Though the cover of this novel has a slight thriller vibe, make no mistake, this is not a thriller.

The novel was about two young women, both pregnant, a generation apart. Some of the scenes in the book were traumatic to read.

Grace and her husband Mike were so very excited to be expecting a baby. Grace sewed tiny clothes and she and her best friend, Susie, made a large and colourful rag rug for the baby's room. But this was the 1970s. A time when women were induced to accommodate the schedule of the doctors. When husbands were not welcomed at the actual birth. Grace, quite naive in her expectations of what would happen, had a very traumatic birth experience. Alone while she laboured, and frightened, she would never get over the birth of her baby daughter, Joanne.

Joanne and her husband, Alex, have been trying to get pregnant for years unsuccessfully. After IVF treatments and seven miscarriages, finally now they have passed the crucial five month mark. All of this obsession to conceive has put a strain on their marriage. Joanne is now in her forties and therefore hers is a 'high-risk' pregnancy.

When her father brings over a box of her baby things that she might use for her new baby, she finds her own baby journal. Having been told that her mother Grace died while giving birth to her, she was shocked to see photos of Grace holding her as a baby... This discovery causes Joanne to become estranged from her Dad and leads her on a path to ascertain just what happened to her birthmother, Grace.

Like most people, I know that some women experience the 'baby blues', or postpartum depression, however, with this novel I learned that there is also a thing called 'postpartum psychosis' which affects around one in one thousand women!

This was a well-written novel about motherhood, childbirth, and mental illness. The scenes which were narrated by Grace were particularly poignant and distressing.

Looking back at the way postnatal practices have evolved, stresses the great advances in obstetric medicine.

Also, this book touches on the theme of nature vs. nurture.

All in all, "The Secret of the Brighton House" was an absorbing, emotionally charged and meaningful work of women's fiction.

Tracking down the truth has reunited her with the people who thought they had lost her forever.
But this pursuit is taking a toll on her health. It’s puzzling why Joanne can’t discover the truth until after giving birth. But I could understand her unease and search for the truth, even at her own risk.

Mental health was a prominent theme in this book, and I appreciated how it was handled, the author's sharing of her story and her research, and the invaluable sources included at the end.
Women's health is important to me personally, as I have PCOS, and I can not imagine how hard it was for women in the seventies (the other timeline in the book) with even more severe medical problems

In "The Secret of the Brighton House," Cathy Hayward tackles the profound and often overlooked themes of postpartum depression and psychosis through the lens of her protagonist, Grace. This poignant narrative, while fictional, resonates deeply with the realities faced by many women, shedding light on a critical issue that deserves more attention.

Hayward’s writing is both sensitive and insightful, reflecting extensive research and a genuine understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health in the postpartum period. The portrayal of Grace’s struggles is intense yet tastefully rendered, allowing readers to connect with her journey on an emotional level. The narrative balances the weight of the subject matter with moments of humanity and resilience, making for a compelling read.

The author’s ability to weave these serious themes into a narrative that is engaging and thought-provoking is commendable. "The Secret of the Brighton House" not only highlights the challenges women face but also sparks important conversations around mental health that are often shrouded in stigma.

Overall, this book is a remarkable exploration of postpartum experiences that will resonate with many. Cathy Hayward’s thoughtful storytelling deserves high praise for bringing such a vital topic to the forefront in a well-crafted and impactful manner. This is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of motherhood and mental health.

This is a dual timeline story, Joanne is in the 2020s and her mother Grace in 1975. This was quite a sad story, Grace was suffering from a condition after child birth that I hadn’t heard of before. My heart ached for her. I could understand to a certain extent why Joanne’s father hadn’t told her the truth about her mother but she was now in her 40s so surely she was able to cope with the revelation. I also found Joanne incredibly selfish, the way she just went off to discover more by herself and didn’t contact her family while she was away, even though she knew they would be worried about her. The story flowed along well and there was a happy ending but it still left me feeling sad, which is not something I want from a book. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Secret of the Brighton House by Cathy Hayward was an atmospheric story full of emotion and secrets.
This was a well written story.
The lacing was great and the characters well developed.
I enjoyed this one from start to finish.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I gave it 4 stars being generous. If you look at it as more of a suspenseful contemporary fiction novel, it's not bad. However, it's being marketed as a thriller. As a thriller it deserves 3 stars at best.

