I really enjoyed this but the ending felt a bit flat, both in terms of Archie’s story but also Marcus’s and Claudia’s - felt a bit too neat and unrealistic given Marcus’s background and the lengths he’d previously gone to.

This book is about Claudia and her daughter Jasmine who have fled from an abusive relationship with her husband Marcus. They move away and begin a new life with Claudia’s mother, Marcy. Claudia is worried that her husband will find them so keeps their identities secrets from their new friends. In between their story we also hear from Archie, a young man who is writing letters from prison to someone who he desperately wants to apologise to. You don’t, however, get to find out who that is, or what he is apologising for until much later in the book. The story is told mainly from Claudia’s perspective and shows how she battles against the fear of her husband finding her and still trying to lead a normal life.

I liked Claudia’s character and couldn’t begin to understand how scared she must have been in leaving him. She is constantly assessing everything and everyone in case it’s someone who has been sent to find her or will work out who they really are. Her mother and daughter are trying to live their lives as normal, and slowly as the book moves on you can see that Claudia begins to relax also. Their past however, catches up with them and one night their lives change forever. The storyline was a little slow in parts, particularly before this night but I thought the storyline was much more powerful after than before. It felt, to me that the first half of the book was Claudia’s story and the second half was definitely Marcy’s.

Running alongside the main story is the storyline of restorative justice. This is basically where the perpetrator of a crime and the victim communicate, so it can help the victim come to terms with what happened and that the perpetrator can see the consequences of their actions. Whether you have an opinion of how right or wrong this is this book provides a positive view on it, and I thought it was a very emotional part of the storyline. I have read many books by this author and have enjoyed them all. The book is well written and very well researched with lots of drama and emotion, keeping you hooked until the very end. Would definitely recommend.

I have enjoyed all of Susan Lewis’s books for a number of years and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. The book opens with 19 year old Archie writing letters in prison to someone who he has wronged. His story unfolds alongside the story of Claudia, her mum Marcy and daughter Jasmine, Claudia has escaped from her abusive husband Marcus, he has been arrested and is on trial for money laundering and fraud and has threatened Claudia saying that he would find her if she left him. Claudia and the rest of her family have escaped to the seaside town of Kesterley and also changed their names. Marcy has found them an apartment and they are helpful that they can enjoy a new life but Claudia is still worried that Marcus will have someone find them. They begin to make friends who are unaware of their real identities but when Marcus’s sister reports them as missing to the police Claudia has to tell them the truth. Then one fateful night an event occurs that has terrible consequences. This book was an amazing read, with well developed characters and I loved how Archie and Claudia’s stories came together. A brilliant read from Susan Lewis.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Claudia and her daughter, Jasmine, and her mother, Marcy, have uprooted their lives to escape Claudia’s husband. Making their lives in a small coastal town they begin to live again without fear.
Archie is a young lad writing letters to the victim of a crime he committed and when Archie and Claudia’s lives collide nothing will be the same again.
This was a great book and I did really enjoy it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a story ! Susan Lewis writes books which are thought provoking, well researched and full of twists that the reader cannot guess - this book is no exception. Claudia, her mum Marcy and daughter Jasmine have to go into hiding to escape Claudias abusive husband .
This is their story . I would recommend this book to any reader who likes depth to their reading , the reader is drawn into the book and real life is put on hold ! Loved it
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Susan Lewis for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book and felt the characters were likeable and you wanted only good things for them. As in all good books, things feel into place for them but always having to look over their shoulder to stop the ogres from finding them. Another good one from Susan Lewis.

I think I had a glitch with NetGalley I was requesting books and nothing, then all came through at the same time. I am unable to give a true review, sorry.

Wow a rollercoaster of a read. A new life, new friends, it all seems to be going so well for the three generations of a family escaping a dark past. A huge traumatic event changes everything and then introduces the reader to a moving story told in a unique way that weaves the prologue into the story via letter. A story of revenge and forgiveness.

