This has been an “unputdownable” book for me.

It’s very intense, I was full of anxiety reading this from daughters side (Laura) her Mother and the abuser, her Father.

It’s unusual to gain insight to the thoughts of the abuser, but, this author did this and although it’s stomach churningly gross at such illogical and totally off limits subject, she did it well.
It’s not an easy book to digest but an insightful one. Abuse in any form is not acceptable and never forgivable and in just a mini second I felt sorry for the abuser!

Hang on!
Hey up a minute.
His reasons, his excuses his past doesn’t and shouldn’t relay who he is today or excuse the rights and wrongs.

Laura had to live with this abuse and we struggle along with her and her choices in life.

Her friends reactions, her brothers and her mothers.

But then, will her dad do “it” again.

What happens if he does.

I would have given this 5 stars but for the convenience of the ending. I got to where I guessed what would happen. Too convenient for me.

However this was a fabulous ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT read.

Would I recommend it? Yes. But be aware there’s abuse in this

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this arc.
This is the story of child abuse seen through the eyes of the abused, Laura, the abuser Paul and the Paul's wife and Laura's mother Suzanne. It shows the ramifications of child abuse on both the child and those close to her. Laura was a sad, damaged young woman who had never been able to come to terms with what her father did. Paul was a bully and justified his actions by convincing himself that Laura wanted him to do the things he did and Suzanne was a very weak woman who spent her life wallowing in her own sadness but finally finds a backbone.
A sad story of a broken girl who hopefully will find peace and happiness in her future. Not a bad book but not great either.

This needed to be able to be rated more than 5 stars. This was such aa dark, emotional, and twisted book. It was definitely a book that you have to brace yourself for. There were so many emotions running through me as I read this story. What would you do, how far would you go if the hell you visited was possibly be thrust upon someone else and you could possibly end it. This was an amazing book that everyone needs to read. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this and write about it.

A very dark,harrowing and uncomfortable story but very well written and told from different perspectives
Disturbing and upsetting and wont be suitable for everyone but as say superbly written

This was an interesting and enjoyable read despite the serious subject matter. The author was able to present the story directly without being 'afraid' of offending. She did not skirt around the primary storyline but presented a realistic presentation of the subject matter.

This was an highly emotional read, often uncomfortable to read due to the subject matter of abuse, but Ensor does a fantastic job of dealing with things in a sensitive and genuine manner. Sexual abuse is never an easy subject to discuss or read about but it’s a valid issue and one that was handled with care here.

What was unique about this one was that you not only hear from Laura and her mother Suzanne, you hear from Paul as well and see what he’s thinking and feeling. It was a disturbing look inside the mind of a pedophile but it was also interesting to see what he was thinking. Laura was such a sympathetic character, she’s never told anyone about the abuse and now she’s faced with a huge moral dilemma as she’s worried her father may be grooming a new victim. I was so empathetic towards her, she broke my heart and had been through so much.

This was one of those books that makes you think and if you can stomach hard hitting subject matter then I can definitely recommend it. Ensor is a gifted writer and this was an emotional read that I won’t soon forget.

The Girl In His Eyes in three words: Harrowing, Dark and Disturbing.

This book took me through so many emotions!! It is dark, disturbing, gritty and gripped me completely.

I loved the characters in the story and the different view points used to tell it worked very well. The book didn't take me too long to read as soon as I'd started it I knew it was a book that I needed to finish the same day - I was hooked and needed to see how it would end.

It is a story that for me was hard hitting and it did stay with me - the topics in are dealt with really well and it is definitely five stars from me - an excellent story and very highly recommended!!

; I’m going to start by saying this is one tough book to read! Very emotional, a hard read for me as parts hit a little too close to home. But nevertheless I read it all and parts can be a bit dark and out there in your face. But it is a good story!

Thinking about it, it’s also a powerful story with a hidden message. I felt all sorts of emotions throughout reading this story and I look up to Lauras character. This is a story that every reader can learn from or take something away from it, a story that makes the reader think! I understand it may not appeal to some readers due to the dark side of the story and abuse involved but it is written brilliantly.

A well deserved four stars from myself.

My review is written with thanks to Bloodhound Books for inviting me on the tour and providing my copy of the book via Netgalley.
Laura was abused by her father as she was growing up. Now 22, she has horrific memories and flashbacks to that time. She is terrified to learn that her mum's friend has asked her father to teach her young daughter, Emma, to swim. Can Laura face her father and confront him before it is too late?
Ensor does not explain what happened to Laura straight away, but as soon as Laura enters her parents' house for a family dinner on the first page, I could tell that she felt uncomfortable being there and I wanted to know why. The stifling atmosphere that is created here is something that Ensor maintains for the whole novel, and although it means The Girl In His Eyes makes difficult reading, it is very compelling.
The characters in The Girl In His Eyes are a real strength. The chapters are written from the viewpoints of Laura, Suzanne (her mother) and Paul (her father) and this helped me to learn why they acted in the way they did, even if it did not exonerate them. Paul's chapters made me squirm, and as the novel progressed I began to hate him almost as much as Laura did. Suzanne's chapters made me feel sympathetic towards her in a way I might not have done had I not read her side of the story. It is clear that Laura has been deeply affected by what happened to her, and it has influenced the way she feels and behaves in adulthood. There were times I wanted to shake them and scream at them, but all the characters have very real traits, and this allows Ensor to make sure her message is as hard hitting as it possibly can be.

