The tension mounts little by little. You are drawn deeper and deeper into this well written book until there's nothing but feverishly reading until you figure out the ending. Well plotted and hard to put down. Pick up this gem of a book.Happy reading!

A Version of the Truth was a difficult read. Firstly it covered some purely horrendous subjects (gang rape) but also I struggled with most of the characters in that I just didn’t like them. The book did hold my attention throughout though.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

I found A Version of the Truth very hard to read due to the dark subject matter it just wasn't for me but each to their own the things one person doesn't like about a book will be things somebody else loves.

This book was difficult to stomach in places, with a blase attitude towards some explicit content.
I believe this book should come with a trigger warning.
I wasn't a fan of this book and I probably would not read anything else by this author.

2019 : Julianne is about to throw a dinner party when her teenage son, Stephen comes to her, horrified at some content he has come across on his iPad. Something so terrible, that he cannot even articulate it. Something about her husband and her son's Father; James that will turn their world upside down forever.

1990: Sophie is a fresher at prestigious Oxford University when she meets Ally, Ernest, Peter and James. Despite her obvious intelligence, she is immediately out of her depth, younger and from a poorer family, she doesn't immediately fit in.

Told from alternating viewpoints; Julianne's in 2019 and Sophie's in 1990, it is apparent that the two narratives are somehow linked, but it is not clear how. Both women are suffering in their own way, and it is hard not to feel some sympathy for them, though neither woman is particularly likeable.

I'm hesitant to say too much more...

A version of the truth is a hard book to review without giving away too much. The difficult subject matter is thought provoking, and dealt with brilliantly and I did feel that there could be an opening for a sequel - however uncomfortable it may be to read...

Julianne's life unspools when her son discovers something about his father James that was a secret no one wants to know. Told in dual time line of 1991 and 2009, it's the story of what happened to Holly when she was newly at Oxford and the impact of that on Julianne all those years later. As others have noted, this has some nasty scenes, unpleasant events, and characters that you won't like. That said, it's also well written and worth a read. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

This book goes back and forth between when the characters were all at the university and present day almost 30 years later. Something unspeakable happened to Holly at a party back then, something that has haunted her to this day. Julianne was one of the ones that Holly tried to turn to for help, but Julianne didn't know, or didn't want to know, what had happened. Now, Julianne has discovered the truth for herself and her world has turned upside down. Now she is at the proverbial crossroads; does she bury her head back in the sand or does she help Holly expose this terrible truth?
I really enjoyed this book. My only complaint was that it took most of the book before it really explained the correlation between then and now, so at times it felt like it was dragging a little or focusing a little too much on the past. It was dark and twisty and had a shocking ending, which makes it perfect for all of those suspense fans out there. I say it is definitely a must-read.

Julianne discovers her husband might be hiding something; something that started with their days at university.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows two connected timelines - the modern day Julianne, who is married to James; and the 90's Holly, who has a major crush on James when they both attend Oxford.

I was worried, coming into this book, after reading some reviews about the trigger warnings, that it wouldn't be for me; but I actually thought the author did it well. Rape, and gang rape does happen because it's part of the plot, but it doesn't go into detail, and it doesn't glory in it. It's a horrible experience, and has long-standing consequences for the victim.

I felt that the author did a really good job in creating a statement on the flaws in our society, and how some things haven't changed in the last thirty years. There's an underlying sense that the victim is to blame, which is echoed by her friends and family, and general atmosphere of boys will be boys. It's a disturbing picture, that is disgustingly familiar.
The casual homophobia is written in the same way. It's wrong, you want to scream at the characters that it's wrong, as they carry on with their unfounded and hurtful remarks, all the while participating in gay sex.

That being said - did I enjoy this book. No.
For all that I appreciate what the author is trying to convey, and I do think they did a good job - that's not the sort of book I go for.
I picked this book up, because I was under the misconception this was some sort of psychological thriller. This is definitely not a thriller.
There are no twists, there are no surprises. It follows the lives of two women, and the men that betray them.

