I found that The Lake had an interesting storyline which managed to keep me intrigued throughout the first half of the book. The second half of the book was way too slow and anticlimactic.

I really liked Kate and I found that the emotions that she was feeling were really raw. My heart broke for as the events of what really happened to her son started to unfold.

The background of Kate’s family was really interesting and I really liked learning about something that I wasn’t familiar with. I did find that Kate and her sister Grace suffered a lot during their childhood because of their religion.

I would definitely be interested in seeing what else this author will do in the future.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

Six years after her teenage son’s death, a mother still can’t settle her doubts about the Coroner’s Investigation and open finding. When Kate’s own mother suffers a stroke, their strained relationship causes more pressure until the discovery of further hidden secrets. Kate sets out to finally discover what happened that night her son died, but it brings further grief and her family’s concern she is having another breakdown. A most pleasant read with good characters and enjoyable repast. A leisurely paced venture with a three-star rating. With thanks to NetGalley and the author for a preview copy for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are freely given and totally mine.

thank you to @netgalley & @avon_books for sending me an e-ARC of The Lake!
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Kate’s world is shattered when her son drowns in the water by his school. She’s convinced this wasn’t just an accident, but no one will believe her. Six years later, Kate finds her sons journal and starts realizing there were people in his life she didn’t know about. She begins investigating and trying to figure out who he is talking about in his journal and who was the last person to see him alive.
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Mothers really will do anything to protect their children, and if they can’t, they will go to the ends of the earth to get justice and ensure nothing like this happens to another child. Kate literally travels hours on a plane in order to confront who she thinks killed her son. This was a really gripping novel although it lacked something (which i cannot place what exactly) that didn’t make me love it. I didn’t like the way the Kates husband treated her and didn’t believe her. He went out of his way to make sure she didn’t figure out what happened to her son. Kate was also slightly annoying and i wasn’t a huge fan of her either.
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⚠️TW⚠️: child loss, drowning, suicide, mental health

I wanted to love this book, and honestly thought I would. It was interesting to learn about a family dynamic very different from my own, but I felt like the main character was very very hard to relate to, and seemed unrealistic.

This book hooked me from the very first page and I didn't want to put it down. I loved the author's voice and Kate's character was so real I almost felt as if I was watching a movie. Everything was brought to life in vivid detail and I followed Kate through every scene with bated breath as she searched for the answers to what really happened to her son Michael on the night he died. Impressive storytelling, emotionally rich, characters that felt so real, and a plot that never faltered. The story is told from a single point of view, Kate's, and I think this really helped to pull me further into the story. The supporting characters were well written too although the emotional connection to Kate was brilliantly done and I felt her pain, struggles, and sheer determination to get the answers she so desperately needed. This book was truly amazing and I finished it in record time. I look forward to reading a lot more from Louise Sharland.

Kate is driven to find out what happened the night her 15 year old son, a competitive swimmer, drowned. In the process she loses so much, her job, her friends, her husband, and her belief in herself. Her persistence pays off. The person responsible is identified early on but the quest to see them punished is the heart of the story. Although this was a quick read, I appreciate the development of Kate’s character - watching as she reclaims her life. The ending was extremely satisfying, as was the epilogue. Many thanks to Louise Sharland, Avon, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this soon to be published book.

Kate is still trying to get on with her son's death, Michael, who died six years ago in a drowning accident. When Kate's mother gets sick, Kate moves to her mother's house and discovers a diary written by Michael. Then she discovers a deep dark secret in her own son's diary that Kate suspects that her son's death is more than just an accident.

This was actually a good book with a good plot. The emotions Kate is going through as a mother is real and raw. The characters are good, as the story is told from the perspective of Kate. I was actually glued to the story, wanting to know, who this Diving Fish really is and I couldn't wait to read the ending. The author did a good job getting the reader hooked into the story! This was also quite unputdownable. There were no surprising twists or turns but nonetheless, it was actually a good thriller book. I also like how Kate would do anything, to find the real identity of who the Diving Fish, who supposedly had a relationship with Michael, even bribing a girl. It was intense, particularly the ending. I was holding my breath as I read the story. The only problem was, the story was a bit predictable and there were some unnecessary side story that was irrelevant to the story. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon publishers for granting me this ARC. This review is based on my honest opinion. Worth four stars!

