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The Lies We Were Promised
Three children. Three lives crushed. Maya: Cruelly abducted at just five years old, she imagines a life playing outside in the sunshine. Preeti: The kidnapped young daughter of senior journalist Kaian Achari, is unaware a reward has been offered for her safe return. Mano: Abandoned on the streets by those he trusted the most, the young boy is lured to the Middle East with the promise of a better life. Desperate to find the father who left suddenly when she was five, a cry for help by her bipolar mother spurs Kerensa to leave behind the safety of her life in London, for an unknown, and often dangerous, world. After befriending the enigmatic Aruna, Kerensa stumbles on details of locally trafficked children, but is unsure whom she can trust. Thrown in a squalid Indian jail, drugged and captured by the ruthless traffickers, Kerensa has all hopes of meeting her father dashed. After all the heartache, will life give her the answers that she so desperately needs?
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 3, 2021
8 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Ivan
1 book32 followersMy new crime thriller....The lies we were Promised....is out now on Amazon!
Kerensa Oldfield is shocked to find herself captured by human traffickers, after a search for her missing father Kaian leads her to a sleepy backwater town in Southern India.
See what a recent review from Amazon had to say:
'This book addresses an extremely difficult subject in a well constructed story of a family torn apart from one act.
It’s gripping, The pace is fantastic and the characters well rounded. Kerensa’s journey to uncover the truth gripped me from the start
Fabulous book.'
Kerensa Oldfield is shocked to find herself captured by human traffickers, after a search for her missing father Kaian leads her to a sleepy backwater town in Southern India.
See what a recent review from Amazon had to say:
'This book addresses an extremely difficult subject in a well constructed story of a family torn apart from one act.
It’s gripping, The pace is fantastic and the characters well rounded. Kerensa’s journey to uncover the truth gripped me from the start
Fabulous book.'
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 15, 2021
Kerensa, flies to India from London to find her father, who left her when she was 5 years old. In India, she is caught into some unfortunate and unexpected situations. She gets drugged, adopted by human traffickers. Her hopes to find her father soon fade off, as she runs into her life’s unexpected nightmare.
Aruna, on the other hand, whom Kerensa meets up in her messed-up life in India, is a mysterious woman by herself. She leads Kerensa into a case of adoption of three other girls, who are brutally killed by the traffickers.
What was supposed to be a search for a person, ends up into cracking a human trafficking case for Kerensa. The book is an absolute thriller and keeps the reader on the toe. One of the best page turner books I read. I am so glad to have received such an wonderful book as a review copy, I would like to thank Rachel for the same and for sure recommend the book for all the book lovers, especially thriller/suspense lovers.
Aruna, on the other hand, whom Kerensa meets up in her messed-up life in India, is a mysterious woman by herself. She leads Kerensa into a case of adoption of three other girls, who are brutally killed by the traffickers.
What was supposed to be a search for a person, ends up into cracking a human trafficking case for Kerensa. The book is an absolute thriller and keeps the reader on the toe. One of the best page turner books I read. I am so glad to have received such an wonderful book as a review copy, I would like to thank Rachel for the same and for sure recommend the book for all the book lovers, especially thriller/suspense lovers.
July 16, 2021
My thoughts on Rachel Ivan’s brilliantly written Nail-biting crime thriller The Lies We Were Promised, left me speechless, an unforgettable book that deals with human trafficking accross India is truly brilliant. Author Rachel Ivan has written a powerful thriller that not only its breathtaking but the story of the main characters is fascinating and well written. Rachel Ivan deserves appreciation on a subject what she has chosen to write, on human trafficking that is not only an issue in India but accross the world. The Lies We Were Promised has everything be it suspense,and the story is unforgettable that stays with you for a long time. The story of The Lies We Were Promised starts with a bang when three children. Three of there lives crushed.Maya: Cruelly abducted at just five years old, she imagines a life playing outside in the sunshine.Preeti: The kidnapped young daughter of senior journalist Kaian Achari, is unaware a reward has been offered for her safe return. Mano: Abandoned on the streets by those he trusted the most, the young boy is lured to the Middle East with the promise of a better life.Desperate to find the father who left suddenly when she was five, a cry for help by her bipolar mother spurs Kerensa to leave behind the safety of her life in London, for an unknown, and often dangerous, world. After befriending the enigmatic Aruna, Kerensa stumbles on details of locally trafficked children, but is unsure whom she can trust. Thrown in a squalid Indian jail, drugged and captured by the ruthless traffickers, Kerensa has all hopes of meeting her father dashed. After all the heartache, will life give her the answers that she so desperately needs? The lies we were promised is a gripping, unforgettable tale of social injustices, tragedy and hope against all the odds that will keep you at the edge of your seat, turning pages until its mind-blowing climax. Hats of to Author Rachel Ivan for writing such a brilliant book,that everyone should be reading. The Lies We Were Promised is brilliant, I would like to say thank you to Author Rachel Ivan for sending me a gifted copy for me to read and review this brilliant book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
August 2, 2021
Must Read! The Lies We Were Promised by Rachel Ivan kept me on the edge of my seat.
