I've had this book for years, I still haven't, unfortunately, got to it, so this is a placeholder review to reduce my shelf for my own sanity, but will replace this as I have a copy of this book to read

Wow! This was an highly emotional read, had me squirming a few times due to the uncomfortableness of the subject matter but it was a hard book to out down. Jennie Ensor did a great job telling this story from three point of views so giving all three characters a human side. Sexual abuse is such a sensitive issue and I thought Jennie did a great job with this.

This certainly isn’t a easy read and is in fact quite disturbing. To say I loved it is probably the wrong terminology but it was an excellent read,

This book deals with a very real problem in our society today, namely pedophilia. It makes for a very scary read, however its done in a very sensitive manner and makes for a good solid read. Recommended.

An incredibly difficult subject handled extremely well. I thought Laura's character was very believable with the way she behaved. Her years of silence, her reasons why all rang very very true. Emma's story was devastating and heart breaking and I wasn't sure at some points during the book if this was a topic to write a book about purely for the entertainment of others. But I could see how the story could provide solace and comfort to other victims and perhaps even give them the courage to speak out. I felt uncomfortable reading the book at times, like I was indulging in some sort of prurient activity. There were also times when I felt the story dragged a little bit. I can see why people love this book and give it 5 stars, but for me, personally, I felt too discomfited.

It feels strange to say I enjoyed this book given the delicate theme (child abuse) but it's very well handled. I found it really interesting to get narratives from three different perspectives; the victim, the perpetrator and the mother, who had been unaware. With the added element of the perpetrator turning his attentions to another victim, Laura is thrown into turmoil. Despite the difficult and very uncomfortable subject being covered, I couldn't put this book down and read it in less than a day. I'll definitely be looking out for more from the author in the future!

Oh wow. Put some time away for this book. It has all the ingredients for a terrific psychological thriller.

No spoilers from me. Book is great with lots of lies, deception, tragedy, and twists. Also, loved the unpredictable ending. Can't say enough great about this. Read it today!!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this fabulous book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 dark stars

It’s hard to rate a book that is essentially about child abuse. I can’t say I enjoyed it as a subject matter but i do think it was well written and get me gripped.

I agree with some of the other comments that some of he dialogue was a bit off but overall I thought it was written sensitively.

I liked that even though chapters were written from the perpetrator’s perspective, at no time did the author try and make us sympathise with him despite his attempts to justify his actions.

Recommended & I would read more by the author.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and the author, Jennie Ensor, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Girl In His Eyes in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
Books regarding this subject matter are never going to be an easy read. And this one certainly isn't.
It is horrible to say ( given the subject matter) , I really enjoyed reading this book. Ms Ensor has told the storyline from multiple points of view and has created a story that gets its hooks into you and refuses to let go until you have finished.
Well worth a read.

I would like to thank the Netgalley website for this partnership and Bloodhound books.

I was immediately attracted to the cover and summary of this book.

There is Laura, a young woman who is facing the abuse her father put her through for years as a child. She's going to be horrified to hear that he's taking a girl named Emma swimming.

Until then, she hadn't yet dared to talk about her abuse, will she decide to talk about it to save this young girl?

A novel read in one go, I found the story captivating, full of suspense and twists and turns. I look forward to reading more books from this author who has a beautiful pen.

A deep, dark secret is finally surfacing. Do you divulge it and risk everything? Great story line, interesting characters and a wonderful read. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and Jennie Ensor for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

My rating is actually 4.5/5 stars, but since there aren't half stars I always round up.

First of all, a major trigger warning for the entire book. There are many mentions and fairly graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse and rape. So please be sure you're in a good head space while reading the book.

With that being said, I really enjoyed The Girl In His Eyes. The book gave a fairly accurate representation of the horrors and difficulties of dealing with the aftermath of surviving child sexual abuse. Both for the individual survivor and the family as well The novel gives a voice to the voiceless. It also makes it easier to understand how and why these pedophiles and perverts can manipulate children, entire families and societies into believing they're good people. There were so many times when people suspected something was "off" about Paul, but brushed off their concerns because he seemed like a nice guy. Always trust your gut, people! These life lessons are so relevant.

