A super, super read that had me hooked by the beautiful scenic descriptions as much as the mystery of what happened at the lighthouse that fateful night.
Skye returns home to a remote part of Scotland having been called back by her brother Bill because, after 15 years absence, their Mum is asking for her. Mum has had a fall and seems to be losing her grip on reality..
Skye had left her family behind her just 6 weeks after the tragic accident which left her twin sister Ginny dead. But was it an accident or was it suicide?
There is so much emotional pain in the silence that has trapped both her Mum and Skye. The accident can't be spoken about and it causes a massive rift where mother and daughter exist in isolation, unable to heal and move on.
This book is about grief and loss, about discovering truths as opposed to what we want to remember and ultimately about healing. Skye has no memory of what happened that night and as she settles back into her childhood home information slowly emerges that makes Skye question the story that was told at the time of Ginny's death. As the answers are gradually revealed I found myself genuinely unable to put the book down, holding my breath, waiting to see what would happen.
Beautiful prose, wonderful characters and without revealing the ending, Nick, what a saviour!

I thought this was going to be a good book but sadly in my opinion it didn't live up to the hype. Too many characters which confused me and I gave up on it

This book was added to my DNF pile. There wasn't anything suspense worthy to keep me hooked and I couldn't finish it since i really wasn't enjoying it.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those novels that for me never seems to reach its potential.

I didn't like Skye Turner, or her mother. The plot is so thin you an almost see through it and I found I was bored.

Despite it being set in a fantastic part of the world - the west of Scotland. Despite the love interest. And the mystery of what happened to Skye's twin sister Ginny in that her body has never been found.

I also did not understand what the cover had to do with the novel.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of My Mother’s Silence.

Unfortunately this book has been added to my “can’t finish-maybe someday” collection. I gave it a good 30% before I decided I just wasn’t into it and really didn’t care to finish it. I think the story sounds interesting but by 30%, if something suspenseful hasn’t drawn me in desperately wanting more, I can’t keep going.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, for my honest review.

This book is a story of a mother and her twin daughters, and the resentment, anger and love that they all have. These characters are definitely able to be related to, and through the story we learn so much about their feelings, their past and their own emotions.

I really did enjoy the writing of this book, and while it did have a Holiday theme, it doesn't lead you to believe that it's all about the holidays.

Add this one to your TBR list.

Skye left her Scottish home to follow her dream or being a singer-songwriter. A dream she shared with her twin sister Ginny who is believed to have been swept out to sea weeks before they were due to head off together to audition. Skye has only flashback memories of that night as she suffered a head trauma in a car crash and woke to the terrible news of her sister’s disappearance. In the following weeks, Skye overheard her mother blaming her for Ginny’s death and the guilt drove her away from home for 15 years.
In the present day, Skye’s brother Bill implores her to return home as their mother has finally asked for her to come home. Skye is devastated to see the change and mental deterioration, especially as her mum confuses Bill’s daughter and Skye for Ginny. There are hints that there has been a cover up over what really happened the night Ginny supposedly died…
My Mother’s Silence had me hooked from the very beginning. Skye’s sadness at the loss of her sister, combined with her guilt and the pressure of blame from her mother make her a really emotionally charged and vulnerable character.
Skye has carried an idealised version of Ginny around with her for so many years that now she is forced to face the idea that her sister was less than perfect and kept secrets from her.
I enjoyed the developing relationship between Skye and Nick. This added a hopeful tone to the plot and gave an extra side to her character.
Lauren Westwood sustained the mystery of what really happened to Ginny fifteen years ago and the plot kept me guessing until right at the end (all of my predictions were wrong!)

Many thanks to Bookouture and Lauren Westwood for the opportunity to read and review this book. My Mother's Secret was intriguing from the first chapter. Skye is determined to find out what happened on the night her twin sister Ginney died and returns to her hometown to discover even her own mother is being less than honest. Will the discovery of her sister's diaries uncover the truth, or will the truth destroy Skye.

