Reflection

by Diane Chamberlain

From the Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of B IG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN, a compelling novel that asks...

What if the person you trusted most was hiding something from you?

Twenty years ago, a terrible tragedy shattered the tranquillity of the small Pennsylvania Dutch town of Reflection. The residents of the village have never forgiven the one woman they blamed for what happened - Rachel Huber. After the incident, Rachel left the town and cut off all ties there. But when Rachel receives the news that her estranged grandmother, Helen, is ill and needs her care, she returns to Reflection. On arrival she discovers that the town has not forgotten the past and amongst the hostility and gossip, Rachel is forced to seek out old allies and new passions. Soon she finds an unlikely advocate in her grandmother, who surprises her with her wise counsel and rare strength. Rachel comes to realize that they are both trying to overcome the past, and in doing so brings private guilt and concealed secrets into the light.

Unlock the secrets you'll love to discover with Diane Chamberlain, the storyteller beloved of readers everywhere:

Heat

'Gripping' Woman & Home

'Essential reading for Jodi Picoult fans' Daily Mail

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Mystery, Womens Fiction

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today and (London) Sunday Times best-selling author of 28 novels. The daughter of a school principal who supplied her with a new book almost daily, Diane quickly learned the emotional power of story. Although she wrote many small “books” as a child, she didn’t seriously turn to writing fiction until her early thirties when she was waiting for a delayed doctor’s appointment with nothing more than a pad, a pen, and an idea. She was instantly hooked.

Diane was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey and lived for many years in both San Diego and northern Virginia. She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from San Diego State University. Prior to her writing career, she was a hospital social worker in both San Diego and Washington, D.C, and a psychotherapist in private practice in Alexandria, Virginia, working primarily with adolescents.

More than two decades ago, Diane was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which changed the way she works: She wrote two novels using voice recognition software before new medication allowed her to get back to typing. She feels fortunate that her arthritis is not more severe and that she’s able to enjoy everyday activities as well as keep up with a busy travel schedule.

Diane lives in North Carolina with her significant other, photographer John Pagliuca, and their odd but lovable Shetland Sheepdog, Cole

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Diane chamberlain has been successful in getting me to cancel my social life. I could not put this book down once I had started. Loved all the characters, so three dimensional, and the plot was extremely gripping and everything tied up nicely at the end which is always satisfying.

[Veronika Can · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jau seniai skaičiau romaną, kuriame būtų paliesta tiek įtemptų temų. Kiekvienas veikėjas su savo stipriais išgyvenimais, pasirinkimais, dvejonėm.. Miestelis patyręs skaudų smūgį, didelę tragediją ir metai iš metų ta siaubinga diena vis prisimenama. Sudaužyti žmonių likimai.. Šeimų dramos, meilės trikampiai, netolerancija, psichologinė karo trauma, prievarta, ir muzika, muzika.. visko čia tiek daug! Nemažai paslapčių, ir jos čia labai negreit atskleidžiamos. Šokiruoja ne kartą..

Komentaruose apie knygą skaičiau, kad bus apie tam tikrą religinę bendruomenę, galvojau na dabar prasidės.. bet nieko panašaus, paminima tik viena kita detalė, tai nebuvo knygos pagr. tema.

Autorė nei akimirkai neleidžia nuobodžiauti.
Man patiko.

🖋 ..malda tiesiog ramino. Užimdavo mintis ir suteikdavo bent šiek tiek kontrolės jausmo situacijoje, kurios iš tiesų ji nekontroliavo.
🖋 Turėdama ką kaltinti... semiasi jėgų ištverti.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had this book sitting on my bookshelves for many years and finally, I decided to read it and I’m pleased I did. This is a captivating and moving story set in the Pennsylvania Dutch town of Reflection. I have read a few books by Diane Chamberlain and have enjoyed them including this one. Recommended.