There wasn't anything that I really disliked about the book. However there was a lot that disgusted me, which given the general book topic was bound to happen. Some chapters are from Paul, the pervert's, point of view. We hear all the disgusting horrifying things he thinks. It adds to the suspense and explains a lot. Also some of the reactions of people seem a bit too cookie cutter at times.

Overall, a really worthwhile read to further understand the topic but done in a fictionalized manner.

*I received a free ebook version of this. Thankyou to Netgalley, Bloodhound Books and Jennie Ensor for the chance to read this! My review is still completely honest.
**HUGE trigger warning for sexual assault and pedophilia. This is a very disturbing read and if you are in any way sensitive to these topics, I would avoid this one.

The Girl in His Eyes is a story about Laura, a young woman who was molested by her father as a child. She has kept this to herself until now, when she finds out an oblivious neighbour is allowing Laura’s father to take her 12 year old daughter swimming. This is a unique story of sexual abuse in that it shows the perspectives of Laura, Laura’s mother and Laura’ father, the abuser himself.
This was an incredibly hard read. When I said to be wary, don’t underestimate that. I’m pretty good at distancing myself emotionally from that kind of content, but this one made me feel so uncomfortable I had to put it down for a while and was seriously considering dnfing. What encouraged me to continue was finding out that Jennie Ensor based this novel off of her own experiences, and so I feel that novels like this are important for representing real life and opening discussions around what trauma and abuse looks like, and why some women choose not to come forward. I have the utmost respect for the author and the message she brings in writing this book. This post was the one I read if anyone is interested: https://jennieensor.com/2018/08/31/my-story-what-lies-behind-the-girl-in-his-eyes/.
I found Ensor to be a very eloquent writer. Her style is straightforward and simple in a good way-it was fitting for the subject matter and compulsively readable. Her mastery of the points of view was better than most I’ve read, as all 3 were fully distinct and had their own flavour in their chapters. Not only was the plot compelling and interesting, it was hard-hitting and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I think my only little gripe is that I do wish I’d seen more from Emma at the end, and how she was getting on. Her story is the only one that I feel seems unconcluded.
On the whole though, I’m really impressed with this author. The story she told is highly personal and as such, is one of the more emotional books that I’ve read. A very, very well crafted novel.

4☆A Dark Challenging Raw Emotional Read

The Girl In His Eyes is a very Dark, Raw, Emotional, disturbing Read, about Sexual Abusive and Grooming.

This really isn't the easiest of reads but it's a very powerful read.

Laura is sexually abused by her father from the age of 12.
It's not often you are given the story of both the abuser and the person who is being abused. Which was unique and very different.
The story is also told by Laura's Mother which was also interesting.
As an outsider you often question, did the other parent know what was going on?

When Laura suspects her father of abusing another child, she struggles with her demons, as it brings everything back to the surface. You see Laura never told anyone just what her Father did to her all those years.
But can she save this young girl before it's too late!

My heart literally broke for Laura, she is immensely brave and strong.
The parents characters literally make me sick and rage with anger. Which is exactly how I was meant to feel.

Jennie Ensor has poured everything into this raw heart breaking read. She has written a very realistic and powerful read that really punches a huge impact.
As I said before it's not an easy read by any means and it's all too real for some people.

The Girl In His Eyes isn't going to be for everyone as it is a very sensitive subject, but if you like reading books that challenge your emotions, Raw, and is not an easy read then I do recommend reading this dark Pyschological book.


Thank you to Bloodhound Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for my copy.

I found it rather difficult to come to a conclusion on this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dark intensity of the story and how it was told from three different POV, especially Paul's since it was so honest.
Paul the abuser, Laura the abused and Suze the unassuming wife to one and mother to the other.. Fantastic idea to volley between the three perspectives!
The thing that kept stumping me was the conversation style.
All the chats seemed a bit awkward and "off" somehow.
Perhaps it was that the inner monologues were so fluid that the conversations seemed stymied as a result? I may never know.
I did find the book fairly addictive despite the stunted conversation style, and judging from the reviews I think this may have been my issue alone.

