The book jumps in a 14 year span. Phoebe had a great life, nice husband and young son, but one terrible day all that was gone. Her son adopted by another loving couple and Phoebe not able to face her past.
Now 14 years later her son is 17 years old and Phoebe wants to face up and reconnect with him. She has secrets, so she must do it carefully.
This book is a mystery and the reader will not know what terrible incident happened for Phoebe to have her son taken from her, up until the end.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley, HQ & Sarah Clark for this ARC.

This story kept me late at night reading... couldnt wait to see what was coming next.

Some might not Sympathize for the mother. I cant say that I did or didn't. I understand how someone can loose control in the heat of the moment. But to never see their own child again must be hard. Im sure if she could do it all over again she would do it differently.

Realistic, dramatic, emotional, suspensful ...
If it would of had more twist in this story I would of giving it a 5 star.

There was some range of Suspense and at the least it had a happy ending! Still very enjoyable even though it was more of a drama then a mystery-thriller.

#SarahClarke
#AMotherNeverLies
#NetGalley
#Goodreads

Sarah Clarke will certainly be an author I’ll look out for more of her work, easy reading but at the same time descriptive and thought provoking.
Based on a now too familiar background, which is very rarely touched on, provided an interesting backdrop for the storyline. No spoilers so enough to say that the characters were realistic and an interesting mix of todays society, extremely sad in some parts but very truly portrayed.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend to all

A Mother Never Lies is a thought-provoking novel, although pitched as a thriller it was more a tale about trauma and repercussions.

The way the author dealt with the aftermath of something so bad that happened 14 years ago, kept me reading just one more chapter and then another and then another. The main characters Phoebe and Ben obviously had PTSD which both hadn't dealt with all that well and the results of that played out during the book. I did find it hard to sympathise with Phoebe as some(?) of her decisions were very questionable but I did want her to have a happy ending and for Ben to find some peace in his life.

A good book overall and one that I would recommend.

Once I got my head round this book not being a thriller but more a family drama I started to enjoy it more. It’s a very quick read and nicely concluded. Not brilliant but a good read all the same.

This book was very well written and gripping from the beginning, as you wonder what has happened to Phoebe and her family. The injustice of the situation that Phoebe finds herself in is frustrating but I found it very easy to emphasize with Phoebe, who as a character was well represented

I found this book to be such a page turner. I would get to the end of a chapter and just have to read the next one no matter how late at night.

I really liked the pacing and the way the chapters focused on what was happening now vs what happened back then. I really didn’t see what happened then coming, the author really kept me guessing. I felt a lot of sympathy for Phoebe and that’s down to the excellent writing of Sarah Clarke.

What I thought was a lovely touch was the authors note at the end of the book where she provided some background to the book and herself. It was very nice to gain some insight into the origins of the book and the author herself. I look forward to reading more of Sarah Clarke’s work in the future and will definitely keep an eye out for her.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy. A great read.

This was one of those reads that really worked me over emotionally. I found it to be well written, captivating, and emotional. Was quite intense at times, but also quite unputdownable! Would highly recommend to those whom don’t mind emotional thrillers!

This is a very engaging book. It flows well with believable characters whose thoughts and emotions are very well described.
We vary between the present day and the events of the past and every visit to previous years adds a little more detail to the backstory. We begin with enough information to set the scene but it is not until nearer the end that the full details are revealed and by then we have a real feel for the characters.
I understand this is a debut book, if so it is a well written first novel and the author is definitely one to watch.

A really heart wrenching story that packs plenty of emotional punches. My loyalties were definitely tested throughout the book and we’re pulled in many different directions with empathy for all of the main characters in turn.
The answers about the trauma at the heart of the tale aren’t revealed until near the end and there are some surprises but they knit together really well and make a lot of sense. My perspectives were definitely changed and some of the morality and issues involved were very thought provoking. I loved the ending and for me that lessened some of the darkness of the themes and gave me hope for humanity. I would absolutely recommend this book

An intriguing read. Told in flashbacks to the past, the story of how Phoebe lost her former happy family life and in particular her son Charlie, is slowly revealed. Charlie adopted aged 5 is now Ben, and Phoebe won't rest until she has found him. Against all advice and misgivings she forms a relationship with the unhappy teenager and the reader sits in dread as events unfold. What will happen when he discovers what happened to his father that night?

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

A Mother Never Lies - by Sarah Clarke
Publication date - 27th Aug 2021

This is a debut book for this author.
Phoebe is married, lovely home and a son she adores called Charlie.

All it takes is one night and a series of events that happen that evening .......: will completely change this families life’s for ever!!

Without giving anything away.....

The characters Phoebe & Charlie .....one minute I would be feeling sorry for them and the next - questioning why they were doing certain things in the story. A few times I wanted to give them both a good shake lol!

