The Better Mother

Lakeview #4

by Melissa Hill

Eve knows what she wants. After nine good years and two kids together, it's about time Liam made an honest woman of her.
Eve's sister Sam knows more than she should. She's always thought Eve was too good for Liam. And when she learns the truth about his numerous business trips abroad, her suspicions are confirmed.
Brooke, literally a world away, knows nothing. Until one day, a mysterious delivery arrives and promises to change her life forever.

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

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Melissa Hill is a USA Today bestselling author living in Ireland’s beautiful County Wicklow. Her page-turning contemporary novels of family, friendship and romance are published worldwide and have been translated into twenty-six languages.

A Hollywood adaptation of her international bestseller Something from Tiffany's, by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine and Amazon Studios, was released worldwide in Dec 2022.

Other novels including A Gift to Remember and The Charm Bracelet have been adapted for screen by Hallmark Channel USA, with multiple other titles currently also in development for film and TV.

For more info, visit her website at www.melissahill.info

Facebook: facebook.com/melissahillbooks

Instagram: @melissahillbooks

Melissa also co-writes forensic thrillers with her husband under the pseudonym Casey Hill. http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I was expecting an easy chick lit however I got an edge of my seat nail biting ride.

Didn't see the twists and turns coming.

Amazing book!

Five stars.

[Geno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It starts as a nice light read but soon you'll find yourself devouring the pages. You'll find yourself trying to solve the mistery in the story, and when you think you already know, you'll be surprised by the ending :)
Original plot and I liked the way the two stories are mixed along the book.

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

On the one hand, these pages turned but mostly, this was not my kind of read. High on drama for drama's sake, annoying characters apart from a few and a twist that made me rage.

What? You did that? You killed off the annoying fiancee but the children.....noooo!

I rage read the last quarter of the book and it was gripping but it made me angry.
Apologies to my buddy Amy.

[Zzoeeeee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with an irritating voice. The story is forgettable, the characters are bland stereotypes. Gratingly self-reverencial and a waste of time.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve knows what she wants. After nine good years and two kids together, it’s about time Liam made an honest woman of her.Eve’s sister Sam knows more than she should. Sam’s always thought Eve was too good for Liam. Then she learns the truth about his business trips to Australia, and her suspicions are confirmed. And Brooke, safe on the other side of the world; knows nothing. Until a mysterious delivery arrives for her and promises to change her life forever. It seems someone doesn’t want Brooke to be the last to know . . .

I’m a huge fan of Melissa Hill, and have all of her books on my bookshelf. I’ve read the majority of her books but I still have a few left to read, and one of those was The Last To Know. I heard from a friend that it needed total concentration to read, and it’s taken me until now to have a free day to dedicate to the book. I was hoping for another fab, plot-twist-y read and I got exactly what I was looking for.

Now, I don’t want to give too much away about the plot because the beauty of a Melissa Hill book is discovering the plot as you read the book, rather than have everything spelled out to you in the synopsis or when reading a review. Basically, the plot revolves around Aussie Brooke, who is a book editor at a major Australian women’s fiction imprint, and when she receives a manuscript entitled The Last To Know she quickly becomes engrossed in the story of its characters. But all is not what it seems, and it turns out that the truth really can be stranger than fiction. We also meet Eve, Sam and Anna, three girls living in Dublin and London as they make relationship changes, hope to get married, and stick with their jobs. I was immediately taken in with the plot and I was intrigued as to how it would all unravel because in true Melissa Hill style, I knew it would undoubtedly be less than straightforward.

I thought the cast of The Last To Know was very well rounded, and very well characterised. I immediately liked Eve. She’s the mother to two children, has been with her partner, Liam, for 9 years and is hopeful of a marriage proposal sometime soon. She seems very downtrodden with life when we first meet her but after she and her sister Sam to a bit of a life swap, she really comes into her own. I also liked Sam, Eve’s sister and a best-selling author in London. Her life is the polar opposite of her sister and I liked her spunkiness. As for Anna, I wasn’t totally convinced about her. I was never really taken with her to be honest and it was only at the end of the book that it all made sense to me. I also really disliked Eve’s partner Liam, he was barely in the book due to his work as a wine importer but whenever he was around, I couldn’t wait for him to disappear again. I loved Brooke, and she was one of my favourite characters.

As with all of Melissa’s books The Last To Know is incredibly well written. It’s told in the third-person, allowing us to get the full scope of the story. But as usual in a Hill book, we don’t get the full scope of the story until the end. I love the way Hill can somehow tell a story without revealing everything until the final few chapters. It must take immense strength to not blurt it all out beforehand. A lot of the twists and turns came as a surprise to me, because as usual I had my own thoughts and suspicions and thought I had the story cracked when it turns out that as usual I was completely and utterly wrong. I would get dispirited but it’s my fault for trying to second guess Melissa. I hugely enjoyed The Last To Know and although I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of her previous works, it’s still a notable novel that all Hill fans will lap up.

