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Ghosted
Violet and Zoe are best friends, joined at the hip...until Zoe vanishes.
Meanwhile Violet tries to juggle a new relationship and a demanding job as a midwife, where she meets a mum-to-be who faces her own unexpected challenges.
Who can Violet turn to to help her to find out what lies behind Zoe’s disappearance?
This is a story with twists and turns. A story of friendship. A story of trust.
Meanwhile Violet tries to juggle a new relationship and a demanding job as a midwife, where she meets a mum-to-be who faces her own unexpected challenges.
Who can Violet turn to to help her to find out what lies behind Zoe’s disappearance?
This is a story with twists and turns. A story of friendship. A story of trust.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
39 people are currently reading
1147 people want to read
About the author
J.E. Rowney
39 books820 followersWriter.
Visit my website for previews, further information.
http://www.jerowney.com/
"I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."
Visit my website for previews, further information.
http://www.jerowney.com/
"I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 9, 2020
I absolutely loved Ghosted. Violet and Zoey have been best friends forever. They tell each other everything. They are there for one another in the worst of times (the book opens with some distressing and extremely well written abuse scenes that suck you right in.) So when Zoey abruptly disappears, ghosting her, Violet can’t understand what’s going on.
Without revealing too many details that would spoil this delicious women’s fiction read, this delves into relationships, both of the friendship and romantic variety, domestic abuse, anxiety, and is also part a medical drama (which I loved! So detailed and added a lovely side plot as Violet works with her patients in her role as a midwife.) As Violet navigates a new relationship, she struggles to figure out what’s going on with Zoey, and why at every turn, she is thwarted to discover any answers. I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see there are more Violet and Zoey books!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Without revealing too many details that would spoil this delicious women’s fiction read, this delves into relationships, both of the friendship and romantic variety, domestic abuse, anxiety, and is also part a medical drama (which I loved! So detailed and added a lovely side plot as Violet works with her patients in her role as a midwife.) As Violet navigates a new relationship, she struggles to figure out what’s going on with Zoey, and why at every turn, she is thwarted to discover any answers. I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see there are more Violet and Zoey books!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
March 5, 2020
Quick, fun read.
Exactly what I needed on my day off!
Violet was hella relate-able and easy to hangout with.
I did figure out what was going on quite early, but it made the story no less enjoyable.
From the description I thought this would be a psychological thriller.
Kind of was, mostly more chicklit aspects than thriller for me.
Which is fine, but I would have preferred if , but I just like things a little more .
Much thanks to J.E. Rowney for my DRC.
Exactly what I needed on my day off!
Violet was hella relate-able and easy to hangout with.
I did figure out what was going on quite early, but it made the story no less enjoyable.
From the description I thought this would be a psychological thriller.
Kind of was, mostly more chicklit aspects than thriller for me.
Which is fine, but I would have preferred if , but I just like things a little more .
Much thanks to J.E. Rowney for my DRC.
December 30, 2019
Like others have previously stated, I found the story predictable and not what I was expecting according to the description. Good effort by the author though and fairly entertaining, just not a good fit for me.
November 9, 2019
I got a free copy of this book and was asked to write an honest review.
First of all, I need to state that it's not that easy to be "brutally" honest since I feel grateful I got the book for free - but I will do my best.
So, the book is structured in three axes:
1. Zoe and Violet's friendship,
2.Violet's personal life and
3.Violet's professional life.
The chapters serve mostly as separating borders between the narrations of these three different aspects of Zoe's life. All three axes help us form a very clear picture of Violet's personality, who is the main character of the book. The reader gets to know her pretty well, understand her reasoning and follow her thought process. We get to know Zoe, Luke, Adrian, and all the other people through Violet's interaction with them. This leads to a somewhat limited understanding of their actions and motives and contributes to the mistery.
First of all, I need to state that it's not that easy to be "brutally" honest since I feel grateful I got the book for free - but I will do my best.
