The Lies We Tell

Very interesting read, couldn’t put it down when I started reading!! A bit underwhelming at the end…

This was another brilliant read from Jane Corry. Well written and thought provoking and with lots of twists along the way. Loved it!

What an amazing story this is! This is the third book I’ve read by Jane and after reading I Looked Away, I didn’t think I’d ever read another story as good or one that would make me feel so many different emotions, until now!

Sarah and Tom both have secrets from their past which neither reveal at the start of their relationship. They are so different from each other, and whilst they do fall in love, I think they are so desperate to forget who they used to be, they convince themselves that they are exactly what each other needs. Then their son Freddie comes along just as they begin to question their love for each other, but they remain together determined for him to have a decent upbringing with both parents by his side.

Life isn’t plain sailing for this family and when Freddie is fifteen he does something really terrible that will change all of their lives forever. In the middle of the night, Sarah and Tom must decide whether to help their only son or make him face the music. With differing opinions on what to do, Sarah makes a snap decision, is it the right one though?

I don’t think I’ll stop thinking about this story for a very long time. I’ve been trying to think about what it is that Jane does differently from other authors because not many books affect me quite the way hers do. I think a lot of it is to do with the characters, Jane is an expert at writing about troubled women who face challenges, but she manages to make them so real and so likeable that you just want to help them.

My feelings about Tom changed many times throughout this book, from liking him to hating him and often feeling rather frustrated by him, but I don’t think we can blame him for how he is due to what happened in his past.

The question that you will come away with after reading this book is… What would you do? My answer is the same as Sarah’s at the end of the book when she wonders if she’d make the same decision again, and that is Yes, No, Maybe! As a mother to two boys all I can say is I hope I never find myself in Sarah’s situation.

This book features locations such as Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly which all have a special place in my heart as I live in Devon and have lived in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This also makes it so much easier for me to imagine the setting whilst reading.

From the first chapter, you will step inside this story and if you are anything like me, you will remain there, even when you’re not reading it and long after you’ve finished it.

A compulsive read that is truly heart-wrenching at times. An incredible story written by an incredible storyteller.