This book was an easy read and kept me interested. I was just a wee bit disappointed in the ending. It was easy to work out and didn't surprise me too much. Saying that, I did like the storyline and will give her next book a read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
It is almost impossible to believe this book is a debut novel, I thought it was extremely well-written. The characters are realistic, from the haughty mother-in-law Joyce to the angst-filled teenager Immy was before she left home. The story was interesting, with a few twists and turns to keep the surprises coming. Bea was a caring person, buffeted by harsh events in her life, and the ending of the book might have been a little twee and less credible but who doesn't love a happy ending? This is an author to watch!

A lovely novel about a family with tragedies, missing daughters and awful mother in laws! Really heartwarming and a lovely story to lose yourself in

A book about family. Loving them and living with them are not always the same thing. This book was different than I expected but I loved it anyway. The story is about family, secrets, and how those secrets can change lives. What a great story!

Completely captivating !

If your looking for a winter mystery then look no further ! This is the book for you

A novel about secrets, family and the lengths you to for your family. I could not get enough of this outstanding book. The plot is thoughtful and enjoyable and the characters have many layers of lies and deceit that will have you shaking your head. I adored little Phoebe who was the only innocent one in all the family drama. Her struggles broke my heart and made me cry.

Wow this was a beautiful and sad book. Nicely written based on family drama. Definitely would recommend and it’s perfect for the book club to discuss.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Her Daughter's Secret by Lisa TImoney from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I was excited to read this and was not disappointed. Great book, great storyline and it will keep you engaged until the very end. Looking forward to more books by her.

This book was very different than I was expecting. I thought I was getting a fast paced thriller and what I got was more of a family drama story. Thank goodness I really like those as well. I really liked the main character Bea she was very likeable and I enjoyed seeing how she managed when she was put in some very complicated situations. This book was full of secrets and lies and I loved how they all unfolded. This story was all about family secrets and how they played out. what I loved the most was the characters. I found them all to be very interesting and I couldn't help but root for them all, especially the little girl Phoebe since she had so much bad luck thrown her way. The only thing I didn't like about this book was there were so many characters and secrets going on that it was like a lot of them didn't get the full attention that was needed. I also found it a bit jumpy and hard to follow at points because every time I figured something out there was a point of view change or a time jump and both I'm not a huge fan of. This is one book that I feel needs to be read multiple times to really understand everything that the author is trying to tell you and I can't wait to reread this one after. Pretty good read overall but not my favourite however because of how much I loved the way the characters developed I cannot wait to see what else this author comes up with and I won't hesitate to read more by her in the future.

I've been on holiday.

More specifically, I spent a week living on a boat in the Egyptian Red Sea, indulging in my other hobby of scuba diving over beautiful coral reefs with the occasional sighting of a shark and the biggest green sea turtle I have ever encountered. And when we - reluctantly - had to come out of the warm water, the boat crew were on hand to wait on us hand and foot with a seemingly endless supply of meals and snacks. I'm told the pay for the chefs is better on boats than in hotels, so the food is always top notch. It was - just in case I haven't already made it clear - a fantastic experience and I loved it.

Being out on a boat in the middle of the ocean meant that there was no phone or internet signal, which was also fantastic. It meant that, during the periods when I was neither diving nor eating (and yes, there were some), the best thing to do was to go for a swim or a snorkel. And after that, to sit, relax and read a good book.

The result was that I got through, on average, about a book every 2 days. Which meant that I arrived home with quite a lot of reviews to catch up on. I therefore have to apologise to Lisa Timoney for my overdue review, but I hope you understand that I have a good excuse ...

And if there's one book I'm glad to have read whilst relaxing in the sunshine, it's this one. It is - and this is absolutely no insult - a perfect holiday read.

The book tells the story of Beatrice (Bea) who is immediately likeable and identifiable. She hasn't been lucky in life and to compound that, she's made a mistake for which she can't - or won't - stop punishing herself. I wanted to grab hold of her and shake her in order to make her see sense and at the same time give her the huge hug that she both needed and deserved.