So, the book is structured in three axes:
1. Zoe and Violet's friendship,
2.Violet's personal life and
3.Violet's professional life.
The chapters serve mostly as separating borders between the narrations of these three different aspects of Zoe's life. All three axes help us form a very clear picture of Violet's personality, who is the main character of the book. The reader gets to know her pretty well, understand her reasoning and follow her thought process. We get to know Zoe, Luke, Adrian, and all the other people through Violet's interaction with them. This leads to a somewhat limited understanding of their actions and motives and contributes to the mistery.
November 9, 2019
I really didn’t rate this book at all. I felt that there was a huge build up to the girl going missing and such a let down how it turned out. There was way too much time spent on describing medical procedures and not enough on character development. I feel that it promised so much but was an anti climax for me.
July 9, 2020
This book’s cover makes you think of Chick Lit. The blurb of Thriller. Well, it wasn’t really one or the other but a weirdly meh mix of both.
I could see this being some kind of naïve telling of a bad thing like we were seeing everything from the main character point of view. But I think this would have been to be much darker in reality for this to actually work and be understood as such. Was this what even was trying to be achieved but failed? I’m not even sure.
The main character was not for me (I rolled my eyes at her too many times to count) and the all thing was just really underwhelming.
I did enjoy the midwife life part of the story but it wasn’t supposed to be the main story so...
Maybe this was just a really bad fit between book and reader?
I received a copy of this book from the author
I could see this being some kind of naïve telling of a bad thing like we were seeing everything from the main character point of view. But I think this would have been to be much darker in reality for this to actually work and be understood as such. Was this what even was trying to be achieved but failed? I’m not even sure.
The main character was not for me (I rolled my eyes at her too many times to count) and the all thing was just really underwhelming.
I did enjoy the midwife life part of the story but it wasn’t supposed to be the main story so...
Maybe this was just a really bad fit between book and reader?
I received a copy of this book from the author
February 23, 2020
The opening chapters of this novel were a very uncomfortable read for the right reasons—a very insightful portrait of a woman in an emotionally abusive relationship. Everything about the beginning is strong: the understanding of abuse, the narrator’s voice, the way the story hooked me and stressed me out as I yearned for her to liberate herself. Sadly, for me the rest of the book was a let down.
It’s a very well-written story. Told in the first person, the author does a good job is developing the main character’s personality and both her perceptions and imperceptions about the world around her. There’s a quirky turn of phrase every now and then too. Very well edited and proofed, I don’t think I saw a single typo. I did find the rest of the novel to be a bit rambling.
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I liked the way it ended. That is. I liked the way it ended for the main character. I found the central problem of the story—the reason for the ghosting—to be anti-climatic, but I liked way the main character seemed to finally find a sense of herself independent of her need for other people.
I think this is a novel for people who are interested in women’s lives and personal growth. It is not a thriller and, apart from the tension in the beginning, there isn’t a lot of high drama. Just a quiet story of human relationships and growth
It’s a very well-written story. Told in the first person, the author does a good job is developing the main character’s personality and both her perceptions and imperceptions about the world around her. There’s a quirky turn of phrase every now and then too. Very well edited and proofed, I don’t think I saw a single typo. I did find the rest of the novel to be a bit rambling.
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I liked the way it ended. That is. I liked the way it ended for the main character. I found the central problem of the story—the reason for the ghosting—to be anti-climatic, but I liked way the main character seemed to finally find a sense of herself independent of her need for other people.
I think this is a novel for people who are interested in women’s lives and personal growth. It is not a thriller and, apart from the tension in the beginning, there isn’t a lot of high drama. Just a quiet story of human relationships and growth
April 20, 2020
Two best friends since childhood, Zoe and Violet find themselves in their early twenties navigating adult responsibilities including building careers and romantic relationships. The reader discovers early on that the main character, Violet is embarking on a journey of self-discovery that grows throughout the story and finally resolves at the end. For Violet there are romantic relationships lost and gained while for Zoe there are secrets that need to be told.
