Thank you to NetGalley and ‎Lake Union Publishing for my copy of The Secret of the Brighton House by Cathy Hayward.
Joanne’s always known that her mother died giving birth to her and considered her stepmother Lou her man, the only one she had ever known.
But now she’s pregnant and going through some of her own baby things that’s her dad has brought round for the new baby she finds some photos of her mother holding her.
Finding the truth of what happened is a painful voyage. Can the family survive the secret that was kept?

This book was definitely a bit anxiety inducing, I kept thinking the worst with all the secrecy, that’s my own fault because secret is obviously on the name and description of the book.

I actually read enjoyed the book once I got past the fear she would miscarry or end up like her mom.

This book was also a learning experience I've never heard of what happened to Joanne's Mam, and kept thinking about how badly it was handled.

If you have a chance read this book, it is really good just a bit slow.

The Secret of the Brighton House by Cathy Hayward. Lake Union Publishing, 2024.

This well-written book tells two stories, Joanne first (August-December 2021) and then Joanne’s mother, Grace (November 1974-May 1977).
Getting to the bottom of what happened and why it matters requires reading about multiple painful and difficult topics - miscarriages, postpartum psychosis and other sad issues.

This book is outstanding with respect to plot, character development and consistency, and writing style.

I am not sure who likes to read about heartrending matters, not me as I read for pleasure and entertainment. However, postpartum psychosis, a rare condition, affects an estimated 0.089- 2.6 mothers out of every 1,000 births. This is the first I’ve heard of it, and while I did not suffer from it myself, I do believe that I did experience it firsthand, a call to help late one night when it would have gone better had I had an inkling of what was going on.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Secret of the Brighton House free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheSecretoftheBrightonHouse #NetGalley

A difficult and often not talked about subject, but was written about in a caring and sensitive manner. Told in a two storyline basis, modern day Vs 70s, alongside each other. Grace's voice was important to hear I felt, so I liked that we got to hear her story along with Joanne's as she aims to discover the truth about her mum.

I enjoyed this book. The differences about pregnancy and childbirth from the 70s to today was interesting to read about albeit slightly frustrating as the times are different now, and there were some believable characters as well.

The Secret of the Brighton House by Cathy Hayward

Thank you NetGalley, author Cathy Hayward, and publisher for allowing me to read The Secret of the Brighton House in exchange for my honest review. I really liked the bright blue cover, and was intrigued by the description: Her family lied to protect her. Will the truth tear them apart? “Joanne’s always been told her mother died in childbirth, but she never questioned her dad’s love. When unpacking a box of her own old baby clothes, Joanne accidentally discovers a photo of her birth mum holding a newborn, and realises she’s been lied to. As Joanne begins to dig into the past, she uncovers layers of secrets that threaten to destroy the very family she holds dear. What really happened to her mum? What could be so devastating that her dad has kept it from her for her whole life—and is she ready to find out?”

This was my first read by the author and I was ill prepared for how dark this plot would actually be. Told in flashback first person and modern day third person timelines of 1975 and 2021, the character Joanne Shaw and her husband Alex are finally pregnant after years- long struggles and IVF. Her “condition” (pregnancy) is repeatedly referred to as a reason for the lifelong secrets regarding her 1975 birth and the fate of her birth mother, Grace. Joanne was always told Grace tragically died during her childbirth, but when long packed away baby clothes and mementos are opened, pregnant Joanne begins a quest to get to the bottom of the actual truth, with or without her overprotective father, Mike’s, help. The decade Joanne was born (the 70’s) was a different time and Mike thought he was doing his best by hiding the truth from his daughter throughout her life, especially when Joanne stumbled upon the box of her own baby clothes and mementos while finally pregnant. Throughout her fragile pregnancy and birth of baby Grace, Joanne has visions of her deceased mother Grace and faces her fears of hereditary conditions and a predisposition to postpartum psychosis. This was by no means a light read. 2/5

Topicss: infertility, deception, postpartum psychosis, motherhood, mental illness, IVF, marriage struggles, predisposition to postpartum psychosis.

Triggers: IVF, miscarriages, lies, postpartum, mental hospitals, psychosis. antipsychotic medications.

What happens when you discover that your mother who supposely died in childbirth was alive unitl you were two years old? What secrets do families keep to protect family members from being hurt? A disturbing story of postpartum depression and what little was known about it for years.. Be forwarned, parts of this story can makae some readers uncomfortable.. Having worked on Labor and Delivery/Post Partum floors years ago, this story resonated with me. A well written story about hidden secrets and the perils of depression following childbirth..

I wish the synopsis had included the detail that Joanne is pregnant. The book was as much about her pregnancy and fears as the mystery surrounding her mother. If I had known this I may not have chosen to read it.

The plot was reasonable and the main characters fairly well written although I did find Joanne quite frustrating. Thankfully it was quite a quick read and easy to get through.

Joanne’s fathers refusal to discuss things with her, going so far as to lock himself away and refuse to speak to her, even after she’d found out some fairly major details is baffling and nonsensical.

“In your condition” is mentioned many many times and not just in the flashbacks. She’s pregnant not deathly ill.

There are some trigger warnings including infertility and loss of a parent.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Joanne has always known her mother died in childbirth, but when after a decade of disappointments and IVF she finally finds herself pregnant and daring to hope, she's confronted with a little baby-book. Hers. With pictures and scribblings of her mother.
The second story line, not surprisingly, is that of a girl named Grace. Married to the love of her life, and firmly routed in Brighton, she and her best friend Susie fall pregnant within a few months of each other. Set in the early seventies it paints a picture of life as was. (think smoking pregnant women, think women giving up their job to become a mother).