Bea's niece Phoebe is a delightful little girl who I loved and wanted to indulge just as much as she did. Her mother-in-law Joyce and daugher Immy initially seemed to be very different characters with just the one thing in common: they were every bit as unlikeable as Bea was likeable. However, as the book progresses you realise that actually, they both suffer from the same one fault: they're too proud to admit that they don't know how to ask for the help they need.

'Her Daughter's Secret' is no psychological thriller. The plot is a fairly simple one and it doesn't really contain any dramatic twists. But that's fine; it doesn't need to. As a family drama and a character study into human nature, it works just fine.

I also loved the touches of light humour that crop up throughout the book - just as they do in famiy life. In particular, the line "It was a long time since she'd had egg-shaped buttocks like the other mothers in the playground. Hers probably looked like two hot-crossed buns squashed at the bottom of a carrier bag" on the very first page had me laughing out loud and felt like a line that had been in the author's head, longing to come out in writing, for quite some time.

My one critical comment is that I didn't feel that the male characters were as well-portrayed as the female ones. Evan is simply a nasty piece of work and I have to say that I found social worker Eddie a little bit creepy. Perhaps this is something that was intentionally done to please a readership who will, probably, be mostly female. But if that's the case, it does seem to be something of a pity. A stereotypical middle-aged man such as myself can still enjoy a well-written piece of fiction, and - this one niggle aside - this book is most definitely that.

It therefore remains only for me to congratulate Lisa on a great debut novel. She has just become the latest to join my exponentially-growing list of authors whose works I want to read more of just as soon as they're published.

My thanks to the author and to Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which was published on 15th September. I have reviewed the book voluntarily and honestly, and will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my personal blog.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

I spent several blissful hours reading Lisa Timoney’s wonderful debut and I have been thoroughly entertained. It is warm-hearted, thoughtful and funny (That Paul Weller reference continues to make me snicker). The novel has a gorgeous character at its centre, Care Support worker Bea whose relationship with her niece Phoebe is really moving. Bea tries to lift the little girl’s spirits every time she is ostracised because of the large birth marks on her face, and the love between auntie and niece fair radiates off the page. The author skilfully unfolds a compelling story about how Phoebe came to lose her mum, Gemma, and the many other cracks that are splitting this fragile family apart. All the themes of this novel appealed to me – motherhood and care work to name but two. The peripheral characters were fabulous — watch out for Vera, Larissa and Jan — who add to the superb humour. This page-turner does delve into loss, but overall it's a feel-good story.

The book is beautifully written, good psychological analysis of characters, interesting story with unexpected turns.

This is a gripping family saga with a lot of surprising twists and turns. Whenever you think you know what is really going on with this family, another revelation is made that changes everything. The story is exciting. The book is full of great characters. All in all, it is a very absorbing book.

⭐️ 4.25/5
📍 🇬🇧
🗂 Family Drama
📖 Ewan has asked Bea to look after his 6 year old daughter whilst he works away. But family dramas from the past make things difficult.
👉 NetGalley eARC
✅ Short chapters
✅ Time in the book moved on fairly quickly
✅ Second half more intense than first
😩 Teasing the reader that the book knows something you don’t… Makes me want to stop reading rather than carry on. Something happened…but I can’t tell you what yet…JUST TELL ME NOW!!
😩 If only the characters would talk to each other
🤖 Fave character = Jan
📆 September 2022
*Publication Date - 15th September 2022

Her Daughter’s Secret is a compelling family drama.
Bea is an easy character to like. She is trying to live a life after unimaginable grief. My heart went out to her. I can’t imagine losing my husband so young, let alone not knowing where my daughter is. She certainly has a lot to contend with.
I loved Bea’s close relationship with her niece, Phoebe (who is just the cutest character). I think her dedication to the child is heart-warming.
I can’t say I warmed to Ewan (her brother-in-law) or his mother. Although the old lady grew on me towards the end.
This book is full of emotion, tension, and suspense. I was intrigued by Immy especially. I knew there must be more to her story. I could understand Ewan’s feelings towards her to some degree, but I can’t imagine asking anyone to choose between her own daughter and the niece she adores. It’s just heart-breaking.
Neither could I have imagined in a million years the direction the story would take!
Such clever writing!
A brilliant end to a brilliant story.
I highly recommend.
**Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley**

Wow! This is an emotional read, beautifully written with engaging characters.
Bea is struggling after the death of her husband and losing her daughter in difficult circumstances. She is left to deal with the dreaded in-laws. This is a family drama depicting the up and downs Of relationships. A brilliant debut novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. It was an absolute pleasure.

Bea has struggled since the death of her husband and the departure of her daughter Immy but she's cheered caring for six year old Phoebe, daughter of her husband's brother Ewan. Oh but there is her hateful mother in law. And then Immy returns and things turn upside down because she's spilling her secret- no spoilers- and Ewan isn't happy. It's an emotional and well written novel of family dynamics where you like me might want sit certain people down and tell them to grow up and face up to it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book had me gripped cover to cover. What a beautifully told tale of love, loyalty and impossible choices.

Emotional and reaffirming as the tale unfolded, a pleasure to read.

Would highly recommend this book l!

“Bea didn’t fit in here. For a start, it was a long time since she’d had egg-shaped buttocks like the other mothers in the playground. Hers probably looked like two hot cross buns squashed at the bottom of a carrier bag.”

*SNORT* I've been giggling out loud all day every time I remember this opening!

Although I didn't get the light-humoured read I had anticipated, I got an absolutely wonderful, introspective novel about a mother who was trying to pull it all together for her daughter and her niece despite not having a tight handle on life herself. Bea discovers that in helping others she helps herself, preparing herself for the moment when she’s needed the most. Bea is to be commended. It would have been easier to roll over and wet herself. Instead she rises to the occasion and fills a place of usefulness.

The characterization in this debut novel is fantastic! I’d want Beatrice James on my side if things came to push and shove. Bea, or Aunt Bea, as her six year old niece Phoebe calls her, is pure hearted, selfless and has so much love to share. She gives and gives and Ewan’s rude mother, Joyce, is so mean. We all know people like that, don’t we?!

“Did you come on the bike today, or is that a Kate Bush look gone wrong?”

I cringed as I read Joyce’s negative spew, knowing that Bea would take it graciously. I could learn a lot from Bea - she knew that the cause of Joyce’s rudeness would come to light soon enough and she (Bea) wouldn’t be caught bringing herself down to Joyce’s level. The character growth in this novel is amazing. I was thankful for a front row seat to the transformations.

At the heart of the novel is betrayal and its ripple effect. Timoney explores both sides in an effort to give her readers a little understanding about how and why betrayal happens and how we can help or hinder the situation depending on our response or reaction.

The line that resonated with me the most: “I wish we could go back. I’d do a lot of things differently.” I’m sure we can all relate. I appreciated the warning to live my best life each moment in order to minimize regrets.

This novel also focuses on assumptions….and you know what they say about the word assume?! Right. Years of damage are attributed to wrong assumptions. I loved Bea’s growth regarding assumptions. As I closed the book I was thankful for wisdom; I’m glad it seems to increase as I age!!!

“When I was growing up, I envied people like Ewan, living on roads like The Crescent, with their high paying jobs and fancy cars. I thought because they had everything they needed, they must be happy. Who wouldn’t be happy when they didn’t have to worry about money all the time? Turns out, people are just people, with messy, complicated lives, whatever road they live on. Who knew?”

This is a wonderful book about family dynamics, coming to the aid of family members when they need us and building each other up when the world seeks to tear us down. It’s beautifully told and elicits an emotional response. I’m eager to see what Timoney has in store for us in her second book.

Cheers to the book cover designer. It and the spine are spectacular!

I was gifted this advance copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.