This book is an enjoyable, quick read that focuses on Violet’s perspective and her growth into a more healthy, mature adult. In the midst of a growing career in becoming a midwife, Violet finds herself working through how to balance relationships with her patients and faces the biggest challenge of them all when Zoe suddenly “ghosts” her (in the modern sense of the phrase) for unknown reasons. Violet is then left in a world where she is pushed to gain confidence in her own perspective and start calling the shots in her own life.
This book is an enjoyable, quick read that focuses on Violet’s perspective and her growth into a more healthy, mature adult. In the midst of a growing career in becoming a midwife, Violet finds herself working through how to balance relationships with her patients and faces the biggest challenge of them all when Zoe suddenly “ghosts” her (in the modern sense of the phrase) for unknown reasons. Violet is then left in a world where she is pushed to gain confidence in her own perspective and start calling the shots in her own life.
September 1, 2020
Violet and Zoe are best mates and have been since forever. They have a routine - coffee at the same cafe every week they go to the gin festival every year AND they know everything about one another. After a break-up Violet meets Matt. Worrying that she's on the rebound (and how fast it's going) Violet decides not to tell Zoe about her new love interest. When Violet finally comes clean, Zoe disappears. Zoe has completely ghosted Violet.
The start of this book provides a perfect preamble to the plot. We get to know Violet and Zoe's characters and it is a shock when Zoe disappears (even though I knew this would happen because that's the title). I could sort of see the end - but I didn't want to believe it because I was already invested! That's how well written the characters are.
A subplot is introduced at Violet's job (she's a midwife) and this served to help me understand Violet's apprehension. There are some beautiful analogies in the prose which made it all the more enjoyable.
I chose to read the Kindle version, but Ghosted is available as an audiobook. I had a quick listen to the sample and it's of a very high quality clear and I would say a 'standard' English accent.
The start of this book provides a perfect preamble to the plot. We get to know Violet and Zoe's characters and it is a shock when Zoe disappears (even though I knew this would happen because that's the title). I could sort of see the end - but I didn't want to believe it because I was already invested! That's how well written the characters are.
A subplot is introduced at Violet's job (she's a midwife) and this served to help me understand Violet's apprehension. There are some beautiful analogies in the prose which made it all the more enjoyable.
I chose to read the Kindle version, but Ghosted is available as an audiobook. I had a quick listen to the sample and it's of a very high quality clear and I would say a 'standard' English accent.
May 2, 2020
Ghosted starts heavy, with an abusive boyfriend, a tumultuous relationship, and suspense—from the description—about Zoe’s eventual disappearance. What you get, actually, is itself a twist from what you expect. Ghosted is instead a quiet story about friendship, relationships, and personal growth, not a thriller or paranormal novel.
It’s a quick read, with an easy-to-follow plot. Even though I’m not likely the target market (young women?), the characters are well-developed and relatable.
From a technical standpoint, I’m not a fan of Rowney’s use of ellipses, and the character’s dialogue could sometimes sound unnatural, but otherwise I’d recommend the book.
It’s a quick read, with an easy-to-follow plot. Even though I’m not likely the target market (young women?), the characters are well-developed and relatable.
From a technical standpoint, I’m not a fan of Rowney’s use of ellipses, and the character’s dialogue could sometimes sound unnatural, but otherwise I’d recommend the book.
March 21, 2020
"Ghosted" by J.E. Rowney centers around main character Violet - mainly her job and her relationships. She’s employed as a mid-wife and from the technical jargon I could tell that the author either knows a lot about midwifery or she did a heck of a lot of research on the subject. Either way, I found the subject quite interesting to read about. Violet has a best friend, Zoe who is happily married to Luke, unlike Violet who has been flitting in and out of abusive relationships for many years. Rowney does a truly superb job of describing the typical abuse victims thought process and often skewed rationale behind staying with an abuser.
When the story starts out, Violet has reached the breaking point with her current abuser, Adrian. Once Adrian is out of her life, she decides it is finally time to concentrate on herself – enter Matt. Once Matt appears, Zoe disappears and this is where the story begins to take on an almost thriller feel. The author keeps us guessing as to where Zoe is and who is involved in her disappearance, while also balancing an equally compelling back-story involving a patient of Violet’s who is facing a heartbreaking diagnosis.
I found the writing to be flawless and although I personally would’ve preferred the story to have a more dramatic ending, it didn’t take away in the least from this truly enjoyable read.
When the story starts out, Violet has reached the breaking point with her current abuser, Adrian. Once Adrian is out of her life, she decides it is finally time to concentrate on herself – enter Matt. Once Matt appears, Zoe disappears and this is where the story begins to take on an almost thriller feel. The author keeps us guessing as to where Zoe is and who is involved in her disappearance, while also balancing an equally compelling back-story involving a patient of Violet’s who is facing a heartbreaking diagnosis.
I found the writing to be flawless and although I personally would’ve preferred the story to have a more dramatic ending, it didn’t take away in the least from this truly enjoyable read.
February 12, 2020
Ghosted is a well-written and easy-to-read piece that flows along nicely. Its focus is on Violet, a twenty-something midwife who’s living in the dominating shadow of her abusive boyfriend Adrian. She finds the courage to break up with him - and almost immediately finds herself starting a new romantic relationship with Matthew. Zoe, her lifelong best friend, warns her not to go too fast. Soon, Zoe unexpectedly and inexplicably cuts off all contact with Violet, leaving her reeling and confused.
This is a book about relationships and what they mean. Violet and Zoe’s friendship takes center-stage, but the story also examines the connections Violet has with her boyfriends (past and present), Zoe’s relationship with her husband, and Violet’s emerging friendship with one of her patients. There’s a lot to like here – the characters are fleshed out nicely and their actions and feelings ring true. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by life and lost in its sticky milieu, you’ll probably feel a kinship with Violet.
If there’s one point where the book is lacking, it’s that it takes a while to get going. The first half of the book reads like a romance novel, with very little conflict beyond the first few chapters. The back half of the book is where things really start to move, and at that point the plotlines start to come together nicely. Readers should also be aware that there’s no high-stakes plot or gripping suspense – at its heart it’s a simple tale of two friends who have lost each other. Do Violet and Zoe ever reconnect? What causes Zoe to stop all communication with Violet? Read it to find out.
This is a book about relationships and what they mean. Violet and Zoe’s friendship takes center-stage, but the story also examines the connections Violet has with her boyfriends (past and present), Zoe’s relationship with her husband, and Violet’s emerging friendship with one of her patients. There’s a lot to like here – the characters are fleshed out nicely and their actions and feelings ring true. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by life and lost in its sticky milieu, you’ll probably feel a kinship with Violet.
If there’s one point where the book is lacking, it’s that it takes a while to get going. The first half of the book reads like a romance novel, with very little conflict beyond the first few chapters. The back half of the book is where things really start to move, and at that point the plotlines start to come together nicely. Readers should also be aware that there’s no high-stakes plot or gripping suspense – at its heart it’s a simple tale of two friends who have lost each other. Do Violet and Zoe ever reconnect? What causes Zoe to stop all communication with Violet? Read it to find out.
November 10, 2019
I think overall this book is well written, with some interesting insight into abusive relationships, and the complexities about coercive control. However I leapt into this and was hooked, with a view that this was a thriller....it’s definitely not!
It’s very well written, and it is gripping but I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment when I got more than halfway through and realised this wasn’t going the way I thought! I also spent a lot of time reading about a day in the life of a midwife! I expected the Claire story to be part of the twists, but was mistaken!
If you are expecting a thriller, or mystery then this isn’t the book for you, but if you are happy to read a really gripping and interestingly written novel with lots of insight into abuse and midwifery then please pick this up and give it a go!
It’s very well written, and it is gripping but I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment when I got more than halfway through and realised this wasn’t going the way I thought! I also spent a lot of time reading about a day in the life of a midwife! I expected the Claire story to be part of the twists, but was mistaken!
If you are expecting a thriller, or mystery then this isn’t the book for you, but if you are happy to read a really gripping and interestingly written novel with lots of insight into abuse and midwifery then please pick this up and give it a go!
January 31, 2020
Although this book was a quick and interesting read I just couldn’t handle the “twist”.....if we can even call it that. I received this book as an ARC in a giveaway in exchange for my review. I thought the author spent about 80% of the book giving extremely detailed accounts of the happenings of characters that don’t. even. matter. I can’t recommend the book because it just doesn’t feel like it belongs in the genre it’s listed under. Overall quick read but I’d rather spend my time on a book that has even the slightest amount of plausibility in its “thrill factor”. Overall a 2.75 because I just can’t say I liked it but I don’t think it deserves a 2....
November 6, 2019
This book had me hooked from the first chapter, the author really understands relationships, romantic and friendships.
The story plays out to the last paragraph, bringing all the characters and situations to life in a totally believable manner.
So much more than chick lit.
The story plays out to the last paragraph, bringing all the characters and situations to life in a totally believable manner.
So much more than chick lit.
November 10, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was gifted an ARC and I thought it was great. The understanding of personal relationships and personal problems was great and everything was relatable. I am now on the hunt of more reads by this lovely author :)
December 8, 2019
Fantastic!
The whole background in medical and hospital was great to read. Being a mother myself you don't see the magic work of midwives. Thank you to all!The book was written really well and the story was an eye opener and gets you thinking. I won't spill too much but I do recommend
The whole background in medical and hospital was great to read. Being a mother myself you don't see the magic work of midwives. Thank you to all!The book was written really well and the story was an eye opener and gets you thinking. I won't spill too much but I do recommend
November 3, 2019
Great read. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommend
November 3, 2019
Wow! I couldn’t put this down. Relatable characters draw you in. Very easy to read and enjoyable x
November 4, 2019
A gripping story filled with identifiable characters that I felt deeply for right from the start. Couldn’t put it down and read it in two sittings!
November 6, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and interesting.
There was intrigue and romance, but with a hint of threat and uncertainty.
There was intrigue and romance, but with a hint of threat and uncertainty.
November 6, 2019
Brilliant book, really well written loved the characters and the detail about Violets job as a midwife. Would highly recommend.
January 16, 2020
The author really hooked me with their writing of characters. The know how to write uncertainty and creeping panic and I loved it!
April 13, 2020
An in-depth look into how a person can be ruled by his/her neurosis
"Ghosted" is about a young woman, Violet, who goes from one relationship to another without taking a break. She does not feel complete if she's not in a relationship, even if it's abusive. Through the course of the novel, she loses a current boyfriend, and jumps into another relationship with a man she meets soon after, a needy and pushy guy, who made me think, "uh-oh, this is bad news". But she needs him as much as he needs her. It's only when she is "ghosted" (shunned) by her lifelong friend and finds out the new boyfriend's part in it that she gains the strength to acknowledge that maybe he's not the right person for her, and recognizes the merits of being alone over staying with the wrong person.
J.E. Rowny gives us an in-depth look into how a person can be ruled by his/her neurosis. Violet's character was well developed with a nice character arc. She knows herself well. She panics, obsesses, gives in to crazy impulses, then makes fun of herself, which is amusing to read and easy to connect to. The writing style pulls the reader in and keeps them engaged, although the first person present point of view was a bit hard for me to get used to. I found myself analyzing the appropriate use of tense, which distracted from the story.
I would have liked to have seen the character of Zoe, Violet's best friend, better developed, maybe through her own point of view. I think she was important enough to merit that. The mystery of her disappearance kept building in suspense, but in the end proved to be anti-climactic and a bit of a let down for me.
However, I was very gratified when Violet got rid of her lame, new boyfriend. I enjoyed seeing her work through her issues and get to that point of strength.
"Ghosted" is about a young woman, Violet, who goes from one relationship to another without taking a break. She does not feel complete if she's not in a relationship, even if it's abusive. Through the course of the novel, she loses a current boyfriend, and jumps into another relationship with a man she meets soon after, a needy and pushy guy, who made me think, "uh-oh, this is bad news". But she needs him as much as he needs her. It's only when she is "ghosted" (shunned) by her lifelong friend and finds out the new boyfriend's part in it that she gains the strength to acknowledge that maybe he's not the right person for her, and recognizes the merits of being alone over staying with the wrong person.
J.E. Rowny gives us an in-depth look into how a person can be ruled by his/her neurosis. Violet's character was well developed with a nice character arc. She knows herself well. She panics, obsesses, gives in to crazy impulses, then makes fun of herself, which is amusing to read and easy to connect to. The writing style pulls the reader in and keeps them engaged, although the first person present point of view was a bit hard for me to get used to. I found myself analyzing the appropriate use of tense, which distracted from the story.
I would have liked to have seen the character of Zoe, Violet's best friend, better developed, maybe through her own point of view. I think she was important enough to merit that. The mystery of her disappearance kept building in suspense, but in the end proved to be anti-climactic and a bit of a let down for me.
However, I was very gratified when Violet got rid of her lame, new boyfriend. I enjoyed seeing her work through her issues and get to that point of strength.
April 16, 2021
Violet and Zoe have been bestfriends since they were children. They help each other through every day stresses and helping Violet leave an abusive relationship...but then Zoe disappears. Where has she gone? Is it sinister?
This is so different to what I usually read. It's quite a quick read though and had a lot of twists. I ended up feeling quite sorry for Violet, she literally has no luck with men, going from one awful person to another. The reason behind Zoe's vanishing is quite complex, I'm not sure whether it's the best reasoning but it does fit well with the story.
Definitely worth a read!
This is so different to what I usually read. It's quite a quick read though and had a lot of twists. I ended up feeling quite sorry for Violet, she literally has no luck with men, going from one awful person to another. The reason behind Zoe's vanishing is quite complex, I'm not sure whether it's the best reasoning but it does fit well with the story.
Definitely worth a read!
April 29, 2020
Page-turning story!
I read this one in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what had happened! Nice little slice of life type thriller with a great ending!
I read this one in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what had happened! Nice little slice of life type thriller with a great ending!
March 18, 2020
Certainly not what I thought it would be like. Definitely no thriller, more easy to read romance with medical jargon thrown in. The beginning chapters were suitably uncomfortable to read and portrayed a toxic relationship perfectly. I just wish this had been the thriller that the synopsis suggested it was. Never the less it was an easy to read book.
March 19, 2020
A good easy read with some relatable situations and characters. The mystery wasn’t all that mysterious, but in the end lead to the main character learning some great things about herself that are also good reminders for us all.
March 14, 2020
Friends forever, Zoe and Violet. We watch Violet grow into a woman able to stand on her own. We see her handle the drama of their the maternity ward and the drama of a new relationship. We see her learn to take things in stride. I liked this book because I could see it happening in real life. It's well written by someone who cares.
November 26, 2019
I offered to read this and provide an honest review. How difficult is that, even when you don't know the author personally?
Well, when I started this I couldn't put it down - it is a real page turner at the beginning and had the makings of a good psychological thriller. But, gradually, it started to unravel, in my view.
Zoe and Violet are joined at the hip. They have been friends for all of their lives, with Zoe's family home providing a refuge for Violet when her own circumstances meant that her life at home with her hard drinking father was unbearable. The girls meet at least once a week in 'their' cafe, share shopping trips and secrets and are generally the sort of best buddies that you expect from teenagers. However, Zoe is happily married to Luke and Violet has bee in a couple of long-term relationships. These seem to have been abusive ones and she leaves her current boyfriend at the start of the story. Zoe is a teacher and Violet a midwife, working long and stress-filled shifts.
Dumping the latest man, Violet finds and moves into a new flat (without any problems, unlikely, nowadays, I'd say). Almost immediately, just as she's settling into her single life and enjoying being able to do just what she wants, she meets a, predictably, tall, dark handsome stranger in the hospital canteen and is straight into a new relationship.
At this point all the readers will be yelling 'don't do it', as would Zoe, so she keeps this knowledge from Zoe. Fairly soon we also find that Zoe has a huge secret of her own that not only has she kept from Violet but Violet - her soulmate - hasn't had an inkling of.
I found this quite hard to swallow but at this point, Zoe 'ghosts' Violet. I had to Google this, as I am too old to understand such a term! Zoe effectively disappears from Violet's life and refuses to even meet her when Violet visits the school where she teaches. Violet thinks she has really disappeared.
'Here we go', I thought - Matt has abducted/killed Zoe and Violet is next...….
No such thing!
We are also given huge detail of one of Violet's patients, who discovers that she has cancer near the end of her pregnancy. Whilst this was mildly interesting, I really felt it became padding to make the book a little longer. I would have preferred to find out much more about Matt, his relationship with his surgeon mother and even more of Violet's back story.
I'm so sorry that, overall, I didn't like this better, as the author is clearly capable and a skilled storyteller, but this book needs to decide what sort of genre it wants to fit into.
The ending/tying up of loose ends was SO disappointing. On being told the relationship was over Matt simply shrugged and walked away - not the actions of a person who was over-controlling.
Well, when I started this I couldn't put it down - it is a real page turner at the beginning and had the makings of a good psychological thriller. But, gradually, it started to unravel, in my view.
Zoe and Violet are joined at the hip. They have been friends for all of their lives, with Zoe's family home providing a refuge for Violet when her own circumstances meant that her life at home with her hard drinking father was unbearable. The girls meet at least once a week in 'their' cafe, share shopping trips and secrets and are generally the sort of best buddies that you expect from teenagers. However, Zoe is happily married to Luke and Violet has bee in a couple of long-term relationships. These seem to have been abusive ones and she leaves her current boyfriend at the start of the story. Zoe is a teacher and Violet a midwife, working long and stress-filled shifts.
Dumping the latest man, Violet finds and moves into a new flat (without any problems, unlikely, nowadays, I'd say). Almost immediately, just as she's settling into her single life and enjoying being able to do just what she wants, she meets a, predictably, tall, dark handsome stranger in the hospital canteen and is straight into a new relationship.
At this point all the readers will be yelling 'don't do it', as would Zoe, so she keeps this knowledge from Zoe. Fairly soon we also find that Zoe has a huge secret of her own that not only has she kept from Violet but Violet - her soulmate - hasn't had an inkling of.
I found this quite hard to swallow but at this point, Zoe 'ghosts' Violet. I had to Google this, as I am too old to understand such a term! Zoe effectively disappears from Violet's life and refuses to even meet her when Violet visits the school where she teaches. Violet thinks she has really disappeared.
'Here we go', I thought - Matt has abducted/killed Zoe and Violet is next...….
No such thing!
We are also given huge detail of one of Violet's patients, who discovers that she has cancer near the end of her pregnancy. Whilst this was mildly interesting, I really felt it became padding to make the book a little longer. I would have preferred to find out much more about Matt, his relationship with his surgeon mother and even more of Violet's back story.
I'm so sorry that, overall, I didn't like this better, as the author is clearly capable and a skilled storyteller, but this book needs to decide what sort of genre it wants to fit into.
The ending/tying up of loose ends was SO disappointing. On being told the relationship was over Matt simply shrugged and walked away - not the actions of a person who was over-controlling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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