Child abuse is always a hard topic to read about but this book was hard to put down. Laura must decide if she had the courage to face her abuser (her father) to save another. Can she do it and what cost?

I did enjoy this book. The reason for the three stars is because of its predictability. Other than that, it kept me interested and flowed very well. It goes from several POV which is easy to follow as well.

Laura was sexually abused by her father and it has always caused tension between her and her parents. She never told anyone in fear it would kill her mom. When she goes to visit, she hears her dad is coaching a 12 year old girl in swimming. Laura starts to worry perhaps her dad would do it to others, not just her. Should she tell or should she keep it a secret ?

The sexual content is a little graphic considering it is with children. If this totally offends you, I wouldn’t recommend the book.


I received an ARC of this book for my honest review. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity.

Dark! Disturbing! Ugly!

This was a powerful and disturbing story... A story about sexual abuse and the grooming process leading up to it... told from the perspective of the abused, the abuser, and the mother/wife of the abused/abuser... this is a book I had to walk away from several times, I just needed to take a break from this subject matter.... it made me feel tremendously uncomfortable, it made my skin crawl and it left me with a sense of shame.... this really is a very difficult book to review... do I recommend it? I’m really not sure... was it well done? Absolutely... it was a real and raw look at a very taboo subject, there is no sugarcoating in this book.... and I believe this will be a very difficult read for a lot of people...

Laura was sexually abused by her father from the age of 12, something she has never shared with anybody... when Laura finds out her father is going to take a 12-year-old Emma swimming, she struggles to decide if she should confess what her father has done in order to save Emma from the same fate.... I think Laura is a good depiction of an abuse victim, struggling with doing the right thing and her own shame and blame... I had a tremendous amount of sympathy for Laura, and my heart broke for her! We also got the perspective of Laura‘s mother and father, their perspectives for the most part revolted me....As I said hard book to review...

I really do need to give major props to the author for taking on such a horrible topic.... although a lot of this book was difficult I think unfortunately it was very realistic.... end it is my hope just as I think it is the hope of the author that someone will read this and it will help them get through a dark part in their life...

*** many thanks to Bloodhound Books for my copy of this book ***

Ce roman nous fait prendre conscience de la nécessité d’élever sa voix quand nous assistons à une scène de ce genre ou même après, même si on croit que c’est trop tard. Il le faut d’autant plus que nous savons que cela peut préserver d’autres personnes dans l’avenir.

La dernière partie du roman est un véritable plaidoyer dans ce sens.

De plus, l’action s’emballe et nous garde captifs d’un rythme effréné. J’ai été complètement absorbée!


This novel makes us realize it's necessary to get loud when we know something awful is happening, even if we think it's too late. More, it's important to do it because it really can help other people in the future. The last part of the story is a real argument for that.
The fast pace of the action keeps us captivated. I was really hooked!

This has been an “unputdownable” book for me.

It’s very intense, I was full of anxiety reading this from daughters side (Laura) her Mother and the abuser, her Father.

It’s unusual to gain insight to the thoughts of the abuser, but, this author did this and although it’s stomach churningly gross at such illogical and totally off limits subject, she did it well.
It’s not an easy book to digest but an insightful one. Abuse in any form is not acceptable and never forgivable and in just a mini second I felt sorry for the abuser!

Hang on!
Hey up a minute.
His reasons, his excuses his past doesn’t and shouldn’t relay who he is today or excuse the rights and wrongs.

Laura had to live with this abuse and we struggle along with her and her choices in life.

Her friends reactions, her brothers and her mothers.

But then, will her dad do “it” again.

What happens if he does.

I would have given this 5 stars but for the convenience of the ending. I got to where I guessed what would happen. Too convenient for me.

However this was a fabulous ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT read.

Would I recommend it? Yes. But be aware there’s abuse in this