I discovered Jennie Ensor in 2016 when I read her stunning debut, Blindside, but oh my word is her second book worth waiting for. The Girl In His Eyes is difficult to read because of the subject of child abuse, although it is not in any way graphic, but it is the emotion pouring out of every page that really got to me. Jennie Ensor has poured her heart and soul into this book and it shows as you can't fail to be moved by this story.

Right away I could tell that Laura was very disconnected from her family; she no sooner arrived at her parents' house than she was ready to leave. It must take an unbelievable amount of strength to be in the same room as her father knowing what he did to her as a child. Laura has never told anyone what happened and bottling that up inside has caused such damage to her self esteem that it made my heart break. When her father shows interest in another young girl, Laura must find the strength to speak out whatever it costs.

Superbly written, The Girl In His Eyes is such an intensely emotional book that I had to pause often to catch my breath and keep my emotions in check. I have never felt such a huge spectrum of emotions whilst reading a book, ranging from anger and disgust right though to sadness and hope. The Girl In His Eyes is so exceptional that I could give nothing less than 5 stars for this heartbreakingly emotional book.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Twenty-two year old Laura’s life is in free-fall. She is living in a grotty flat with a history of many failed jobs to her credit – and now she is out of work again and money is running out. She is somewhat isolated from her parents and her brother. What is responsible for this? We soon discover that Laura at the age of 11 was groomed by her father who went on to abuse her, leaving her traumatised and a shadow of the young girl she could have (and would have) become.

The story unfolds in three strands – from the point of view from Laura, her mother (who is unaware of the abuse) and the abuser, her father. As one would expect Laura is beset with negative feelings, including those of guilt: did she invite the abuse; why didn’t she report it; stop it; speak to her mother? From the mother’s point of view – why did she not notice; suspect; question the changes in Laura: is she somewhat responsible? The abuser – it is rare that we are given an insight into what motivates the abuser; how he justifies his behaviour; what controls him.

Then, Emma comes into the equation: she is the daughter of the mother’s best-friend who asks the father to accompany Emma to swimming every week to help her through a difficult stage. I can’t make up my mind who is the lunatic – Laura’s mother or her best friend. Yes, I know it is a sad world when you can’t trust people to do nice things for each other – but really, swimming! Even if it is not dodgy, how could it be perceived by onlookers – if it were my brother I wouldn’t let him do it, I would want to protect him.

So, did I enjoy the book. You can bet your boots on it. Well-written, especially considering the sensitive nature of the subject matter. Insightful, it offers a myriad of viewpoints, questions society and its morals. Warning though – it is specifically dealing with incest and rape and can be uncomfortable but still, a great book.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

The girl in his eyes by Jennie Ensor.
Her father abused her when she was a child. For years she was too afraid to speak out. But now she suspects he’s found another victim…
Laura, a young woman struggling to deal with what her father did to her a decade ago, is horrified to realise that the girl he takes swimming might be his next victim. Emma is twelve – the age Laura was when her father took away her innocence.
Intimidated by her father’s rages, Laura has never told anyone the truth about her childhood. Now she must decide whether she has the courage to expose him and face the consequences.
Can Laura overcome her fear and save Emma before the worst happens?
This was a very emotional read. I had a theory what happened to Laura. I was partly right. I was surprised by what happened. 4*.

This is a very powerful emotional read. The content is obviously very distressing but it is a story that will give an insight into the effects that abuse within the family home has on everyone involved.

Laura is living with the aftermath of being abused by her own father. Her life hasn’t turned out how she expected and she is still living with the memories and effects of being a victim of sexual abuse. She hasn’t told anyone what happened to her but her father is now coaching a 12 year old girl how to swim. What will Laura do ? Will she keep quiet and risk her father abusing another innocent girl or will she finally reveal what happened when she was growing up ?

This book is written really well. Although dealing with a very distressing subject I felt it was a great eye opener to how this abuse can go on, with no one knowing, and the effects this has on not only the victim but also family and friends.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

This story really hits hard.
Laura has a secret that she has never told anyone. When she was twelve he said she was special. What they did was special and she mustn’t ever tell. She never had told anyone until now. She knew what he was now and she knew that look, but it wasn’t at her it was at another little girl. Could she save her?
Oh wow! This crept under my skin and made it crawl. Jennie Ensor takes you into the mind of an innocent child, a damaged woman and that of a man with a compulsion that he can’t keep under control. It left me in no doubt about what happens but she skillfully lead me to a point that my own imagination took over at the most heart breaking points and then to the aftermath of how it affected everyone. The reasoning and blame as each saw it.
This must be one of the most difficult subjects to write about and yet Jennie nails it from every side. All of them living a lie to protect someone, even the abuser as he lies to himself to justify his actions, the only way to live with what he does. The story goes back into the past to when Laura was twelve but the real focus of the story is on Emma. Can she be saved from the same ordeal, or worse? The story is tension fuelled from the start but has Laura the courage to face her past or can her step-dad control what he desires more than anything. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about ………………….
Jennie will set on fire every emotion in you because you will feel it through her characters including the shame. The shame that the victims shoulder that it must be their fault and the shame of the abuser for being found out, not for what they have done.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read (if enjoyed is the appropriate word for this story).

