#The Rival #Netgalley. The premise of this book is female rivalry but ends up so much more than that, and I challenge any mother not to resonate with the main character in this fabulous read.
It starts off slowly building the characters, Helena and Ashley, the former being the boss a savvy business woman who hires an assistant, Ashley, who slowly starts to undermine her, and ends up taking her job. The story is told from both sides and half way through the book you become aware that someone is dead, and leaves you guessing until the end. BUT the book also touches on working mothers and the pressures they feel, along with postnatal depression and how women feel coping with a newborn baby. It sends a very important message, one I could relate too and found interesting to read. A thriller with a heartening message I'd, great book.

The Rival by Charlotte Duckworth is the last book I read, I just finished it! It’s such a great book and I loved the writing, the pace, the plot, and characters. Charlotte Duckworth is definitely another writer whose future works I will be eager to read! I read her upcoming novel, Unfollow Me, and was totally hooked. I then got a hold of The Rival and its equally as intriguing.

Here’s the plot:

NOW: Living in her home in the countryside HELENA is a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby. She blames ASHLEY for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley’s fault?

THEN: When Helena hires Ashley to work with her, she’s startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud -maybe this is the protégé she’s always wanted to have? But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley’s drive to get to the top. And when Helena discovers she is pregnant, she quickly realises how vulnerable her position is, with devastating consequences.

The book was really good and then during the last quarter of the book, there was a bit of a twist. I’m still thinking about it. Charlotte is a wonderful writer and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

I just realized that I bought this book last year and then rebought it recently and read it this week. I have a surplus of books and forget what I have purchased. Anyone else?

Here’s a link to the $1.99 kindle version!

Honestly I wasn’t a huge fan of The Rival. The beginning was slow and I found it easy to put down and keep coming back to rather than read in one sitting books. It’s well written but I just found something lacking from the plot but I also didn’t relate to the characters at all.

This one wasn’t for me but it wasn’t a bad book. Give it a go!

The only reason I wanted this book to end was so I could start the authors next book ( which is my next read ), I loved it
Think Single White Female ish but with subtlety, think stalking but it being more cleverer and ‘worming’ your way into every aspect of someones life
Meet Helena who has it all
Meet Ashley who wants it all
Nay she thinks she deserves it all
But does she?, really??
I liked Helena, I loathed Ashley
I liked Ashley, I loathed Helena!!
And thats exactly how the book had me, changing sides and allegiances as the clever narration by both had me up, down, right and left and full circle
And then the last part of the book is a massive surprise, you are given hints but I really was taken aback by what happened and how the book evolved and ended
Difficult to describe the writing style except to say its so involving and so real and believable, the characters burn themselves into your mind and stay there
Yep, fair to say, this is a superb book
10/10
5 Stars

I found the beginning really slow, but wanted to push through. It did get better , enough to keep me reading, but I wasn't rushing to pick it up. Overall, good writing style. Would try this author again

Wow....I loved this book with such a twist at the end I never saw coming.
Helena is a successful business woman married to Jack. Ash is employed as Helena new assistant. She has a troubled background but also has a personal agenda to be better than Helena and sets out to knock her from her post.
Helena unexpectedly finds herself pregnant and the story unfolds into the past and present. Helena is obviously ill and troubled haven given birth and we realise that nobody can be trusted.
A book of manipulation that will keep you hooked to the end.

A great new author! The cover of this book really drew me in. I have to say this took a twist I didn't expect. I thought it would be two women competing in the workplace as catty women. It wasn't. While there was some competition, it wasn't as the description read. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would based on that. Will look for more books by Charlotte. The ending was a huge twist I didn't see coming!

Just tore through another amazing book from @QuercusBooks ! #TheRival by Charlotte Duckworth had me at “Helena is a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby.” It’s a riveting, fast-paced psychological thriller I highly recommend!!! #NetGalley

This was a new author for me so was very keen to read this book.
Helena a career driven woman in her thirties takes on young, enthusiastic, eager Ashley to work with her and together they form an unbeatable team, bringing in new business and revitalising their media exposure! When Helena very unexpectedly falls pregnant and starts to suffer the indignities and ailments associated with her condition she finds herself being usurped by the career hungry,ambitious Ashley and feeling displaced and without a career to return to following maternity leave.
Helena then experiences a traumatic delivery and complicated post partum period resulting in the very serious partpartum pyschosis which is portrayed in a sensitive, delicate manner highlighting an often Undiscussed condition that is extremely serious, it was also heartwarming to see ECT portrayed in a positive manner giving hope to Helena and her family particularly her husband and mum who had been caring for her baby daughter throughout this period. I have recently seen a lady have a remarkable recovery from psychosis following ECT so this was particularly poignant for me.
Thank you net galley and quercus for this thought provoking read.

Once I started this book i couldn’t put it down I just needed to find out what was going on when I thought I knew it turned out I was wrong a fantastic ready!!

This one will give you chills and draw you into the story. I loved it!! Such a great book you will not want to put it down.

Due to a lingering wariness upon the discovery that I would be embarking upon another book written in first person, I had to take a conscious step back and re-calibrate my expectations as I began 'The Rival'—ONLY TO BE BLOWN AWAY!

'The Rival' is fan-FREAKIN'-tastic!

As written, the narrative is an example of first person done right! In my book, manipulation garnered through the instability of an unreliable narrator is the pièce de résistance. When Helena spoke, the dubious credibility of her accounting of events was palpable. An invisible thread of tension flowed throughout the entire text leaving the reader both anxious and cautious, questioning everything. Loved the buildup. Loved the ending. Wow! I will most definitely be seeking out this author's work in the future. 'The Rival' is a fabulous read, not to be passed up! 5+ shimmering stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books, and Charlotte Duckworth for an ARC of 'The Rival' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

This book took me a while to get into the story line but overall it was a well developed story with good characters, well written with a good ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book which I can recommend and will be recommending it to my Book Groups on Facebook.

It was a beautifully written novel by an extremely talented writer. Excellent character depiction, plus an exciting storyline make for a roaring success. Highly recommended.

First of all, this cover really called to me so I was super excited when I was approved to read it. I wasn't sure if this was going to feel like every other book where two girls start as friends and end up feuding against each other at work. It wasn't. The back and forth between then and now was good; not confusing. I wouldn't say the suspense was incredible, but it was enough to keep my interest. I had a hard time putting it down. The ending was good. I'm glad to see it wasn't at all what i expected.

Helena is Ashley’s mentor at work and the two of them together form a powerhouse, ready to take on the world. Ashley’s ambition can be a little overwhelming at times, but Helena has no idea just how far her protegee will go until Helena becomes pregnant. When the glass ceiling collapses and Helena loses everything, she believes Ashley has betrayed her and sets out to exact her own revenge. I admit that on reading the description of this book, I rolled my eyes. Will the world never tire of trying to make women with ambition look like harridans and harpies? But I took on chance on this book and I’m glad I did. Yes, the elements of the “woman against woman” rivalry are there, Duckworth adds a twist that makes the book more than worth the read

An fun and sometimes scary story of female relationships and rivalries. Was spot on and real. A great read. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and loved them both xx