This is a compelling read. The pacing was good. The writing captures my attention. You have to set your disbelief to one side.

The Family I Lost by Ali Mercer was an intense, emotionally gripping read about families and secrets. The book started off a bit slow but quickly sucked me in and I was not able to put it down. Great read. #TheFamilyILost #NetGalley

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Warning! Tissues will be needed! The Family I Lost is a real t tearjerker yet it is also. heartwarming. Ali Mercer really delved into a family with secrets with this novel, I cried, I laughed, I got angry, I experienced many emotions during the telling of this story.

The novel starts out with a secret. There are many twists and turns right to the end. I was sucked into the story and was unable to stop reading. Ending was satisfying and I would recommend this book.

First off I’d like to say, I definitely recommend this book to friends and family. For me personally, it was a slow read, but I definitely want to read more books from this author in the future. It definitely peaked my interest and I’m glad that I finish the book.

This book grabbed my atteniton straight away from the first page. The family drama was everywhere. I loved the timeline and thought the ending was done very nicely.

This novel started off slowly , but picked up about 50% in. Totaling tugged at my heart. Good read, thought the ending was a bit abrupt.

This one wasn't really for me and it might be because I wasn't in the right mood for this one seeing I am a mood reader.

I think many others would like it and if I re-read it I hope I will be in a better mood.

The main character, Lisa, has recently endured the loss of her mother. She never really knew her father, who had been in prison since she was a toddler. Not only that, she never knew her mother’s extended family. Upon cleaning out her mother’s house, she finds the name of her cousin, and decides to establish contact. Lisa is invited to Amy’s house. When Amy’s husband Joe, is out of town, Lisa is invited to spend time at the house helping Amy care for her young children. Amy is not overly kind to Lisa, but Lisa enjoys spending time with and caring for the children. While caring for the children, Lisa begins to remember some vague memories. She begins to uncover some family secrets that will change everything she’s ever known and been told. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Family I Lost is about two long lost cousins find each other by accident. Lisa has been raised by her mother thinking she was an only child with no relatives. When her mother passes, she has to clean out her house. She finds a picture of two young girls that looks familiar. One she knows is her, but who is the other one. She ends up on a journey searching for answers and finds Amy. Which opens up more questions.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley

WoW.........and breathe! The Family I Lost by Ali Mercer was an amazing and beautifully written book. and written from her heart. This had me drawn in from the very beginning and I did not want this latest book by Ali to end.
I am finding it hard to write this review without giving anything away. However, The Family I lost played with my emotions and I could not put it down. I loved it. I enjoyed reading and learning all about Lisa's life and I had to grab for some tissues!

I highly recommend all of Ali Mercer's books. They are all a fantastic read from start to finish.

Big thank you to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Lisa's mother has recently passed away, while cleaning out her mother's place, she discovers the name and address for an Amy Power. Power was her mother's maiden name, but her mother has been estranged from her family for years. They wanted nothing to do with her or Lisa after a tragedy that somehow involved Lisa's father, who she also doesn't know. She only knows that he was sent to prison and whatever he has done is the reason her mother's family had shunned them.
With her mother gone, Lisa feels extremely lonely and decides to reach out to Amy and hopefully get to know this long lost family. She's not sure how much she can trust Amy, but she enjoys helping out with Amy's daughter, Tilly. Lisa feels as if she's been to the home Amy lives in, and what is the big secret behind the red curtain beneath the stairs?

First off, the synopsis of this book was a bit off from the actual story, as far as how Lisa and Amy meet and are related. Secondly, the first half of this book was very slow, it really didn't get interesting until almost the end. I didn't really care for any of the characters, they were all a bit dull. I did appreciate the ending and felt there was good closure, I'm glad I stuck with it to the end. Overall it was an interesting story about deeply buried family secrets and lies.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy Ali Mercer’s books. She has a talent for writing such beautiful books, often emotional and heart-breaking, but always with the most real and relatable characters.

This book starts off seemingly relatively straightforward in plot, with two long-lost cousins becoming reunited by chance. But as the book progresses it becomes apparent that there is so much more to this story. There are so many secrets and a very tangled family web of lies and untold truths.

We hear from the points of view of both Lisa and Amy, and later on, from some characters from the past. There is also a timeline that goes between past and present. This richly woven tapestry gives a real depth to the book, and really keeps the reader wanting to know more.

It’s not until near the end that the threads begin to untangle and make sense, and at this stage it’s impossible to put the book down. I spent many happy hours completely engrossed in this book. It’s at times sad, when we discover how many secrets were covered up, and how many years were wasted in misconceptions, but it’s also a very life-affirming story of family and love.

I was sorry when this book had to come to an end, and I think that it will stay with me for a long time. I’d really recommend it.

Every family has secrets. Some have very few, little even. Others have great secrets that cover up many lies and exceptions. This book is about two cousins, separated due to a family fracture and abundant lies.

If you want a really good family drama, then this is the book for you! Secrets, lots of blame and little forgiveness go a long way in telling the story of this family and its entanglements.

Sometimes secrets are best left undisturbed.

