"Where Water Lies" by Hilary Tailor is a fiction book with a focus on characters and their relationships.

In high school, Eliza and Eric became best friends. Later, it was Eliza, Eric, and Maggie who were always together. In the future, Iris and Eliza were friends and Eliza and Lou were friends. And there was a pond where Eliza liked to swim in all seasons. The story details these relationships in the past and the present, 20 years later.

Honestly, I was pretty bored. I prefer books with more action. If you do like heavy character stories, this one may be good for you. It is well written. By breaking it down this way below, I hope it helps you to understand my rating.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 2/5
Pacing - 2/5
Unputdownability - 2/5
Enjoyment - 2/5
Narration - 4/5 by Nneka Okoye
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 26/8 = 3 2/8

Thank you to Netgalley, Brilliance Audio, and Hilary Tailor for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The ending and character growth was satisfying for both Eliza and Iris. But it seemed to drag at times. I was also frustrated by both women at times.

I can't exactly put my finger on what was missing, but something was.

Nneka Okoye does a wonderful job with the audiobook narration.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

i gobbled up this audio book. my thanks to netgalley and brilliance audio for giving me this opportunity to listen. publishing date is tomorrow. congratulations to hilary tailor. and to Nneka Okoye, who does a gorgeous job narrating. this is a beautiful book. a sensitive ode to the interior life we carry inside of us, filled with remorse and regret and shame and suffering. lest you think this is a depressing book, be assured, it is not. it is filled with lovely imagery of the most beautiful swimming pond, by the heath, outside of london proper. eliza's cottage and greenhouse are enviable, even in their dilapidated condition. eliza and iris meet at the pond, each of them holding so much pain inside and hiding from their family and the past. together they find ways to free themselves of this burden and to reunite with the people they left. and love. at 18 eliza was tangled up with a set of twins, eric and maggie. tragedy ensues and she lost them both. she carries them close to her, including a tattoo of 3 dots on her arm. a triangled relationship for sure. lois left her baby boy and husband due to post partum depression that she didn't even know she had. there is one other rather important lovely character, too. lucas, who holds a space for eliza and loves her deeply. i am going to go back and read the author's first book now, the vanishing tide.

Eliza found two best friends. Twins. Their friendship has highs and lows. A trajedy occurs and breaks the friendship. 20 years late, healing begins.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Nneka Okoye who does a fantastic job!

Eliza and Iris swim in the Hampstead Ladies Pond year round. It is a sacred place for both of them, but they swim for very different reasons. Eliza has lived two lives: one where she fell into an obsessive teenage friendship with Eric and Maggie, and then twenty years later where she’s reclusive and alone. Iris’ story is told from her interaction with Eliza and also by Iris, herself.

The dual narrators and their connection work really well together to add more depth and interest to the plot. This is a lyrical, well written story that allows each character to draw you into their story. This is a multilayered story that gently draws you in. It was a nice break from my usual serial killer, psychological thrillers!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I loved this audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job. The writer did great with the characters and their complexities. She built up each character so that we got to really know them. I found this to not only be womens fiction but also mystery and suspense as well. It is definitely a slow burn but well worth it.
Great listen that I really enjoyed.

4.25-4.5⭐️

I had the audiobook read by Nneka Okoye who does an excellent job.

A new to me author with this Women’s fiction. Eliza swims daily in Hampstead pools where her life intersects with Iris a lifeguard at the pool. Eliza has lived two lives one where she fell into an obsessive teenage friendship with Eric and Maggie, and then twenty years later where she’s reclusive and alone. Eliza’s two worlds collide in this story. We get Iris’s story from both her interaction with Eliza plus her own story. The dual threads and their connection work really well together to add more depth and interest.

The story telling is gentle, a literary slow burn,it’s unusual for me to gel with a slow burn but the characters are so well written. There are no big twists and turns, instead having various layers which are gradually explored it really drew me in. It’s a moving story pretty much throughout, but not too heavy it’s obvious that both of our MCs have a troubled past, it also has a feel good vibe.
They are mainly likeable characters which helps to get you on side, but there’s one to dislike.
This is one that I would recommend, especially in audiobook format.