When author Charlotte Tristan contacts actress Mia Justice to work on a project, little do both these women know their lives will change dramatically.

Mia is a struggling actress. Jobs are few and far between. So when she is approached by Charlotte, it looks like things might finally be looking up. Charlotte wants Mia to pretend to be her, effectively offering her the part of “author” and sell a book.

That’s all I’m saying as I’m way too worried I’ll give something important away. Suffice to say, the intrigue drips from the pages. You know, from the prologue, that something quite bad has happened. But the what, who, why is a mystery. I couldn’t at all figure out how the pieces of this story fit together and felt compelled to keep reading until the answers were revealed to me.

The chapters alternate between Charlotte and Mia. I found Charlotte quite hard to connect to, or even like, most of the time. Although once I got to know her character’s circumstances better, it was easier to understand where she was coming from. Mia, on the other hand, immediately came across as someone to root for. She hasn’t had the easiest of times and I just desperately wanted something good to happen for her.

Lucy Dawson always manages to come up with an original plot that keeps you guessing until the very end, and Don’t Ever Tell is no different. You never know who to trust and I will give you cookies if you can at all predict where this story is going to end up. It is utterly unpredictable and another enjoyable read from Lucy Dawson.

Wow! I loved this book! Found it to be so riveting, chilling, and shocking! Hooked me from page one and didn’t let up until the end! A must read for those who love the twisted, shocking psychological thrillers.
I will definitely recommend to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub!

Don't Ever Tell started out a bit slow for me but once i got halfway through i could NOT put the book down! This was a very well written suspenseful thriller and definitely kept me guessing until the end. Now i need there to be a second book so i can find out what happens to Mia and Charlotte. I will for sure be reading more of Lucy Dawson's work.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

Our lives are made up of stories. Our own. The those of our family and friends. Our world collides with strangers, forming imperceptible bonds. Most of which won’t lead to anything. But some change the scenery of our days forever.

When I met Charlotte, I judged her based on the basic information released by the author. Charlotte is a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a writer. Alright. So, even if we all have a story, could Charlotte hide several, being a writer? Quickly, it becomes apparent she is struggling. Marriage is complicated, juggling kids and work is hell, and it doesn’t help that your husband think being a writer is not a real job. While enjoying the setting brought to me by the author, I did not know where the book would lead me. I was even less sure of what I was reading when Charlotte meets Mia, a young woman who looks a lot like her. Boom. A bond. A tiny thread connecting the two women after a lucky encounter in Edinburgh. Well, you don’t know it at the time, but this the moment the novel spreads its wings. It starts here.

How? Why? I couldn’t figure out a plot that would reunite those women. They have nothing in common, they meet by chance, and yet, I knew there was a meaning to it.

More of Charlotte’s life. A husband who seems to have his head on something else, the feeling of suffocating in your own house and skin… I felt bad for Charlotte. Nice and sweet Charlotte who didn’t deserve this.

But that assessment was a mistake! I laugh at how I took things for what they were. Lucy Dawson really fooled me! A teeny tiny bit of information appears and then another boom! What started as a slow-paced novel suddenly turns into a dark pool and each chapter drags you deeper into the water. When Charlotte and Mia meet again, the older woman has a plan. What if they could take fate in their own hands and change their lives?

Mia, young, lovely, and struggling actress, is confused at first. Why would someone you met a year before seeking you out to help her with a wicked plan? I remembered my ‘tut’s. I was weary. Suddenly, Charlotte appeared different to me but I couldn’t pinpoint what had changed, and what was on her mind! Do you like being kept in the dark? If done right, it only adds a cool and dangerous thrill to your read. Let me tell you that in this case, it totally worked! I was forced (not that is was so hard for me to read, haha! I was already hooked and NEEDED to know what was next) to follow our two main characters with my hand tied and my eyes shut. I had no control and I loved the feeling. I was in the truck of a car, feeling every bump in the road, every twist, the sweat dripping down my back as I could sense the car speed up. I could imagine the giant wall it would crash into. Except I didn’t know what kind of crash it would be.

Nearing the end, pieces of different puzzles appeared, making me doubt my first impressions, my judgement. Don’t Ever Tell is made of many layers, so many that when the bigger picture appeared, I was gobsmacked! Had I been reading the right book??? How could I have missed the hints? Far from a simple domestic tale, this novel is about revenge, pure and twisted. I am not talking about the revenge of someone who plots forever in their basement, or those of people bidding their time to hit hard, fuelled by malice. Lucy Dawson explores revenge from wronged people, people who don’t mean things to turn bad. People who want to teach a lesson. But revenge has its own way, it always does. No matter how good the plan, expect the unexpected. Don’t Ever Tell is a tale of revenge gone terribly wrong. It brings out the best and the worst in people. It stains life, it teaches, it takes whatever it wants, leaving all sides involved reeling.

