I would like to thank #SusanLewis, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #MyLiesYourLies in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written, I love the way Susan Lewis explores her characters emotions, bringing them to life. When Joely’s husband Callum leaves her for her best friend Martha, she is glad to be given a writing assignment in Devon, so she get away from London. She has been asked to be a ghost writer for established author F.M Donahue who wants to tell her story to Joely who can try and rewrite it in a style Mrs Donahue fans will be expecting. I think you’ll enjoy 'My Lies, Your Lies' if you can suspend disbelief and go in expecting this as more of a “suspense for part one and then it turns into a family drama for part two” book! It changed my complete perspective about the characters and their lives. The only niggle was that last few chapters could have been made sharper. As I'm writing this I'm still beyond stunned that this is a published novel that seems to have no self awareness of how utterly wrong and offensive it is. Can you imagine an abuse survivor stumbling upon this book and reading it only to discover the whole thing serves as a defense of paedophilia? Sorry *hebephilia* as Freda calls it, attraction to girls between 11 and 15, which we are supposed to surmise, I think, is not 'as bad' as 'actual' paedophilia. After all, that little slut 15yr old Marianne knew what she was doing *side eye*. I can't even. There are even love letters at the end of the book, from David in prison to Marianne like this is the loviest love affair of all time. VOMIT.

About this book

The story is told over 2 timelines. In 1968 we meet a schoolgirl who falls for her music teacher, she persuades her mother to let her have piano lessons so that she can be alone with him. They begin a passionate affair that must be kept secret but has disastrous consequences when he tries to end things. The structure of the story was really good though as Joely's apprehension of trying to write for a famous novelist was well captured, just like the reader she's also desperate to know the outcome of the couple. Joely delves into her work, learning more about the events that happened all those years ago. She is soon surprised to discover that the truth lies much closer to home and is bizarrely connected to her. How can Freda’s past be linked to Joely? Could the teacher be someone near to her? Joely was the ghostwriter and Freda was the elusive author and the story wound around the years in the past when a fifteen year old student had a love affair with her teacher. The story follows ghostwriter Joely who's been given the difficult task of telling famous author F.M Donahue memoir in the style that her fans will appreciate.

I always look forward to a Susan Lewis book, knowing full well to clear my diary as once you start, you won’t be able to put it down. Joely could not foresee what was to come. The twist that came that threw her whole world into disarray, and left her questioning everything she had ever known? What did it all mean? And where did Freda, and Joely, fit into it all? As the story of Freda’s past unravels, it spins Joely into a dangerous world of secrets and lies she could never have imagined, causing her to question everything she thought she knew about her family. During our meeting we discussed the book a little, but we mostly considered some of the discussion points that come from reading the book. We talked about how we felt about the relationship between the school girl and her teacher, whether we felt it was really love or something else. We wondered whether someone of that age could make the decisions necessary for it to be love? We all have examples of people who fell in love at that age and either are now happily married, or haven't seen the object of their teen affection for years. We came to the conclusion that it was probably all to do with the individuals involved, but that we do need laws and distinct ages for things to legal to protect those who would be taken advantage of. Freda has for years blamed Marianne for her brother (David, the paedo teacher) committing suicide in prison. Ya know, because his 'affair' with his 15yr old student was discovered and he was rightly charged with rape and sent to goal, couldn't take how he was treated in there and ultimately topped himself. All this was Marianne's fault because she should have defended David and told the authorities that David 'never raped her', not actually, only in the 'technical sense'.This book is told in alternating timelines which is a writing style I always seem to enjoy. And Freda is truly an eccentric character and I never did quite decided if I liked her or not. However, that didn't make it any less enjoyable to read about her. There's also Holly, a teen who adds some comedic relief, and for a change, it's nice to have some witty teenage comments thrown in a fairly serious book. One of the things this author does really well is create complex situations which are incredibly realistic and very easy to feel involved in. This book was no exception and I soon found myself drawn into all the drama and feeling a lot of sympathy with Joely. As a mum myself I can imagine how hard it must hit you to have your daughter want to move out. I would definitely recommend this. I would go as far as to say this is the best book I’ve read this year and I did not want it to end, oh my what an ending. Will we be reading about Joely again?

Joely is a ghostwriter who is used to telling other people's secrets and scandals for a living but this might be her strangest assignment yet. Freda has never told her story before but now she's ready to set the record straight and to right a wrong that's haunted her. Freda's memoir begins with a 15-year-old falling madly in love with her teacher. It ends in a way Joely could never have imagined. Joely is sure she can uncover the truth but as the story unravels, she is spun deeper and deeper into a world of secret and lies... Overall, not a bad read but not the Author's best. Still, I give it 3 stars for being middle of the road. It's not a book I can decide whether I like it or not. This had me captivated from the beginning and kept me in its grasp long after finishing this amazing book. Even when I reluctantly put this down I was still thinking about the characters!! Upon arriving, Joely discovers that Freda has already begin the memoir, having written the first two chapters already, and it is her firm wish that Joely continue in the vein with which she began. Their conversations about the memoir lead Joely to pondering many things but none of them would prepare her for where it would lead. Freda had her own agenda with this memoir. She wanted to right the wrongs that had taken place previously as a result of the outcome to the story Joely now transcribes. For readers of Lisa Jewell, Diane Chamberlain, and Jodi Picoult comes another gripping novel from internationally bestselling author Susan Lewis, about an eccentric old woman, the ghost-writer helping write her memoirs, and the destructive secrets binding them together.

Nearly there and things have changed dramatically. I know a lot of people won’t like this but it appears that the love between David (Sir) and Marianne (Linda) was real. Even though she was only 15. I think maybe the fact that he was her teacher is what makes it indefensible. He had a duty to his pupils and he let his desire overcome that. However 10 years seems a long sentence ( from what I have read about sentencing Laws in the UK).

The story begins with Joely, a former journalist who is dealing with the fact that her husband has moved in with her best friend, Martha the meat-eating man stealer. Reeling from her grief and her husband's betrayal, Joely accepts a job as ghostwriter to reclusive author, F.M. Donohoe, to undertake the task of ghostwriting a memoir. She travels from London to a remote area in North Devon to Dimmett House, riddled with secret rooms, towers and turrets and darkened halls. Freda is the reclusive writer and she is as eccentric as they come. Her manner is aloof and even arrogant. One minute she is full of memories she regales Joely with, the next she takes to her room and doesn't speak to her for a day. Joely doesn't know what to make of her or her behaviour, other than to undertake the task at hand. It is 1968 and the story of a 15 year old schoolgirl who embarks on an affair with her music teacher. It is explicit in all its naked glory. Their secret assignations, their trip to Paris, their plans and promises for the future...as they parade around naked in the confines of a secluded cottage, soaking up their love for one another. She was 15, he was 25. Not a huge age gap by any means, but still unacceptable by society's standard...even in the age of free love. But where was this love to go, given their age difference? And the fact he was a teacher and she was a student? Surely this could not end well. As the story progresses, Joely discovers the subject is very close to home and there is a reason why she was chosen to write this.This had all the promise of a great book. Great characters, a heartbroken Joely on a train ride to a virtually unknown ghostwriting assignment. A broken marriage and an absent daughter. The opening and a substantial portion of the book was of intrigue and kept you reading. The descriptions of the house and local landscape were brilliant. Very evocative and they gave a real sense of remoteness so you just know something unexpected and untoward will happen.