Lovely story and back story, loved the description of the area that the story was set in. A mix of modern day and WWII. Would definitely recommend

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Lewis is a talented writer & this book is very good. Well written & will certainly distract you from the 3rd Iockdown!

I really enjoy Susan Lewis' writing, and Forgive me is no exception.

This book gripped me pretty much straight away and I quickly became invested in Claudia, Marcey and Jasmines escape from Caludia's abusive husband.

Marcus, Claudias second husband, is arrested for various wrongdoings and whilst he is in prison she sets the wheels in motion to escape him and start a new life. But he has made it clear that if she ever were to leave, he will find her, and it won't be pretty.

Just as they start relaxing into their new life, an arson attack turns everything upside down and their lives are changed forever after Marcey is trapped inside and suffers life threatening burn injuries.

New friends of theirs are involved in a restorative justice project and before long they are confronted with letters from the arsonist full of remorse, explaining who he is and how he ended up setting fire to their house.

Marcey, Claudia and Jasmine must decide if they want to engage with the RJ project and potentially meet their arsonist.

I really felt so many emotions throughout this book and I do believe you never know how you would react in a situation until you're living it. Fantastic book and definitely recommended.

When Marcus Huxley Browne is imprisoned his wife Claudia decides enough is enough and decides to leave him and London .
Claudia her 16year old daughter and her mother flee from London to Kesterly-on-sea they change their names and set up a new life.
Archie is a 19 year old prison inmate who is writing letters to someone he has wronged.
Claudia & Archie’s lives become entwined in the most awful way.
Great read
Thanks NetGalley

Another cracker from Susan Lewis. I love family dramas, and mixed in with a thriller this is a fantastic read. Kept me hooked from the start.

This nothing much I can say except excellent as usual.

I enjoyed all the book and nothing bad to say about it.

This is a great read. It covers a variety of domestic themes that I feel this is more like a family saga than a thriller. It kept me hooked throughout though and I couldn't wait to read to the end to see how the climax would unfold. We women here suffer and escape domestic violence, we see them survive but suffer gravely from an arson attack and we see the perpetrator try to engage in restorative justice by writing letters to Marcy who received irreversible damage from burns during the arson attack. Archie, the perpetrator was still just a teenager when he lit that fire and through his letters to Marcy we learn more about him what caused him to commit such a heinous crime and we veer on the edge of forgiveness. Will Marcy do the same? This is very good read, an emotional one that will regularly pull on your heart strings.

Susan Lewis has written another rollercoaster of a thriller . The book tells the story of Claudia fleeing to escape an abusive relationship in a bid to make a life worth living for her teenage daughter . New names new house new job new friends but with the undercurrent of fear that they will be discovered . It's also a lesson in restorative justice ,alternate chapters are written as a letter about an incident that occurs later in the book asking a character for forgiveness . A rollercoaster of a story.

I have just finished this book in two days and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It tells the story of Claudia, her mother Marcy and her daughter Jasmine as they run away from her abusive husband and try and start a new life.
The characters of the three women are very likeable and I found myself compelled to keep reading to make sure they would be safe and happy in their new lives.
This is my second Susan Lewis book and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both so much so I’m really thrilled to have already been sent her next book to review! Can’t wait to read that!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for letting me review this book.

Loved this book. Storyline was excellent and just kept my attention throughout. And real feel good story too. Wonderfully written and characters relatable. Love reading this author

The story of an abused wife who escapes and builds a new life...but her past comes back to haunt her and she must learn to move on. Probably one of the least gripping of Susan Lewis books and needed a bit of something else but readable and good! Characters as beautifully written as always

I love Susan Lewis's books but this one I struggled with. It seemed pretty predictable and I got confused when one minute she was writing about Claudia, Marcy, and Jasmine. Then she skips straight into the prisoner that wants her forgiveness without any warning.
Whilst it is commendable to bring to light Restorative justice, I found the rest of the book a little dull and repetitive. My mind kept wandering off onto other things which to me is a sign of a book that doesn't appeal to my attention which is sad as her books normally grip me.
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. xx