Kate has spent the last six yeas mourning the death of her son Michael, who she firmly believes did not drown by accident or suicide. No one agrees with her, especially her husband Adam. Now though, she's found his diary and uncovered a big secret (no spoilers) which supports her theory. She's got a lot on her plate- her mother has had a stroke, among other things- but this demands her attention. The search for answers turns up disturbing information both about Michael and about others. Sharland does a good job with Kate, her grief, and her determination. There's a romance thing that didn't ring true to me given the circumstances but that didn't stop me from turning the pages. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I found this to be an OK, easy read. It's more a family drama than anything, with a mother , Kate, struggling to carry on following her son's death.

Everyone seems to think she should have moved on, one year after the drowning, which I did find heartless and a tad bizarre. Anyhow, following her mother's illness and hospitalisation, Kate returns to her childhood home and starts to unearth the truth around her son's death.

I'm grateful to Avon Books UK and Ellie Pilcher at Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to preview. I finished it very quickly and as I say, it's an easy read, just not very gripping and with characters that jarred a bit.

<i>**Thank you Net Galley and Avon for giving me an e-arc for this title!**</i>

<b>About the plot:</b>
It's about Kate who lost her son, Michael in a tragic drowning accident six years ago. Her husband wants her to move on from the past but after all these years, Kate still believes that it wasn't just any accident.

Six years later when she walks into Michael's room one day, she found his lost diary and may finally be able to find out the truth of what really happened that night.


<b>My Review:</b>
Honestly, it was a little hard for me to finish the book as I just couldn't get into the story, it was lengthier than it should be. The author may have written it well but it's probably not the kind of storyline that I would enjoy. I did find it interest when I read the blurb but overall the book didn't live up to what I was expecting to find in the story, predictable ending too.

Kate’s son died 6 years previously when she finds his diary which she hopes will help her find out what really happened. The copy are realistically portrayed as are the descriptions of her marriage and relationship with her sister.
An intriguing tale

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Kate's world fell apart when her teenage son drowns in the waters by his school. She's convinced it wasn't just a tragic accident, but no one will listen. Six years later, Kate unearths Michael's last diary and realises she might finally be able to unciver what really happened that night. But as she delves deeper, she soon begins to realise that she didn't really know her son at all.

This is a slow burn thriller and i don't think it would work as well at any other pace. Kate's world fell apart the day her son drownwd. Kate tries to uncover the truth after finding her sons diary. The book takes us on an emotional journey as a mother tries to find out the truth behind why her son drowned that day. It's quite heartbreaking to read at times. With not a lot of evidence, witnesses seem to appear out of nowhere. I did feel the story dragged out in places. But the truth is revealed by the end.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and the author #LouiseSharland for my ARC #TheLake in exchange for an honest review.

This had a really exciting start, and I thought the first half of the book was engaging and moved really quickly.

I really liked the side characters and back stories (possibly more than the main story...) I wanted to know more about Kate's background growing up in a fundamentalist religious sect, I enjoyed seeing her relationship with her sister, and I loved to hate her husband.

However, about 2/3 through, the pace just dramatically slowed. The mystery behind the diary is revealed surprisingly early, and then a ton of time is spent with Kate at a poetry convention, that does very little to advance the plot. I found myself largely skimming and waiting for another twist that didn't come.

So overall, it started off strong but I thought the last third was too slow and anticlimactic.

I really enjoyed this book. 6 years ago, Kate's 15 year old son drowned, despite being a strong swimmer. Now Kate has found his diary and realises that she didn't know as much about her son as she thought. She doesn't believe his death was an accident, and is determined to find out what really happened. Her journey takes her finally to a poetry summer school in Scotland, where she finally finds what she's looking for. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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Michael suspiciously drowned 6 years ago. His mother, Kate, still doesn’t agree that it was an accident or a suicide and she won’t stop until she proves herself.

