⭐️ 4.5/5
📍 🇬🇧
🗂️ Family Drama
📖 Bonnie, an interior designer, has just moved to a new area. She applies for a part time job to keep her busy and starts to make new friends. But not everyone likes someone new coming along…
❤️ Different from other plots I’ve read
❤️ Love how it was written - slowly revealing information and letting the reader reach their moment of realisation
❤️ The acknowledgements (only once you’ve read the book!)
✅ Lots of surprises that felt real along the way
✅ I could relate to parts of the story
💬 “Purpose, choice and hope are the things that make people happy…we all need a reason to get up in the morning”

Her Mother's Lies is a wonderful domestic drama.

Bonnie is a stranger in town who has just moved into town. While unpacking she decides to go for a bite to eat. While walking she happens upon a storage business and she decides to inquire about a part time job, just to giver herself something to do.

Alice, the business owner, takes an immediate dislike to Bonnie, but Laura Alice's daughter takes to her instantly and decides she will work out just fine.

Bonnie and Alice are keeping respective secrets which are bound to cause a lot of drama. As the story unravels so do the secrets which will change everything going forward.

At first the story was a little rocky, I was struggling to stay with it until I just found myself so involved. Without spoiling the story, this is about relationships and learning more about the people we love. It is an emotional story that will keep you turning the pages. And darned if I didn't have a tear in my eye at the very end.

The story is interesting, a family drama with a bit of mystery although I felt like I knew what was going to happen, I wanted to read on to see how it played out.

I think the main issue for me is I didn’t find any of the characters likeable. Alice and her daughter Laura have a tense relationship, Alice comes across a bit overbearing which I think makes Laura act more like a spoilt child even though she’s in her early twenties. Things only get more tense when they hire Bonnie to help at the storage centre and her and Laura become close. Bonnie is a complex character who’s background and secrets are slowly unwound, and I did feel for her! It definitely made me think of the phrase ‘three’s a crowd’!

That being said I think it’s great writing that can make you feel so much about the characters, and I can’t wait to read another by Lisa Timoney!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bonnie is a woman trying to run from her tragic past. Alice is a woman drowning in debt and desperately trying to hold onto her daughter, Laura, who is forced to put her own artistic dreams on hold to help out her family. When Bonnie comes to work for the family business and she and Laura form a bond, Alice is insanely jealous and unbeknownst to her, Bonnie has a secret that can rock her world.

This book is extremely predictable. You pretty much know exactly where it is heading the entire time. However, getting there takes an extraordinarily annoying amount of time as the book moves along at a snail's pace. Also, the characters can be a bit too much at times. Alice is too overbearing and interested in controlling her daughter's life, and Bonnie can be annoyingly hard on herself and consumed with her past. The least annoying character is Laura, a loyal daughter and a good friend who deserves a chance to live the life she wants. Although the gist of the story is interesting it would be better if it was less predictable and slow and the characters were less annoying.

Alice Egerton is struggling to keep the family business going, and has shielded her husband from the reality of their situation following his heart attack.

Having just arrived in town, interior designer Bonnie meets Alice when she arrives to rent one of the company's storage units. At the same time she notices an advertisement for a part time receptionist. Although she has just sold her business and doesn’t need to work, she decides to apply for the job.

Alice's daughter Laura has returned home after finishing her degree to help run the business, but is now keen to take a step back and follow her dream of becoming an artist. The receptionist vacancy will allow her to do this. However, when she helps interview Bonnie and learns of her involvement in art, the two instantly bond. Reluctantly employing Bonnie, Alice feels threatened by this situation and is also concerned that the new arrival is not all she seems.

The story moves between Alice and Bonnie as it dips into their past lives as well as dealing with the present. Although this was a bit of a slow starter for me, once I became embedded in the story, I could not put the book down. Well written, with characters you can empathise with, Her Mother's Lies is a compulsive read and one I would highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley, Avon and Lisa Timoney for an ARC of Her Mother's Lies in exchange for an honest review.

Her Mother’s Lies is a captivating read. One I enjoyed immensely.
I liked Laura immediately. Her mother, Alice, took slightly longer to grow on me. I could understand her as a mother struggling with her only daughter growing up and becoming independent though, and as the worried wife of a husband with serious health problems. She does have a lot to deal with. I could understand Laura becoming slightly exasperated with her too.
Bonnie intrigued me as soon as I met her.
I loved the friendship she quickly developed with Laura. I don’t think age has anything to do with who you can be friends with, so I did wonder why Alice was so bothered about them clicking. They do have a lot in common after all. She came across as a jealous mother which, again, I could understand to a certain degree. She wanted Laura to want to spend more time with her instead. Laura is in her twenties though, so I think it’s quite natural for her not to want to spend all her spare time with her mother. Especially as they already live and work together.
When I realised the direction this story was taking I became even more invested in these characters.
This story is so light-hearted at times but heart-wrenching at others. It’s so full of raw emotion, but also fun. It made me smile a lot and laugh out loud at times. It also made me cry. It’s so beautifully written. I very much recommend to all.

**Many thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC via NetGalley**

This book is a domestic drama, featuring 3 women. Alice and Laura are mother and daughter. Bonnie is a stranger in town who happens to work at Alice and Laura's family business.

Like all good family dramas, there are secrets. And, there is deceit. It's also a story about relationships and friendships. Alice and Bonnie are both hiding huge secrets from their past. And there is jealousy when Bonnie and Laura become friends.

This is a hard book to review without divulging any spoilers. It is full of drama and an interesting story with well developed characters. There were 2 secondary characters, Polly and Jim, who were a great addition to the story. Perhaps a little on the mellow dramatic side but that's what kept me turning the pages. There were a couple of twists and turns which I sort of suspected. Fairly early, in fact. But that did not detract from the story. I had to keep reading to see if I was right.

