This is the story of Alison's life that started to crumble because of one lie.

Alison is the kind of character in books that I don't like. I should have expected that basing it on the title and synopsis of the book. I honestly don't know what prompted me from downloading this on netgalley. Alison tends to lie her way out of difficult or even mildly uncomfortable situations. Or just try to forget and procastinate when problem arises. It was frustrating to read and made me almost dnf this book.

The book in my opinion tried so hard to be VERY MYSTERIOUS that it became a confusing read for me. A lot of hints and foreshadowings were thrown in to confuse the reader that it became a chaotic mess.

The characters did a lot of dubious things that can be explained in two ways that also added to my confusion. There was one character that was there clearly just to hide the fact of who the real villain is. This character in my opinion is very weird, like she's there to be a shield to prevent readers from knowing about the villain. The excuses to defend her is flimsy and lame.

The means by which the villain did all those things to Alison was not explained. How is the villain able to do those? 😑

I gave a passable rating because it was a fast read and the attempts at mystery are quite interesting at some parts. But unfortunately, it was just a so-so read for me.

*Thanks to the publisher for making this book available for review via Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest thoughts and opinions of the book.*

We know three things about Alison. She lost a little girl, she has a son named Adam who she is inordinately protective of, and she has a secret.

The story moves slowly in alternate chapters between Alison and an unknown narrator, and between then and now. Alison is desperately trying to make a success of her start-up photography studio, but weird things keep happening that make us suspect the people around her. Could her husband, Dan, be sabotaging her? Or maybe it's the all too eager assistant, Rebecca, who Alison hired without checking references. Then there's Alison's web instructor, who Alison knows from a past relationship with the instructor's husband.

I found the story to be heart wrenching, with interesting characters, and a great twisty ending. I'm still thinking about the characters, and I look forward to reading more titles from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader's copy.

#netgalley I enjoyed reading this book, it was a bit of a slow burn but really picked up pace in the middle of the book. Not the best but definitely not the worst. If you're after a slow burn physcological thriller then I would recommend this.

I was really looking forward to Just One Lie after reading the description but even though I did enjoy it, it didn't grab me as much as I had hoped. It was a slow burner to begin with and a little bit confusing but it did pick up pace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my ARC.

Alison Burnham has decided to use her photography talent and open a shop for taking maternity and family portraits. She has hired a woman named Rebecca to help her. Alison’s husband, Dan, is a chef and they have a son Adam, age 8. Her baby daughter, Dorothy, was stillborn which caused her much sorrow and has taken her some time to come to grips with her loss.

The book switches back and forth from Alison to an unknown person. This is where the book got too kooky for me. It’s fine to add a bit of mystery to a book but this story was so confusing that it took me to the 92 percent mark to finally figure out who was who and what was going on. There is so much angst that it had me rolling my eyes. I’m sorry I can’t give a better review than that, but this book left me cold.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First book by Ruth Harrow but will not be my last! I enjoyed the layout of this story and alternating POVs. This was easy to get in to and kept me guessing. Don’t miss a great read!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

What begins as a mother trying to keep a secret hidden turns into a nightmare for all parties involved. This novel goes back and forth between two different families. One who is living a lie and one who cannot accept the truth. Alison feels that sinister forces are out get her since she discovered a horrible truth about her life. Meanwhile an unstable woman sees a child and becomes convinced he is her grandchild. The ensuing conclusion can only be catastrophic for all those involved.

The paperback cover of this book is eye catching. Love the colours and the picture. Thanks Netgalley for giving me the chance to read the kindle version in exchange for a review.

The blurb on the back really attracted me. I did however think that this book was just o.k. Not dislikabe, but not a great read either. It was very slow paced until at least half way, and I found it a wee bit hard to get my head around at times as it jumped between characters and time zones. Once I got this sorted and the pace picked up, I enjoyed it a lot more. The second half of the book was definitely a lot better than the first, it is just a matter of keeping someone reading to get to that point. I do think that I would give this author another chance, thoughand I do have frineds who would enjoy this, probably a little more than I did.

Alison and Dan are married and live together with their son Adam. Recently Alison and Dan had a baby girl who sadly died. Alison has clearly struggled with this and Dan is worried about his wife, she doesn’t eat properly, she doesn’t sleep well and she has a terrible deep dark secret that literally keeps her awake at night.

