Fab Firsts is my new regular Sunday feature, that is going to be highlighting books that are firsts. When interviewing authors, it will be about their first book, as well as other firsts in their lives. When reviewing books for this feature, there will be a mix of debuts, first books in a series, the first time I read an author, and possibly other firsts depending on what I can think of!
If you are an author wanting to take part in Fab Firsts then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you.
I hope you enjoy this look at a variety of hopefully fabulous firsts, while making some sort of dent in my review and paperback TBRs which are my current main focus!
This week I'm reviewing If They Could See Me Now by Denise Welch for fab firsts, as it is her first novel, after having written a couple of non fiction books.
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| Amazon UK |
Title: If They Could See Me Now
Author: Denise Welch
Format reviewed: Paperback
Source: Publisher supplied review copy
Publisher: Sphere
Publication Date: 12th January 2017
Rating: 4 Stars
Rating: 4 Stars
They all think her life is perfect
Harper is a beautiful woman, pampered by her attractive, wealthy husband, living in a gorgeous home. From the outside, everything looks wonderful.
But they don't see what happens behind closed doors
Harper is fifty-three. Her perfect husband is a bully, who criticises her looks, her housekeeping and her parenting. Then a nasty anonymous letter makes her question everything she knows about her family
Harper has never had to strike out on her own. But she doesn't recognise the downtrodden woman looking back at her in the mirror.
Can Harper Clarke find the strength to start her life all over again?
Meet Harper Clarke. She is a former actress who on the surface has it all, to the extent that her friends and family tell her to stop complaining if she dares mention anything remotely negative about her life. She is the mother to two children, but its her husband that is a problem.
Aaron is wealthy, and in public plays the role of perfect husband, however when the opening chapter of of the book displays something that looks a lot like domestic abuse, you realise very fast that he may not be quite what he seems, and in fact that the whole book may not be quite what I expected.
For its about Harper, and just what has happened in her marriage leading up to this pivotal point. I will state that it is on the whole emotional abuse, and generally the details are no where near as graphic as other books I have read with similar themes. That is not to say that Aaron isn't a monster though in his own right, and what Harper has had to put up for, for over twenty years sounds like a nightmare.
As we get flashbacks to key points in their past, we learn just what a nasty piece of work Aaron really is, but slowly Harper is realising she can't keep going on as she has been.
I would have loved to get to know Georgie and Taylor, her daughters a bit more, as although they are in the book, and Georgie does get quite a big role, I couldn't really connect with them properly. It was as thought Harper although a character who does care about her children, didn't really feel that strongly about them.
I was pleasantly surprised at just readable this story was, the writing flowed well, and I was really invested in seeing what was happening to Harper and her family. It's a reasonably quick story to read, and although the book came to a conclusion, I am currently wondering just what happened after the end of the book.
Giveaway to Win 1 x If They Could See Me Now hardcover book (UK Only)
Giveaway is open to UK only (but don't worry there will be more INT giveaways in the future) , all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 14/2/2017. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner. Good luck everyone.
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