Aside from that, I did not like our narrators. Holly (the 90's timeline) is dull, and overly-occupied with boys and the fact that she isn't sexually active, when all of her friends are constantly talking about sex. For a girl that got into Oxford on a scholarship, and the first of her family to get into uni - she has no passion for her studies, and no interests outside the already mentioned boys and sex obsession.
Julianne (current timeline) is also dull. She's pretty but vacant. The American wife of an upper-class gentleman, the only role she plays is "James' wife". She has no personality beyond this. No hobbies, no thoughts of her own.
I felt pity for both of our leading ladies, but couldn't relate to them, or like them enough to be truly invested in their story.

This book made me feel really uncomfortable. I wanted to stop reading and say I couldn't finish it. By the point I felt like this, I'd read a lot of it though so I carried on. I think the author has done it on purpose to make most of characters horrible and not feel anything but anger towards them. I liked holly and did throughout. even though I didn't like this book very much, I did get to the epilogue and want to read more of that.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Julianne lives in a world of Privilege, educated at Oxford, now married with a teenage son her world is about to fall apart. Her son finds some disturbing material on his IPAD concerning his father and shows it to Julianne. She is sure there must me a reasonable explanation, she desperately wants to believe what her husband tells her but things just don’t add up.
Holly is at University at the same time as Julianne, from a modest background, she is pulled in to the edge of her circle of friends and finds herself out of her depth. Something happens and Holly cannot face remaining in Oxford, she simply disappears. Years later their paths collide again and a very ugly truth emerges.
I quite enjoyed this, some sensitive issues were dealt with well. However be prepared there is quite a lot of explicit sex.

A Version Of The Truth is a book that some people aren’t going to like but I did, it does have a very dark edge and covers a sensitive subject.
Firstly one of the things that annoyed me a little was in the blurb for this book it talks about Julianne and Holly and in my book it was Julianne and Sophie so I feel that needs amending.
So the story is very dark set over 25 years with two separate timelines told from each character. Julianne is present day and her son has found something on his iPad that puts her marriage to James as a complete sham if he is involved as she thinks he is. Then we have Sophie in 1990 at university and her dealings with James and the rest of the group.
What Sophie goes through is just shear hell but I think what hurt the most for me was her mother’s reaction and for that reason alone I couldn’t stand the woman but thankfully she’s not in it much.
I don’t want to go into the storyline too much but I can’t say it was an enjoyable read but it was definately an eye opener and a page turner.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

2019: Julianne's is preparing the family dinner when her son tells her that he's found something on his iPad. The discovery will turn Julianne's world upside down and make her question everything about her marriage.

1990: Holly was a fresher student at Oxford University. She falls into a uneasy friendship with a group of older students from the upper echelons of society and begins to have feelings for one of them. But as the year progresses, her friends behaviour grows steadily disconcerting and Holly begins to realise that she might just be a disposable pawn in a sinister game.

I can honestly sat that I did not like any of the characters in this book. It's also a tough book to write a review about without giving away spoilers. As its content deals with some very dark issues, it won't be for everyone. The story is told in two timelines which slowly uncovered more about some of the characters. There were a few chapters that I felt were not necessary to the reader, but maybe that was just me. I also found that the last few chapters were a bit rushed. I do think that the ending could have been written differently then I would have given it at least one more star.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author B P Walter for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

A thought provoking read which deals with subject matter that some may feel uncomfortable with.
It deals with how adolescent behaviour can get out of hand and in adulthood is totally unacceptable. How the privileged few feel they can run railroad over other peoples feelings.
It grips you from the first page.

Thank you NetGalley, BP Walter and Avon Books UK for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Present day Julianne is making dinner for her family when her son comes down with something to show her. This something is so terrible that it turns her life into a waking nightmare and she begins to question everything about her husband.
1990: Holly is a freshman at Oxford and she is completely out of her depth. She begins an unlikely friendship with a group of older students and begins to fall for one of them. Her friends begin to act stranger and she realizes that she may be a pawn in their little game.

