Absolutely loved this story and found it hard to put down, there was so much going on but in a manner that you kept engaged.

A compelling story of lies and betrayals that all come to light after the car crash. Everything seems to spiral out of control leaving the characters secrets and lies to come out filling the story with plenty of twists and turns to keep your interest.

Review · September 15, 2024

A Mother’s Betrayal by Louise Guy | Book Review
A Mother's Betrayal by Louise Guy | Book Review

Julia Hudson’s life is shattered by a car accident that leaves her in a coma, and her family is left to uncover the shocking secrets she’s been hiding for decades.
A Mother’s Betrayal by Louise Guy | Book Reviewfive-stars
A Mother's Betrayal by Louise Guy
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Womens Fiction
One woman. Two worlds on the verge of colliding.

When Julia Hudson is involved in a near-fatal accident, the lives of her children – nurse Flo and her twin sister, high-flying lawyer Ari – are sent into freefall.

As they sit vigil by their mother’s bedside, the sisters discover that Julia, who has always preached unwavering principles and integrity, has been keeping a terrible secret. A secret that shatters everything they’ve ever believed about their family.

But the twins have each other… or do they? Because Julia is not the only one keeping secrets…

With Julia in a coma and unable to answer their questions, her journals might provide the answers they seek. But Julia’s journals reveal yet another dark secret. One that will make the sisters question every part of the life they’ve lived.

If you can’t trust your mother, who can you trust? And – with their mother’s life in the balance – can the sisters find a way to forgive her, before it’s too late?

A totally gripping, devastating emotional page turner that readers of Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Kate Hewitt will love.

Add to Goodreads

Goodreads

Buy the Book

Amazon Nook


I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review
Julia Hudson is married to Mike, and they share identical twin daughters, Arabella (Ari) and Florence (Flo), as well as a grandson, Kayden. Julia is known for her forceful and blunt personality, and her job with a government bureau has her constantly traveling between Melbourne and Canberra. However, her life takes a devastating turn when she’s involved in a serious car accident, leaving her with brain swelling, a broken leg, and multiple lacerations. While Julia lies in a coma in the ICU, Mike, Ari, Flo, and their grandmother Gigi take shifts at her bedside. During this time, they uncover a shocking secret that Julia has been hiding—a secret that shakes the very foundation of their family, leaving them questioning everything they once believed.

Ari and Flo have always shared a close bond, but it turns out Flo has secrets of her own. When the truth comes out, it drives a wedge between the sisters at a time when they need each other the most. With Julia unconscious, the family begins to unravel. As they discover Julia’s journals, written over the course of 32 years, they hope the pages hold the answers to their questions. But instead, they uncover more secrets and lies, leading them to wonder if Julia has been manipulating them all along.

This book is set against the backdrop of Melbourne’s leafy streets, this gripping novel had me hooked from the first chapter, and the unpredictable twists kept me on edge until the very end. The story delves into the complicated relationships within the Hudson family and raises important questions about trust, betrayal, and forgiveness—especially between a mother and her daughters.

I loved the dynamic mix of characters, which made the story come alive and took me on a roller coaster of emotions. The book tackles a wide range of issues and possibilities, making it a compelling read. Five stars from me! I can’t wait to explore more of Louise Guy’s work.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

At the start, I was interested in the characters and wanted to know more about them. Family was an important theme in the story, and the characters seemed to have close bonds with each other, especially Ari and Flo. I had a feeling that the characters, and their relationships with each other, were more complex than they first appeared to be.

I couldn't decide which character I liked or identified with the most. I think I related with and sympathised with the characters in different ways. I found this an emotional read, with well written characters, and it was a page turner too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

The betrayal in the title is enough to make this strong family suddenly question what they know of their lives. When their mother is critically injured, these twins find their futures endangered by their mother's past. The characters are very well developed, you'd swear you know them. The communities in which they live and work are realistic. The sudden exposure of the lies will force this family to make decisions while their mother remains in a coma, unable to help them understand how she could have kept her secrets for so long. A really good plot line that spins a story so well written, you'd expect to read it in the paper.

