Omg what a book! Now if you haven't read what this book is about a huge TRIGGER WARNING it discusses rape throughout the book in detail and it at times can be a hard read.
Blurred lines is centred around Becky who is a producer in London. She is a survivor although she feels like a victim, she was raped in her mid teens and her life has formed around that trauma. She never reported it because she felt she would get the blame and not believed. That night changed her life Becky walks in on her boss having sex with a women who isn't his wife, Amanda is that woman, so when she claims rape and begs the witness to come forward Bevky is overwhelmed with what she should do.

This is one of those books that will stay with you once you've read it. To cover such a huge topic as rape is brave enough to centre the whole book around it and doing so well is outstanding. The protagonist Becky is a very weak and vulnerable woman, normally rhis isn't what you want for a leas but for this book it is one hundred percent needed. It may be 16 years since she was raped but that has lived with her ever since. As a survivor myself I can honest atone for how realistic this character is. Jot knowing is the problem that Becky has she thinks she knows but she can't be certain. Its not rhe nor knowing that is slowly killing her.

Becky has a nest friend called Adam who is also Maisies father. The family dynamic is amazing. I found myself in tears mid way through the book at how much I just loved this family. Adam is Becky's security blanket he has been there for her when she needed someone the most. He is also the only person who Becky ever confirmed in. At one point I found myself saying everyone needs an Adam.

The novel examines really well the idea of gaslighting and being mansplained issues like rape. It was very interesting to see how Becky handled or didn't handle this. How she wants to create a film about one of the bravest vengeful woman she can find yet she is happy to believe.

As the title says blurred lines for anyone who remembers that God awful song then you wo understand the significance of such a title. What I found really interesting about this book is it covers alot of the issues surrounding consent "you didn't say no but you didn't say yes' so does that make them a rapist? This is a debate that has gone on for centuries.

So I would say read this book. Be ready for some tough parts and some graphic language which is there to shock but is so required. There is a twist near the end which strangely I saw coming but its so left field that I still found myself racing through each of those pages. I rate 5 stars. Thank you to the author for covering such a sensitive subject with the respect and dignity it deserved

Thank you to netgalley, the author Hannah begbie and the publishers for the advanced digital copy.

Becky walks in on her boss with someone who isn't his wife, this woman then accuses him of rape and asks the whoever saw them to come forward. Becky has to balance what she owes her boss and what she should do. The story is told between present day and Becky's past and investigates how past experiences can influence future decisions. The pace of the book is a bit slower than I expected.

The plot was not realistic or plausible, so I quickly lost interest. It's unlikely a victim has a witness, and one so daft as to not offer help to a woman she presumes is being attacked annoyed me.

This was an excellent read. Brought to light the terrible problems that some women face in a man's world. A very current story. I loved how it went from one time frame to another weaving the two stories together. It was a compelling read and one that will live with the reader for a long time after you have finished reading it.

I was sent a copy of Blurred Lines by Hannah Begbie to read and review by NetGalley. I have to confess I did not finish this book. It goes against the grain for me to abandon a book but I’m afraid I just couldn’t read any further. I had got halfway through and it is possible that the story steps up a pace in the second half but, for me, there just wasn’t anything there that kept me wanting to read on. I couldn’t identify with any of the characters and the same words just seemed to keep going round and round and round. It wasn’t as if the prose itself was engaging enough to keep me interested. I expect that there will be readers out there that can become immersed in the story and the feelings that the protagonist, Becky, has (which is what this novel is all about) but I’m afraid that this just wasn’t for me.

This book was not my cup of tea and I struggled to read it. Not badly written, but just not for me unfortunately

A well written book about a complex character, Becky who with her demons was trying to progress her career in the film industry. When she witnesses her boss having sex it puts her in a position where she must choose between her career and morals. Fab book

Very relevant in todays world. A gripping, hard hitting story. Great twists. Will stay with you for a while.

Interesting read in the heart of the #metoo movement. Well written with compelling characters, the ending was very well executed.

