Yall this book is heavy. Not necessarily a thriller, maybe more a drama? To say this was a slog is an understatement. There are also things that were hard for me to read due to personal issues at this time. Because of that I'm confident the struggles I had getting through this one are more personal than the quality of the book.

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Leah Mercer.

Ali arrives at Seashine Cottage to get some space from her husband. She is 20 weeks pregnant but Jon does not want to continue with the pregnancy. At the home of her late grandmother, she searches for peace and quiet to wait for Jon to change his mind. Ali meets her neighbours Meg, Michael and baby Jem and they instantly bond. But Ali begins to suspect that her neighbour have a secret...
A Mother's Lie is an emotional book with a strong mystery element about two marriages that are at risk of collapse.
The book is written in the present day to give Ali's perspective but also in the recent past to show the last months of her grandmother Violet's life. Several plot strands surrounding family secrets and lies merge in this book. Meg and Michael obviously have a less than perfect marriage and Ali is in denial about her baby and Jon. Violet lives a reclusive life and is trying to forget the past.
The nuances of family relationships are explored as well as difficult life choices and experiences. I found the characters to be relatable and they had a natural humanity to them which made me care about finding the truth.
The theme of loss runs strongly thorough the narrative. It's actually quite hard to review this book without giving away major spoilers. I'll just say that there are hints in both timelines about the secrets that are being hidden which allows the reader to make their own assumptions and interpretations about the characters' behaviour and lives.
A Mother's Lie is aptly described as a pageturner. I found myself immersed in the lives of the characters and anxious to reveal their secrets.

I really enjoy Leah Mercer’s books. I do feel this dragged out a bit towards the middle, however. it still kept me wanting to know the outcome.

Worth a read 3.5.

A new author for me! Isn't that fun! A book which gripped me from beginning to end. I only sorry I forgot to write this review until now.
My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the reading copy.

A great book full of mystery and drama that keeps you hooked from the first pages as with other books that I have read by this author. The characters are all interesting and the plotline very good with twists that you are not expecting making it a really compelling read

A Mother's Lie is a chilling and haunting read, that tantalisingly peels back the layers of each character to uncover their secrets. It's a book that keeps you turning the pages, hungry to find out more and one that stays with you long after you've finished it.

A Mother's Lie by Leah Mercer s a chilling page turner with a haunting storyline that keeps you guessing from page one. The book opens with a dramatic scene of a woman, Ali, fleeing to her inheritance which is a seaside cottage. She is pregnant and desires above all else to keep her unborn child safe. The book is told in alternating voices and flashbacks building to a dramatic storyline full of unexpected twists and suspicions.

Ali quickly befriends the next door neighbors, Michael and Meg. Soon she finds herself living with Meg and lots of uncertainty surrounds the disappearance of Michael. All is not as it seems and you feel the mounting sense of dread for Ali and her baby. You can’t help but be drawn into the drama that is the present day for Ali while still being fed the backstory from her now deceased grandmother, Violet. You will be eagerly turning pages but at the same time fearful to find out what happens next.

All the characters have flaws and secrets which draws the reader even further. You can not help but try to figure out who to sympathize with and who is truly orchestrating questionable outcomes, Trust me though, you will be shocked when it is not at all what it seems.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Bookouture in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

I always enjoy reading Leah Mercer's novels. While some of the topics can be heavy or sad, she always writes them in a heartfelt and sensitive way that shows she really cares about her characters and what happens in their lives. A Mother's Lie is the latest example of this writing style.

Upon reading the synopsis, I was expecting a thriller. While there were some elements of mystery and suspense, this was also a story about motherhood and of grief at times. The dynamic between Ali and Meg was so interesting. Especially as I got to know Meg and see a darker side of her. I wish some chapters had been told from her perspective, but I understand why they weren't. I did enjoy seeing Violet's point of view, even though it took place prior to the main events of the story.

This novel speaks to the pressure on mothers to feel like they need to be perfect all the time. It was really well thought-out and there are some surprising moments as the story unfolds. I recommend checking this one out, and if you haven't read Leah's other novels yet, you definitely should!

Movie casting suggestions:
Ali: Poppy Drayton
Meg: Charlotte Spencer
Michael: Max Minghella
Jon: Joe Alwyn
Violet: Fionnula Flanagan

EXCERPT: Ali reached into the bag and pulled out a tiny onesie in a soft, buttery yellow. Her heart shifted, and she met Meg's eyes. Meg was watching her with a smile. 'I know,' she said quietly. 'It's hard to believe, isn't it? That the baby inside of you now, will one day - soon! - be in your arms.' She reached out to touch Ali's arm. 'You'll be her mother, her whole world. You'll do anything for her.' She smiled. 'It's wonderful, really.'