I love Louise Guy's books, and her latest family drama did not disappoint. Well-written and intriguing, the characters were complex and likeable and I was drawn into their world. I cant wait for her next book to be published!

A Mother's Betrayal by Louise Guy, this was a new author for me. This book was packed with emotions, some good some bad. A accident causes many secrets to be revealed, can the relationship of these family members be saved. I enjoyed the book a lot. I would recommend it to others.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

An emotional roller-coaster of a book. So many twists, turns and outcomes. I loved it, although was emotionally exhausted after reading, that said I did really enjoy it.

What in the world did I read?? I was so thrown off by this story - A Mother's Betrayal was like bring inside of the most dramatic Lifetime movie ever . There was so much ground to follow and interwoven details to keep up with.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading A mother's betrayal.

Living together in a family are three women each from different generations, what they don’t know is that there’s things kept from them that when they are known, the feeling of being happy together may not remain.

Then, Julia is involved in a car accident and what happens after this has a lasting effect on all of them, the lives will change.

Then, Flo’, Julia’s daughter’s secret is also revealed when her son is taken ill. The revelation also affects her twin sister’s relationship.

The story was well written and had you hooked from the beginning with all the twists and turns.

I highly recommend this book.

A brilliant storyline of life, trust and lies. It left me mystified. I was desperate to discover the depths of the betrayals and the lengths the characters would go to keep their secrets.

Julia Hudson is involved in a harrowing accident that leaves her family in total shock. Why was she in a car belonging to her friend who had no knowledge of her borrowing it. Why was she not in Canberra at her job her husband and two daughters try to unravel the mystery.
Her twin daughters are mystified but their mother isn’t the only one keeping secrets.
Emotional read with a few heartbreaking moments thrown in. Well written as usual by Louise Guy love her books.

This is a brilliant story about family, trust and life, it had me turning the pages and feeling very much a part of the Hudson family and their lives come along and meet them all Julia, Mike, Arabella (Ari) who is a high flying lawyer Florence (Flo) who is a nurse, Gigi (Julia’s Mother) and Kayden, you will not be sorry to have picked this one up.

Julia Hudson is married to Mike has twin girls and a grandson and she has everything under control she works as a neuroscientist, she spends one week in Canberra and one week in Melbourne and her work is very secretive and the family are very used to that after all she has had this job for thirty years, but when she is wheeled into the ER department that Flo works in after a car accident in a critical condition this family is turned upside down.

While their mother is in a coma they discover that she has a secret, a second life that the family are stunned is an understatement after all their mother has always preached the value of integrity and honesty and then young Kayden becomes ill another secret is revealed that will tear the twins apart in the most dreadful of ways.

When they discover their mother’s journals reading through them makes the girls think that they never had any control over their lives at all this family is falling apart because it seems that their mother has been so manipulating and controlling for so long, will she live and be able to answer the many questions the family have for her?

I loved this one from start to finish and highly recommend it, Louise Guy never disappoints me with one of her fabulous stories her words bring to life the people we get to know as we turn the pages and truly this one is totally awesome, what a story so many things could happen in this one, it has lots of emotions and had me feeling them all, yes a must read.

My thanks to the publisher Boldwood and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of A Mother's Betrayal by Louise Guy. This was quite the story and quite the family!! Lots of complications, lies, secrets, drama and intrigue. It was a roller coaster ride of various emotions, lots of heartache and plenty of happiness as well. This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. i enjoyed it! A 4 star rating from me.

Florence and Arabella Hudson - Flo and Ari - were identical twins in their mid thirties. Flo had a six year old son Kayden and was a nurse. Ari was a lawyer, rising up the ladder to greatness. While they lived in Melbourne, their mother, Julia, worked in Canberra for a week, then home with her husband Mike for a week. Her secure and secretive job meant she wasn't able to talk about what she did, and the family were fine with that, as it'd been that way as long as they remembered. But the night Flo was working in ER and a car crash victim was brought in, was the night the whole family's lives changed. The victim was Flo's mother, and she was supposed to be in Canberra. Julia was critical and in a coma with severe head injuries; there was no guarantee she would make it.