I think this is a great book for a debut and it certainly made me want to know what happens. I liked the now & then chapters in the storyline as I felt I was slowly finding out why they did what they did and it was explained really well and not confusing ! It’s a good one!

Thanks Netgalley !

#netgalley #sarahclarke #HQdigital #anotherneverlies #bookstagramshaz

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Phoebe Taylor, 47, has returned to London after a fourteen-year absence. She’s living with her parents, Flora and Paul in their once-grand house. Her son Charlie, who now goes by the name of Ben Moreton, was adopted by Greg and Lucy, and their daughter Rosie completes their family unit. Phoebe has reached a point in her life when she feels the pull to find her son, despite knowing that the authorities, Charlie's social worker, Clare Morris, in particular, are against it.

Set in Wandsworth, London the storyline moves between May 1998, when Phoebe first meets her husband, to 2005 and 2019 and is told by Phoebe and by Charlie/Ben. Sarah Clarkeportrays these characters and their inner turmoil admirably well. The timeline switches are seamless and ably managed and I really wanted to keep turning the pages. The big reveal was a surprise and overall I was immensely impressed with this stunning début thriller.

A special thank you to HQ, Sarah Clarke, NetGalley and Pigeonhole for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

An untold tragic event led to Phoebe Taylor to give up her 4 year old son, Charlie. Phoebe returns to the area determined to find the child taken away from her. She meets Ben Moreton and instantly knows he is Charlie. She strikes up a friendship and obtains a job in the same coffee shop he works in.
The story is told from Phoebe and Bens perspective, over different periods of time, and the events that led to Phoebe losing her son. This links up to quite a gripping plot with tense rollercoaster moments. I enjoyed reading this thriller and look forward to reading more from Sarah Clarke.

It's been fourteen years since Phoebe last saw her toddler son, Charlie. Forced to give him up, he was adopted and raised by another family. Phoebe has now returned and believes she has the right to enter his life and claim him as her own again. But Charlie is now called Ben, and with Ben currently feeling like he's a failure, he's battling his own insecurities. Told from past to present, the reader is given the back story as to how Phoebe met Charlie's father and what happened after.

I thought this was an interesting read, with Phoebe portraying herself as selfish and somewhat of a victim because of what happened all those years ago and wanting to disrupt her son's new life. Ben doesn't remember much but does have flashbacks and memories that pop up in his mind. What will happen when he finally remembers that horrific night?

Thank you Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read this book.

This Book gave a very insightful view into what it would be like to lose and then find a child. I loved how we got the childs perspective and the mothers, also all that emotion flying around! I can imagine it being very hard, but Sarah did a great job conveying the struggles in this book , it was very heartfelt. i would strongly recommend this one, as it will tug on your heartstrings.

<b>ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review</b>
This was a very wild and crazy read. To me it read more like a mystery than a thriller. The book is told via timeline shifts intermingled with alternate character POVs. As the story goes on little tidbits of information are shared for readers to try and decipher. While I was able to predict some of the what happened in the book, I think the climax was very well done and had me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t exactly love how things played out in the end though, it just felt too much like the wrap up in a made for tv film.

Much of the book is told via the heroines POV and so it’s hard to not feel like you’re on her side even though you have more questions than you do answers. We learn the heroine is just returning home after quite a few years away and has one thing on her mind and one thing only. Insinuations are laid out about how she lived through something traumatic years ago which inevitably cost her the lives of her family. However, out in the world somewhere does life the only living reminder of once her happier, shinier life from 14 years ago. She’s desperate to seek out her long lost son, only everything and everyone keep standing in her way including the promise she’d stay away during his adoption all those years ago. The book was full of so much intrigue I really was literally chock full of questions as it went on. All in all a pretty decent read.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of A Mother Never Lies
SOME TRUTHS CAN’T BE TOLD.
I had the perfect life – a nice house, a loving husband, a beautiful little boy.

But in one devastating night, they were all ripped from me.

It's been fourteen years, and I’m finally ready to face the past.

I’m taking my son back.

He just can’t know who I am…or why we were torn apart.

SOME TRUTHS CAN’T BE TOLD.
I had the perfect life – a nice house, a loving husband, a beautiful little boy.
But in one devastating night, they were all ripped from me.
It's been fourteen years, and I’m finally ready to face the past.
I’m taking my son back.
He just can’t know who I am…or why we were torn apart.

This is a thrilling debut novel
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

An interesting and unusual plot line. It’s well written and well paced. The suspense builds up as the story develops, and the ending doesn’t disappoint. It’s full of different emotions which are well portrayed in the different characters. It took me a few chapters to get into the book as I was a bit confused at first with the chopping and changing to different characters. But once I understood how the characters were related and what the plot line was I was gripped. I couldn’t wait to discover the outcome. This book is well worth a read and I’d like to thank NetGalley and HQ for allowing me to read it.