Ali nodded again, a moment of understanding swirling around them. Meg was right. Ali would do anything to keep her baby safe, away from anyone who might harm her. Wasn't that the very reason she'd come here? In the midst of this turmoil, her daughter was the most important thing. This pregnancy was special, and no one should ruin that - nothing should ruin that. If Ali focused solely on her baby, she didn't have to let even one day be darkened by fear or uncertainty.

'Thank you,' she said, then turned and went into the night, clutching the yellow onesie like a guiding light.

ABOUT 'A MOTHER'S LIE': My darling child… all I’ve ever yearned for. But how do I keep you safe?

When Ali retreats to her seaside cottage, all she wants is to be alone. To reconnect with a place that has always felt like home until her baby is born.

But then her life collides with the people living in the house next door, Michael and Meg, and she is immediately welcomed into their perfect life with their beautiful baby Jem. As they help her prepare for her own arrival, Ali knows she has made the right choice for her baby in returning to Seashine Cottage.

When Michael leaves suddenly for a work trip, and Meg impulsively invites Ali to move in, it becomes clear things aren’t as perfect as they first seemed.

Meg is holding on to a dark secret. And as her behaviour becomes ever more erratic – leaning on Ali for increasing amounts of help – while Michael shows no signs of returning, Ali begins to worry.

Does she need to protect herself and her unborn child from the new friend she thought would help keep her safe? And what about her own devastating secret… the one she’s been running from?

This book was previously titled 'Safe From Harm'.

MY THOUGHTS: It took me a week to read A Mother's Lie by Leah Mercer. I found it difficult to relate to the characters of Ali and Meg, even after the revelations. Ali's and Meg's stories were dramatic, but almost soap-operaish.

The most interesting facet of this book for me was Violet's story, which both intrigued me, and broke my heart. Violet seemed very real to me, more so than Meg or Ali.

The story is told over two timelines: in the present by Ali, and 2018 from Violet's perspective, her past being recalled in memories.

I'm sorry I didn't like A Mother's Lie so much, particularly as I loved Leah Mercer's last offering, Ten Little Words.

I don't recommend reading this book if you are pregnant.

⭐⭐.7

#AMothersLie #NetGalley

I: @leahmercerauthor @bookouture

T: @LeahMercerBooks @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #domesticdrama #mentalhealth

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Leah can't remember a time when she didn't love writing. From creating fake newspapers to writing letters to the editor, scribbling something was always on the agenda. Even the rejections she received after completing her first novel at age 13 didn't dent her enthusiasm.

So it makes sense, then, that she pursued a career in anything but writing. Public relations, teaching, recruitment, editing medical journals -- even a stint painting houses -- until she finally succumbed once more to the lure of the blank page.

When she's not being jumped on by her young son or burning supper while thinking of plot-lines, Leah can be found furiously tapping away on her laptop, trying not to check Twitter or Facebook.

Leah also writes romantic comedies under the name Talli Roland.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Mother's Lie by Leah Mercer for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Quite an emotional story filled with secrets about 3 women in different timelines – Violet, Ali, and Meg – all trying to survive within the paradigm of their hurt.

My second book by author Leah Mercer, I loved how the friendships developed between them. But they also had a barrier of their lies. I liked how the pages slowly revealed the truth.

Few things I suspected, few were shockers. I loved the women, life happened to all of them. Amongst them, I would have liked Ali to be more forgiving and stronger. That would have connected me more to her. Children come first, not personal issues. But she got there at the end.

The last few pages brought a lump to my throat as I got to know the realities of their lives. The book had a bit of everything, drama, mystery, deep emotions, and a mother’s love for her child. A good, heartwarming read.

Wow, what a totally gripping read this book is!

Right from the start I had a feeling of menace. The isolated location, the wild seascape and the strange goings-on all add up to a really tense atmosphere.

The story is told mostly from Ali’s perspective, but with occasional chapters from Violet, her grandmother. All the pieces begin to come together to give us a picture of what has happened in the past, and what might be brewing in the present day.

I must say though, nothing in this book was as I predicted. All of my theories about the characters and they secrets that they were hiding were completely wrong.

The pace is perfect, slow enough to build the tension, but fast enough to hold the reader’s attention. I absolutely could not put this book down.

A suspenseful and compelling read, it’s also a touching and thought-provoking story, and beautifully written. Very highly recommended.

This heart string pulling story is predominantly narrated from the perspective of Abi who is pregnant with her and her husband Jon's first child. Being pregnant is difficult enough at the best of times what it having to cope with the raging hormones, emotional turmoil and aches and pains that you experience in the later stages of the pregnancy without having the added issue of harbouring a life changing secret. After her grandmother Violet dies and bequeaths Ali her tumble down cottage by the coast, Ali grabs the opportunity to escape from London to he place where she has so many happy memories from when she was a child, clear her head and make plans for the future. All she wants is to be alone but after a encounter with the couple who lived next door Meg and Michael and their adorable baby Jem, Ali finds herself drawn into the lives of the seemingly perfect family. Then after Michael mysteriously disappears, Meg asks Ali if she would like to move into their lavish home for the duration of her pregnancy and Ali jumps at the opportunity to spend more time with her new friend, someone she trusts and feels safe with. But,as time passes, Meg's demeanour and behaviour started to change and there is no sign of Michael returning, Ali begins to wonder if she has made a mistake. In placing her trust in someone she hardly knows, has she in reality put the lives of both her and her unborn child in serious danger?

Ali was a emotional mess which was totally understandable when you took her backstory into consideration but despite admiring how much she loves her unborn baby and her determination to help Meg and Jem, I also thought she was a rather irritating individual for various reasons. It's difficult to say too much about her relationship with Jon without giving away spoilers but I will say that I did feel some sympathy for the poor bloke who obviously loved Ali. Yes, he could have explained how he felt a bit better but I thought Ali's reaction and subsequent behaviour was a bit extreme, cruel and a little bit selfish. Why was she so prepared to cut the people who genuinely cared about her out of her life and so quick to place her trust and safety in the hands of complete strangers?

It was obvious from quite soon after they were introduced into the story that Meg and Michael's relationship wasn't as perfect as it appeared to be and the more time that Ali spent in their home, the more dark and sinister truths came to light. Did Michael have genuine concerns about baby Jem's safety when she was alone with her mother? Why had Meg's demeanour and behaviour suddenly become so erratic and seemingly out of control since Michael's disappearance? Were Meg and Michael the loving couple they appeared to be or was one of them hiding a dark side behind a mask of beauty and perfection?

Interspersed throughout Ali's story was chapters that were set in 2018 and written from the perspective of Ali's grandmother Violet who has spent fifty years hiding away in her isolated cottage. To begin with I didn't think that she was a very likeable individual but as her story unfolded, she slowly began to work her way into my heart and I began to have concerns about her well being and safety.

The Mother's Lie which was originally titled Safe From Harm is a emotionally charged, character driven story of families, relationships, forgiveness, the power of grief and a mother's love for her child. I loved this book's isolated setting, the author's descriptions of the thunder and lightening storm battering the isolated cottage, the beauty and danger of the sea and the way that the sea and the horizon appear to blend together. The story didn't have a large cast of characters but the individuals who did appear were vivid and realistic. It's a story that plays with the reader's emotions and caused me to feel quite teary a couple of times. This is the first book that I have read by this Author and it most definitely will not be my last. I thought this was a very enjoyable read and us very highly recommended.

A book that goes back and forward in time telling Violet and Ali 's stories. How could you not love this story
Highly recommended

A dual timeline story-grandma and granddaughter. A little like a Lifetime movie-which I love! Who is telling the truth, who do you trust. How much do you believe? Held my interest until the last page.

To me this was somewhat confusing, but basically still a good read. Story goes back and forth between Ali (in the present) and her grandmother (in the past).

“how far will we go to protect those we love the most?”

When I closed the final page on this heart-breaking story, complete though it was, I just felt as though I wanted to go and hug the one person who means the most to me, and let him know how much I love him!

Right from the very first page of this book, something just didn’t feel right, although I couldn’t have told you what it was. The more I read, the more disturbed my thinking and reasoning became, so convinced was I, that I was losing touch with reality in some way. Imagining things that couldn’t possibly be true, yet not realising how easily I could be deceived and manipulated.

A contemporary, dual timeline story, although only separated by a year, which seemed like a lifetime. Narrated in the voices of Violet and her granddaughter Ali and divided into neat, well signposted, bite-sized chapters, which kept the story fluid and moving forwards, even though at certain moments, time seemed to stand still for an age.

Author Leah Mercer, took me on an intensely desperate and multi-layered journey, which right from the outset I didn’t want to contemplate. Yet it was done with such skilled perception and heartfelt compassionate storytelling, that I never even noticed her guiding hand leading the way. This compelling and gripping storyline, was engineered with total authority, consummate ease and complete confidence in the imagery she could conjure up with her words.