Fifteen years ago, Skye Turner left her home on Scotland's West Coast. She has spent her time travelling around the US, earning her living with her music. It was a career she expected to share with her twin Ginny, however before they were due to leave Ginny went off to a party with the local youngsters at the lighthouse. When Skye went to get her she was involved in a car accident & she awoke to find her sister gone, presumed to have been swept off the rocks. Skye was sure her mother blamed her for not bringing Ginny home & so left. Now her mother is struggling. Her brother begs her to come back & as things have gone poorly lately she agrees. But should you ever go back? Are some secrets best left alone? Skye finds that she maybe didn't know her twin as well as she thought.

This was an engaging read with lots of twists. I was drawn to it because of the setting, but enjoyed the story. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This book was such a quick read for me! It was twisty and turny in all the best ways and I totally devoured it. Not too obvious either, which is always good in this genre. Would definitely recommend to a friend!

(Also posted on my GR account!)

1.5 stars rounded up

Ugh how do I start with this book.

First, the premise was alright, enough to rise your curiosity and read the book.
Second, the plot was so thin, more than 50% of the book was just a fluff of Skye's feelings. Skye was doing this, she was doing that, she met this man/woman, but these scenes didn't further advance the plot.
Third, Skye was unlikeable. But then again, none was likeable here.
Fourth, the cover? It doesn't reflect the story whatsoever or did I miss something?

I wouldn't even touch the ending. It answered the big question, so there's that. But with meh plot comes meh ending. And who needs an epilogue after all that?

A new author for me....
I hadn't gotten to any Lauren's books yet so I was delighted to be able to sign up to the blog tour for her latest one "My Mother's Silence"
A family story, ultimately a story of a family tragedy that pulls them apart in so many ways with their grief, the tensions that follow and so many secrets and lies...
A tragedy that not only effected the family but the whole community too.
We meet Skye who is returning home after fifteen years of being away having left immediately after the death of her twin sister Ginny.
Fifteen years of wondering, blaming and hurting....
But what is she returning to.....
I really enjoyed Lauren's character Skye, taking to her immediately.
She hasn't spoken to her mum in so long that she's not sure on arriving home what kind of reception she will get from her.....
She soon realises there is so much more to her sister Ginny's death all those years ago.
Why wasn't she told? Why was so much hidden from her at the time?
There is so much emotion to this story, the love, the hurt, the betrayal felt, the recriminations but utimately being able to let go and forgive....
I absolutely loved this story.
I felt it was a story so well written by this author and with such passion and understanding for her characters...
Well worth taking the taking for this one.....

3.5 stars rounded up.

Following the tragic death of her twin sister Ginny, Skye Turner fled Scotland to America and never wanted to look back. Not only was Skye riddled with grief, she knew that her mother blamed her for not protecting Ginny that night, and she couldn’t face the disappointment. It’s now been 15 years since she was home, and she gets a note from her brother saying that their mom has been asking for Skye. Since life in America isn’t all that it was cracked up to be, Skye packs up and heads back home.

Once Skye is home, she realizes that her mother hurt her ankle in a nasty fall, and her mother’s memory seems off. Skye’s mother is guarded and the tension between mother and daughter is palpable. Skye’s mother makes the mistake of referring to Skye as Ginny upon several occasions, and alludes to Ginny’s death not being the tragic accident that everyone thought. Skye is determined to find out what actually happened to her sister as well as rebuild her relationship with her mother before it’s too late.

If you love a slow-burn familial drama then no look further because My Mother’s Silence is it. There were definitely times in the story that I was transported to the difficult times of my own relationship with my mother, which made me feel for both Skye and her mother. It was so tough to watch Skye’s mother, the iron stronghold of the family, become so fragile and suffer from memory slippages. My heart definitely broke for Skye. That being said, I loved the progression of their relationship throughout the story and watching them break down the barriers that they had both built up.

Overall, this is a great story that really highlights the complications of mother-daughter relationships as well as the fact that family will always be there no matter the circumstances.