Special mention to sisterhood in this book! I loved how the author showed the effect of the wave of events on both women’s families. Kids, parents, sisters. Life is just like this, ordinary, and affecting everyone around us!

Don’t Ever Tell is a twisted psychological thriller with a highly original structure built to allow the characters to lead the dance. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fantastic read with a mind-blowing ball of twists and turns!

This started out feeling pretty creepy to the extent that I didn't feel like reading it before bed, but it ultimately fell a little bit flat. I guessed most of the twists except one and that maybe didn't help. Interesting concept and definitely had me hooked to the page - and also not too long, so those are some pros of it!! Would make a good thriller beach read.

“I wonder where this is going”

“Okay, so what about those people? Why is she in the story?”

“That is not a good idea!”

“OMG I didn’t see that coming!”

“Oh yeah, it’s a train wreck and it is happening now!”

“Yikes!”

The above basically sums up my experience with this book. At first, I just couldn’t see the whole picture. There is Charlotte with her seemingly perfect life. She is married to Tris and they have two kids. Then we are introduced to Mia, a young struggling actress with a shitty love life. I really had no idea how the stories would connect but when it finally happened, I had to pick my jaw from the floor. One bad idea spiraled out of control and it became messy.

This was a slow-build story. It took time to slowly suck me in and before I knew it, I was anxiously turning pages just waiting for the mayhem. The character development was stellar. Charlotte is relatable and I could understand her thinking even though I didn’t agree with her crazy ideas. The support characters were all well crafted. The story line was so gripping. It felt like I had gotten on a bus whose destination I didn’t know. It was one hell of a crazy ride.

I have enjoyed Lucy’s previous titles and Don’t Ever Tell was no different. I thought it was twisty, brilliantly narrated and quite captivating. What started as a slow-paced domestic thriller ended up being a riveting revenge thriller.

This is a very fun read ! It starts out as a domestic story between husband and wife and soon twist and turns delightfully into a revenge thriller that I could not put down ! Its exciting and fun to read. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC. My opinion is my own.

This is the story of a marriage on the rocks. A wife that is disturbed by the inattention of her husband and the mundane details of her day to day life. Charlotte and Tris have the house, the kids and career's but she is fed up and sick of it all. She is a busy author with her own deadlines and career and feels her career slipping away with laundry and wiping noses. What she concludes is both fun and exciting to read.

At a book signing, Charlotte meets a younger version of herself in a young fan. The resemblance starts her thinking Talking to the girl to befriend her she finds she has a disturbing past and is struggling to find work as a actress. This meets Charlotte's requirements perfectly as she forms a plan. They meet up again 12 months later and Charlotte has come up with a plan to change both of their lives for the better. Mia accepts and the revenge Charlotte seeks against her mundane life as a wife takes shape. The ending really surprised me as Mia's character takes shape for the ultimate ending.

I loved this book ! It is a fun read and the prefect book for a beach day. I was unable to put it down until the last page. It was so well written and so deliciously dark that it was fun. .Well done to the author.

Don’t Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson is a psychological thriller

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Mia is an actress, struggling to make a go of it. She is rather naïve, rather vulnerable, and has been hurt badly in the past. She hasn’t had a whole lot of luck in her acting career or her love life, but things are looking up. Her new boyfriend Seth is going to help with part of it, and Charlotte with the balance.

Charlotte is an author, and has been “relatively” successful. She and her husband Tris have been having a few issues while she tries to find time to write, while still looking after their two small children. Tris is away on business a lot. Charlotte has a plan that will solve more than one of her problems.

Mia and Charlotte originally meet at a book signing. Charlotte is stunned when she first sees Mia, who looks so much like she did 20 years ago. Years later, Mia ends up fitting perfectly into her plans, when Charlotte asks a favour of her that could make them both very rich – as long as she doesn’t tell a soul.


My Opinions:
The story is told from the perspectives of both Mia and Charlotte, and it is done well. There are twists and turns and more than one red herring thrown in.

I really liked that the two main characters each had a devoted sister that they leaned on. I liked both of the sisters, especially as there were times Mia and Charlotte both drove me nuts. Mia was a little too needy at times, and Charlotte often didn’t seem to care about anyone. She was fairly cold and self-centered.

It is a fast entertaining read, and well worth your time.

Don't Ever Tell
by Lucy Dawson

Kindle Edition, 284 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2019 by Bookouture




Goodreads synopsis:
Never make a promise you can’t afford to keep… 

This is a story about Charlotte – a mother and a wife with the perfect job, the perfect life… at least, that’s how it looks from the outside. 

But behind closed doors, the marriage is breaking, and Charlotte’s husband Tris doesn’t even know how much. He has no idea what Charlotte has planned for him, who she has found, why she has hired someone to pretend to be her. But he doesn’t have long to wait to find out… 


***

4.5 Stars

I have to admit that I almost put this book down about halfway through. The build up just seemed to take too long and I wondered when it would get to the point.

Nothing really of consequence happened until Charlotte’s psychologist sister, Flo heard a few sessions from a new client named Mia Justice. Charlotte had met Mia a year or so earlier and marveled at how she almost seemed like a twenty year younger version of herself. She had the same mannerisms as she did also. Looks and mannerisms. It was uncanny. Then Flo told her a secret she shouldn’t have revealed. Charlotte’s husband, Tris and Mia were having an affair. To Mia his name was Seth. She had no idea he was married.

That is when Charlotte concocted a pretty sly plan. It was brilliant, actually. And this plot she came up with is what this book is about. You don’t discover what that is until after the halfway point. So don’t give up on this book too early. My rating is based on the latter half. It was a stunning picture of what could happen to a couple when things start to dry out in their relationship and cause their eyes to wander to more appealing options. Charlotte wanted the money fame could bring but not the fame itself. Mia wanted the fame and Tris wanted them both.

Great concept for a book. I thought that was the best part. When I realized what Charlotte had done and what Flo had revealed to her, I was shocked. The fallout of this is sad and scary. I didn’t see that coming.

I never quite understood the connection between Mia and Charlotte. I think it is assumed in the end that we will figure it out due to Mia’s last scene with her sister but I don’t know.

This would make a great movie or tv drama. Check it out and see for yourself. It’s a roller coaster ride!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I love Lucy Dawson’s books and a new one is always greeted with excitement, one of those authors you know will deliver something special and different
Well ‘don’t ever tell’ is definitely both of those, probably one of the most unique books read this year
Charlotte and Tris have the perfect marriage, so it seems, Charlotte is a middle ranked author BUT wants to be a number 1 bestseller, she has a book she KNOWS will be just that....but not with her fronting it...through a set of coincidences she meets the ideal person to be the face of the book, in other words to pretend to have written it...Mia
And then the problems really begin, Charlotte has no idea who she has chosen to front her book, if she had she would run a mile and keep on running!!
The story then goes on to be multi layered and involves lies, deceit and a massive helping of revenge, all served in Lucy Dawsons brilliant narrative, on point and in your face
The nods to modern day publishing and what ‘goes on’ are a rare insight into a world most readers know fairly little about and I found this fascinating
The characters range from likeable to eurghhhhhhh I cant stand him 😃 and all play a part in this quick to develop book
The pace doesn’t falter and I loved that twice I was cocky and thought ha I have worked this part out only to have it confirmed a few lines down, just as the author intended the reader to do
I would say if you ‘expect the unexpected’ with this book you will be on the right track, NOTHING is as it seems
A great unusual read that you wont forget, guaranteed
10/10 5 Stars

Thank you to Bookouture for granting my wish for a digital edition via NetGalley of Lisa Dawson’s latest, ‘Don’t Ever Tell’, in exchange for an honest review.

I elected to read this novel with very little knowledge of the story and I feel that it benefits from reading cold. I found that the plot unfolded organically, switching smoothly between its two narrators. It delivered the kind of twists to be expected from a domestic noir/psychological thriller.

I loved her inclusion of trends in the publishing industry and am fairly certain there were a few digs at the fickleness of some in constantly seeking the ‘next big thing’.

This was my first time reading one of Lisa Dawson’s books but certainly won’t be my last. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy....

Wow! There was a lots of dramas in that book...so good!

Looking forward to read more book from this author soon....

Psychological thrillers are one of my genres of choice and "Don't Ever Tell" was a brilliant read! What started out as a typical tale of revenge very quickly became dark, twisted and extremely unpredictable. The premise was so interesting and the ending certainly did not disappoint. Both Tris and Charlotte's characters' were well fleshed out by Lucy Dawson, complete with all their flaws. As the story went on I was left guessing and I was definitely on the edge of my seat. I would totally recommend this book!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

DNF - I'm truly sorry. While the plot was great and I was super excited to give this book a try I was unable to get through it because of the dialect. It completely threw me off and I wasn't able to get into the story. I will not post a review or rating on sales sites though. It wouldn't be fair because I was unable to give the story a real shot. I may try to give it another go at a later date. Thank you for the opportunity.

It was a very slow read but it made sense in the end. 🌟🌟🌟1/2 stars given. Thank you Book Outure Publishing and Netgalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very finely interwoven story, one where I struggled to work out who exactly knew what about the others in the story and which character was telling the whole truth - if any of them. The writing is top notch, keeping you guessing right from the start as to why each of the handful of main players is treating their friends/family the way they are. I am reluctant to give too much detail as the whole story needs to be read from the perspective of 'going in blind' else it just won't work - so if you're one of those folks who likes a sneak peak at the end of the book before you get stuck in proper, then in this case I really recommend that you don't because you will be utterly confused and not enjoy how the end relates to the beginning.