The "twist" was pretty well spelled out for the reader towards the beginning of the book. I feel that the book could have been salvaged by some sort of climax at the end, but it just sort of dwindled out.

I also question the amount of research the author did regarding pregnancy and birthing in the 70s. The only way I could see patients being treated that way is if they were in a substandard hospital for low income patients. Nowhere was this ever stated.

Overall, it was interesting and the plot was paced so that it kept me reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a story, I was gripped from the first chapter and felt the pacing between Grace and Joanne's timeline really well done. Each of their stories we're compelling enough that switching between them both felt so well paced (finding it hard to describe sorry)
The story follows Joanne, after years of struggling to conceive her and Alex as so happy that IVF was successful. She's planning out the nursey, clothes and dreaming of holding her baby.
Her Dad and Mam are overjoyed, Joanne has always known that her biological mother Grace died during childbirth but she's been lucky to have Lou (Mam) who raised her from a toddler. Her Dad gives her a box containing some clothing from when she was a baby, little does he know it contains Joanne's baby book, partially complete by Grace.
What Joanne reads in the book and the few photo's within it throws everything she's believed into a spin. I won't give any spoilers but the dual timeline takes you through Grace's heart-breaking life and Joanne's discoveries.
I was born in the 70's so this truly resonated with me. Bravo Cathy for a story so well throughout and described so well.
My only frustration was how Joanne dealt with her own health issues during the pregnancy. I do understand her overwhelming need to find out the truth about Grace but not risking her own pregnancy.
Thank you NetGalley, Cathy Howard and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

Dual timeline novel. Some unnecessarily lengthy sections but overall I enjoyed this and would read another of Cathy's books.

A dual time line novel about Joanne and Grace, the mother she was told died in childbirth. It seems inconceivable that Joanne's father (and stepmother) lied to her over and over again about her mother but that's what happened because Grace's mental health was so bad after Joanne's birth. But to kill her off- that's amazing. You will feel the pain of both women. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A tough read.

This was a good book. I love the dual perspective in this. Hayward narrates an issue that so many people suffer from with commission, empathy and striving realism. It is well written, identifying the impact on both the sufferer and their family and friends.

This is the story of Joanne, who is finally pregnant in 2021, in her forties, after many years of not being able to carry a baby past a few weeks. And, it is also the story of Grace, who is pregnant with Joanne, in 1975. Mother and daughter, both pregnant in parallel timelines.

This story is unnecessarily long and drawn out. The writing style is weak. And, I have major issues with the plot.

The first is the description of the birthing room and maternity ward in England in 1975. I gave birth in 1973 in Canada. I cannot believe that what was written is accurate. I find it hard to believe that it would differ as much as it seemed between England and Canada. It sounded barbaric, like something out of the early 20th century. Physically disabled babies were whisked away. Unmarried mothers were treated with scorn. And more.

Secrets are a big part of many stories. Usually, it is interesting trying to guess them and watching them play out. Usually, there is a good reason for the secret. In this story, it is a secret kept by Joanne's father. For the life of me, I could not understand his reasoning. Secrets from the past might be hurtful but not knowing or suspecting can even be worse. The whole thing left me with a creepy feeling, definitely not in a good way.

This is a very dark and sad story. I had to skim parts of it, just too much for me. While it did end on a positive note, it was not enough to erase what came before. This was not the book for me. And, I do not recommend it for anyone pregnant or contemplating pregnancy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy .

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this eCopy to review

I recently finished reading The Secret of the Brighton House by Cathy Hayward, and it was quite an emotional journey. The story revolves around Joanne, who has always believed that her mother died in childbirth. However, when she discovers a photo of her birth mother holding her as a new born, everything she thought she knew about her past is thrown into question.

Joanne, experiences a whirlwind of emotions. The initial shock of uncovering the photo was just the beginning. Her father’s reluctance to discuss the past only fuelled her determination to uncover the truth. Each revelation was like peeling back layers of a deeply buried secret, and the more she discovered, the more her world seemed to unravel.

