★★★
SYNOPSIS:
When single mother Darcy’s son falls from a rope bridge at a local playground, life stands still. She clutches his small, limp body, frozen, until a pair of strong hands push her aside, and she watches as George, a local doctor, saves her son’s life.
George is a single parent too, and with his twinkling hazel eyes, easy charm, and lack of wedding band is almost too good to be true, but coffee becomes lunch, lunch becomes dinner, and soon they can’t go an evening without seeing each other. When he invites her to move into his beautiful home with its sprawling garden for her boys, Darcy doesn’t hesitate.
But as Darcy is settling in, she receives a bunch of flowers with a chilling message. George says they’re from an obsessed ex-girlfriend, Opal, and days later Opal turns up at Darcy’s son’s football match. She claims to have shocking information that could threaten George’s custody of his daughter.
Darcy doesn’t know who to trust, but she’s starting to suspect that, whatever the truth, she might have put her beloved boys into terrible danger…
(Taken from Goodreads)
Ashlea's Thoughts: (may contain spoilers)
Before starting this book, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. The synopsis seemed a bit vague and looking back at it now, it doesn't even begin to prepare the reader for what's to come.
After Darcy's husband passes away leaving her with two children to take care of, his family help Darcy in her time of grief. Years later it is still evident that they judge Darcy and claim that she is unfit to take care of her children. The whole family dynamic is dysfunctional right from the beginning when you question whether their controlling behaviour is out of care for the welfare of their grandchildren or whether it a bit extreme and manipulative. As a reader this definitely irked me and I was desperate for Darcy to stand up for herself.
Then the handsome doctor, George, walks into the scene directly after the family tell Darcy that she isn't ready to think about dating. He is the hero in Darcy's story as he rushes in and saves her son's life. Their relationship starts to blossom, all their kids get along, Darcy's in laws admire George, it all seems so perfect. But is it really?
Darcy starts receiving cryptic messages from a stranger and slowly starts to reveal that George has a bit of a history and dark past. Is he really who he says he is? Can he really be so perfect?
As the story unfolds, more lies, deceit and illusion come to the surface which keeps the reader guessing. There was one point through this novel that I was completely perplexed. I was questioning every character's story and motive, wondering who was actually telling the truth. This is a novel where once you are hooked, you'll be racing to the end to find out the truth.
This was a page-turning thriller that literally kept me guessing most of the time. With so many twists and turns and lies and deceit, it definitely won't keep you bored.
A very big thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.