The storyline was very predictable and I guessed the ending early in the book
I felt that there was detail missing in this book especially towards the end
However this book will stay with me for a long time. Domestic violence affects so many people and lives are lost every day

The book centres around a woman name Ria. She aids women who are victims of domestic abuse. Ria finds herself in trouble when she gets caught up in game with a stranger who starts to control her day to day life. This is a thrilling read, a perfect book to take on holiday. I will definitely read more books from Jacqueline Ward in the future.

The book centres around the lead character, Ria Taylor, a wife, mother and the manager of a refuge for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. Ria has dedicated her life to help and save others from the effects of abuse and violence yet soon finds herself caught in a dangerous game being controlled by an unknown stranger.

To be honest, I’ve struggled with writing a review for this novel, eventually settling on 4 stars. I found the storyline rather predictable and I had guessed the ending pretty much straight away. The ending of the story was rather quick and I feel a massive part of the storyline was not given the detail or ending it deserved.
However (and this is a BIG however), the story being told is one that will stay with me forever and one that every woman should read. As a reader you are irritated by the lack of justice faced by some of the abusers and exasperated by reluctance of the victims to take action. However, you come to realise this is all indicative of real life abuse cases. Ward managed to evoke strong emotions from my usual heart of stone and I almost found myself in tears at one point. The book really delves into the psyche of abusers, and it is evident Ward has a background in psychology and transfers her knowledge and experience to the reader.

The overall message from the book is that “two women per week in England are killed by a partner or ex-partner” and that we must all play our part to reduce this number.

This was really enjoyable and kept you intrigued right up to the end. The end was really surprising. The characters were interesting and you could really sympathise with them. A really good read, I couldn't put it down. A good book to take on holiday.