I think that Philip Larkin had it right when he levied criticism at parents and their innate ability to shape the course of your life. For better or for worse, those early years, and the influence of those around you, serve to shape the character you are set to become. Admittedly, when it comes to Daisy's condition, genetics, psychology, and who knows what else, will have had a hand to play in her future, but she sure wasn't helped by her parents. Her father especially. His affair with her mother's best friend triggered the onset of a pretty severe case of obsessive compulsive disorder, an obsessive need to take certain actions and behaviours in order to keep her mother and brother safe. It is something that she managed to overcome, but when a letter from the 'mistress' arrives for her Mother, it doesn't take long for Daisy's dormant obsessions to resurface.

I don't know what i was quite expecting when i started reading this book, but it probably wasn't what I got. This is very much a study of a very broken and troubled family, and the impact that one fateful summer came to have on their futures. It is told from the points of view of the Rankin family, parents Nick and Rosie, and children Daisy and Max, providing very different perspectives on what happened during the holiday in Norfolk, and what is happening in the present. Each of the characters holds a key fact to what is really happening, with the narrative switching back and forth between that summer and the present day where, Lisa, Rosie's former best friend and Nick's soon to be wife, has received some devastating news that has torn their world apart. This triggers a need in her to reconnect with Rosie, in turn triggering Daisy. It's a complex and twisted dynamic, and we are seeing the characters at both their best and their worst. The best before, when life was simple and straightforward. Their worst in the aftermath. For some of the characters, maybe it is only the worst we see, but stirred by the naivety and anger of youth.

Fiona Neill has done a brilliant job of imagining a family in crisis. Each of the character voices are unique and compelling in their own right. I felt strongly for Daisy, knowing that she understood the madness of her situation and her compulsion, that she recognised that what she was imagining couldn't logically happen, but being powerless to do anything about it. There is such a feeling of authenticity about this aspect of her personality, her OCD, that I couldn't help but feel for her. And the more we learn in the story about what really happened both that summer and the few years afterwards, the more I felt drawn to her. She was a broken soul, in need of love and security, something she found in her mother and brother but which, in turn, drove her obsession with keeping them safe. A real vicious circle. With regards to the others, I did feel some sympathy towards Rosie, and certainly towards Max who only ever wanted to keep Daisy safe and whose life had been shaped by the breakdown of her mental health and his parent's marriage. It's a real tragedy, but one that plays out all too often that it fed a kind of compulsion to keep reading.

There is a certain air of tragedy about this book from the very beginning. Yes, I was intrigued by the nature of all the secrets. That kept me invested in the tale of this very broken family. But it was as much that sense that they were all sleepwalking towards some kind of tragic finale that really held my attention. So many secrets, some many lies by omission, that the inevitability of what comes to pass is very clear. It didn;t mean that the final chapter wasn't still surprising, of heartfelt. The author has really captured the melancholy and the weariness of all of the characters perfectly, the raw emotions seeping from the page, and the sense of betrayal from each and everyone of them actually coming across as quite raw and intense. Because it is a perfectly titled book in that sense. One betrayal after another leading them all towards a far from happy ending.

If you like a family led drama, with strong characters, a hint of mystery, and an acutely observed portrayal of human nature, this could be the book for you. Recommended.

2020 52 Book Challenge - 39) A Book Used In A Celebrity Book Club

DNF at 20%.

Honestly, this book was so boring. The characters are unlikable and off-putting. The plot is slow and laborious. The aspect of looking at memory and the effect on mental health was interesting, but not enough to save it.

I enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read it.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

I really enjoyed this cross between a whodunnit and a family saga - intelligently written, with a diverse cast of interesting, believable and compelling characters and an enjoyable pace as their tangled relationships are slowly unfurled, centreing around the tale of a holiday together that changed their lives several years previously. Some ambiguous mysteries (specifically certain betrayals) are clarified, while at the same time certain characters are creating yet more. The interwoven topics of memory, OCD anxiety and cancer research seemed well-researched and are deftly included to enhance the plot and make it even more realistic - I particularly found the reactions of Nick to his fiancee's hippy cancer guru hilarious. I also found Max and Rosie's characters very warm and relatable. Overall a really compelling, enjoyable read - like a psychological thriller but gentler - ideal beach / holiday fare. Recommended! Thanks to the publishers & Netgalley for the opportunity to read.

I was unable to connect with the storyline on this book so didn't finish it, therefore I feel unable to leave a constructive review

Omg wow this book is amazing it's full of twists and turns it will keep you up all night I really enjoyed this book

A gripping drama told from the perspectives of different family members. It's a book that's hard to put down because of its interesting premise and well-rounded characters.

Dear Penguin.

Firstly, thanks very much for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Unfortunately, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be reading and reviewing this title due to the large number of titles that I currently have on my shelf, and my inability to read them all. For this reason, I've decided to tidy up of my Netgalley shelf and I won't be able to read and review this title for you as I had hoped to do.

I hope to be able to read and review further titles for you in the future, and I wish both you and the author every success with this title.

Thanks and Regards
Kim

I was really looking forward to reading this book, however it just didn't engage me. It felt as though I was waiting for the main event to happen, but it didn't seem to offer any great drama. I finished it, as I'm never one to give up on a book, but I felt quite let down by it.

The Betrayals was one of my favorite books that have ever been provided to me by Netgalley. I wasn't able to put it down. I had my doubts in the beginning but it did surprise me. It's true that memories aren't reliable and the author was able to use that concept to represent a variety of unreliable narrators that made us keep guessing until the very end.

Wow! First book I’ve by this author I have read and what a fantastic road of secrets and lies it was! So good to see a writer with great character development in this genre. It’s one of the things I look for as I read a book. If I can connect with the characters I know I’ll love it. Fantastic novel and look forward to reading her others!

With thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

The Betrayals is mainly about affairs and divorce and which side you think you should take.

I'm sure most people will enjoy this book.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Betrayals but that has in no way influenced my review.

I'm not entirely sure how I ended up with The Betrayals on my NetGalley shelf. It's so different to what I normally read. If you're a regular visitor to the blog then you may know that crime fiction is my 'thing', liberally sprinkled with lots of death and destruction. The Betrayals I would describe more as a family drama....and I LOVED IT! Honestly, I think I may be mellowing in my old age because I couldn't put this book down and it really wormed its way under my skin.

Lisa committed one of the worst crimes a best friend could, when she had an affair with Rosie's husband, Nick. The affair ended what Rosie thought was a strong and stable marriage, leaving her and her two children, Daisy and Max, alone. Now, after eight years of silence, Lisa wants to talk. She has something she has to share with Rosie and time is running out. But the threat of Lisa being back in their lives puts untold pressure on an already fragile Daisy whose compulsive behaviour is spiralling out of control. Will Rosie confront the past, come face to face with her ex-best friend and discover what Lisa wants to share? Four points of view, four very different memories of a week on the Norfolk coast which changed the lives of the Rankin family forever...

This is a wonderful, character-driven, slow burn of a novel and I devoured it. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. When I was doing other things (cooking, watching TV) I wanted to get back to the book. There's nothing I love more than a character-driven novel and that's what The Betrayals delivers in spades. The Rankin family, made up of mum - breast cancer consultant - Rosie, estranged Dad, Nick - who works in the study of memory - student daughter, Daisy, and medical student son, Max, were such a fascinating bunch of characters that I was pulled into their world from the very start of the book to the very end. Four different points of view, but for me, it was all about Max and Daisy. The Betrayals is their story.

Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the four family members in the present day. The reader is then whisked to the blowy Norfolk coast and back to that fateful week eight years ago, and that's when things start slotting into place for the reader. Divided loyalties, teenage insecurities and the beginning of the end for not one, but two marriages. The start of something unwelcome - or perhaps the catalyst for it to begin to dig its spiky nails in further. There was no turning back after the holiday in Norfolk where lives changed forever. I must mention how utterly adorable Max is at the age of 10 years old. He's so very wise beyond his years, so observant and astute.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes but be prepared for a wonderful slow burn of a novel with very few twists and turns and a somewhat over-egged big reveal courtesy of Lisa. This is the story of the Rankins and I savoured every moment I spent with them. I would normally shy away from a book like this as it's not my usual choice of genre but I'm so glad I read it. The Betrayals puts family dynamics under the microscope and I heartily recommend it.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Betrayals. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

This book centres around an affair, divorce and trying to figure out which side of the story to believe.

This book was fantastically written and I was so involved with the characters.

There were so many times I actually had to remind myself that I was reading a work of fiction and not a real life story.

I highly recommend this book.

The Betrayals was in one of my favourite genre, mystery/thriller. I liked the POV writing style within the book which sometimes I can find hard work. It helps build the story and character by seeing the memories, emotions and how one another's actions affect others within the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book for the most part but have to knock a star off as I felt the ending was a little rushed

This was such a nice surprise, not the run of the mill thriller I was expecting but great writing, interesting and deep characters, and a gripping story. It was funny and sad, completely believable and I thought the description of how OCD affects the sufferer's family as well as her, was done brilliantly. And the ending was perfect. I would definitely recommend.

The Betrayals is a book about a family being torn apart by deception, divorce, OCD and cancer. Quite a dysfunctional family.
Each four family members tell the story in their own voice and how they saw it.
A really good read that drew me in.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.