[Eglė (IG-atgimusi_meile_knygoms) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atspindys - mano pirmasis romanas rašytojos D.Chamberlain. Ši autorė labai mėgstama ir gerai vertinama. Šioje knygoje pateiktas laikotarpis ir vietovė, kuriuose technologijos ir mums įprastas pasaulietiškas gyvenimas dar mažai paliestas.
Veiksmas ir įvykiai vyksta Atspindžio miestelyje. Į jį po 20-ties metų grįžta Reičelė slaugyti senelės. Tačiau miestelio gyventojai dar nepamiršo buvusių įvykių, kurie pakeitė daugybę gyvenimų ir likimų. Nei anotacijoje nei pačiame kūrinyje autorė nelinkusi greit atskleisti visų paslapčių ir tragiškų įvykių. Bendraujant su senais pažįstamais, iškylant prisiminimams, gvildenant šeimos paslaptis po truputėlį atsidengia paslapties šydas.
Nuo pirmo puslapio iki paskutinio netrūko santykių: tarp vyrų ir moterų, tėvų ir vaikų, senelių ir anūkų, seserų ir brolių, draugų ir priešų. Kas labiausiai nustebino, kad viskas pateikta labai žemiškai, natūraliai ir tikroviškai, gal tik vietomis truputėlį ištęsta.
Veiksmo gal ir ne perdaugiausiai, bet nuobodžiauti tikrai neteko. Ko man ištikrųjų pritrūko tai labiau pagvildenti potrauminio streso temą, nes būtent tai nulėmė esminius įvykius kūrinyje.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex layered story. Incredible tragedy in a small town that affects almost everyone, and the blame for the tragedy rests on one woman. Her story is amazing, painful and realistic. This story is full of twists and turns with characters both bitter and compassionate. Loved it!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the very few Diane Chamberlain books I haven’t read, written I believe in 1997. A good story of basic human instincts, touching on the Vietnam war too

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Diane Chamberlain’s books and was surprised to find this one that I had not read at my library. It was written originally in 1996.
It is the story of Rachel who returns to her home town of Reflection to care for Helen, her grandmother, who was struck by lightning. But coming back is not easy for Rachel as she knows many in town hold her responsible for a tragedy that happened years before. Reflection is a Pennsylvania Dutch town. While there Rachel encounters the Mennonite minister Michael who had been her childhood friend. That raises problems for her and for Michael.
Most of the town are very uneasy about Rachel but Lily, whose sister was killed in the tragedy, befriends her. Lily and one other person in Reflection know more about the tragedy that anyone else does.
While I enjoyed this story, as I usually do novels by Diane Chamberlain, I thought the ending of this one was a little too convoluted and unrealistic. While I enjoyed it, it didn’t have the same impact on me as some of this author’s other novels, but I have no doubt a lot of other people will enjoy it.

[Natalija R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Istorija visai grazi, bet manes labai nesuzavejo😞 vietomis kabino...
Si knyga nebuvo stipri kaip ir pries ja isleista- Zalvario ziedas, senesnes autores knygos man buvo labiau itraukiancios, ikvepiancios...
Per daug verkslenimu ir nereikalingas istestumas pasakojant nereikalingas smulkmenas- vare mane is proto🤦🏻‍♀️
Per daug atitraukiant kulminacija- itampa pasirodo perlaikyta, nuvalkiota ir nebeidomi. Skaitesi greitai, bet ispudzio didelio nepaliko- eilinis romanas apie daugiameti mela...
3⭐

[Jurga Šernienė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Šilta, jauki, bet labai saldi knyga. Tikrai ši rašytoja yra parašiusi daug stipresnių romanų. Bet atostogoms puikiai tiko.

[Lainy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time taken to read - Over 4 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Harper Collins

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

The author of Brass Ring and Fire and Rain delivers an edge-of-your-seat story filled with secrets, surprises, and psychological suspense. Returning to the small Pennsylvania Dutch town of Reflection, Rachel Huber must confront the tragedy that caused her to leave twenty years before."One of the premier writers of contemporary fiction." -- "Romantic Times" Diane Chamberlain's background as a psychotherapist and clinical social worker is evident in her psychologically complex characters.Will appeal to fans of the novels of Anne Rivers Siddons, Barbara Delinsky, and Rosamunde Pilcher.


