BLURB:

From the bestselling author of Where the Story Starts comes a tale about dealing with the past—and finally facing the future.

Pip Appleby seems to have it all, with her prestigious job as a human rights lawyer and her enviable London home. But then a tragic accident stops her life in its tracks, and in an instant everything changes. Retreating to her family’s rural farm and the humble origins she has been trying to hide, Pip is haunted by what she has done.

When she discovers the diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle in a box of old books, Pip revels in the opportunity to lose herself in someone else’s life rather than focus on the disaster that is her own. But soon she sees parallels—Evelyn’s life was also beset by tragedy, and, like Pip, she returned to Southwold under a dark cloud.

When Pip and Evelyn’s paths cross in real life they slowly begin to reveal the hidden stories that are holding them back. Can they help each other forgive what happened in the past and, perhaps, find happiness in the future?

MY THOUGHTS:

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for letting me read this book prior to its publication. My opinion is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

I have absolutely loved this book. Everybody who knows me know that I am really stingy with the five stars, but this book deserves it without any doubt. My favorite genre to read is thriller, but from time to time I like to read other genres because I’m eclectic like that. When I saw this book on NetGalley, I felt reluctant to give it a go, but once I started reading it I felt at home (see what I did there? insert silly laugh). As I was saying, sometimes I deviate from the books that I truly like, and then I find gems like this book.

This book is one of those books that, even though the main topic is quite sad, makes you feel good. It’s comforting, and it will make you consider things about life that we may take for granted. In my particular case, I felt very connected both to Pip and Evelyn and, even if the circumstances are not the same, we all have felt trapped and unable to move on with our lives at some point during our lifetime. It’s a very relatable story with characters that feel real.

The story is told from both the points of view of Pip and Evelyn, and we go back and forth in time, but it’s done in a very delicate way that flows effortlessly. We follow the development of the characters along with the story and there is actual growth.

I cannot really comment much more without revealing spoilers, but if you like stories about overcoming obstacles and friendship, you need to give this book a go. Sit in your favorite spot with a yummy cup of tea, relax, and enjoy the ride that this book is.

So, for all of that, I give this book… 5 TEA CUPS!