Enjoyable and a fun read!

The story caught my eye from the moment I read the blurb, and I just knew I wanted to read this book. I was not let down and can recommend this to everyone!

I really enjoyed this book - it has a great plot, excellent main characters and is a real page turner. I would highly recommend this book.

Ellie's mother dies when she is a young child. Two years later she has a step-mother straight out of the Brothers Grimm. This is the story of the rest of her life, intertwined with some of the story of Jo - a homeless wanderer. The bleakness of much of Ellie's life does not make for comfortable reading at times. The consequences of severe trauma on the mind have been well researched and make this a credible story.

I Looked Away by Jane Corry was a very emotional story of Ellie who has been hiding from a traumatic incident she was involved in as a child. She is now married to a controlling husband who cheats on her. She has two grown up children and a small grandson. Whilst babysitting her grandson one afternoon he disappears and Ellie's life is changed forever.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Books (UK) for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! this is a pretty harrowing read, jumping between narration by Ellie and by Jo.
Ellie is a woman whose entire life has been directed by her appalling childhood at the hands of a truly wicked stepmother, pushing her finally into the hands of a truly awful husband.
Jo is a homeless woman, drifting around the South West and seemingly paranoid that she is being followed.
the mental health issues suffered by Ellie, first at the hands of her stepmother then later her husband are very sensitively dealt with and make the character eminently believable and easy to empathise with.
Although the stepmother also has her issues, which are first hinted at by her own mother (the step granny) and then described more fully she is much harder to like.
I found Jo's life a particularly heart wrenching read. Life on the streets is obviously difficult but this book touches on aspects of that existence that you may not ordinarily consider, all of which are pretty awful.
The book has a couple of very interesting and unpredictable twists and holds the reader enthralled to the very last page.
Well research, beautifully written and a great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The plot is fiendishly clever. Totally original, with unexpected twists you'll never see coming. It goes back and forth from past to present and had me absolutely gripped. I couldn't wait to discover the past events that had led up to the events of the present, but would never have figured it out.
The characters were really well thought out. Some were engaging and others loathsome enough to set my teeth on edge. Their situations were well described and considered.
I can't say much more without spoiling the plot, so will just say, buy this book! I'm positive you won't regret it.

Very cleverly written book that interlinked “3” lives with ease. From the first few pages it had me guessing what had happened to Michael and wondering if history really had repeated itself.

Loved this book and the twists in it. It is one that keeps you thinking through quite a lot of it but with lots of well thought out emotional moments in there too

I really enjoyed this book - although the writing from different perspectives was slightly confusing at first, it became apparent why it had be written in that way.

Was rooting for the main character by the end of it - even though they were really flawed!

Ellie looks after her grandson Josh every Monday without fail, she loves him more than life itself.
Ellie has discovered that her husband had been having a affair and confronts him but he swears blind that it was just a one off and Ellie believes him.
On a warm Monday Josh asks to play outside in the garden but Ellie was reluctant to do so as the naighbours were having building work done.
Being reassured by her husband that everything was safe Ellie agreed but with tragic consequences.

This is the best book I've read this year. We find out all about Ellie and Jo and how their lives are interwoven. This book deals with homelessness and mental health issues. It explores Ellie's past and how it affects her present. A really poignant read. A page turner which I couldn't put down. Would highly recommend.

I couldn't figure out the connection between Ellie and Jo which made this book so gripping - the twist was very unexpected.

There are likeable leads and supporting characters you can't stand - in a good way! The plot is interesting and keeps up a fast pace throughout. Thrillers often stumble at the 'reveal' but for me this book didn't falter - it's very addictive.

I've read a few books by Jane Corry so was thrilled to find this on NetGalley. Corry can definitely be relied upon to deliver a solid thriller. I'll be recommending this book to friends and look forward to the next.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jane Corry and Penguin for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing book with a denouement that was totally unexpected, I thought I had it all -worked out but realised that I was way of beam. How the author thought out all the intricacies of both Ellie and Jo's lives was nothing short of brilliant, planning alone must have taken forever. There wasn't a moment when your attention was diverted, I had a very hard job putting the book down in between reads. The characters were well rounded and detailed in every way, I could see them all in my imagination. I would highly recommend this novel and can't wait to find something else by the same author, an extremely enjoyable read.

I Looked Away is a tense psychological thriller, I must admit to being a little confused to start with, two different characters and the time changes from present to past.
The characters were very well rounded, believable both the good and the bad. The sufferings of the two main characters was laid bare, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting
I’m afraid to say anymore of the storyline in case I give away any spoilers.
An emotional journey but a satisfying one
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Wow. I have loved all of Jane cory’s books and this is now my favourite. A completely original, heart wrenching tale which begs the question how well can we ever know someone. I worked out the twist in the story but it was still fantastic and very well written. Highly recommended

Ellie had a abusive stepmother, after her mother died her father remarried and her stepmother never really liked her.
She had another child and made Ellie look after him a lot until a tragedy happened.
Ellie then fell to pieces and was in a mental home for many years.
She was released and met her future husband while she was a college. They got married she had two children, but he too was abusive to her until again something happened to send her over the edge.
She then ran away which led to her leading another life under another name.

Wow. I have loved all of Jane cory’s books and this is now my favourite. A completely original, heart wrenching tale which begs the question how well can we ever know someone. I worked out the twist in the story but it was still fantastic and very well written. Highly recommended xx

Ellie had a abusive stepmother, after her mother died her father remarried and her stepmother never really liked her.
She had another child and made Ellie look after him a lot until a tragedy happened.
Ellie then fell to pieces and was in a mental home for many years.
She was released and met her future husband while she was a college. They got married she had two children, but he too was abusive to her until again something happened to send her over the edge.
She then ran away which led to her leading another life under another name.
I enjoyed this book very much.

A book with a difference.
A bit confusing at times and had to re-read several bits a couple of times to follow the storyline.
I liked the story but almost gave up a few times although I am glad I didn’t.
I did work out the main twist in the book but wanted to see how it would end.
The issue of homelessness is dealt with in a sensitive manner and demonstrates that people are homeless for many reasons.

A multi-stranded story, this novel focuses on Ellie and opens with a dramatic scene in which she is babysitting her adored grandson Josh. As her story develops it becomes entwined with the story of Jo who is homeless. The novel is very easy to read and I did get totally involved in the stories of Ellie and Jo. A slightly over-neat ending aside, this is an original and engrossing story.

I read this book quickly as I could not wait to discover the next development but I'm sorry I've finished it. The question remains 'How well do we know the people we think we know well?"