Eight years ago Rosie's husband leaves the family as he has been having an affair with her best friend. The story tells the story of the affair, its fallout and the present day. The story is written from four different perspectives, mother, father, son and daughter.
It's a gripping read and fascinating to see the impact of the family breakdown. I read this book in one sitting and would definately read this author again.

Fiona Neill casts a knowledgeable and expert eye on the modern contemporary family as it experiences breakdown and betrayal, with the consequent devastating ripple effects on everyone concerned through the years. This psychological family drama almost feels less like fiction and more like reality, that is how good Fiona Neill's writing is. Rosie Rankin and her best friend, Lisa, are close friends from schooldays. Rosie marries Nick, an academic with an interest in the nature of human memory, and has children, and Lisa marries music journalist, Barney. Their daughters, Daisy and Ava, are best friends. Lisa's marriage begins to fray at the edges and Rosie is there for her. On the families annual holiday in Norfolk, Lisa and Nick begin to have an affair that results in both of them leaving their families to set up home together. There are immense repercussions and no-one is left unscarred. The narrative is delivered from the perspectives of Rosie, Nick, and their children, Daisy and Max, each with their own distinctive voices and characters.

Daisy's life becomes unbearably crushing as she develops a debilitating strain of OCD where the effects spill over onto her family as Rosie desperately searches for appropriate medical help. Additionally, Daisy is being bullied by Ava and her friends, which leads to an incident that has Daisy excluded from school. The sensitive Max is close to Daisy and carries unbearable levels of guilt that he is responsible for the affair happening. The betrayal that Rosie experiences from Nick, and her long term best friend, Lisa, making the past a painful no go territory for her. Unsurprisingly, Rosie finds her ability to trust in tatters, and she struggles with relationships. She comes to rely on Tinder for sexual encounters. Naively Nick is surprised by the hostility he faces from his children trying to justify his actions. Several years down the line, Daisy intercepts a letter from Lisa to Rosie stating she wants to see Rosie. This threatens the return of her OCD. Lisa is now experiencing serious medical issues that threaten her life. Is there a possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation? In a story told through flashbacks, we find differing recollections of the same events, unreliable memories, twists, and a myriad of small and large betrayals.

Neill is an expert when it comes to delineating the darker side of the complications of being human and being part of a family. What makes this book stand out are the true to life characters that are well drawn and developed, caught in situations that so many people find themselves in today. The detailed research that has gone into the book is impressive, for example, you get an uncomfortably good idea of exactly what OCD is like through its effects on Daisy. The stresses and strains of the interactions and relationships feels remarkably authentic. Some might feel the book ends with too much ambiguity and not enough resolution, but for me, it simply reflects what life is like. I found this an insightful psychological read about the murky waters that comprise marriage and family today. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

The Betrayals is a book told through the eyes of four different family members. and how they remember a series of events. This then determines how they view their relationships now. I found the book hard to get into but persevered and enjoyed the book as the characters came to life. . The ending I found a little bit abrupt but this did not stop my enjoyment of the book.

A good, solid story if a bit slow at times. The story hits on many sensitive subjects and handles them very well.

Eight years ago Nick left his wife Rosie and two children Daisy and Max for Rosies best friend Lisa. Two families are ripped apart and the repercussions have far reaching consequences for his children. Just as life seems on an even keel Lisa writes to Rosie and opens up all the old wounds. We then hear all of the families versions of what happened and they all differ. Both family and memory can be the source of many betrayals.

 

This is one of these books that makes you want to violently shake pretty much everyone in it. There are characters you can sympathise with but no one you can actually like. And in keeping with the genre we're given the task of working out who is the unreliable narrator. What's interesting about this book is (slight spoiler alert) is the unreliable thing is memory. All four of the family have things that have stuck in their minds from the period that Nicks infidelity began and their memories build around that moment, but as time goes by the memories become distorted, usually to serve their own egos or prejudices. So as a reader we're left to gather the strands and work out what really happened to this family. It isn't massively difficult to work out but it doesn't matter as it is a compelling story to follow. For me this is another intelligent and gripping thriller from Fiona Neill that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

I loved this book. It is a new refreshing way of writing and I loved it. A real page turner. I will definitely look out for more books by Fiona Neill.

I was on holiday when I was reading this book and maybe I shouldn't have read it then. Although the story line is interesting , I found it a little slow compared to the other books I read. The complex relationships in families was carefully written about but maybe a holiday with your own family is not the best time to get fully absorbed in this one! Overall a good read.

This is a powerful, intellegent rollercoaster of a read, with a cleverly constructed multifaceted storyline and a totally believable cast of characters. At no point does the plot lose pace as it twists and turns towards its utterly brilliant climax. A stunning read - absolutely loved it!

The Betrayals is a book told through the eyes of four different family members about an event that happened 8 years ago and how they remember it, it is also based on how this has and is still affecting them and their relationships now.

I thourpughly enjoyed the book and would recommend to read. The ending I found a little bit hanging in the air but this did not stop my enjoyment of the book.

I haven't read any of the author's previous novels, but having read The Betrayals I will seek them out (always a good sign).

