'Truths I Never Told You' by Kelly Rimmer - so sad, but absolutely engrossing; an emotionally charged tale of love and loss, parenthood, family ties and divided loyalties.
Beginning with a recently discovered, utterly heart-breaking letter, so begins a heart-breaking journey through the troubled relationships of Grace, Maryanne and Beth. Told primarily through the narratives of Grace and Beth, with more than thirty years between them, we learn of their individual battles with devastating post-natal depression, the issues faced within each era, and the impact on both them and the people around them.
After ploughing through a few quite banal books, this was like reaching an oasis in the desert; definitely a 5 star read!
A note of caution however; the content deals with a very real portrayal of mental illness, so if you are currently 'fragile' then please take this into consideration before reading.

In the late 50’s, Grace is struggling with 4 children under the age of 5 when she discovers she is expecting again. After each pregnancy a dark mist descends upon Grace and doesn’t clear for at least a year. She can’t cope with another baby so she turns to her sister for help with devastating consequences.

Years later, Grace’s daughter Beth is struggling as a new mum, she’s finding it hard to bond with her baby and she doesn’t know why. When Beth discovers letters written by her mum many years ago it seems that they had something in common.

A well written compelling story that deals with hard hitting subjects with sensitivity. A great read which I would recommend.

I was given an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
A novel about post natal depression and mental health issues in a family spanning two generations. The effects of the illnesses are related with sensitivity and humility. The characters are extremely well developed. A family with deep secrets and strong familial bonds.
For me the second half of the book was much better and made for more compulsive reading. I found the first half a slow burn.
But overall, a great story written by Kelly Rimmer which I really enjoyed.
4.5 stars

I’ve read some of this authors previous works and this one didn’t disappoint.

It’s a story of a family, damaged by a tragedy that the children were too young to remember. Dementia, post- partum depression and the strict laws around abortion in the 1960s are all covered in this warm, insightful book.

The family is made of strong, likeable characters and each feels natural in their place. Kelly Rimmer writes well and the story moves along at a good pace. I liked the way that the twists were gently revealed as the story progressed.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of Diane Chamberlain and Jodi Picoult. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Another fantastic emotional and poignant read from kelly! I devoured this book in a day as I really didn’t want to put it down!
Dementia and post natal depression are both portrayed in such a tender sensitive manner that draws you in!
An emotional read that really brings home how times have changed so much in the last 50-60 years particularly around abortion and mental health stigmas! post natal depression and how it was treated then with ECT and pulling yourself together seems so barbaric and callous, thankfully today it is recognised and treated with the utmost professionalism and help is at hand! Overall a great read that although it tackles hard hitting sensitive topics it will resonate with anyone who has been affected by a relative friend or themselves with either post Natal depression or dementia and it illustrates the importance of family love and support at these difficult times in life! A great read that I will highly recommend!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

This is my first Kelly Rimmer and I can say it won’t be my last. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it completely.
Beth is struggling to cope with her Dad’s dementia and becoming a new mum. Over thirty years before Beth’s Mum is struggling to cope with four young children. Whilst emptying her father’s house Beth finds a letter from her a mum. Is it possible that her Mother who died when she was child could help her cope with the stresses of her life.
I loved the characters in this book and thought the issues dealt with in the book were very sensitively handled. The author has clearly done her research into Dementia and other areas that appear in the book. The book had me in tears at places and left me feeling very lucky to live in today’s society rather than society in the Sixties.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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