I loved reading this novel and it went so quickly because I had to know what was gong on in this novel and what it is that happened in the 90’s to Holly. I read this novel in one sitting, the writing just really appealed to me and I felt like I could really identify with the two main female characters. I loved how Julianne finds out about what is going on and how it bothers her even after her husband has explained it all away to her. I loved the dark and tense atmosphere because you know something bad is going to happen, so you keep turning the pages! I was blown away by how much I didn’t want to put down this book, the author did a great job of hooking you right from the first chapter. I adored the way the chapters went back and forth between the past and present to keep you guessing to what was going to happen. I would recommend for sure!

Out February 7th!

A Version of the Truth is a dark and twisted and fascinating read that uses linked timelines to maximum effect,

Julianne narrates the present day sections and Holly narrates the past ones, which are set in Oxford. Seeing how these two people and times twisted together was amazing!

In the present, Julianne is mom of one and married to university love James, In the past, Holly adjusts to Oxford and becomes fast friends with Ally. .

A Version of the Truth begins as Julianne's son uncovers something odd and disturbing that eventually leads her to question everything about her life and marriage. And as for the connection...it's a doozy!

An excellent novel, full of twists and turns, kept me on my toes the whole time. I totally wasn't expecting the final twist at the end. I actually felt like something was missing when I finished reading it.

A Version Of the truth is one of those books that is very hard to put down .It is told between two people ,Holly and Julianne and two timelines .Both girls were in Oxford in the 1990's and knew the same group of friends .What happened then comes back to haunt Julianne and she finally realises what her husband is really is and the knowledge turns her comfy world upside down .The story is gripping ,dark and full of secrets and cover ups in high places.Excellent read .Many thanks to The Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my preview copy in return for an honest review .

At times this book had everything - except humour, and no other tricky 'non pc' subject was left alone! However, the characters were brilliantly portrayed and the dramatic scenes were well described, in fact I felt a little uncomfortable.

The story is basically a group of Oxford students growing up, and then the story ends with most of the same group 25 years later. The pre Christmas dinner party is the highlight (or some might say the lowlight) of the book and the dialogue is 'ripe' and totally believable. Ernest gives politicians a bad name during this party, and I warmed to Julianne with all the sadness and brutality coming to the fore.

The book chapters switch from student times to the present time effortlessly, and I enjoyed the whole reading experience. I wanted to hear more of Holly as this was a character that could have added a little more.

I found this one to be a bit hard hitting and slow to begin with but then the tension grows and grows before it just explodes across the pages. I found it difficult to get into but don't give up on it coz it is quite explosive and when it does I thought it was really going to stretch out so dramatically but it came to a sudden end I thought. Maybe this could have gone into another book to explain how things were tied up. How they caught the group who were damaging people (I went say too much as I may give the plot away) but I thought there could have been more to the storyline

If I were to describe this book using only one word I would use tragic. A Version of the Truth is a haunting tale of deception and power. It is told in two different timeframes ~1990 and 2019. I was excited to read a storyline with mature characters. Julianne and James in 2019 are well into their 40’s. The storyline to start is very similar to Anatomy of a Scandal, a book I quite enjoyed. This however took things much farther and I found the climax to be overdone.

While I initially enjoyed the early days at Oxford I found myself not understanding Holly’s choices. I wanted to root for her but didn’t get there until the very end. I found Ally and Ernest to both be deplorable humans. I did like Rupert and wished for more of him in the story. James at Oxford was a toss up. At times I warmed up to him and could see the connection but other times it was obvious he cared about only one person ~ himself.

The writing is solid and the plot had the potential for me to really enjoy it but, and this is a big but, it fell short for me when everyone came back together at the house. I wanted to understand James’ motivation. I longed for more of the relationship between Julianne and James. I wanted to believe and understand. The build up was immense but the conflict felt forced.

While A Version of the Truth wasn’t entirely what I was hoping for I will look for more from this author in the future.

3.5