Book Review - The Betrayal by Laura Elliot

 

The Betrayal by Laura Elliot

Published:  14th August 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 376

Available on Kindle and in Paperback

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Blurb

A perfect divorce. A new flame. And a deadly obsession.

Nadine and Jake Saunders were married as teens. Tied to one another by a night of passion that resulted in a pregnancy neither could turn away from.

Now, years later, their children have all flown the nest and the pact they made as teenagers – to give one another the freedom to pursue their own dreams – has resurfaced.

But freedom comes at a price …

While Nadine and Jake begin to untangle their lives from one another, Jake embarks on a passionate affair with a beautiful woman, Karin Moylan. What he doesn’t know is the dark history Karin shares with Nadine.

As lust spirals into dangerous obsession, Jake must break free from Karin. But he must also ask himself how well he ever really knew Nadine. What secret is she hiding? The truth, when it is revealed, could destroy them all.

 

Review

The Betrayal is the second book by Laura Elliot that I have read, Fragile Lies was brilliant so I was really looking forward to reading her next book. The Betrayal is a book which fills you with intrigue from the very first paragraph when Nadine catches a glimpse of Karin Moylan and this sets off a chain of events which are just scary.

Jake and Nadine have been married since they were seventeen, a marriage based more on the circumstance of an unplanned pregnancy rather than love, four children and twenty years later they are still together but both feel slightly tied down and long for the missed freedom of their youth. At Nadine’s request they agree to a “perfect divorce” where they will remain friends and united for their children. However a chance meeting brings Karin Moylan back into their lives, Nadine’s childhood best friend who she would rather never set eyes on again. As Jake begins a passionate affair with the tempting seductress he doesn’t realise just how much he is putting his family at risk as this woman will do anything to keep her man.

I loved that this was written from the dual aspects of Jake and Nadine in alternating chapters as I felt it really added to build up the tension and suspense in this book as each begins to realise just how dangerous Karin can be and how scared they are for each other.

The whole basis of this novel was why did Nadine and Karin fall out all those years ago? Eventually we learn the truth through Nadine’s memories but it was totally not what I expected at all! I think I changed my mind a few times as to what the reason was but was wrong…so wrong which is exactly what I want to be when reading a psychological thriller.

The character of Karin was really quite scary in the way she was able to manipulate events and family members to get exactly what she wanted, I would not like to be in her firing line! I think it will take me quite a while to look at kingfisher blue, Karin’s signature colour and not feel a little uneasy.

Jake and Nadine were both very likable characters and all the way through I was so hoping that they would forget this silly “perfect divorce” thing and stay married as they seemed so right for each other. I was so angry with Jake that he could hurt Nadine the way he did, although I don’t really think he stood a chance against Karin. I loved that they both had a really strong sense of family and would go rushing to various members whenever they needed help.

The Betrayal is a novel based full on intrigue, suspense, lust and tragedy and most of all obsession. It was a little bit of a roller-coaster for me as at some points I was a little bored, mostly with the Alaska trip and Eleanor’s party politics but then at other points like the historical memories and the crash I was hooked. I did enjoy this book  and will definitely reading this author’s other works, but please think of some better names next time, Sam and Samantha for twins and Daryl and Carol Farrell, sorry but I didn’t like them!

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my review copy, overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to her next one, I’d give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.

Book Review - Fragile Lies by Laura Elliot

 

Fragile Lies by Laura Elliot

Published: 13th February 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 424

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Pre-Order your copy from Amazon now

 

 

Blurb

His name is Michael Carmody.
He is a writer and a father.
His son is lying in a coma, fighting for his life.

Her name is Lorraine Cheevers.
She is an artist and mother.
An illicit affair has destroyed her marriage.

Michael is desperate to find the couple who left his son for dead, a victim of a hit and run.

Lorraine is desperate to start a new life for her and her daughter.

Michael and Lorraine are about to cross paths – damaged souls, drawn to one another.

They don’t know that their lives are already connected.

They don’t know the web of lies surrounding them.

They are each searching for the truth. But when they find it, it could destroy them both.

 

 

Review

Firstly I would to thank the publishers Bookouture for sending me a review copy through Netgalley. Fragile Lies is the story of adultery, tragedy, deception and secrets.

I thought the prologue to this book was just brilliant, I was totally sucked into the story of this adulterous couple and who they were.  How long had it been going? Were they married? How did it start? How could they leave the accident so quickly? How could they live with the guilt? I was full of questions and just had to keep reading to find out the answers.

Fragile Lies is the story of two people Lorraine and Michael and how they become drawn to each other, unaware just how connected their lives are before they even meet. Once all the secrets are out can these two ever recover from the damage?

Lorraine Cheevers, an artist has fled Dublin to the seaside town of Trabawn to recover from her the breakdown of her marriage. Out of the public eye Lorraine in the sanctuary of a house she knew from many happy summers spent in Trabawn as a child. Struggling to get through each day Lorraine is at a lost as to how to move her life on, until meeting Michael sparks something in her again.

Michael Carmody is after some answers. His son Killian was knocked down in a hit and run accident and Michael wants justice. He thinks he knows who is to blame, but is he right?

When these two meet there is an instant attraction between them, but can they form a relationship when they are both hiding so many secrets and are surrounded by lies. As Lorraine begins to learn what happened to Michaels son she begins to realise who is to blame for his accident and just how connected their two lives really are.

It took me a while to really get into this book, which surprised me after such a good prologue. After the first two parts I became really hooked and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. This book is definitely a slow burner so stick with it.

I really liked the way the characters in this book were portrayed and particularly liked how we get to see them as they were as children through the flashbacks in part two of the book. I really didn’t like Adrian at all, he came across as weak and greedy and unable to really make a good go of things without being led by other people. Virginia was also not a nice character, I really wanted her to have some remorse or a little bit of sadness, but there just didn’t seem to be any feeling in her at all.

Fragile Lies was well written and after a slow start had a good ending which I didn’t expect. I found that with the characters I either loved them or hated them. I would give this book 4/5 and would love to read more by this author.