant family drama is to your liking you should enjoy this book and I wish the author every success with another suspected bestseller.
3 stars
Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd and leads to her husband’s murder. It is left to her to hold what’s left of the family together. With her son missing and her daughter looking for help in dangerous places, Angie is barely able to keep a roof over their heads. But when the world is falling apart, a mother will do anything to protect her children....
I had never read a Susan Lewis novel before but I knew she was a well respected author who writes very powerful women’s fiction. I did feel an instant connection with the story when I started reading and found it initially to be quite brutal. Angie is portrayed as a strong character even though she infuriated me as she continued to bury her head in the sand, instead of seeking help from debt consolidators. Her daughter Grace, in my opinion, was the steal of the show and I liked how together with her friend she was adamant to try and help her mother with the financial difficulties.
Sadly as the story developed I did feel that the plot started to lose its way and focus more on the plight of the homeless and those in poverty. Although a huge amount of research has obviously been carried out by the author, I personally felt she surpassed what was needed to convey her feelings and emotions regarding those impoverished, to the reader and it soon became rather tedious reading. I was also starting to no longer be invested in what happened with Angie and where she was going to live. Without belittling the subject of the homeless, the story lacked depth and I wasn’t too impressed with the instantly predictable outcome and the sickly sweet, happy ever after, fairy tale ending. There was some emotional content during the closing chapters that I did experience, though I was saddened the author chose this route for the character involved. However, I appreciate she was trying to keep the story realistic to true life and through her research with the homeless she must have discovered these things sadly occur and wanted to tell their stories and do them justice.
Saying all this, I did want to see the story through to the end and I may still be tempted to read more by Susan again, subject depending. If women’s fiction, featuring poignant family drama is to your liking you should enjoy this book and I wish the author every success with another suspected bestseller.
3 stars
July 13, 2020
Angie's life spirals out of control after the violent death of her husband. We follow her as her eldest son goes missing and her debts snowball. Her 13 year old daughter Grace would do anything to help her Mom eventually putting herself in danger.
The problem with this book is it sounds like a thriller but isn't one. I was constantly waiting for a twist or something dramatic to happen and that never came. It has multiple themes that should have packed a punch - trafficking, drugs, crime rings, suicide- but it fell flat. None of these was explored and the consequences/effects were so nearly tied up it lacked a sense of reality.
It did cover the subject of poverty well, showing Angie hiding debts, desperately searching for additional work and being let down by the council. However it becomes a little repetitive, we get it, she is broke. The space could've been filled with Liam's missing years, or life from Emma or Hamish's perspective which would've made it feel more well rounded. And let's not get the white Knight saves the day ending! It ended so neatly but it wasn't satisfying at all.
The problem with this book is it sounds like a thriller but isn't one. I was constantly waiting for a twist or something dramatic to happen and that never came. It has multiple themes that should have packed a punch - trafficking, drugs, crime rings, suicide- but it fell flat. None of these was explored and the consequences/effects were so nearly tied up it lacked a sense of reality.
It did cover the subject of poverty well, showing Angie hiding debts, desperately searching for additional work and being let down by the council. However it becomes a little repetitive, we get it, she is broke. The space could've been filled with Liam's missing years, or life from Emma or Hamish's perspective which would've made it feel more well rounded. And let's not get the white Knight saves the day ending! It ended so neatly but it wasn't satisfying at all.
September 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! While it was a little reminiscent of a fairy tale nor a movie like Pretty Woman it called itself out on that and turned it into a bit of a joke which I liked. It was a fair glimpse of the dangers that gangs, drugs, and sex traffickers present and perhaps more importantly just how broken the system is. While it takes place in England the system is equally broken everywhere. The characters were compelling and the story was heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measures. The writing was good and I look forward to reading more by this offer. Angie’s life is forever changed when her husband is beaten to death by a local gang. She struggles to provide for herself and her children and slips more and more into debt until she’s at risk of losing everything including her place to live.
July 28, 2019
This is sadly just not my thing. I felt it lacked substance and was almost boring for two thirds of the book due to being so slow.
Nice ending but a really disappointing read for me.
I am however truly grateful to Readers First for sending me an advanced copy to read and review. I just like something a bit more detailed and gripping.
Nice ending but a really disappointing read for me.
I am however truly grateful to Readers First for sending me an advanced copy to read and review. I just like something a bit more detailed and gripping.
August 14, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It had real depth to the plot, storyline, and characters.
I felt truly invested in them, and their struggles and successes, their bad luck and good fortune, their fears and joys, as well as the sadness.
Thank you to the Publisher, Author, and BC Girls for making this book available.
This review will also be placed on Goodreads.
It had real depth to the plot, storyline, and characters.
I felt truly invested in them, and their struggles and successes, their bad luck and good fortune, their fears and joys, as well as the sadness.
Thank you to the Publisher, Author, and BC Girls for making this book available.
This review will also be placed on Goodreads.
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