Thank you so much to Bookouture and NetGalley for the eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

When Skye and her twin sister Ginny were 20 years old, they had their bright future planned: they were going to get out of their small Scottish town of Eilean Shiel, and they were heading off to America in search of fame. They had talent and youth on their side, and stars in their eyes … until an unimaginable tragedy brought their plans to an abrupt halt.

Ginny falls to her death from the cliffs near their home, and it’s deemed an accident, but Skye knows that her mother – and she’s sure most of the close-knit town – blame her. And she bears the full brunt of the blame, feeling the need to distance herself from what she feels are accusations that she is “the twin that didn’t die”. And she stays away for 15 years, swearing that she won’t return until she’s asked.

Finally, the day comes when her brother Bill tells her that their mother is ailing and she needs to come home. After years of simply saying that she’s not well, or deteriorating, he finally says the words that will bring Skye back. She realises though that this homecoming will be difficult. She intends confronting her mother – ill or not – about the years of unspoken reproach that have passed between them. As soon as she arrives in Eilean Shiel she senses a feeling of unease among the people in the community that she turned her back on, and quickly understands that it’s not because she left, or that she hasn’t been back to look after her mother until now. Something doesn’t feel right, and before she’s even had a chance to settle in, she knows that this all dates back to that awful night that her sister died.

I wouldn’t necessarily call this a thriller, but it’s written with a slow-burning sense of urgency that underlies every page. Sadness and loss permeates the home that Skye moves back into with her mother, but the obvious secrecy and avoidance kept me from feeling as overwhelmingly sorry for the older woman than I might otherwise have felt. Skye has spent so much of her life feeling that she has lost a piece of herself, purely because she has not been told certain pieces of information that others feel she didn’t need to know. But one does need to ask: “Did she ever ask the right questions?” This was the recurring query that went through my mind. I just couldn’t help wondering … but then I realised that her pain was too raw, and she was far too vulnerable to confront it, and then, as so often happens … it was just too late!

The theme of family is strong throughout the book, as is the theme of community and culture – ideas that are all beautifully portrayed. It makes one understand how very difficult it must have been for Skye to uproot herself and to stay away for so long, on her own.

This is a highly recommended 4-star read.

Last year during the holidays, I was introduced to Lauren Westwood's work through her novel Midnight on the Thames. It was one of my most loved books of the season and afterward I read all of the books she had written to date! This year Westwood is back with another incredible story, My Mother's Silence. Set during the holiday season, it is a cross-genre book about family, the bonds of love, forgiveness and the power of forgiveness.

Skye had no recollection of the night her twin sister, Ginny, died. All she was aware of was her inability to forgive herself for Ginny's death and the belief that her mother blamed Skye for Ginny's death as well. Fifteen years later, their mother is frail and in need of someone to be with her. Skye returns home to the secrets, the blame, the gossip of what really happened the night Ginny vanished. As Skye searches for answers to the questions her memories refuse to answer, the horrors of that night reveal secrets this family may not be able to cope with.

My Mother's Silence is a story of three women: a mother and her twin daughters. It's a tale of unspoken anger, resentment, jealousy but, above all, it is a story of love, forgiveness and hope. What I love most about Westwood's writing is that she creates characters that are so realistically flawed so that we, the reader, are able to relate to them. Through their story line we come to know everything about them, including the thoughts and feelings that they would like to forget. As Skye delves into her sister's past with the help of long forgotten journals, we see how emotionally fraught her sister was, the secrets that she was keeping from Skye and, ultimately what happened that fateful night. As Skye then attempts to deal with the lies, the whispers and betrayal, we see her emotional growth as she finally makes reconciliations with members of her family. This is a powerful, emotional, tense book through which I laughed, cried and got angry right along side Skye. Westwood, as always, drew me into their lives from the beginning and I did not stop reading until the very end - and then I wanted MORE!! And yes, this book is centered around the holidays, but it is far more about relationships than it is about the holidays. It easily could be read any time, any day of the year - and you should do just that. Now, do I really have to wait another entire year for the next fabulous book by Lauren Westwood!?

I'm so grateful to #Netgalley and #Bookoutre for my copy of #MyMothersSilence.

