An abrupt change; a new friendship; a dark secret…
Kind-hearted Violet has never fitted in, but despite being bullied at school is now content. She is dating ambitious Lenny, has her dream job in publishing and runs a book club at the local retirement home.

However, when her relationship with Lenny begins to falter, Violet, hurt and alone, seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella. She changes her image and with her head held high aims to show that she doesn’t need Lenny in her life to be happy and successful.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Samantha Tonge and I feel even from looking at the cover compared to her other publications – that it’s a very different style for her to write.

It’s hard to review a fabulous book such as this without giving away the punchline. But I’ll try hard not to! I was gripped from the start – as well as frustrated. Frustrated for what the main protagonist was doing to herself – but it didn’t make me  dislike her character. Instead I saw how easy it was for a likeable easy going person to fall into a trap that so many of us are absolutely certain we would never fall into.

“My first love was an assistant manager at the local bookshop where I had a Saturday job. It was then that I realised the most attractive thing about a man was the width of his reading list.”

Samantha Tonge traverses a very difficult subject with ease and without judgement. That’s what made this book so special in my opionion. You may have an inkling throughout that you know where this book is going – and it’s very cleverly done. But the scary thing is, that this is how it happens in real life too.

“I try not to think about it. But when I look in the mirror, I worry. I worry that the woman staring back isn’t me. She’s a stranger and I can’t find an instruction manual.”

This novel flits between past and present to bring together the person that makes Violet who she is today. It’s a tricky style to master but is done extremely well throughout this book – having us leap to conclusions and then reel ourselves in all over again  at various moments. Overall a fantastic read – and the book is out NOW!