A gripping and emotional novel about a dark family secret and the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. An unputdownable page-turner for fans of Amanda Prowse, Susan Lewis and Kerry Fisher.

I love books about family, especially dysfunctional ones or ones with psychological issues. That being said, I knew from reading the summary of The Family I Lost that this would be a book that I would be very interested in and captivated by. The summary also hinted at eeriness and mystery, which added to my intrigue.

I quickly and easily became immersed within the pages and didn’t want to stop reading. Though I got slightly confused a few times, it all worked itself out and left me feeling surprised and delighted. This was such a talented and creative story, and I loved the uniqueness of it. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, something changed, leaving me on my toes guessing yet again.

There are several family issues presented, as well as many secrets and revelations, creating a book that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat, hanging in the rollercoaster ride with all kinds of twists and turns. Though I couldn’t relate with some of the characters or their actions, I still loved reading about them. This was truly an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.

Light read about a family with secrets. I didn't find this interesting enough to keep me going so gave up. This book was not for me, but others may find it compelling.

This is not one to be slept on. A slow burn….It’s addictive, intense, quite tragic, filled with family drama and secrets to keep your head spinning.
Thank you, Ali Mercer, Bookouture & NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Family I Lost' by Ali Mercer.

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

Publication date 10th May 2022.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Marriage Lie' which I would also recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching beaitiful cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a fan of Ali Mercer and if this book is half as good as 'The Marriage Lie' it's bound to be a page turner. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An unputdownable page-turner for fans of Amanda Prowse, Susan Lewis and Kerry Fisher'. I am a huge fan of Kerry Fisher 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 a foreword and 38 chapters over five parts. 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 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and holidayed in England on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Lisa, May and Julie. 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.

It is set over 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.

This book is very well written and the insights into the past let's the reader piece together what is going on. The descriptions are vivid and help to set the scene. The cover and synopsis worked well with the storyline.

This book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and is filled with family, loss, sadness, heartbreak, secrets and lies. It goes to show how one minute can change not one but several life's. I did become confused about half way through when Amy started talking about her sister but all was revealed afterwards. I won't say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. Amy's house had a gothic atmosphere which I enjoyed as it really helped with some of the suspense the storyline created. I was almost in tears at a certain point with the vivid descriptions Ali used during a very emotional scene so I would definitely have the tissues ready!!!

The characters are strong and realistic. My heart really went out to both Julie and Lisa who were excluded from the family through no fault of their own and which put Lisa in the position of having nobody to turn to until she discovers Amy. Lisa was a lovely and kind hearted character and I really become invested in her life and story. Unfortunately I just didn't click with Amy who I felt like screaming at on several occasions and just felt that she was quite selfish. I also felt that she was using Lisa on several occasions and that she definitely didn't deserve her lovely children Tilly and Rowan or even her husband Joe. I couldn't stand Grandma Elsie from the start and found her attitude to Lisa absolutely despicable. I really liked Joe, he was an amazing father and I really felt sorry for him. Whether you love or hate the characters they all work perfectly to make the storyline what it is.

Overall a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will keep you turning the pages.

Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance, Women's Literature, Saga, Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Fiction and Domestic Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Amanda Prowse, Susan Lewis and Kerry Fisher.


371 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 4 /5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Not only has Lisa recently lost her mother, she grew up knowing that her father was imprisoned, but not why. Lisa's mother Julie cut them off from the rest of their family, but at some point Lisa discovers an address of a possible relative. She writes her but gets no response.

At an event a man approaches her and begins talking to her. He tells her that she has the look of of his wife. They talk for awhile and as things turns out, Lisa is indeed related to the man's wife. Eager to meet his wife, Amy, who just might be her cousin, Lisa is hoping to find answers. However, Amy doesn't seem too keen on meeting Lisa and things fizzle out quickly.

Amy's husband heads off to New Zealand for his job, leaving Amy home with their young daughter and newborn son. Amy invites Lisa to visit and even asks Lisa to stay on because she really needs the help. Everything is going swimmingly until their grandmother is planning to come over for a visit. This makes Amy quite nervous and it is at this point that things begin to be revealed in this book. The secrets of the past start to unravel and Lisa and Amy find themselves in a position to deal with past hurts and even lies.

This book is quite evenly paced, with the tension picking up once the grandmother visits. Pieces begin to fall into place, making The Family I Lost a truly compelling read. Ali Mercer always writes in a way to capture the reader's attention and that is exactly what she did in her latest book. I am more than eager to read her next release.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/cKGFxuAGpOk

Am absolutely cracking family drama full of secrets and lies.

It does start slowly, but it's definitely worth persevering with, as it turns into an unputdownable fast paced read when everything comes to light.

Told in five parts and narrated from three women's POV, with a well written plotline, I found The Family I Lost a highly enjoyable read, it's compelling, Intriguing and highly emotional.

The two main protagonists were both heavily flawed, but I empathised with Lisa so much, but Amy was one of those characters that deserved all she got, as she didn't give two hoots about anyone but herself.

Looking forward to reading more of Mercer's books in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