Emotional. Gripping. Thought provoking. Just how do you come back from discovering what’s defined you for years may not be as you thought? This is an excellent read. A read for our modern life and on another level the personal dilemmas we all face from time to time about doing the right thing v keeping our own status quo.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have rarely read a thriller that tackles the emotive subject of rape with the sensitivity it deserves. This is mainly because writers are compelled to write about the issue are looking for a moral certainty: did he or didn't he? This is rather a reductive view of such a contentious topic that many condemn absolutely in theory, but have reservations about in practice. Indeed, it is a sad and horrendous fact that rape has essentially been decriminalised in British Jurisprudence - even if this is denied by the powers that be. This all provides fodder for Begbie's twisty tale of one woman's reticence to confront the 'rape' she witnessed. The quotations around 'rape' are not meant as a broader statement that casts doubt on any woman's claim of rape, but to refer to the deliberately constructed traps around the subject that Begbie inserts in her narrative. This is something that we, too, should consciously take seriously, if men who rape are to face the punishment they deserve. Lest I forget, there is a damn good story at the heart of 'Blurred Lines', which is as thought-provoking as it is gripping. A thriller that grasps the nettle of social realism in new and innovative ways - enthralling stuff.

I thought this book was well written and timely coinciding with the Me Too movement so I was slightly disappointed that Becky didn’t immediately help Amber after witnessing her assault. However as the book progressed I began to understand some of Becky’s motivations. However I found Becky an enigma as she obviously had guts and determination to bring up her baby as a virtual single parent while creating a career for herself, but there were points when I wanted to shout at her for her weakness and her fears. The whole revenge issue was weak as never did I feel that had been proved and actually felt all along that she based her hatred on foundations of sand. Having said that, I did enjoy the book and admit it made me cry in places.

Really enjoyed reading this book, couldn't put it down, must admit its one that I would happily pick up again and read,
Overall I would recommend to anyone to read it, can't wait to get it on my page and let my followers know what I think about it!

The story revolves around Becky and the traumatic event in her teenage life that scarred her forever. Every decision she takes is rooted within the event. And then one day she see her boss, her mentor, the person who will be making all her dreams come true in a compromising position and she is caught up in a dilemma...will she do what she thinks she should do or should she go with her gut? A superbly written book and should not be missed!

Becky catches her boss having an affair , but the story twists, and the woman who Becky initially judged, is accusing her boss of rape.

This is an emotional read, from Becky's perspective, as it delves into her own past and you learn more about her. Will she come forward and side with the accuser or does she know her boss - is he capable of rape?

It is a sensitive story, well written in this regard and a very important topic in today's world.

Blurred Lines by Hannah Begbie is not an easy read. At all. If you are triggered by descriptions of sexual assault or rape then I’d suggest giving this one a miss as Begbie does not shy away from conjuring distressing scenes with her richly descriptive prose. But it is a startlingly relevant, emotional and well-plotted book, which I am still thinking about now and probably will be for a long time to come.

When budding film producer, Becky, walks in on her boss with a woman who is not his wife she quickly turns around and tries to forget it. But when Matthew is accused of raping a young actress, Becky is left with the dilemma of whether or not to speak out about what she saw. If she does, she could lose everything she’s worked so hard to achieve. And can she really be sure of what she saw anyway? But if she doesn’t speak out will she be able to live with herself? Especially after what happened to her as a teenager…

This a novel that really makes you think. Would you risk everything, in the interests of the truth, for the sake of a complete stranger? It also looks at how long-standing secrets always have the potential to come and bite their keepers in the ass.

Although not particularly fast-paced the plot really held my interest, which was in no small part down to Begbie’s vivid storytelling. Her characters are well-rounded and developed, their dilemmas almost feeling like my own. Because of this, though I typically have quite a strong stomach when it comes to the gruesome or distressing in books, this one really affected me.