[Jennifer Bagazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I can properly express the feelings and emotions I had when I read this book. It was so full of wonderful plot twists and a lot of hidden truths that make the reader anxious to know the end. This book made me guess and wonder about how the story fits in totality. To be honest, at first I thought this would be just a typical book that centers on a third party destroying a marriage, because the words at the back cover of the book somewhat implies so. Little do I know that that is not the case. This wasn’t an ordinary infidelity story; it was a carefully crafted plot to let Brooke, or more-or-less one of the main characters in the story, not to be the last to know.

I must admit, I am fairly impressed by how Melissa Hill wrote her book. It was very unique and original and I don't think I have read a book with the same plot as hers. It was magical; and have I mentioned about the tremendous plot twists? I am so glad that my eyes wandered over this book at the bookstore, or else I wouldn’t have known this prospective changing book that leaves the readers wanting for more.

*SPOILER ALERT*
Now talking about the characters, I sympathized with all of them even though I haven’t got the first clue on what it must have felt like to lose someone so suddenly as Eve (or Lynn) had, or to keep an emotion so strong that it could’ve destroyed a relationship like Anna’s, or to know deep in your heart that your soul mate and the one you whom you know you would be spending the rest of your life with is with, and even engaged someone else like Sam had? In the end, I honestly didn’t expect the book to turn out that way. It had more twists and turns than your average rollercoaster, and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it, because I had. This is certainly a book that is for keeps.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read. I found the writing a little stilted, especially when the characters were talking, it just felt like no one really talks like that in real life. The story is good and has a big twist just over halfway which I wasn't expecting. It wrapped up everything at the end so that was good.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I could not stop reading this.....a kind of painful story of 4 people and their families. A baby is at the center of the real issue between all of them. I could not get out front of the story to figure out where it was going. Really well told. I blasted through it in 2 days. Would have been great for Book Club and the discussion that would have followed.

[Karen Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Guessed there was a twist, but got it completely wrong!

[Teena Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This women’s fiction book centers on three women whose lives intertwine as they look for happiness in love. Anna is engaged but can’t seem to set a date and then she finds out she’s pregnant. Eve has lived with Liam for years and has children by him but isn’t married. All she wants is to be loved by Liam, be his wife and raise his children. Sam is a successful author whose boyfriend has just proposed. Then there’s Brooke, a book editor, reads a manuscript about these women submitted to her via an unknown sources. What is it that ties them all together.

The two most compelling characters are Sam and Eve, who are sisters. I had a difficult time with the author’s introduction of Brooke. Those segments seemed stop the action and I couldn’t understand what they had to do with the tale the author was spinning. I also felt that those sections were rather clumsily written. Brooke gushed about what an excellent manuscript and story she was screening, which created an awkwardness of the the real author, Hill, bragging on her own story which, in my opinion wasn’t as riveting as Brooke seemed to think. (Confused? You’ll have to read the book.)


I expected this to be a love story but it takes a twist about ¾ of the way through and suddenly the story goes off in a completely different direction. I won’t spoil the surprise but it all comes together at the end. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Here's the link on amazon.com

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me guessing.

The story opens with a proposal of marriage. The three main women in one part of the story are three very different characters. Eve is a housewife whose partner doesn't seem to appreciate how much she really does. Sam is a writer trying to figure out if she wants to marry the guy who wants her to devote her life to him and abandon her writing and Anne is a teacher, engaged for a long while to a man who seems to like her but she's not sure that she loves her.

And then there's the framing story, that of Brooke, an aquisitions editor for an Australian imprint, trying to work out how all this works.

I originally thought that this framing device was actually nothing to do with the story but it does and how it does is very interesting.

I liked it, excepting the fact that it kept me up finishing it!

[Keris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last to Know is the sixth book from Irish born writer Melissa Hill who has just been scooped from Irish stable Poolbeg by Hodder - who reportedly paid a whopping six figure sum to publish her seventh book.

Hailed the queen of the big plot twist, Melissa Hill's books offer good, warm hearted writing with a trademark twist at the end which inevitably leaves the reader reeling and wondering how on earth they missed it.

The Last to Know delivers

To read the rest of this review, please visit Trashionista

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melissa Hill is officially my favourite author of the moment. Every book as a multitude of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing all the way through. Was quite pleased that I had picked up on a clue halfway through this one, although despite that the ending was still a surprise. Can't wait to read more of her work.

[Gabriela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast and entertaining read. A bit confusing, as I would have liked the chapters to be « named » .. the way it is, fiction and reality ran into each other and made me pause at the beginning of each chapter.
Unfortunately the last third of the book was poorly edited with missing words .. I still liked the story though.

[Vylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interestingly gripping, a mixture of reality and a little bit of mystery The book was somehow slow...sometimes I just wished the author would make a point, add some description then move on to the next point. However, this book is very nice, with a slight twist towards the end. :)

[Charissa Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK. This is how chick lits are supposed to be written. Oh gosh the authorceptions and readceptions. I'm literally reading the manuscript with the character. Amazing.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

bijzonder hoe t boek zich opbouwt, soms gaat t verhaal zo ergens anders heen dat je je afvraagt waarom. ook de verhaallijn van brooke die nergens in lijkt te passen. knap gedaan.