Rachel Ivan is a promising debut author. I applaud her for tackling the difficult topic of human trafficking. With her words, she raises awareness of this horrible crime against children all over the world. Most of us think trafficking of children happens in “other” neighborhoods, never in our own. We couldn’t be more wrong. Ms. Ivan shines a light on that harsh reality. Every parent should read this book.
This novel is educational, fast-paced, and full of suspense and emotional upheaval. The characters are well developed and relatable. I appreciated Ms. Ivan’s skill in depicting the five senses because it took me into the different scenes and situations. I felt the fear, doubt, and pain experienced by her characters. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
Pat Spencer, author of Story of a Stolen Girl.
Rachel Ivan is a promising debut author. I applaud her for tackling the difficult topic of human trafficking. With her words, she raises awareness of this horrible crime against children all over the world. Most of us think trafficking of children happens in “other” neighborhoods, never in our own. We couldn’t be more wrong. Ms. Ivan shines a light on that harsh reality. Every parent should read this book.
This novel is educational, fast-paced, and full of suspense and emotional upheaval. The characters are well developed and relatable. I appreciated Ms. Ivan’s skill in depicting the five senses because it took me into the different scenes and situations. I felt the fear, doubt, and pain experienced by her characters. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
Pat Spencer, author of Story of a Stolen Girl.
July 14, 2021
I love this book , like I said on my comment section, this book has everything you're looking for . I love it ❤️
July 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I got lost in the middle of the book a few times because it focuses on different characters at different time periods which would make me give it 4.8 stars. It is a serious book about child trafficking without getting too graphic. But the author spends time to let you get to know many of the children being trafficked which works. Overall, highly recommended.
May 25, 2021
My orientation has predominantly been pointed towards short novels, and it is only recently that I developed an interest in medium and long novels. "The lies we were promised" is among the books I have read in my shift, and it has turned out to be my top favorite, going to the extent of magnifying my desire for these type of books. The book revolves around Kerensa whose initial intentions are met with a whirlwind and she finds herself in a whirlwind of human trafficking which threatens to completely alter her fate. The narrative flows in a suspenseful and enthralling style that glued me to the book for hours on end. Particularly, I was fascinated and enchanted by how the book intertwines the themes of horror and sadness with elements of reality as we know it and makes it into a masterpiece of fiction and literature. For crime thrillers and suspense enthusiasts, this would perfectly WOW you!
May 28, 2021
This is just “wow”. I was really excited and the author has triumphantly kept me interested until the last page of the book. My neighbor had past experience of being trafficked so the story resonated strongly with me.
Felt goosebumps throughout, especially in the middle of the book
This is the complete package of crime, thriller suspense with a twisted climax.
Highly recommended if you love the thriller/suspense genre.
Felt goosebumps throughout, especially in the middle of the book
This is the complete package of crime, thriller suspense with a twisted climax.
Highly recommended if you love the thriller/suspense genre.
May 10, 2021
It is quite unfortunate that, oftentimes, the people who we trust the most are the ones that seem to deceive us. The Lies We Were Promised is a thrilling book about a woman’s hope to find her father who left her when she was a mere five years old. Kerensa, the protagonist of the book, leaves the comfort of her life in London to travel to India to pursue her estranged father. The trip that was, initially, planned to help Kerensa reunite with her long-lost father quickly turns into a nightmare when she is caught up in a human trafficking ring. Her hopes of finding her father quickly fade as she finds herself in situations that she did not sign up for.
Kerensa befriends Aruna, who is very mysterious and leads her to information about locally trafficked children. Three children are singled out in this trafficking ring: Maya, Preeti, and Mano. Each of these children were cruelly ripped away from their lives. The author herself spent her teenage years in India, which she describes as a vibrant land of explosive smells, cultures and colors that are a feast for the senses. She is able to vividly paint the picture of the country that immersed Kerensa so much so that she got distracted from her goal of finding her father and ended up uncovering details about human trafficking. This story is told from multiple perspectives, which draws in the reader and helps them empathize with each individual character. This book also uses compelling narration to bring to light the negative impacts human trafficking has on communities and shocks the reader into the reality of just how easily people lose their children.
