Helpful Score: 2
Diane Chamberlain's newest story will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat! Noelle's suicide throws her two friends Tara and Emerson for a loop. They didn't see this coming and are shocked. What could have driven Noelle to take her own life? A woman who had such a passion for life.
They find an unwritten note addressed to Anna, and it sparks their investigation. They want to find out why Noelle did what she did. But the more they reveal, the more they realize that they didn't really know Noelle at all.
Twists, turns, suspense, friendship and love are keen traits of Chamberlains. This novel is no exception. You will find yourself caught up in her clever storytelling as her characters and their lives capture your attention and do not let go until the final shocking conclusion. Told from several points of view and with flashbacks, Chamberlain has created a perfect blend of character creation, relationships and manipulation. A highly recommended read!
They find an unwritten note addressed to Anna, and it sparks their investigation. They want to find out why Noelle did what she did. But the more they reveal, the more they realize that they didn't really know Noelle at all.
Twists, turns, suspense, friendship and love are keen traits of Chamberlains. This novel is no exception. You will find yourself caught up in her clever storytelling as her characters and their lives capture your attention and do not let go until the final shocking conclusion. Told from several points of view and with flashbacks, Chamberlain has created a perfect blend of character creation, relationships and manipulation. A highly recommended read!
Helpful Score: 1
My thoughts on this galley -- ultimately it was the ending and the Grace driving to DC chapters that annoyed me and brought down the rating. I'm sure the author could have come up with something more believable than a 16 year old girl who had refused to drive and who was afraid of hospitals suddenly -- without any therapy or anything which she obviously needed -- overcoming that and doing something so harebrained. And that Anna jumping on her to be a donor?? I don't know, that whole part of the book just didn't sit well with me. I wish you would help the author think of a better way for them all to meet and resolve the situation than that. Here's my review that I'll be posting.
3.0 out of 5 stars Secrets, lies and betrayal...how well do you know your best friends?
On a beautiful day in September, Noelle commits suicide. Her two closest friends, Tara and Emerson, are completely shocked that the woman they had known -- caring, committed midwife, champion of babies-in-need, strong independent Noelle has done this. Why? Turns out that Noelle had a lot of secrets -- a history of lies, betrayals and a hidden past that neither of them knew.
The story is a mystery and also a study in friendship and family relationships. The ability to write believable characters is a definite strength of author Diane Chamberlain. The women in her books are mothers, daughters, wives, etc. who are able to form strong bonds that are tested but that don't break even in the face of tragedy or heartache. Ultimately, this is a book about the extent that someone could go to in an attempt to make a wrong a right; or how loving someone too much can cause a person to do things that ordinarily wouldn't be considered. And at what cost?
Told from the viewpoints of the key characters in the novel, the story also shifts back and forth in time as Noelle's friends and their children Jenny and Grace try to make sense of the suicide and to find answers to the questions it brought to light. It seems that none of them really knew Noelle at all!
The book raises questions that made me wonder how well anyone can really know another person. Often we take what they say at face value without probing more deeply, and there can be periods of time when we are enough out of touch with someone that we miss a key turning point or ignore some essential signs.
I read this book cover to cover over an afternoon. It was fast paced and absorbing; the only jarring note was the ending. Although some of it was wholly predictable, I was a bit dismayed at the behavior of one of the characters and I won't give any further spoilers to ruin it for anyone.
Fans of mystery and relationship stories, and all those who love Diane Chamberlain's previous work won't want to miss this one!
3.0 out of 5 stars Secrets, lies and betrayal...how well do you know your best friends?
On a beautiful day in September, Noelle commits suicide. Her two closest friends, Tara and Emerson, are completely shocked that the woman they had known -- caring, committed midwife, champion of babies-in-need, strong independent Noelle has done this. Why? Turns out that Noelle had a lot of secrets -- a history of lies, betrayals and a hidden past that neither of them knew.
The story is a mystery and also a study in friendship and family relationships. The ability to write believable characters is a definite strength of author Diane Chamberlain. The women in her books are mothers, daughters, wives, etc. who are able to form strong bonds that are tested but that don't break even in the face of tragedy or heartache. Ultimately, this is a book about the extent that someone could go to in an attempt to make a wrong a right; or how loving someone too much can cause a person to do things that ordinarily wouldn't be considered. And at what cost?
Told from the viewpoints of the key characters in the novel, the story also shifts back and forth in time as Noelle's friends and their children Jenny and Grace try to make sense of the suicide and to find answers to the questions it brought to light. It seems that none of them really knew Noelle at all!
The book raises questions that made me wonder how well anyone can really know another person. Often we take what they say at face value without probing more deeply, and there can be periods of time when we are enough out of touch with someone that we miss a key turning point or ignore some essential signs.
I read this book cover to cover over an afternoon. It was fast paced and absorbing; the only jarring note was the ending. Although some of it was wholly predictable, I was a bit dismayed at the behavior of one of the characters and I won't give any further spoilers to ruin it for anyone.
Fans of mystery and relationship stories, and all those who love Diane Chamberlain's previous work won't want to miss this one!
Helpful Score: 1
I have always enjoyed reading books by Diane Chamberlain but I must say this book was GREAT! I read it in just a few hours & I COULD have put it down but I just did not want to since it was that good! Had to know how it ended before I went to bed! If you are a first time reader of her books grab a copy of this one.....you won't be disappointed!!!