The book isn't a light read, dealing as it does with dysfunctional characters and families, but it's absorbing and well written.

It makes you realise that the smallest of actions, however well intentioned (as Max is to discover) can cause ripples that push the lives of others off their axes - in turn causing further ripples...

The author is clearly knowledgeable about OCD and this book raises awareness of this terrible, all-consuming disorder - as well as exploring how different people deal with change and loss.

The characters are not really likeable, but one still wants to know what happens to them. Some of the writing is humorous - I found myself agreeing with her take on alternative medicine practitioners.

I enjoyed reading this book but I found the ending rather disappointing - I was expecting more somehow. That said, maybe there will be a follow up?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.

Rosie and Lisa were best friends for years. They went to school together, went on holidays together. met their husbands at the same time and even had their babies together. As the children grew they became one big happy family. Until Lisa had an affair with Rosies husband Nick and he left Rosie and the children for Lisa. The book tells the story of the aftermath and the effect it has had on all concerned. It particularly deals with the memories certain people have of the holiday when the affair began and how different people saw the same things differently.
The book deals with serious subjects not only marriage breakdown but alcoholism, cancer and mental health problems, especially OCD. The story is very character driven and there was some characters I liked and some I could not warm to. I felt a lot of sympathy for Rosie and her son Max, who carried a lot on his young shoulders. I also liked Barney Lisas ex who had his own demons to conquer. Lisa, Nick and Daisy frustrated me. Nick is a weak man and Lisa needs a good shake! Daisys OCD is very frustrating and a lot of time is spent describing her compulsions, I tended to skim over them but maybe that is the nature of the disorder. The ending is very enigmatic which I quite enjoyed and left me pondering for a while.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Penguin UK/Michael Joseph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off really well, but I struggled a bit in the middle, however it then picked up again.

Eight years ago Nick started an affair with Lisa and left his family. Now eight years later Lisa has been diagnosed with breast cancer and decides they should get married. She also reaches out to Rosie, Nick's ex-wife and her former best friend. Rosie is an oncologist based in London who relies on Tinder to provide her with short term relationships until one of her hook-ups turns out to be a student doctor. Nick is struggling with Lisa's illness and her reliance on a new age guru and a diet of juices rather than chemotherapy. Max is a second year medical student filled with self-doubt and in a precarious relationship with an older woman. When daughter Daisy finds a letter from Lisa to Rosie it tips her over into full-blown OCD again.

This is a very modern book but with age-old themes. Nick leaves his family and it affects his children badly, it also affects Lisa's children. Written from the perspective of the four members of the Rankin family, events old and new are reflected upon. There is no happy ending, life has to go on, and whilst nothing really happens in the book, it says a lot. The writing is restrained and does not go into histrionic detail about Daisy's issues; metaphors are subtle, cancer and dead ladybirds. All in all a well-written and meaningful novel and I can see why it is such a book club favourite.

I found this book absorbing and entertaining. I have never read this author before and when I looked her up I saw that she has come from a background of chick-lit. She has also had very mixed reviews from her previous books. However, this is way, way above that genre. The story is told from four different points of view and gradually unfolds the truth about what happened eight years ago to two family groups whilst on holiday. It shows what they have become in the meantime and comes to a head when they get together again for a particular reason. All the characters are well-drawn; all have flaws and make mistakes. The ending did surprise me but it was a satisfactory conclusion.

Eight years ago Rosie and Lisa were best friends, they had been pregnant at the same time and their daughters were best friends..........that is until Lisa had an affair with Rosie's husband Nick!

Suddenly their worlds were blown apart, Daisy her daughter developed a very severe form of OCD and Max her son spent half his childhood trying to look out for Daisy. Rosie is shattered by the betrayal she had not seen it coming at all.....but then out of the blue 8 years later Lisa writes a letter saying she has cancer and needs to tell her something

A great story which is told by 4 different points of view, Nick, Rosie, Daisy and Max, which means that you get a real perspective from all 4 members of the family from the past and present and know exactly how they all felt about it and each other

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.
I enjoyed this book, it is a real thought provoking book about two families, whose lives overlap, with each individuals affecting their lives and of the others in both families. The book is quite dark in parts particularly as each character has their own issues to deal with.

Wow read this in 2 sittings a superbly written book which was taut as a drum and had me enthralled from the start. Well done Fiona Neil this has shot into my top 5 favourite books so far this year a well deserved 5 stars from me.

We are drawn into the lives of two families and the events that led to betrayal,addiction,OCD misunderstanding and revenge. Written in such a way that gives you an insight to every individuals take on the situation and comes to a dramatic ending.

Loved every word.

Epitomises 'dysfunctional' families. Totally rapt with this book, it's twists and turns and each character telling their own story. Another compulsive 'page turner'.

The book is well written and the relationship between the two families makes this a good book, and how it all interlinks makes it easy to read. For me personally I enjoyed it but would see it more as easy summer reading.

I sat down and read this book in one sitting - with a small pause for some food. The author captured me from the beginning and I didn't want to put the book down as wanted to know what was going to happen next. I liked the way the different stories all intertwined without the people knowing and you were kept wondering as to when it may all come together.
Great story and would recommend.