The story follows Kerensa as she is drugged, jailed, and captured by heartless human traffickers. This book will have you on the edge of your seat, page after page, as you slowly get sucked into the world of human trafficking while, simultaneously, hoping that Kerensa finds the answers she travelled hundreds of miles to find. Will Kerensa find these answers? Will she survive the ruthless world of human trafficking and rise from the ashes triumphant? The answers lie between the pages of The Lies We Were Promised.
Kerensa befriends Aruna, who is very mysterious and leads her to information about locally trafficked children. Three children are singled out in this trafficking ring: Maya, Preeti, and Mano. Each of these children were cruelly ripped away from their lives. The author herself spent her teenage years in India, which she describes as a vibrant land of explosive smells, cultures and colors that are a feast for the senses. She is able to vividly paint the picture of the country that immersed Kerensa so much so that she got distracted from her goal of finding her father and ended up uncovering details about human trafficking. This story is told from multiple perspectives, which draws in the reader and helps them empathize with each individual character. This book also uses compelling narration to bring to light the negative impacts human trafficking has on communities and shocks the reader into the reality of just how easily people lose their children.
The story follows Kerensa as she is drugged, jailed, and captured by heartless human traffickers. This book will have you on the edge of your seat, page after page, as you slowly get sucked into the world of human trafficking while, simultaneously, hoping that Kerensa finds the answers she travelled hundreds of miles to find. Will Kerensa find these answers? Will she survive the ruthless world of human trafficking and rise from the ashes triumphant? The answers lie between the pages of The Lies We Were Promised.
July 26, 2021
3.5 🌟
I really wanted to like this book more , not because it's set in my home country but because its plot revolves around child kidnapping. I cannot even feign the anguish a parent goes through when a child is forcibly or stealthily taken from them. The torture of not knowing is absolutely killing.
This book has 2 main parallel story lines. The first one being abduction of children all over the country and their subsequent trade either to facilitate illegal adoptions or provide cheap menial help for affluent Indian families abroad. The second ot being our heroine Kerensa's search for her father who had abandoned them some 2 decades ago. There are sub plots and sub sub plots all revolving around abduction and flesh trade and how innocent people are either lured in or forced to cooperate.
Having given the basic overview I've got serious issues with the plot.
1. Why the public kidnapping of Kiani Achari's daughter? Was this some sort of lesson he needs to be taught?
2. Kiani walked out on his family in the middle of the night. So is this bigamy?
3. Kerena's complete and total lack of using social media to track her father down. She's come to find him on the basis of a 20yr old address.Its cute she really thought she could breeze in , meet her dad , get all those complicated answers and breeze back to the old life ??🤔🤔
4. Her lack of self-preservation I appalling. She trusts everyone and anyone. Have we stopped telling our daughters not to trust everyone,don't enter strangers houses, don't accept open drinks or food etc etc etc.the long, u ending list which apparently Kerensa is oblivious about.
5. Her imprisonment was straight out off umpteen lower grade Hollywood/Bollywood movies. It was unrealistic and her reaction to the entire incident is surreal.
6. So many random, unnecessary characters have been introduced. So many random.thoughrs that go nowhere.
7. David, the Interpol officer, Aruna the American businesswoman are characters I've not understood. Aruna especially .
And the end was disappointing. Where's the reunion?
I would like to thank Rachel Ivan, the author for providing me with a copy for my honest opinion.
Recommended :👍
That's the only way we can encourage new writers.
I really wanted to like this book more , not because it's set in my home country but because its plot revolves around child kidnapping. I cannot even feign the anguish a parent goes through when a child is forcibly or stealthily taken from them. The torture of not knowing is absolutely killing.
This book has 2 main parallel story lines. The first one being abduction of children all over the country and their subsequent trade either to facilitate illegal adoptions or provide cheap menial help for affluent Indian families abroad. The second ot being our heroine Kerensa's search for her father who had abandoned them some 2 decades ago. There are sub plots and sub sub plots all revolving around abduction and flesh trade and how innocent people are either lured in or forced to cooperate.
Having given the basic overview I've got serious issues with the plot.
1. Why the public kidnapping of Kiani Achari's daughter? Was this some sort of lesson he needs to be taught?
2. Kiani walked out on his family in the middle of the night. So is this bigamy?
3. Kerena's complete and total lack of using social media to track her father down. She's come to find him on the basis of a 20yr old address.Its cute she really thought she could breeze in , meet her dad , get all those complicated answers and breeze back to the old life ??🤔🤔
4. Her lack of self-preservation I appalling. She trusts everyone and anyone. Have we stopped telling our daughters not to trust everyone,don't enter strangers houses, don't accept open drinks or food etc etc etc.the long, u ending list which apparently Kerensa is oblivious about.
5. Her imprisonment was straight out off umpteen lower grade Hollywood/Bollywood movies. It was unrealistic and her reaction to the entire incident is surreal.