I was very torn with this one. The story really had the ability to be 5/5 stars for me. However, some of the side plots ruined it for me. What was the whole point of Kate falling and becoming concussed? Of Ryan showing up and apologizing? Most of the whole time she was taking the poetry class? These side plots provided so little detail about the actual plot of the book, they seemed like fillers to make the book longer. The first part of the book and the second part felt like two different stories. It didn’t flow at all. There was also useless characters mentioned. I get a story needs characters, but why so many? They aided the side plots, but were never further explored. Lisa, Ryan, Julia, Ellie (her niece????) and Marie-Claire. Truly pointless.

Now, to the good stuff. This book had so much emotion. I truly felt for Kate and how she dealt with the loss of her son. The fact that she followed her maternal instincts and continued to search for justice for her sons death was amazing. It made for a heartfelt story and made her such a likeable character. She also had a bit of character development throughout. Going from someone who gets walked all over to someone strong, a fighter. I also liked the idea of getting some more insight into Michael within his diary, however short lived.

Like I said before, this book had soooo much potential. There wasn’t truly a question of “who dun it” as it was very evident from the very beginning. So it wasn’t exactly “thrilling”. It was also pretty far fetched. I would have LOVED to have read more into Michael’s diary. It seemed like reading a couple passages and it wasn’t explored again other than Kate protecting it with her life and bringing it up constantly. I feel it would have been a better story if we continued to get more of Michael’s passages. It would have allowed the author to skip the side plots and provided insight into the actual plot through the eyes of Michael. I would still recommend this book, as the story as a whole is worth reading and entertaining enough. It just fell short for me personally.

This is a story of a mother who loses her 15year old son six year ago. New details emerge and she thinks his death was not an accident. However her new husband wants her to move in with her life. Can she uncover what happened that night at the lake?

I was quickly drawn into the story. As a mother I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child. Kate is still mourning her son and she finds some of her son’s things when she visits her mother’s house when her mother is ill. This opens Pandora’s box of her son’s death. I admire her strength and would do the same investigation if I was in her shoes.

The book is almost split into two sections, one with Kate investigating at her mother’s house and her somewhat controlling husband. The second is a poetry writing retreat later in the book. I loved the poetry retreat section the best because it was focused on Kate’s investigation and also where she finds the answers. I think I liked it because her husband was not there. I didn’t like him and his lack of empathy towards Kate.

I really enjoyed this boo love and read it in one day! I would highly recommend this book.

Let me first start by saying this book was worth 10 stars not just 5. It follows a woman Kate whose son drowned 6 years prior. Kate as a mother believes there was some sort of foul play. Not only was there so much suspense packed into the story but the emotional journey with her fighting to find out the truth behind his death immediately has you hooked. Loved this read!

Kate Hardy has trouble accepting the fact that her 15 year old son Michael's death was a drowning accident.
Six years later her grief has not lessened. When she finds herself at her mother's home when her mother is hospitalised for a stroke, she comes across Michael's diary which firms up her belief that his death was not an accident. In search of the truth, her marriage to Adam is put to test. As she tracks down Michael's mates from school, its soon clear who is responsible for his death, but the why and how are revealed towards the end.

Overall an quick, easy and intriguing read. Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

The Lake draws you in slowly to the story of Kate and her son Michael who drown 6 years ago

Something over the years does not sit right with Kate, Michael was an avid swimmer and he would not have drown

His diary shows up at her mum's and Kate is on a mission to get to the bottom of Michael's secret

Secrets can haunt you.

You cheer for Kate, you cry with Kate as her journey follows lots of twists and turns and red herrings.

Who can Kate trust?

The pages turn quickly as Kate is determined to prove her son did not drown and someone else was with him.

A good debut and I look forward to reading more books by Louise Sharland.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK, Avon for a page turning read

The Lake was at its heart about a mother trying to do right by her son. I figured out who was responsible for her sons drowning fairly quickly but the story of Kates journey kept me invested in the book .