A family tragedy resonates on a small Scottish community, It tears a local family apart, but now it’s time for Skye to come home. She’s unsure of her reception, but her younger brother insists her mother needs her. Her new life is in tatters, she has nowhere else, but can she face going back? This is a story about sisters, mothers and daughters and the secrets families keep to protect those they love most.

Told in the first person from Skye’s point of view, this is a compelling, emotional tale of a woman’s search for answers so that she can finally lose the guilt and move on with her life. Skye has done most of her growing up with strangers, always moving, never finding the peace, she unconsciously seeks. Circumstances, force her back home for Christmas, but what she finds is not what she expects.

The characters in the family and the wider village are well written and realistic. They are all hiding something, but Skye’s return opens Pandora’s box and finally, with the help of Nick, an ex-detective the truth is uncovered. The family relationships and tensions are believable and poignant, The mystery part of the plot is cleverly constructed and its resolution satisfying.

The romance is secondary to the family drama and mystery, but adds light to the darkness and makes the ending romantic and hopeful.

Ordinary families and tragic events make absorbing reading when instilled with a perfect balance of angst, hope, love, mystery, romance and sadness.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Although I haven’t read anything by Lauren Westwood before, I thought this book had a fascinating synopsis, so I grasped the opportunity to read it with both hands! I am so pleased I did as there were no disappointments here!

Twenty-year-old Skye Turner’s world fell apart around her on the night that her twin sister, Ginny, died. Skye left her home-town of Eilean Shiel in the Scottish Highlands after the funeral, believing her mother held her responsible for Ginny’s death. Skye should have taken care of Ginny and prevented her fall from the cliffs that night. Over the years, she’s barely spoken to her mother, until the day she receives a phone call asking her to return home.

Everyone in their tiny community accepted it was an accident, but more than one person in the town is haunted by a secret from that night...

Lauren Westwood delivers an unrestrained story with a compelling blend of unimaginable grief, harboured secrets, miscommunication and long-buried memories. My Mother's Silence is beautifully plotted, a cracking story and a book I revelled in all the way through. The author did a brilliant job of slowly drawing me into the plot, capturing and commanding my attention with her superbly drawn characters and their secrets, while adding in a clever twist. It brought no let-downs and everything was well-wrapped up in the very satisfying and bittersweet finale.

A riveting, stellar and exemplary novel that I'm delighted to recommend.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

As psychological thrillers go, this belongs in the slow-build/reveal category. It is not particularly chilling as much as it is a story of family secrets and the consequences surrounding them. I liked the setting and thought the author did a great job of creating the small-town atmosphere. I also thought that Skye’s personality was very balanced and crucial for how she approached each new piece of information as she tried to piece her memories back together. This was a quick and intriguing read, and I would recommend it. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of the book.

Skye’s twin sister Ginny drowned 15 years before. Everyone thought it was an accident, except one person who really knew what happened. Skye left the little Scottish village soon after Ginny died, but recently returned home when she discovers her mother is ill. 15 years on and there are still rumours about Ginny’s death. Skye is determined to find out what really happened that night…

I have read a couple of other books written by this author and have enjoyed her style of writing. This book is an emotional and gripping story which got my attention from the first page and didn’t let go until the very end. The characters were well portrayed and I did like and empathise with Skye. It was obviously a difficult decision for her to return home after so long away. Her relationship with her mother tugged at the heartstrings and was a particularly emotional part of the storyline.

The story ploughed along at a good pace, giving the reader plenty of things to think about and opportunities to try and unravel the mystery of what had happened to Ginny before it was revealed. It’s, without a doubt, an emotional and mesmerising story of families, lies, deceit and secrets. Add to that the stunning Scottish landscape and you’ve got yourself a fabulous read with a heart-breaking storyline, lots of twists and turns and an unexpected ending. Would definitely recommend!

Oh what a beautiful and poignant take this was! From the first page to the last, this beautifully written story captured by heart. With unforgettable characters and a story that is at once believable and heart wrenching this is a tale that will stay with me for a very long time. Truly stunning- an assured and magnificent work of art. Highly recommended.