Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my personal opinions.

<i>"Sometimes when you lose someone you didn't get along with, it's harder than when you lose someone you loved unequivocally. You realise you can never put it right"</i>

The Girl in the Midnight Maze is an utterly poignant yet beautiful read, shedding light on the aspects of motherhood, family muddles, stereotypical expectations of society, deep-dark sensitive subject matters, and the burdensome decisions a woman has to make. Hayward has enticingly reflected upon mother-daughter relationships through dual POVs and multiple time switches which has been done effortlessly.

The painting never loses its significance throughout the entire book, which I view as an artistic way to describe the woman, one way or another trapped within the shackles and confinements of society and expectations, dilemmas, and regrets. It is the sense of relatability and resemblance to the girl and a mirror of their feelings in the maze that makes Emma, Libby, Betty, and Clare hear the echoes of the girl at night.

The book has led me to an intense book hangover and I'm certain I will not get over it soon, it was an assorted journey of emotions where, along with the eyes my heart bled for Margaret, the anguish I felt towards Betty (even though empathizing with her feeling as well) and the sadness I felt towards Elizabeth. From the very start, the story gets you hooked and captures your heart with an unrelenting grip.

(P.S. - I even cried while reading the Acknowledgments).

This was such a good book! I knew the minute that I opened this book i wouldn't be able to put it down until Betty, Margaret and Emma told me their story. At times, it such a sad and selfish one but an understanding one.
It's probably how my birth mom felt about giving me up. At least I hope so.
Here's a quote from Mr. Eals "Our parents lives are
mystery, aren’t they?’ he said. ‘We’re not interested while they’re alive, too busy with our own lives. We think that our existence is more interesting, that our parents are dull and have never lived. And then, too late, we often discover that we could have learned a
lot from their example."
I'm guilty of the very same about my parents.
The one I felt mostly sorry for was Emma and Elizabeth. Emma finding things out the hard way which really shouldn't have happened.
She's a wonderful character but it was Margaret and Betty who made this story interesting.
Mr. Eals is a mystery in himself. At first I wasn't sure why I liked him so much but as I read on it became clear why. I want to call him the gatekeeper of many secrets.
I loved that this novel is based on the author's life.
Please read her notes at the end. They're very interesting.
I've also learned quite a bit about birthing homes I guess you'd call them. Not so nice places. My heart went out to those women and girls through no fault of their own.
I was completely invested in this book from the beginning because the secrets are what kept me turning the pages.
Times I wanted to cry and times I just wanted to shake my head.
But I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I'm giving this book 5 stars. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I love a good story about a secret in a family and this was it! It was sooooo good! I could not wait to see how it ended, and was amazed at the ride the story took the reader on. Well done!

I loved this book. A mysterious clue in a painting sends a woman on a path to discovery about her mother's past . As this woman unravels her mother's life, the distance that she felt towards her mother is explained in this beautifully written novel. I can't wait for this author's next book!
Highly recommended.

A great emotional read. I loved the various interpersonal relationships that occurred in the various timelines.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
What a wonderful book this was, I loved it!
The story is quite sad at times and tackles very difficult subjects, but it does so sensitively. It's sad and heartbreaking, but uplifting in the end. The central theme is the relationship between mothers and daughters and whether unmasking past secrets is a good idea or not.
It's a beautiful book with an uplifting ending and I recommend it highly!