[Steph Hayward-bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel. I really did not expect the outcome this novel and loved the way the characters and the story within the story developed.

[Libby Millar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun & easy read. I enjoyed it- but was distracted by so many typos on E-reader.

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange but compelling. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

[Anna Plishak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Одного дня австралійська літературна агентка Брук отримує рукопис ірландської письменниці, у якому ідеться про жінку на ім'я Еві, маму двох чудових діток, яка понад усе мріє вийти заміж за коханого Ліама і подарувати йому третю дитину. Але страшна аварія розбиває мрії Еві на друзки, відібравши життя коханих людей. Залишившись доглядати новонароджену доньку друзів, жінка доходить висновку, що батько малої — її коханий, і викрадає немовля.
⠀
Дочитавши рукопис, Брук розуміє, що Еві — це жінка, яку вона упродовж всього життя вважала матір'ю, а викрадена дитина — це вона сама.
⠀
Перед нами доволі драматична і заплутана історія, читати яку було важко (в першу чергу через велику кількість невідомих слів та словосполучень).
⠀
Якщо чесно, я вважаю, що ті декілька речень, які я написала на початку відгуку, значно цікавіші за саму книгу))
⠀
Сюжет насправді розвивається доволі мляво і крутиться довкола бажання Еві вийти заміж. Все найцікавіше зліплене в купу в кінці і описано геть беземоційно (навіть мого поганенького знання англійської достатньо, щоб це зрозуміти).

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters and couples and a weird twist that stops you caring about anyone instantly. We start by following two sisters, one in London, one in Dublin. The London lady is a writer and columnist, with a partner. The Dublin one is a woman with two kids and a partner. No reason is given why she didn't get married, nobody seems to say that it's better for the kids to be legally, etc. The Dublin woman is much put upon by her insensitive guy and he is forever off travelling for work. She and her sister do a life swap for a week. The main problems with small kids would be greatly reduced if parents trained them to 'no'. That way they would not be painting on the walls twice.
Now we are told that this is in fact all a manuscript a publisher in Australia is considering. So why would we care? We don't. They are not only fiction characters, they are double fiction. Fake. At the end it gets even stranger as half of what is written is 'true' and half is 'fake'.
The writing is reasonable otherwise.

[Adeline Kam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melissa Hill is definitely my favourite author. I have read a few books by her and all was good. I must say this book The Last To Know was amazing. I enjoyed it very much and will definitely read it again. The storyline is so different from other books I have read. The plots in this story is just so interesting. So many suspicions & mysteries along the way, I just wish I have the time to sit down and finish it in one go. You can never imagine the different characters with similar names that gives you the suspension is she the one? You must read this story to know what I mean. No regrets reading this book. Amazing!!!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started out to be a little boring then soon enough it began to pick up. I felt frustration at the character Eve for being so willfully blind and a doormat which continued throughout the book. Everyone was intertwined with mysteries and other things were alluded to. What was the truth? Then there was the twist and things became so unexpected and you had no idea it was coming and what was coming next though there were snippets of clues.
I enjoyed this book and was completely caught unawares by the twist. I read this as much as I could and was involved enough to want to keep reading it even when I couldn't. It's the beach read with a little extra.

[Nancy Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Another fabulous read! I am only giving this four stars simply because, at the beginning of the book, the "book in a book" format kept me a little confused with the characters. But that was soon sorted out, and then the story was so compelling... When the mystery was exposed well before the ending of the book, I thought I might lose interest, but Ms. Hill's writing is so good that I stayed with her all the way. Bravo!

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts out like all the rest. Set up the characters, and the location ( locations) . Then a little twist. Ok, book in a book. Then the drama starts. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, 💥 tragedy! Then the train goes off the rails! Then surprise! You didn't even have a clue! Bravo! Great read!!

[Lamya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning was confusing.. had to always turn pages to try and keep up with the characters. Becomes really interesting after the first few chapters. I liked the simplicity of it all, explaining in details the lifestyle those people had, and what they had to endure. It took me a while to convince myself I had to finish the book, the last few chapters (to me) were heavy. Enjoyable book!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

I was scratching my head through the first few chapters and then realized I was reading a book within a book. The characters are connected in ways that aren't completely clear in the beginning, some connections aren't revealed until nearly the ending. I found this book hard to put down.

[Elke]

Als der Lektorin Brooke das Manuskript einer unbekannten Autorin in die Hände fällt, ist sie sofort fasziniert. Eve und Samantha, die Hauptfiguren, nehmen sie mit in ihr aufregendes Leben, in dessen Bann Brooke immer mehr gerät. Doch ganz allmählich kommt ihr die Geschichte, die hier erzählt wird, bekannt vor ...

[Gen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not usually the kind of book I would reach for, however, I gave it a go and was incredibly impressed. The storyline flows beautifully, the characters are easy to keep up with and all interesting despite switching back and forth between points of view with a surprise twist at the end I couldn't have guessed. Captivating from the first page.