6. So many random, unnecessary characters have been introduced. So many random.thoughrs that go nowhere.
7. David, the Interpol officer, Aruna the American businesswoman are characters I've not understood. Aruna especially .
And the end was disappointing. Where's the reunion?
I would like to thank Rachel Ivan, the author for providing me with a copy for my honest opinion.
Recommended :👍
That's the only way we can encourage new writers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2021
The story is brilliantly written with appropriate amount of detailing. This makes it even more real. I have read many books, but most of them don't focus on details, which makes their stories look half-baked and something that I could not relate to.
The web is well spun. The horrors of child-trafficking is something I can not even begin to fathom. The writer has included every child's backstory, their past and their families and the longingness in them to reunite with their families brought tears in my eyes.
There are many characters in the book, but it is amazing how the writer has distinguished them, and made sure that the reader do not get confused.
I took me 4 days straight to complete this and it kept wanting me to know more. There was never a dull moment! I don't wanna ruin the surprise or give away any spoilers but the ending made my heart race!
The web is well spun. The horrors of child-trafficking is something I can not even begin to fathom. The writer has included every child's backstory, their past and their families and the longingness in them to reunite with their families brought tears in my eyes.
There are many characters in the book, but it is amazing how the writer has distinguished them, and made sure that the reader do not get confused.
I took me 4 days straight to complete this and it kept wanting me to know more. There was never a dull moment! I don't wanna ruin the surprise or give away any spoilers but the ending made my heart race!
May 11, 2021
Subtle yet engaging
It’s fair to say that this book has exceeded all expectations as far as thrillers go. It’s a gripping story where the young protagonist, Kerensa, relies on her intuition and own emotional awareness to understand the circumstances she finds herself in. The author articulates Kerensa’s observations so well that the reader is propelled into the protagonist’s mind on a rollercoaster of suspense and emotions.
Set in India, the story has it’s own unique backdrop of a classy, tropical, luxury South Indian holiday ambience, until the author brilliantly sends you into the nitty-gritty with no caution. The vividly detailed locations, people and local customs/food all melt into the suspense- your sixth sense isn’t the only sense being taken on a trip. I can see this being made into a Netflix original soon!
It’s fair to say that this book has exceeded all expectations as far as thrillers go. It’s a gripping story where the young protagonist, Kerensa, relies on her intuition and own emotional awareness to understand the circumstances she finds herself in. The author articulates Kerensa’s observations so well that the reader is propelled into the protagonist’s mind on a rollercoaster of suspense and emotions.
Set in India, the story has it’s own unique backdrop of a classy, tropical, luxury South Indian holiday ambience, until the author brilliantly sends you into the nitty-gritty with no caution. The vividly detailed locations, people and local customs/food all melt into the suspense- your sixth sense isn’t the only sense being taken on a trip. I can see this being made into a Netflix original soon!
June 4, 2021
The Lies We Were Promised- A wonderfully crafted Crime Thriller!
What starts as a simple search in a small city Nagercoil in India takes the reader through a thrilling roller coaster ride of suspense, deceit, and surprises throughout the story. Kudos to the author, Rachel Ivan for weaving together such a gripping storyline with a great ending. Hearty congratulations to the author for a wonderful craft, A must-read for all the crime thriller and suspense enthusiasts out there.
What starts as a simple search in a small city Nagercoil in India takes the reader through a thrilling roller coaster ride of suspense, deceit, and surprises throughout the story. Kudos to the author, Rachel Ivan for weaving together such a gripping storyline with a great ending. Hearty congratulations to the author for a wonderful craft, A must-read for all the crime thriller and suspense enthusiasts out there.
August 2, 2021
“The lies we were promised” is a well written thriller that touches on a dark topic of child trafficking. The author Rachel Ivan weaves in and out of each character’s story with such fluidity that it keeps you captivated until the end. #nytbestsellers_
August 14, 2021
Good
I normally don't read this genre but I am glad I read this one. The main character is "real" and one tough broad! The ending is a little disappointment and I am hoping for for a sequel to give it the feeling of closure.
I normally don't read this genre but I am glad I read this one. The main character is "real" and one tough broad! The ending is a little disappointment and I am hoping for for a sequel to give it the feeling of closure.
August 10, 2022
A wonderful twisty story of mystery and intrigue. I greatly enjoyed it.
Bobbie Kaald
Bobbie Kaald
August 23, 2021
Wow. Just wow! I just want to thank the universe for letting me come across this amazing, mind-blowing and wonderfully crafted piece of writing. My expectations were quite high reading the description, but boy was this even better. It is one of those books that you cannot put down but when it finishes you get sad and think it should've been longer. Don't think twice, just go for it. It is so worth it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews