A complex exploration of relationship inter- and intra-family. Particularly authentic is the depiction of Daisy's OCD, which powerfully underpins the plot - apparently caused by the conflict between the characters, her OCD is a character in its own right, which takes over as motivation and driver for the conflict.
As narrators and characters, Daisy and Max are multi-dimensional and empathetic, Rosie is a strong linking character, but I found Nick to be weak and couldn't really have cared less about him (which may be the author's intention), and Lisa was almost ephemeral in figuring as a cypher rather than a character, which is a risky strategy, but seems to work because we don't really care what happens to her, only the impact of that on Max and Daisy.
Yes, I would recommend this book to my friends.

I struggled to rate this book. While I did enjoy the book. It didnt give the wow factor. At times I could happily have put it down and not gone back to it. Glad i didnt though due to the twists near the end

Teenage angst?

I started reading this book believing it was a mystery. However, it became clear that it’s more a diary written from the point of most the characters.

It was well written and fans of romance and dysfunctional families with a little of medical action will enjoy this book.

In the beginning it feels like a story written for teenagers or young adults and if that’s not you, a little patience is needed. Further along, the story becomes a little more interesting.

The plot moves a little slowly and sometimes you feel like you are waiting for something to happen.

Fatima

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

I really enjoyed this book everybody has secrets they keep hidden and things they regret having done. Feelings and thoughts are kept to themselves but is what they think really what happened all those years ago. A story of two families and how their lives entwine

Holy smokes Batman. That book just consumed me totally. I'm baffled I'm the fifth reviewer and the only one yet to give it five stars. This is a powerful, emotional and cleverly plotted novel that is in my short list of Top 17 Reads in 2017.

You love dysfunctional characters in novels? Take your pick. So many here to choose from and it made for riveting reading. The writing in this is very clever, there are strong messages everywhere and it hooked and utterly entertained me. Sublime authorship.

The plot? Wow. Betrayals indeed. Many of them, so many of them and with a deal of complexity. I found the plot sucked me in and under. I read the last 75% of the book in one sitting. Totally lost. I love a book that can do that.

Every character popped off the page for me. Each and every single one playing a strong role in this novel that is essentially about how human beings can betray others and themselves and the fallout this then has. I don't want to go into spoiler details but I do highly recommend this novel if you are looking for some depth blended with reading escapism. This is not light and fluffy yet at times some dark humour just shone through.

I just really totally loved this novel. It really impressed me. The writing especially. The way Fiona Neill gets right into each character and exposes them to the reader is brilliant. I've struggled to be "held" by a lot of books lately and this won me over. Life stoped as I read this book.

5 generous stars for The Betrayals. The reveals then final scene just stunned me into silence and a degree of shock. Highly recommended and I expect to see more strong reviews for this wonderful book that gives us the darker, complex nature of people and relationships. Bloody brilliant!

Rosie and Lisa have been friends for years, their families are close and they spend a lot of time together. Rosie and her husband Nick, with their children Daisy and Max are on holiday in Norfolk at Rosie’s childhood home, Lisa and her family join them, and things spiral out of control when Lisa’s husband Barney becomes drunk and abusive and the friendship is torn apart forever.

Daisy who is thirteen has the beginnings of OCD, which becomes more severe after she sees something traumatic on the holiday. She enlists her younger brother Max to help her with her rituals and both their childhoods suffer. Years later Daisy intercepts a letter meant for her mum from Lisa and her OCD begins its downward spiral again.

This story is told from the points of view of Daisy’s family, how the OCD affected each member, and how Daisy dealt with her OCD, and what she thought triggered it, although she later finds out what she thought she had seen was something completely different. I was expecting a big reveal at the end and when there was none, it felt a bit anticlimactic. A good book dealing with a difficult subject.

WIsh I could have rated this more than just five stars! Kept me gripped throughout, if there is just one book you absolutely have to read this year, make it this one.

As always Fiona Neill's books have a way of gripping you from the get go. She writes about the simplest things, but also the most complicated. She writes about life, family life with all its everyday complications and The Betrayals is no different.

Two families, brought together by friendship. Lisa and Rosie have been friends for years and when Lisa's boyfriend Barney auditions for the same play as Nick, he gets introduced to Rosie and everything falls into place. Lisa and Rosie even give birth to their baby girls Ava and Daisy around the same time. It's perfect.



But things get complicated, after a disastrous holiday in Norfolk the two families are torn apart forever.


Daisy is battling OCD, all of them have stressful jobs and are struggling to cope but there's more going on in the background than meets the eye.


Some may view this book as anti climatic but I think what it is, is realistic. Passion, fear, hate, fear of disaproval can all seem like huge things in our own minds. It's easy to blame ourselves and fear it's something we did that made everything go wrong, especially when you're a child. That's why this book has such an impact because it's life inside our minds which is the truest and most scary place of all.

Excellent book. Great main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.

I loved the way the story was told from 4 points of view and how different perspectives were shown. Eye opening truth to how much a betrayal can affect the lives of so many.

My review as posted on Goodreads:

I found this novel intriguing in parts, but it didn't thrill me. After the first third, I nearly gave up.

It has family angst.
It has an interesting exploration of traditional and alternative medicine.
It explores OCD.

I think that the characters are revealed in a clever way.
I didn't give up and I'm glad, because it has some twists towards the end.

I give thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK (Michael Joseph) for a copy in exchange for this review.