This is one of the best books relating to the #MeToo movement that I’ve read and for anyone with a particular interest in the topic then I’d definitely recommend giving it a read. It’s a gritty, twisty, well-written thriller that has really sparked my interest in Hannah Begbie’s earlier novels.

With thanks for gifting me a digital copy for review.

Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for my copy. This was a real rollercoaster ride of a book. An incredibly thought provoking story that really made me consider both points of view. The only thing that let it down for me was the use of the old GCSE grading system (letters rather than numbers) and secondary school classes ("5th form" instead of year 11) but maybe these proof errors were removed before publication. Anyway this book is recommended especially for fans of psychological thrillers.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
Blurred Lines by Hannah Begbie is not an easy book to read, it is about two separate sexual incidents involving two separate woman as victims, sixteen years apart. The first woman is Becky, who as a teenager went to a party with a girlfriend, got very drunk, took a tablet with a Matthew and woke up the next day unable to remember what happened, but realising that she had had sex, which as she couldn’t remember felt like she must have been raped by Matthew. She then becomes pregnant and gives birth to her daughter Maisie. Her friend Adam has said to Becky’s parents and his own that the child is his.
Becky works in the film industry many years later and is on the brink of producing her own film with the backing of her boss Matthew. She calls in one evening with an expensive bottle of wine but finds her boss at home engaged in a sexual act with a woman who isn’t his wife. When the woman, Amber later states that she was a victim of rape and that there was a witness. Becky doesn’t come forward but backs her boss. It is only when events in her own life fall into place that Becky goes to the police and appears in court as a witness for Amber.
In doing so, she loses her job, her film and her dependence on Adam.
Blurred lines is an interesting and insightful look at the ‘he said, she said’ concept. Where each party believes they were right and acted in a consensual manner at the time of the alleged incident.
Recommended reading.

‘Blurred Lines’ is the latest book by Hannah Begbie.

When Becky walks in on her boss with a woman who isn’t his wife, she’s horrified, but says nothing. She owes Matthew too much. But when the same woman accuses him of rape, Becky is trapped in a nightmare. Was what she saw rape – or is Matthew, her trusted mentor, telling the truth? Becky must try to ignore her own traumatic past and its terrible hold on her. As Becky attempts to untangle these blurred lines, she risks everything, even her home and family, to find the truth…

I’ve been fortunate to have read some fantastic books this year but I have to say that the twist in ‘Blurred Lines’ has been the best one yet!

The story is about Becky who’s a budding film writer, walks in on her boss having sex with another woman. This woman then claims that she was raped and is looking for the woman who saw them to come forward as a witness. This happens at a critical time in Becky’s career when her script has been picked up by both a director and actress and finally her dreams might become a reality.

Becky is the mother to a teenage daughter called Georgia and is best friends with Georgia’s dad called Adam.

The story is written in past and present tense. The present tense is when Becky is also a teenager and goes to a house party and taking some pills and waking up the following morning with no memory. As time goes by and the pressure is on Becky to come forward, Becky finds herself questioning her own history and trying to piece together what happened to her that night at the house party that changed her life forever.

I genuinely loved this story, it was addictive reading with such a well written and crafted story story that I spent my Sunday absorbed in this book. Becky was a fantastic character, a strong woman who’s primary concern is her teenage daughter. As the story progresses and we see Becky explore her past and try to fill in the blank spaces, we see her realise her own worth and confront fears.

Fantastically written with one of the best twists of 2020, ‘Blurred Lines’ is a story of toxic masculinity, control and the pressures of society. With flashbacks, unreliable narratives and unlikable characters, this book is a compelling story, that’s prevalent to the #MeToo and is timely in its writing.

You can pre-order ‘Blurred Lines’ from Amazon and will be available to buy from good bookshops from 20th August.

I wasn’t sure about this when I started but am glad I persisted as it grew in complexity and power the further I read. The main characters are presented with difficult choices, easy for a reader to make in a vacuum but much more nuanced in reality. I was genuinely invested and would recommend this, particularly to male readers as it presents a very clear message about what it means to consent.