The writing was engaging, and the dual timelines between the past and present were handled well, keeping me hooked throughout. The revelation of long-held family secrets, was compelling. However, there were moments when the story felt repetitive, and some plot points seemed a bit contrived.

Despite these minor issues, the book’s exploration of family dynamics and the consequences of hidden truths was powerful. It’s a poignant read that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page

Mostly enjoyed this book but a few patches of what I felt, unnecessary lengthy descriptive patches. Good story line and the characters were all believable, on the whole. Personally I found the book falling rather flat towards the end., most readers would have had a good guess as to what actually occurred.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

My heart broke reading this book. It was so uncomfortable to read such an amazing expression of what having puerperal psychosis might be like for the sufferer. The experiences Grace went through during and after having baby Joanne were horrendous. I literally squirmed. I had my first baby at a similar age in the same week, month and year and had a not dissimilar traumatic experience but thankfully with a different ending. Thank goodness our understanding and compassion around childbirth and motherhood has changed for the better. I felt so much for Joanne discovering all this hidden family history during her own last attempt at pregnancy. The author expressed everyone's emotions so well and the dual timeline/narrator works so well to move the story along I can't express enough what a brilliant read I found this book to be. Have the tissues ready though.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was quite a dark read, but an enjoyable one.
I liked the dual timeline although at sometimes it was frustrating.
The main character was strong and I liked the way it was written.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book and I did at first. Joanne thought her mom died while giving birth to her but then she finds some photos of herself as a baby where her mother is holding her so she starts to ask questions. Her dad refuses to answer them so Joanne has to investigate it herself.

I had a few issues with this book namely:
- A government official lets Joanne look through a patient file
- Joanne's father and step-mom tiptoeing around her and not explaining things
- Joanne's mom's family didn't do anything about finding her when she was taken away
- Joanne's father then doubles down on his lies
- Joanne's stepmom and dad hide from her when she comes to the door
- When they do finally answer the door her stepmom closes it in her face

And then there was the story and the writing itself. The writing was pedestrian and very amateurish. The same thing happened over and over again ad nauseam. The book lacked any real depth. If Joanne's father was just honest with her when she asked questions he could have saved Joanne a lot of stress and heartache. He made it worse not better. She had to schlep all over the place in her condition. I hate deception, especially where children are concerned. They should not be lied to no matter what because it'll always come back to haunt you and them, and often the lying is worse than the secret itself, as in this story. While I appreciate what the author was trying to do here, shining a light on a not much talked about mental health issue, it's just got bogged down with how unbelievable the story was, the repetitiveness and amateurish writing.

I am afraid that the mental illness side of this book was too upsetting for me to read, so I had to give up about 75% through. Sorry

Joanne was always told her mum died giving birth to her. Already anxious about her own pregnancy following several miscarriages and fertility treatment she's fearful of her own labour. But on receiving boxes of clothes that her dad gave her she's shocked to discover photos of her with her mum Grace after the birth. She's been lied to all her life and wants answers, but the search for the truth could put her own health at risk.
This was a quick read for me, the difficult subjects are approached and written empathetically. The story is told in two timelines, from Grace's perspective and from Joanne's. It's a family drama with a reasoning behind it( as written in authors notes) it's also a subject I haven't read about before. A solid read with a satisfying epilogue

As much as I found the writing and pacing very fluid, this book simply couldn't hold me. The plot is a bit boring and weak. It's basically the kind of story people would write about seeing this happen to someone they knew. The characters were also quite maddening, with some completely absurd reactions to such simple facts. I would say that the ending was satisfactory but not enough for this to be a book that I would recommend to someone.

This was a well written and well thought out book. Joanne has finally gotten pregnant after years of trying. Her entire Family is excited for her. Her dad and stepmom bring over some of her baby clothes and she discoveres a baby book. She’s always been told her mom died in childbirth. This discovery leads her on a trail to find the truth. I was worried some of my questions wouldn’t be answered in the end, but Cathy Hayward did an excellent job of finishing the family’s story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the early release.