Charlotte and Tris are struggling to keep their marriage going, but things really are not what they seem in the early stages. There are proper 'O...M...G' moments at various stages through the book and I felt my allegiances shift from one side of the marriage to the other and back again several times. Neither character is squeaky clean but at the same time the course of action both of them has chosen seemed at least a little harsh on the other - to say the least. And don't get me started on the way Charlotte treats her sister - I don't know how to spell the sound which expresses my exasperation with that relationship!!

The conclusion to the story is shocking and I don't think I came out of the story liking any of the characters very much, although one in particular I felt more aggrieved for than the others - I am really struggling to tell you my thoughts yet not reveal any key points here!!

It's definitely a book I suggest you read for yourself, you will be engrossed in reading just how badly people can behave when a marriage sours and how far they will go to get vengeance.

I've been a fan of Lucy Dawson for quite a while now and I look forward to each book that she releases.
I just love the psychological aspects of them and they certainly make you think. This latest book Don't Ever Tell was another brilliant read.
The writing is excellent and the characters are well formed. I read it in a couple of days because I was engrossed in the story and wanted to know what was going to happen. It keeps you on edge, trying to guess what is going to happen next. Thoroughly recommended!

How do I review this book where the author Lucy Dawson has twisted me up so badly that everything I know feels a lie. Everything really appears topsy-turvy to me after reading this book as if the pieces I know and the pieces which are shown don't really fit. Have I just been thrown into a rabbit hole by this fascinating author?

Nothing could be more brilliant than a plan plotted in seclusion meant to harm the one who caused you pain soon bringing the worst kind of hurt you could ever imagine. This was the longest line written by me in any review. But that's what this book did. A pretzel was what I was, not knowing where I began and where I ended.

Charlotte and Tris and their two children - an image of a happy family till Tris began traveling for work. The rigmarole of the routine life got to them when Charlotte's sister revealed the truth. Then Charlotte took action, and a secret was borne which the women in this book could never tell anyone. A plan hatched in the seemingly ennui brain of a writer using someone who looked just like her 20 years younger. Was it wicked or plain stupid? Or was it something more than that? A revenge or a payback? A need to punish infidelity or get back the old unsuspecting life? A question that needed action or laid to rest?

The layers in this book made me look at everything with a new set of eyes. What I put together from the pieces of this story told to me in its chapters was so different from the final picture. Had she really done that? That was what kept me hooked onto this story. Innocence was left at the doorstep before I entered into the home and the mind of Charlotte. And I was just struck down breathless and confused when I closed my kindle.

Where was I? The beginning or the end?

EXCERPT: 'You don't LOVE me! You LIED to me!' Tears are streaming down his face, he looks deranged, a stranger - no hint of the gentle man I love. 'You LIED and you stole it from me! LIAR!' His face contorts; the harder he pushes the angrier he becomes, or maybe it's the other way round.

It all happens very fast. The music is building again, about to drop, I'm not sure if his hand slips because he's drunk, or he means to - but suddenly he isn't pushing on my jaw, it's my throat. It's extraordinarily painful and I can't breathe properly. I start to writhe up against the wall. My hands flutter up like butterflies, pulling at his fingers in panic.

I'm going to die.

He's going to kill me.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Never make a promise you can’t afford to keep…

This is a story about Charlotte – a mother and a wife with the perfect job, the perfect life… at least, that’s how it looks from the outside.

But behind closed doors, the marriage is breaking, and Charlotte’s husband Tris doesn’t even know how much. He has no idea what Charlotte has planned for him, who she has found, why she has hired someone to pretend to be her. But he doesn’t have long to wait to find out...

MY THOUGHTS: The blurb says I was going to be gripped from the very first page and kept guessing until the very last, but I didn't believe it....I WAS WRONG! I read this book overnight, unable to put it down. I even left work early after having started it at lunchtime!

Dynamic. Gripping. Unpredictable. I had no idea what Charlotte was doing.

This book deserves a second, and slower, read. Brilliant!

*****

THE AUTHOR: Lucy studied Psychology at Warwick University before becoming a children’s magazine editor. Her first bestselling book – His Other Lover – was published in 2008. Since then she has published four other novels and her work has been translated into numerous other languages. She lives in Exeter with her husband and children. Lucy finds writing in the third person uncomfortable.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Don't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my profile page on Goodreads.com or the about page on my webpage, sandysbookaday/wordpess.com This review and others also appear on my webpage.

This book was a bit of a hot mess by being kinda all over the place. That being said it did keep me interested although I am still scratching my head wondering what happened. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!