Alison throws herself into starting up her own photography business but again it’s clear she’s struggling and is quick to become suspicious of her new employee when strange things start to happen, her website is hacked, pictures are trashed along with a few other incidents.

When it becomes clear to Alison that someone knows her secret she panics. She is terrified of losing her son and knows that her heartbreaking secret could destroy her whole family.

After a slow start I really enjoyed this book. It was very easy to read and I loved the ending, it was so action packed and fast paced I think I read it quicker than I’ve ever read anything in my life. I also loved the fact that I didn’t join the dots and the ending came together so well and I was shocked by the conclusion. Not guessing the ending myself is always an added bonus for me.

Thank you to NetGalley the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for this review.

This was an incredible page turner. It is a slow burn but definitely worth it! It's easy to read in one or two sittings. The big secret was quite puzzling (in a good way) and the ending was satisfying.

My main advice with this one is just to go with it! Don't over think it, it does get better after a bit of a slow start and it will suck you in if you give it a chance. Its a bit far fetched at times but if you just embrace that it's fiction and anything can happen then it's I found it a really enjoyable read.

Just One Lie by Ruth Harrow.
Everyone has a secret. But not like Alison’s.
A brilliant read. Read in one sitting. I like Alison and Charlotte and Adam. Evelyn I really didn't trust at all. 5*.

Two chapters in and you’re like wait, what?! And just like that you are hooked trying to figure out what the heck is going on with this book! Really good psychological thrillers always make me want to read the last two chapters because I can’t handle the suspense. This is one of those… do not look ahead… do your best to follow along… and brace yourself! Side note, this book deals with mental health and manipulation. Was interesting to see who was struggling and who was being tricked.

I found it a quick easy read, but l felt that it was a bit predictable, and lacking the plot complexity and twists and turns that I have become used to with psychological thrillers. Still a skilfully written thriller that kept me gripped from the opening chapter to the last word.

Great book I couldn’t put it down till I finished it. great suspense and several twists that Leave you hanging. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

A slow start had me almost giving up on reading to the end, but I’m glad that I did because once it picked up it was wild! Although I did feel the end was a bit abrupt.

I found Alison’s character infuriating at times, but I enjoyed the secondary characters of Rebecca and Dan. I just wish we’d seen more from Dan.

I enjoyed how much the book kept me guessing and as each reveal came, things fell into place a little more which made me want to keep reading. I found some parts of the book a little far-fetched and unbelievable which made it difficult for me to rate higher than 3 stars.

Description sounded good but I couldnt get into it. It was just too slow and I found the charaters really unlikeable. Sorry but this one wasn't for me although I am sure others would love it.
Thanks to netgalley for the arc ebook.

Description sounded good but I couldnt get into it. Sorry but this one isnt for me although I am sure others would love it

3.5 stars rounded up

Everyone can see she's struggling. And they don't know the half of it. Alison has a terrible secret she has never shared with anyone - not even her husband., Dan. He knows if he ever discovers what she did, her family would be destroyed forever. But someone seems to know, because Alison gets a sinister message. And then bad things start to happen - her website is hacked, her business is sabotaged, there's a fire in her home.... then more threatening messages.

The pace is slow to begin with and it can be a bit confusing at times. Alison is struggling after the loss of her baby. She comes across as a little unhinged. She has a big secret she hoped no one would ever find out about. The story is told from Alison and an unknown narrators perspectives. There's a few characters who I didn't like or trust. filled with suspense and twists that made it harder to figure the story out. You never know who you can trust.

I would like to thank #Netgalley #InkubatorBooks and the author #RuthHarrow for my ARC of #JustOneLie in exchange for an honest review.

Woah! What a wild read!

This story is told from alternate points of view telling two stories that are connected in life altering ways. We know the main point of view is Alisons but the second one is a mystery until the last few chapters. This was a little confusing the first bit but, once you realize the second POV is supposed to be a mystery it quickly begins to make sense and take off.

Alison is a mother who is trying to move past the recent loss of her baby girl while constantly being on edge about a deep secret she’s harbouring. With threatening emails, little things going wrong with her business and unease stirring in the pit of her stomach, who can she trust?

Just One Lie is full of suspense, mystery and twists you won’t see coming! You’ll think you have it figured out and then BAM! Another thing thrown your way!

While there was some slow parts and a bit of “Jeeze, what can go wrong now” moments the overall story was such a wild and thrilling read! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to someone who’s looking for a thriller full of WTF moments!