The Lies We Hide by S.E. Lynes

"Motivations are mysterious things; what we do and why."

Just finished this and must say that my thoughts are all over the place. First of all, as I am used to S.E. Lynes writing psychological thrillers, I was not at all expecting this dark domestic drama full of sadness that permeated through the narrative as it dealt with spousal abuse, drug addiction, imprisonment and death. A bright light that did shine through however was the stress on the importance of family love and the certainty that family can provide redemption as well as it can slowly kill a person by degrees. It's not luck that puts you in one type or the other. Our own choices and the decisions made can affect where we end up, or with whom, but that doesn't answer the big question -- if you marry and/or stay with the wrong kind of person, is that on you -- and if it is, then what does that mean for the children born into such a bad relationship? Because they certainly suffer and, worst of all, they have no control over the situation. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book deals with those issues and will elicit a lot of your own introspection as you read.

This novel is told in shifting point of view and in past and present time shifts. The different narratives allow the reader a glimpse into the minds of the main characters and their reactions to the different events that occur. Carol is married to a drunken abuser named Ted. When she's had enough, she leaves him stealing away into the night with her two children, Graham and Nicola. You'd think that getting away would allow her to rebuild her life, but life with Ted as left scars on them all. Graham turns to drugs and Nicola buries herself in school work with ambitions to get to University. Things go from bad to worse and it doesn't look like there is going to be any sort of happy ending for this poor family. Help comes in unexpected ways, however. A listening ear. A kind friend. A gentle soul. NO SPOILERS.

I love the writing and the way the author puts a thought out there for the reader to consider. I both empathized with Carol, and like many women who've never experienced domestic violence, I suspect sometimes you'll want to shake her when you see her do something but that's only because you'll fear for her. Since the story is somewhat reflective given the way it's written, you'll likely have to pause a few times as the revelations come. Though none of it really surprised me, I can say that it felt right and wasn't a "shocking twist" per se. I did enjoy this though it's really not the type of book that I gravitate toward for entertainment but I'm glad I read it.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 just because there was this incredible sweetness to it despite all the difficulty this family experienced.

This is a standalone that is not part of any series.
Genre - domestic drama, triggers for domestic abuse