Two story lines is a common way of telling historical fiction - you know they're going to make sense eventually, and usually reveal a big plot line. In this case, it's obvious really early, if not immediately, who Grace is. And so as a reader you know she's dead. But how? And when? It's a haunting read, really. And the answers to these questions, you know as a reader before Joanne knows, have a massive impact on Joanne's own situation.

As Joanne's pregnancy continues, and -so I can imagine- her hormones are raging, finding out what happened to Grace becomes a mission. A mission that has you sometimes questioning her sanity. (but then again: hormones. Or?).
The story had me hooked despite not always liking Joanne's focus and her inability to cut some slack here and there to those who love her. That said: hormones. Plus: do we need a character to be likeable all the time? No. Is it understandable given the story and her situation: yes.

The novel ends with Joanne in labour on the backseat of the car, being driven to hospital.

(and there's an epilogue). No spoilers.

I received an eARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion and review.

As much as I liked the writing and both the pace and sequence, I wasn't a fan of the book as a whole. The plot, when analyzed technically, is pretty underwhelming and weak.
After I finished the book, I realized I can sum up the whole thing in a few sentences. It was basically the kind of story people would write about seeing it happen to someone they knew.
The characters were also quite maddening, I understand everyone's apprehension about Joanne stressing herself over what happened to her bio mom, but they all reacted as if her world didn't change the moment she knew her mom didn't die in child birth. Considering the guilt she lived with over thinking about how she were to blame for her mother's demise, her need to know the truth was understandable to me.
I couldn't get why the father was adamant about not telling her everything even after she knew some parts of the truth, it would've saved her a lot of work and heartache.
The ending was satisfactory, while it didn't redeem the book, it gave it a nice closure.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

A fun sweet read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

The author made this story come alive, including the characters. I didn’t want to read the chapters about Grace and the foreboding was heavy from the start. To take a topic supposed to be filled with joy and flip the script is a bold choice, but it was too much for me. I didn’t want to finish the book, but I did and the ending redeemed it, however, I wouldn’t recommend it.

I received an ARC from this publisher in exchange for providing an honest review.

Your whole life you have been told that your birth Mother died in childbirth your birth. Even though you were brought up by a Mum who loved you as her own how did this affect your life? Then fast forward and you are happily married and pregnant with your first and much-awaited baby. Only to find out that all you thought you knew was wrong. That is this book in a nutshell. We meet Grace the birth Mum and the timeline is the 70's. Then Joanne is current time and pregnant. The book goes between the two storylines developing the story. In the process, the book shows how different the 70s treated not only postpartum depression and or psychosis but even labor and delivery itself. I found this book enlightening on a subject that is often overlooked even today.
Thank you to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Cathy Hayward for my ARC. This review is my own opinion.

What an interesting read. Told from the perspective of mother and daughter, we follow two journeys through pregnancy.

Joanne has been brought up believing her mother Grace died in childbirth, but when she finds her baby book realises that things are not as she had believed and this starts her on a journey to find out the truth.

At the same time we learn from Grace's perspective about Joanne's Borth and what subsequently happened.

This was a heart rending story. Told from Grace's point of view and Joanne’s perspective, it traces Grace's pregnancy and subsequent depression/ psychological damage, and Joanne's pregnancy and questions about her mother and the stories she was told about her own childhood. As the truth comes out for Joanne, she questions everything she thought about herself and her father. Fortunately, there is a happy ending, however, the trip back to 1970's treatment was pretty gruelling. This is a difficult topic to write about and Cathy Hayward has done with it sensitivity and caring, and created wonderful characters that were easy to care about. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy to read and give an honest review about.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
This was a terrific book, tense, heartbreaking and lovely all at once.
Joanne is finally pregnant after years of IVF when she finds clues that her mother may not have died at her birth. Her father refuses to talk about it and she decides to find the truth.
Her husband is terrified for her and her unborn baby, but she's determined.
In alternate chapters we follow her journey as well as her mother's, Grace, which include some uncomfortable and heartbreaking chapters about
postpartum psychosis.
It has a lovely ending ... it is an excellent book that I enjoyed immensely.

let's talk about 'The Secret of the Brighton House' by Cathy Hayward. Finished it in a day—that's how engrossing it was! Yeah, I had a feeling where it was headed, but man, Joanne's journey had me hooked. What really grabbed me? Her quest to uncover her mom's past- and by default her own truth. It's like diving into a mystery, peeling back layers of family secrets. If you're into stories about self-discovery and untangling family mysteries, this one's a must-read. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!"

The Secret of the Brighton House is a gripping tale that kept me hooked from start to finish. Joanne's journey is both relatable and compelling, though her husband leaves much to be desired. The dual timeline adds depth, and the supporting characters bring warmth and realism to the story. The central mystery about Joanne's mother is woven expertly, filled with suspense and emotional twists. Overall, it's a page-turner that masterfully blends family secrets with an engaging plot. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The dark secret in The Secret of the Brighton House had me on the edge of my seat. Joanne is a likeable protagonist. Her husband...not so much. The supporting characters were likeable and relatable and the story was engaging.

A great read. I loved the dual timeline, and the character development was great throughout the book.

Secrets…red herrings…realistic characters…is her mother dead or not? A mystery. The main character wants this question answered. Did her father lie to her? What happened to her mother? Intrigue and mystery. Warning…sad and distressing….that being said, this talented exceptional author deals with this story in a professional way…it is truly a novel of family togetherness. A page turner…Thanks Netgalley