Betrayal

Product Information

But then here’s the contrasting thing…the book highlighted some really difficult subjects including marital abuse, grooming and suicide, to name but a few, and didn’t shy away from them, in fact it is a brutal start to the book…. A good yarn which gets you involved in the story, and you can’t put it down until you’ve finished it. I only wish we would have had more of this much earlier on in the book instead of what I would term the lull that did occur. Her father was away at sea and it was only when a neighbour saw Lesley and her brother playing outside without coats on that suspicion was aroused - their mother had been dead for some time. What I loved more than anything about this book was that it was so easy to read, even considering the difficult subject matter.

I have read all of her books and I have always loved the way she portrays strong women within her books. The story then follows Eve and her children over the years after breaking free but it looks as if the past is always lurking around the corner waiting for the truth to come out and justice to be done. A strong piece of writing and storytelling that has the power to transport you and invite you into the drama. She knows she needs to get away from Don, for her children not to grow up in a home where domestic violence is common place. Opening with a brutal act of violence upon his wife, Donny Hathaway establishes himself as a brute of the worst sort.Lesley Pearse’s new book Betrayal tackles many difficult, hard hitting subjects and it’s a lot darker than I had expected it to be. She learned about the Soho club scene and the music business during the Sixties with the late John Pritchard. I loved the big epic reads of Never Look Back and Trust Me and would love to read something like that again in the future from Lesley. I have always enjoyed Lesley Pearse books way back when I was pregnant with my first child and on maternity leave 40 years ago now.

It starts off with small but still inexcusable harm which soon escalates to Eve needing medical attention for broken bones and other injuries.

It's been a long while since I've read a book by this author, despite reading so many of her early books and loving them. She moves away to a new place, having money and a growing sewing business and a couple of lovey dovey flings with 2 new men that helped her with her new house.

Just marred for me by the surprising number of mistakes in the ARC copy I read, which is not usual from this publisher, hence 4 stars rather than 5.With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried - a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse - and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. When one particularly scary beating left Eve in a bad way she had to put not just her safety but that of her children first and set the wheels in motion to leave her husband. Eve, when we first meet her, was timid and shy but through no fault of her own as Don’s actions made her feel worthless, powerless and useless. Despite the drifting plotline and a crammed conclusion of events, this is classic Lesley Pearse through and through. It's another subtle layer to the abusive relationship and as Eve sees the reactions of her children, as well as the threat of violence towards her son, that gives her the push she needs to seek help.

I loved this book, I cared so deeply for the characters and the ending, even though it was a good ending for the characters, it was human, not a fairytale ending but one of absolution. I realise this review is pretty light-on but because I was so disappointed by the book and cannot fathom how many readers have scored it four or five stars, so I have persisted with finishing this review -- just like I did with the book.The book does slow its pace in the middle part of this book as Eve and her children try to live a new normal life but once again the book takes a dramatic turn of events towards the latter part of the book and we are thrown into despair and the adrenalin flows as everything comes to a head. The bleakness of her life with Don and her subsequent struggles are lightened not only by her own courage and determination, but by the strength of the other characters in the book, who are a testament to the fundamental good heartedness of most people.