My Review

Rachel Huber is back in Reflection, the small town she left decades ago under a cloud of hate, shame and distrust. When her gran Helen has an accident Rachel goes back without a second thought, so many years have passed, she needs to reconnect with her gran and face her past. As Helen's health recovers and they get to know each other, Rachel finds the town still shuns and blames her for what happened. Rachel confronts her past,finds that she isn't the only one with secrets, the past never stays in the past and old feelings have never really gone away.

I do enjoy a small town drama, we know something bad happened but it is hinted at and teased out. The focus centres on Helen and Rachel, the family estranged and now brought together when both need it most. Rachel's oldest friend Michael is now a religious man and the heart of the village, his followers are torn between their loyalty and his friendship with Rachel, her past and their seeming closeness.

Weaved with so many issues, family secrets, PTSD, religion, infidelity, love, lies, death and small town grudges it engages the reader quickly. As we flip from present day and dip into the past, the story gives us insight into the characters and what shapes them into who they are, what they have endured and what is still to come. 3.5 out of 5 for me this time, I do enjoy Chamerlain, I have read her before and I will read her again.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed REFLECTION more the first time I read this one of Diane Chamberlain’s earliest works.

In 1973 new teacher Rachel is blamed for a school massacre perpetrated by her husband Luke, Vietnam vet with PTSD. Rachel fled town, returning 21 years later to care for her ailing grandmother. There she reunites with her childhood friend and the love of her life Michael, who is now an unhappily, recently separated Mennonite pastor. Rachel is now treated as if she took part in the 10 murders, scorned by the townspeople.

Written in the mid 1990s, REFLECTION is somewhat dated in its approach to school killings and mental health. Poor murderer Luke only meant to kill himself, not the 10 children he took with him. It wasn’t really his fault, it was the bad bad war. And Rachel never had any part in the bombing. A little girl unlocked the door and the brave, brave principal, trying to save Luke commandeered the bomb and accidentally threw it where the children were hiding (insert rolling eyes icon).

Of course Rachel and Michael get together, because REFLECTION is so predictable.

I like Diane Chamberlain very much as a person and as a writer. I probably liked this book more than when it was written as it was less dated then.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the big questions for me were If she had a relationship with her Grandmother as a child and loved her so dearly, why wouldn't she look her up when she was an adult? This made no sense to me at all, especially since she didn't know "the reason" for the breach to begin with. With no parents to upset, this did not ring true for me. One of the other big questions was why was everyone else upset about what happened at the school but Rachel? She didn't even seem to think anything of it when she moved back, she never made overtures trying to explain what happened from her point of view, or look up the student's families and apologize to them -- this did not ring true to me either.

[Rachel Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book. I usually love Diane Chamberlain's books but this one I really couldn't get into. I just found the whole story rather boring and I didn't really take a liking to any of the characters. I can usually finish a book in a few days but this one took me a month because I just had no inclination to pick it up and read it.
I'll still read Diane's other books as like I said this is the only one I haven't enjoyed so far, but very disappointed in this one

[Izzy Rutter · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a lot of nonsense. This is just the sort of book I like, a big juicy novel with twists and turns but this was more Dan Brown than Penny Vincenzi, full of "surprises" that you could see coming from a mile away with your eyes shut. The characters were wishy washy and self centered, and the way it all wrapped itself up perfectly actually made me laugh. Very disappointing

[Deimante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pradzia skaitesi letokai ir jau bijojau, kad knyga nuvils, bet gavosi kaip klasikine muzika, kuriai tikrai daug skirta sioje knygoje: itampa vis kilo, itrauke ir jau nebepaleido iki pabaigos, kol nurimo visos audros. ❤️

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least favorite book by Chamberlain to date. Couldn't connect with the characters or plot at all. Meh.

[Loreta Griciutė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Labai graži, labai įtempta, kelias kartas apimanti istorija apie tikrą meilę ir pasiaukojimą, apie gyvenimo išbandymus, ir paslaptis, kurios vieną dieną bus įmintos.
Perskaičiau per tris gerus prisėdimus su didžiausiu malonumu ir pasimėgavimu , na o knyga užims garbingą vietą asmeninėje lentynoje, šalia visų kitų autorės kūrinių.

[Kelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kept my interest, but much of it was very predictable. There were a few good twists with the grandmother and more of that story would have added to the book, I believe. Easy to read and the writing style draws you in.

[Smitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

her to leave the place she grew up in. Now, twenty years later she comes back to nurse her ill grandmother, Helen, who was struck by lightening. Rachel, a teacher by profession, comes back to a town still stuck in the tragedy that happened then, and realises that most people still held a grudge and held her responsible for what happened then. While she had expected some amount of it, the scale of the hatred that she faced left her shaken. The town hadn't moved on at all, but then how easy it, to move on? When families have been destroyed, lives uprooted...

Thankfully for Rachel, she's not completely alone in an antagonistic town, she has support in her old childhood friend Michael and unexpectedly, her grandmother Helen, with whom she realises, she shares a lot more than she had realised. Her time in Reflection, for Helen, becomes a time for coming to terms with her past, to stop running away from the ghosts of her past and facing up to the demons that haunt her. A beautiful story of love, loss and forgiveness.

A beautiful book, full of sub plots, and intricate relationships. It had so many elements to it, so many layers and yet, everything beautifully balanced, an absolute page turner, keeping the suspense going until the very end. Characters you empathise with, characters you understand, even when they have completely divergent stands or points of view. The title especially, I felt was very apt. This will be one of my favourite Diane Chamberlains so far. I've found that her books are advertised as 'Jodi Picoult type' books, but I do think that she has a flavour of her own, a style that I quite enjoy.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story set in the Pennsylvania Dutch town of Reflection. Twenty years ago, a terrible tragedy happened there involving Rachel Huber who left town shortly afterwards. Now she is back to look after her grandmother but not everyone is pleased to see her. Most of the town hold her at least partly responsible for what happened and very few people seem not to bear a grudge against her. One of those people is her childhood close friend Michael, who is now a local Minister but can Michael and her grandmother do anything to turn the tide of opinion in her favour?

It does take a while for the full story of what happened to emerge in the book, as for a long while we are just given hints, and when the reader does find out what happened there is a slight anticlimactic feeling. I, for one, had pretty much put two and two together and made four but it still made very tense, dramatic reading nevertheless.

There is a subplot involving the sale of a local tract of land for development, Michael is trying to stop the development and his efforts all really seem in vain, the development which will change everyone’s lives in a community that is steeped in the past, with its Amish dwellers amongst them.

The one true constant is Rachel’s Grandmother Helen, and as the story unfolds it seems she too has a tale to tell, one that up until now has never been told.

It is a very readable story, gently moving with a lot of twists and turns in the plot which all comes together in a highly satisfying ending.

[Jillian1201 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third Diane Chamberlain book I have read. Whilst I loved the first two, this book left me seriously annoyed. SPOILERS TO FOLLOW: Rachel arrived back in the town of Reflection to care for her unwell Grandmother after a 20 year absence. It is revealed that she left town after her 1st husband killed ten children in her classroom, he was mentally damaged from his military service. Upon returning to the town Rachel is surprised to find many of the local people still hold a lot of pain and bad feeling towards her, their children had been killed by a grenade what did she expect! She then, with the encouragement of her grandmother, pursues an old friend who she believes she is meant to be with. The fact that this friend is the church minister, married with a child doesn't seem to worry her. To make it worse, the friend's wife is a doctor doing voluntary work overseas giving Rachel a clear run at Michael. The book drags on with Rachel blundering around town perplexed as to why she is not welcome anymore, at home her odious grandmother encourages her to chase after Michael as the arrogant woman believes he married the wrong girl. Finally, just when I thought she might do the right thing and leave town we discover that Michael's wife is pregnant to his best friend, explaining her overseas trip, and conveniently opening the way for Rachel and Michael to be together. Sorry, wrong is wrong, and in this case it was horrible seeing Rachel get what she wanted after such awful behaviour.

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently working through this author's collection, and this is a firm favourite. Unputdownable, if there is such a word. I loved the title, because it was not only the name of the town the story is set in, but proves to be the key thing many characters are doing, from Rachel who has returned to her home town to care for her grandmother, to Michael and his wife, and all those in the town.
Twenty one years ago there was a tragic event in town for which Rachel was held the scapegoat, but her returning forces the whole town to consider how being stuck at one moment in time is damaging those around them. Meantime, her grandmother is forced to revisit past memories both painful and pleasant. The story of Rachel and Michael is also reflected in the story of her grandmother, with a moving, nail-biting conclusion.

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I did not enjoy this book as much as "The Escape Artist" it was enjoyable and I still plan on reading all of her books. I really felt like I knew all of the characters in this one, which is important to me.

For me, the romance part of the novel was predictable, and dragged out in parts. However, there were so many twists in the story and the end of the book contained so many surprises.

This is a must read for Ms. Chamberlain's readers.

[MAPS - Booktube · Rating 3 out of 5]

On reconnaît le style de Chamberlain avec les multiples énigmes. Des personnages humains que l'on aime suivre et que l'on aime rapidement. Je pensais que l'histoire serait plus autour du drame, mais finalement pas tant que ça. Il y a beaucoup de révélations, mais j'ai trouvé qu'elles avaient peu d'impact. Je suis donc mitigée. Lecture agréable mais définitivement pas inoubliable.

[Chrissi]

Diane never fails to surprise me in her books! Her books are full of twists and turns that most of the time you don't see coming. I often see Diane compared to Jodi Picoult but in my opinion, Diane is better. Much more gripping and the stories aren't as 'samey'. Well worth checking out.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of this author's earlier books from the 1990's! Great writing but predictable story!

[Rozaini Haji · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story written about overcoming the past and  forgiving others to free oneself. As usual, reading her novels, one will expect the twist and surprises in the storyline which making it more exciting and intriguing.

You could almost see the quaint town, smell the fresh air and hear the clippity-clop of the horse hooves driven by the Amish folks;  through her writings. She captivated her audience by giving the vivid image in the novel.A natural story teller.

Face the consequences though, once you pick the book. Lucky for me I started reading it during the long weekend and true enough, it occupied my free time, leaving me with only one free hand to use during my meal time, kept me past my bedtime and even invades my dream.

Looking forward to enjoy a stack of yet to be   read Diane Chamberlain novels.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed the first quarter of this book with all the little mysteries being introduced and I couldn't wait to find out the answers. Then the middle really dragged with all the flashbacks and just so many people being jerks to the main character. It got old fast. And it seemed that all the answers stopped coming. I was still curious but I got tired of waiting for some things to be explained. And the whole will they won't they thing was way too drawn out. However, the final quarter of the book was great, with one big twist I didn't see coming at all and a few minor twists that I did guess. If this book had just been tightened up a bit, a few cuts here and there, it could have been a spectacular book. Perhaps if it were written today instead of almost 30 years ago, it would be like that. Otherwise, beyond the mention of compact discs and VHS players, that was the only way it truly showed its age.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chamberlain does such a great job of pulling the reader in from page 1, teasing them with the promise of secrets to be revealed throughout the story. Reflection is no exception. Right off the bat, we know that something horrible happened to Rachel Huber in her home town, but Chamberlain draws out revealing what it was and how it happened, keeping the reader in suspense. Many of the town’s residents have secrets themselves, and Chamberlain leads the readers through one emotion after the other—shock, shame, joy, satisfaction and heartbreak—as each character reveals their secrets in an attempt to save Reflection, both physically and emotionally.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very kind by giving this book three stars. If it wasn't so mesmerizing (not always in a good way) I would have given it two stars. Way too many intersecting storylines and at times this book reminded me of Peyton Place. I found several moments that did not ring true. There is a 20 year old son that sounded more like 13 years old. I think that the narrator didn't help and the various characters interacting with this supposedly intelligent 20 year old was as though they were dealing with an adolescent. Say what?! Anyway, I am a big fan of Diane Chamberlain but this one didn't hit the mark for me.