This is Laura’s story. We also get her mother and fathers point of view. Laura is struggling to move on from what her father did to her years ago. When she finds out her father is giving swimming lessons to a young girl she knows she must do something. She also knows it will destroy her family.

This story is really well written. I love getting several points of view. I read most of the story in one sitting only taking a break to begrudgingly feed the family. Yes it was that good. Great praise to the author for tackling a difficult topic.

Laura is having dinner with her mom, dad, brother (and his fiancé). Laura hates her father, it seems. Since college graduation 18 months ago, she has wandered aimlessly from job to job. Her dad, Paul, an accomplished swimmer, has offered to take a friend's 12 year old daughter, Emma, to practice swimming. Laura is not happy about this. She had been molested by her father on a number of occasions when she was 11 & 12 years old...
'
Suzanne had married Paul after only 5 months of courtship, despite her sister's misgivings. Paul became mean and jealous over the years and possessive - focusing on Laura a bit too much. Paul, that week, picks up Emma and they go swimming. He promises to do so again.

Laura gets fired. Since she needs a source of income, living alone, she takes a job as an "exotic dancer".
( A stripper and lap dancer)

After Paul and Emma have another swim, Jane (Emma's mother) calls Suzanne. Emma told Jane that Paul had
invited Emma back to see a movie at his house after the last swim, molested her and had sex with her. Paul, of course, denies this to his wife and tells her that Emma has a crush on him and that she had tried to kiss him. However, Suzanne mulls this situation over and over and decides to visit her daughter. Suzanne tells Laura about Emma - "It's true, isn't it?" The "Emma situation" is brought up and only then Laura spills out her horrid encounters with her father. Suzanne moves out of the house at the same time Paul finds out his job is hanging by a thread. Meanwhile, Laura gets deeper into her job and has been asked to use the "private room" with one of the punters who frequents the Club.
She scratches the bloke as he tries to control her (too much like daddy?) runs away, leaving the job behind.

Both David, Laura's brother, and her mum tell Laura NOT to call the police - too much would get out in the open about the family regardless if Paul was convicted or not. However, Laura has made the decision to go to the police. That evening it is pouring rain. As she walks to the Tube, her father drives up and pleads with her. She answers that she IS going - not smart when you are in the passenger seat... She attempts to get out of the car and run. Her father grabs her and...

Interesting domestic situational read. Sad that the characters are all a bit self-absorbed...some being just plain mean and dangerous...
A MUST READ! Out tomorrow! I enjoyed the book and felt that the characters were very well developed - regardless if I liked them or not. The situation is fragile, and above all, not impossible. Enjoy reading !

My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for a truly great read, as always!

Laura was a child when her father took her she was paid to speak out
But now he got another girl and takes her swimming
Emma is 12
Laura has to trust herself to save her .
I have an arc from Bloodhound

This story is an unusual one as it gives the perspective of the victim as well as the sex offender. The story is well written and the characters well rounded. Although this is a difficult subject it is sensitively written but addresses the emotional distress being the victim of this heinous behaviours brings. My only concern is that the offenders point of view is somewhat soft and fluffy, I do not believe in reality this is the case. However having said I have experience in working in this industry so perhaps it's my jaded view..... and this is a story so perhaps doesn't need to be completely factual. Overall a good read. .

This is a harrowing tale of child abuse, but it is written sympathetically.
It is neither in your face nor graphic in description.
Laura was a child of eleven years old when her father began abusing her. She has never told anyone, this is her terrible and dark secret.
What happened to Laura has affected all of her adult life and we watch as she nearly spirals out of control.
It is distressing to watch how Laura made choices and decisions that were wrong and sometimes dangerous for her. Laura has heard that her father is taking a friends daughter swimming and has only one thought in her mind.
To stop him before history repeats itself again.
This story is beautifully written and we watch how an already dysfunctional family implodes, and how far reaching reactions can spread and the consequences of one person's actions can be.
I would like to thank the author Jennie Ensor,Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

I accidentally rated the wrong one first! This book too, was absolutely heartbreaking to read. I think that any time a child is abused in a heinous manner, it's a tough read, but the author did amazing at doing it in a sympathetic and tone that kept the reader reading. I think that besides the subject matter, which most who enjoy dark thrillers will not mind, it was excellent and very disturbing and taunt. One I will definitely rscommend in Chapter Chatter Pub, as well as using in a daily challenge!