The journey from living a life of deceit to coming clean is not an easy one. But, in this case, the outcome was well worth it. The book ended as it should.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Readers Copy.

I was reeled in right from the beginning. Bonnie was interesting and enduring no matter her issues. Laura was child-like and complicated and Alice was just trying to keep it all together. An enduring story of family in all shapes and sizes and the struggles that life throws at them. Loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

Wow. Every emotion running through me.
I loved it!!
The characters and the storyline will stay with me awhile.
I have loved everything this author has written, and this is no exception… Another home run!

A intriguing story full of lies and deceit.
Three women each with their own issues and problems come together. But will their friendships survive everything going on between them and family members?
A family drama read with lots of lies!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Have you had enough family drama this Christmas?

No?! Good thing, because Lisa Timoney has a fantastic story filled with family drama, devastating secrets, and dangerous lies and has then topped it with an adventurous search for the shocking truth. It'll get your heart pumping wildly; a great workout for the new year!

You’ll love the authentic and flawed central characters, Bonnie and Alice. They are the women who are fighting to keep their secrets hidden but, unfortunately, they are on a collision course with fate and secrets will spill.

You’ll love the twists and the gripping plot! Timoney’s examination oozes with authenticity and brings true ringing emotional insight into family dynamics and the no-win situations we find ourselves in.

You’ll also love the crafting and highlighting of the unusual love triangle. It was beautifully explored and gave readers a sneak peek into a relationship they may never get to experience or otherwise understand.

With so many similar stories competing for readers’ attention, Timoney’s fluid writing and her ability to pull readers into the story and experience the emotions involved put this novel at the top of the pile. I’m so glad I found this author and eagerly anticipate her next novel. I’m fully confident that we are in for a treat with book 3, His Secret Wife.

Congratulations to the cover design team - it’s spectacular, as is the spine!

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

Alice and Bonnie both have secrets. Alice has been struggling to keep the family business going after discovering that her husband had overextended it. Her daughter Laura, an artist whose resentment is growing, hires Bonnie to help out and quickly bonds with her. Alice isn't sure why but she's unsettled by Bonnie, That's the triangle here and while you might guess where this is going, Timoney has a good storytelling style that will keep you turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Oh my heart!

Her Mother’s Lies tells the story of two very different women – Alice and Bonnie – who have secrets they are fighting to keep hidden. When their paths cross, it seems only a matter of time before these carefully hidden truths come to the surface.

Both Alice and Bonnie wear their flaws for all to see, but it is this that makes them so relatable. The dual narrative takes us on a journey with both of them and it is clear from the beginning that they carry a hidden pain which informs their actions: for good or bad. The author cleverly keeps us hooked as the plot twists and turns towards its resolution – and boy is a good one!

This is my second novel by this author and. after reading Her Daughter’s Secret, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. She has a knack of writing a page-turning plot about characters you find yourself rooting for. Yes, you will cry, you will laugh and you will hug your loved ones a little tighter. Another brilliant read. More please!

When Alice’s husband became ill she found out about the financial fix they were in but when she took control it seems she’s only made things worse. Her daughter Laura moved home giving up a bright future as an artist to help care for her beloved father but after three years she’s ready to fly the coop. When a woman name Bonnie comes in applying for a job Laura is king to give it to her she immediately likes her. Unfortunately Alice not so much. Allison feels or something Bonnie isn’t saying that needs to be said and when things start going missing around their home and business Laura doesn’t want to hear that Alice blames Bonnie. Laura really has become close to Bonnie, but who is Bonnie Ann is Alice right to be hesitant about welcoming the strange woman into their life? This book was so good and let me just say at no point will you be rolling your eyes or shaking your head thinking how ridiculous this is an authentic story that could’ve been taken from real life. Kudos to such a great writer because it is rare that you can read such a thrilling mystery without at least having to suspend the leap once or twice but with this book you don’t at all have to do that. I love books like this they are rare and only a few authors that I know can pull off such an authentic emotional journey that’s wrapped in a thriller and a mystery no I rolling involved. The whole time I’ve read this book I kept thinking of Maya Angelou and how she said “when you know better you do better.“ I think anyone who loves a good thriller would not be disappointed with this book. “Her mothers lies“ is a top-notch five star read. This is a book written for those of us out there that no good riders write good stories with no suspension of belief needed. I absolutely love this book! I received it from NetGalley and Avon books UK but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forget any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is a very sympathetic approach to a sensitive topic, so convincingly drawn that I found myself wondering about the author's own family background. Whether based in fact or pure fiction, I found this a really emotionally engaging read. It's also a jolly good story that intrigued me from the off...first time I've read anything where the key action revolves around a storage lock up! But as the book progresses, this turns out to be a clever metaphor for the locked up feelings and secrets that the characters are going to have to face. An easy read with rewarding hidden depths. Loved it

Really enjoyed this book, it kept me turning the pages. Well written story full of emotions, secrets and lies
following the ups and downs of family life.

A well told story about friendship and lies and betrayal and kindness and living life. Beautifully written and a joy to read

Beautiful, I loved this book from beginning to end. Thoughtfully written, believable & sympathetic characters who I genuinely cared about as I read. I didn't want the book to finish & may well go straight back to the start & read it again.

A touching depiction of how everyday life and life-events affect everyone, and often much deeper than we could ever know. A warm cast of likeable characters showing the strength of love and the impact of the difficult decisions we make in the name of love. Keep reading to the very last page with the most moving tribute - underpinning the whole story - revealed right at the end of the acknowledgements.

A very engaging story with believable characters. I was hooked from page 1. Be prepared to laugh and cry throughout this book