Slowly secrets emerged and the strangeness to the situation was at odds with who they thought their mother to be. While they couldn't ask Julia questions, they could read her journals, and what Flo and Ari discovered chilled them to their core. Had their whole lives been a lie? Julia's mother, Flo and Ari's grandmother, Gigi, was shattered but beginning to have an inkling as to why Julia had done what she'd done. But would Julia survive? Would she come out of the coma and would her memories be intact? Or would they always wonder...

A Mother's Betrayal is another excellent contemporary novel by Aussie author Louise Guy, a family drama which captivated me from the beginning. Flo and Ari are exceptional characters, so well written I felt like I was involved with the Hudson family; watching from the sidelines, keeping pace with their heartache and happiness. I loved the storyline, the intrigue and tension, and have no hesitation in recommending A Mother's Betrayal highly.

With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘A Mother’s Betrayal’ written by Louise Guy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Julia Hudson is involved in a car crash in Melbourne when she should have been elsewhere. After reading Julia’s diaries there are so many questions her twin daughters Flo and Ari want to ask her, as does her husband Mike, especially when a stranger appears at her hospital bedside claiming to be her partner. Yet none of their questions can be answered until Julia has recovered from the induced coma her doctors have put her in.

‘A Mother’s Betrayal’ is an interesting family drama of hidden secrets involving four generations of the Hudson family whose lives could be irrevocably changed following a car crash. The story is well thought-out with believable characters and although the story slows at times it becomes more interesting as I’ve learnt about their lives. The story comes to an end with an epilogue where the truth is finally revealed and the family members are given the opportunity to change the directions of their future and fulfil their hopes and dreams. This has been an enjoyable novel that I’ve had to keep turning the pages of and is one I can recommend.

A mother’s betrayal was a very thought provoking read for me! I found it intriguing and it captivated me from the start.
Three generations of women in a family living blissfully unaware of secrets from the past, until one day Julia the mother is involved in a car accident the repercussions of this are huge, life changing and totally unexpected for her husband, mother and twin daughters Ari and Flo.
Alongside this Flo has a secret that also comes to light due to her son’s illness, this is something that has huge implications for her and her twin sister relationship!
How can a family deal with so much at the same time, we the reader are taken on a tumultuous roller master of a read as secrets are revealed one by one showing how complicated relationships are within a family and and how misguided love can have far reaching repercussions.
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

Fans of women’s fiction will enjoy A Mother’s Betrayal by Louise Guy .This book shows you just how far a mother is willing to go to protect her children.

A family drama type of book. The summary: perfect world, perfect characters, everyone is happy and everyone has a high-flying job, however, there is a secret that leads to a drama. Drama after drama after drama But not to worry, everything leads to a sweet and very happy ending.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah.
Let`s move on, shall we?

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

A Mother’s Betrayal is quite an emotional rollercoaster. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the complex web of family dynamics and secrets that Louise Guy so masterfully weaves.

The story revolves around the lives of two twin sisters, each grappling with their own personal struggles and the haunting legacy of their mother’s actions. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to empathize with their plights, their resilience and determination to uncover the truth kept me turning the pages.

What I appreciated most about this book was the way it handled sensitive topics with grace and sensitivity. The themes of betrayal, forgiveness, and healing are explored in a way that feels both authentic and thought-provoking. Louise Guy’s writing style is engaging and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the settings and emotions that the characters experience.

However, the reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars is that there were moments where the pacing felt a bit slow, and some plot twists were somewhat predictable. Despite these minor drawbacks, the overall impact of the story was powerful and left a lasting impression on me.

In conclusion, A Mother’s Betrayal is a compelling read that delves deep into the complexities of family relationships and the enduring impact of past actions. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel.