Ive tipped between three and four stars on this, because the prose is gorgeous but the pace and plot just didn’t grab me. I felt it meandered a little too much for my taste, but that’s purely subjective and others will, I suspect, love it. Beautiful writing, but the story didn’t have enough layers for me.

I almost absolutely loved this - was really engaged with a very good story - until the end!! I was so frustrated by the ending - or lack of it! Jessie Burton writes beautifully and I loved the whole premise of the book, the characters and the setting. I just prefer book to come to a satisfactory conclusion!!

I'm a fan of Burton's books. She writes beautifully, and her characters and dialogue always feel very real. This one is a little slower than her others; there's less at stake so I wasn't as desperate to read on as I was in The Miniaturist or The Muse (my favourite of her books so far). Nevertheless, I enjoyed her writing and was lost in the very real world she painted.

THE CONFESSION – JESSIE BURTON

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My confession is that until this novel, I had never heard of Jessie Burton. And unlike some titles I have requested for reviewing, this story was truly engaging. Telling the story in two cohesive parts, now, and then, the then being set in the 80s, it follows the story of a young woman searching for the mother she has never known.

The premise is simple, but the execution is fluid and the prose excellent. Not only do you become engaged in the present, told by the daughter in the first person, but equally so in the 80s, which is set mainly in Hollywood, and told in the third person.

Each of the main characters, one appearing in both universes, is drawn realistically and sympathetically. I’ll say no more, as I don’t want to include spoilers. Sufficient to say that not only did I enjoy the two levels of their journey, but I was sorry when it ended. If I’m honest, I didn’t quite like the way the ending was written, it seemed at odds, for me, with the rest. But that didn’t spoil it, and I shall look forward to reading more from this author.

A gorgeous and multi-layered book, offering an in depth look at the relationships between women and the things expected of them. The narrative weaves between the present day, where rootless Rose drifts through life wishing for the mother who left her as a baby, and the eighties, where the sharp and glamorous writer Constance starts an affair with a young and complex woman named Elise.

As the stories intertwine, the secrets each character is keeping begin to unfold. It’s a long book and the pace is steady, keeping the reader gripped without rushing. Fans of Burton’s previous books will not be disappointed, but it is very different.

I've got my own confession - I couldn't get through The Miniaturist. I know, I know. I don't know what it was about it, but it just didn't grip me. But The Confession sounded like it was right up my street. Dual timeline, daughter uncovering secrets about her family, London setting. And it started off really well.

I'd say I was pretty gripped for the first three quarters of this book. I loved Connie as a character, felt for Rosie and her struggling to find her place in the world, and was curious about the mystery around what happened to Elise. The relationship between Connie and Rosie was intensely readable and reflected her mother's relationship with Connie. She's this magnetic, wholly original person who seems to attract attention wherever she goes.

But honestly, the last part and the ending of this book ruined it for me. It became a lot darker than I thought it had been, where *spoiler* Elise is suffering from post natal depression, and it was just really sad. Reading this section was heartbreaking and powerful and I think it's great that it was described, but it seemed a little different from the rest of the book.

The ending was dark, there was no real resolution and it actually upset me. Rosie getting an abortion at the end was also hugely disappointing and sad. It really turned me off the book as a whole and that's a shame because I did enjoy it up until the last quarter.

An engrossing story about three women, beginning in 1980 and winding backwards and forwards through the years to present day. A beautifully written slow burning story about friendship and family (mother and daughter in particular) with very memorable though not always likeable characters.

The book didn't end the way I expected, and the story does wander a little at times, but it was still a really good read and I would recommend it to fans of women's/domestic fiction.

A great story that follows 3 women. A very moving story about love and friendship. I haven't read any books by Jessie Burton but I liked the style of her writing in The Confession. I will be going back to look out her previous books.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this lovely novel.

This is a character book, its all about the personalities that have been created and how they interact. Yes, its also the story of Rose who has never known her mother and is desperate to learn anything about her, something her father seems unable to provide. And her mother's story entwines with famous author Constance, a magnetic and enigmatic personality. Rose will need to find Constance to understand her history. The story moves at a good pace, switching between past and present and keeps the reader intrigued. However, its the characters who have been so carefully and thoughtfully created that it feels like you have met them. Like human beings, they don't always make the right or rational choices. They are flawed but there is also something unique and admirable about each one. So while its a though-provoking storyline, the characters are what elevates this book as they try to find themselves.

The Confession is a good book - intriguing premise, very well written, with flawed versatile characters. It failed to keep my interest however and for some reason I found it a chore to read and it took me a little no time. I am not quite sure why but I didn't enjoy it. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Having read The Miniaturist, I was expecting another historical (I never read the blurb!). This was completely different, but I loved it. Beautiful writing, real characters, although it was also terribly sad. Makes me wonder how it would pan out with what we know about postnatal depression now.

A beautifully written book from this author.
A compelling read about love, loss and friendship
I loved this book

The Confession is definitely one of those books that’s a slow burner but once you have read the last page you feel rather bereft that you have finished it. Think I will be in “book mourning” for a few days. This book was beautifully written, and fantastic plot builder with some wonderful female characters- a book about love, motherhood and friendship. The contrast of the Rose’s story in the UK and the Elise and Connie's in LA worked fairly well but I favoured reading Rose’s part of this tale. If we were discussing at book club I can imagine that it may be faulted for having a few aspects of the storyline that were slightly unbelievable, and there was definitely a lull in the middle, but all that didn’t matter to me – I was engrossed in the story and was happily reading, waiting for the mystery of Rose and her mother Elise unravel. I was very satisfied with the ending but some may say that there was still some of that mystery remaining….

Having read The Miniaturist, I was excited to get the chance to read The Confession and I wasn’t disappointed. I liked the way the story followed both Rose and her mother Elise , in parallel, through their own personal journeys, with all the ups and downs. One chapter would explain a situation with Elise, the mother, and then you'd read the next chapter which was Rose, the daughter, 30+ years later, either trying to make sense of something she was guessing at, or digesting information that she'd found out.

I didn’t warm to the characters very much, they all seemed to have too many issues going on, but the writing was descriptive and a pleasure to read. The ending wasn’t what I was hoping, but it did make me thing about things and whether or not I’d have accepted the situation as it was.

The book is about three fascinating characters. Connie, Elise, and Rose. Family, motherhood and friendship all interwoven. Enthralling and enjoyable.

I've just finished this beautiful novel, and had to share my thoughts straight away, as I absolutely loved it!

The novel follows Rosie in the present day, as she tries to discover what happened to her mother Elise, who disappeared one day when she was a baby. Her father gifts her the only two possessions she left behind, two novels written by a reclusive author who her father tells her was the last person to see her mother.

The novel shifts between the past and present day, as we slowly discover what happened, and we travel to some amazing locations along the way! I don't want to ruin anything for you, but I will say that the writing is seamless, and beautiful, and breathtaking, and elusive, and so profoundly thought provoking, that I know I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time.

The author writes female relationships SO well! The strength in relationships where we support, nurture and hold each others hands, through all of the challenges life throws our way. And the power we hold to also destroy the delicate fragility of each others experiences.

I love the way the author views and portrays the world, and she has in my mind captured the perfect analogy in her writing, by comparing becoming a mother, to being like Icarus.
Before, standing tall and reaching for the sun. But after, using the wax and feathers to line a nest!

It will help you to believe.
To remember yourself. That you're writing your own story.
Highly highly recommend!

Thank you Picador for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review ❤️.

This ARC was courtesy of netgalley - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased
I also post on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo and B&N

I've read the author's previous 2 books so was thrilled to be able to read an advanced copy

This is VERY different to the first 2 books and I really enjoyed it.

Firstly, the cover is fabulous so congratulations to the person who came up with it

The book uses the split time premise which I liked. It deals with loss and mental health issues - so felt very real to me

The book doesn't have many characters in it so allows the reader to really focus on their stories. Its beautifully written and the character development was really well done.

A great read - would highly recomment

Right, first off I didn't finish this and to be honest I doubt I ever will but this does not mean a bad rating / review.

I identify too strongly with Rose. I've never known my biological mother and everything, EVERYTHING Rose said / thought / did was like re-living painful moments of my own past and I just wasn't strong enough to keep reading.

This book is beautifully written with strong, believable characters and a plot that is unnerving.

A completely new and different read from Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist and The Muse. I have to confess I found it so different from the previous novels that it took me a while to get into – however, the perseverance was well worth it as by the end I was totally invested in the characters, their stories and what might happen next.

The central character to the story is Constance Holden, reclusive novelist, now facing old age with arthritic hands hindering her writing. Enter Rose Simmons, who enters her employ as help ‘Laura Brown’, secretly seeking answers about her own estranged mother’s relationship with Constance.

Powerful, enigmatic women populate this story; it’s feisty, heart-breaking and explores the many physical, emotional and mental hurdles that women face throughout their lives.

I enjoyed it, particularly the second half.

You might remember Jessie Burton as the author of the phenomenally successful 2014 book The Miniaturist. It has been a long wait for this, her third book, but one that was well worth it.

The story begins in London in 1980. On Hampstead Heath a young woman called Elise Morceau meets Constance Holden. Connie is a successful writer, a confident and vivacious woman and Elise quickly finds herself entranced by her. When Connie’s latest book is being made into a big budget film she takes Elise with her to the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood hills. A life of pool parties, surfing and people pretending to be something that they are not.

Elise finds herself struggling in this environment as Connie is more and more involved with the movie and the leading lady. When she overhears a conversation one night she makes a decision that will devastate many lives.

Thirty years later Rose discovers that Connie Holden was the last person to see her mother alive. Now a recluse who dropped out of sight right at the height of her fame and popularity Connie is a difficult person to find and approach. As Rose finds an underhand route into Connie’s life she is determined to find out what really happened to Elise and to secure a confession as to what really happened.

This is a really unusual story with the threads of Elise’s life alternating with chapters from Rose searching for answers. It is an utterly engrossing book and a story that I kept thinking about for a couple of days after I finished it. The three main characters are all wonderfully complex creative women each with their own idiosyncrasies and foibles. It was a book that I didn’t want to end and will be one that I want to re-read knowing how the story turns out. Be prepared to shed a tear as you journey through the lives of these fascinating women.

Supplied by Pan Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.

UK publication date Sep 19 2019. 464 pages.