Her Best Friend’s Secret by Anna Mansell
Published by Bookouture on April 1, 2019
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Pages: 382
Format: ARC, eBook
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Your best friend deserves the truth. But it will ruin her life. What would you do?
In summer, the small Cornish village of Gorran Haven fills with tourists, but in the colder months its pretty narrow streets are blissfully quiet, the bell on the village shop door rings only for locals, the beach is unspoilt, empty and safe.
It’s been over twenty years since four very different teenage girls sat on that beach, and swore to be best friends forever. Their lives went different ways after Emily left. But each remembered that promise. And none truly found friendship like it again.
Now, Emily’s back, with a secret she can’t face. She tries to hide away, take time to heal and make some difficult choices, but she runs into one of her old friends, and soon the four are reunited. Lolly, warm as ever, is a successful physiotherapist, married with kids. Yet smart, strong Amanda, who cherishes her teenage daughter, is alone and seemingly stuck in a dead-end job. And creative Jess is so much quieter than Emily remembers.
The bond is still there, and Emily realises their friendship might keep her together, but there are reasons why the women fell out of touch. Secrets that have lain dormant for decades start to surface, and then one of the women discovers a betrayal so big, it could turn each of their lives upside down.
It’s always those we’re closest to who have the power to tear us apart. Can friendship give Emily and her friends the strength to survive a devastating shock, or are some things unforgiveable?
Full of truths about friendship, marriage, and the relationships that define us, Her Best Friend’s Secret is a powerful, relatable and emotionally gripping novel.
More and more often I find myself drawn to books published by Bookouture – not sure what that means, but because of it, I’ve joined a new Facebook book blogger group that notifies us book bloggers of new releases that are available on NetGalley and book tours that are available to join. Today’s book – Her Best Friend’s Secret by Anna Mansell was listed as available to read and review, and because I had read (and loved) her book, I Wanted To Tell You (see review HERE).
Twenty years ago, friends, Emily, Jess, Lolly and Amanda were sitting on the beach when they promised to be best friends forever. Then life happened – friends moved, began careers, circumstances changed, time moved on. Lolly and Emily have a chance meeting and they decide to get their group together again even though the women’s lives have changed. They have each taken different life directions. When they get together again, they all realize that their bond is still there. Even though some of them have deeply buried secrets that are worrisome, it isn’t until readers learn who someone is married to that they see their friends can be tested.
Her Best Friend’s Secret is a fast read about friendship, betrayal and second chances. The characters were well written and well developed and all over the place both with the decision making and their behavior. Even though I figured out that “one thing” early on, it had no bearing on the fact that I loved the book cover to cover. They are full of flaws, issues and secrets that I totally felt like they could be local friends of mine. I also loved the ending, as each of these women become a stronger version of herself — and three of the four manage it without a man.
I write about life. About people. About the things that happen to us and the way we deal with them. I love grit, but I love humour too. I love place. Sometimes I explore darker themes, because life is full of them, but life has this way of balancing humour right along side; I love that too.
Usually, I embrace all these things in my writing and hope that despite the dark, my stories end uplifted… uplifting, because sometimes we want escapism we can relate to and stories that lift out hearts.
How To Mend a Broken Heart was her first novel and her life was not on the line in order to write it, or The Lost Wife. Anna lives on a dairy farm in Cornwall with her two children, her husband, and her ex-racing greyhound, Olive Dog. Connect with Ms. Mansell on social media ~~
WEBSITE // TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // GOODREADS
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley in exchange for my review. I would like to thank Bookouture for allowing me the opportunity to participate, read and review this book. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone else!
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