Two women, one cottage, one set of neighbours – Oh! the secrets, the lies, the pain and the burden of guilt. Fear of the unknown and self-loathing, the mental anguish of time, relationships and lives wasted, all laid bare during the course of some beautifully textured observational and descriptive narrative, combined with some excellent and very assured conversational dialogue, which all helped to set the scene and give a real sense of time and place, so that I could imagine myself standing on those windswept clifftops, overlooking a seascape which could be either benign or deadly, at just a moments notice, in the blink of an eye.

A grandmother and granddaughter, separated by a generation, but both faced with the need to find solace and seclusion in this place of isolation, as they contemplate their losses, unimaginable grief, and come to terms with their uncertain futures. Both find themselves embroiled in the lives of their one and only neighbour, a volatile family on the edge and crying out desperately for help, although their pleas remain silent and their only means of being heard may result total destruction for everyone! There were so many twists and turns to this slow burning living hell, that I couldn’t keep up with them all and certainly never saw some of them coming.

Leah created an intimate and animated cast of emotionally complex characters. Raw and passionate, vulnerable and angry, authentic yet constantly searching for that illusive sense of belonging. They were completely unengaging and unrelatable, making it so difficult to empathise with them, although I really felt as though I should and I owed it to them to try. The three women, Violet, Ali and Meg, are definitely stronger than their male counterparts, in that it is easier for them to eventually discover their latent strength and recognise that, having voiced aloud the individual demons they each face, they can move forward stronger.

I loved this book.

It throws you into the story about violet and Ali.

Its a story about redemption.

The story flows really well and the characters are fleshed out which makes the story flow very nicely.

From the first chapter I was hooked and read all the way through to the end because I didn't want to stop.

Highly recommend.

Loving the multiple character viewpoint in A Mother’s Lie. After the first few pages I was hooked on Leah Mercer’s emotional and tense read. It had all the sustenance of a psychological thriller, but with bucketfuls of emotions!

The main character Ali is a strong independent woman who is determined to bring her baby into this world alone. After an argument with her husband over the unborn baby, she packs her bag and heads over to stay in her late grandmother’s run-down cottage.

It’s very smart of the author to run Ali’s late grandmother’s story alongside Ali’s in the same cottage. What do the stories have in common? Neighbours Michael and Meg next door… Who seem like the perfect family with baby Jem, until Michael disappears one night during a storm.

You are really in for a great read with this one. You will be chilled to the bone, gripped, and won’t be able to put it down! PS. Don’t forget your tissues!

A well deserved 5 out of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy

Wow, what a powerful story. You might need tissues ready as, without giving anything away, A Mother's Lie touches on many emotive subjects. Totally unputdownable novel

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'A Mother's Lie' by Leah Mercer. Previously titled 'Safe From Harm'.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Leah Mercer, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 24th June 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching and gorgeous cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of The Silent Daughter, Diane Chamberlain and Kerry Lonsdale.' I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 43 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England, UK 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are partly or fully set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and gone on holiday in England on many occasions so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Violet and Ali. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'A Mother's Lie' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Leah discusses/includes death of a child.

It is set over/includes multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

Wow!!! Just absolutely wow!!! What a gripping and addictive emotional read. Clear your schedules before you start this and get the tissues ready!! This book was previously titled 'Safe From Harm' but I definitely think the new title of 'A Mother's Lie' suits it more. The title, cover and synopsis work perfectly with the storyline.

This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions that really set the scene and puts the reader in the storyline. The storyline itself is emotionally packed and filled with love, loss, lies , friendship, secrets, tension, suspense and tears. I was absolutely hooked throughout and it is extremely powerful. I was in tears by the end and that is definitely a rarity for me. However, I also think that it ended perfectly and as it should have regardless of how heartbreaking it was. I would have never guessed what was going on and it is teu that you never know what happens behind closed doors and the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

I was completely invested in Abi's character who was a strong, well defined and realistic character. I always enjoy reading about powerful women and the fact that she had so much going on but just kept on pushing through even at the end shows what a strong woman she was. I wasn't sure what to feel about Meg and Michael throughout and was extremely shocked at the end. Well done Leah as it's getting harder and harder to shock me!!! I also enjoyed reading Violet's story and seeing what happened through her eyes, another heartbreaking story.

Congratulations Leah on an addictive, successful and powerful page turner. I am looking forward to reading more of your books past and future. Welcome to my top authors list!!!

Overall a powerful, emotionally charged addictive page turner that will leave you in tears.

Genres covered in this book include Suspense and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Diane Chamberlain and anyone looking for a page turner.


253 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5;5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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