Relevant, topical, gripping. Well developed and well paced plot, with great characters. Very enjoyable.

Susan Lewis has really mastered the art of taking a topical subject relevant in today's society and making a good story from it without going overboard. Forgive Me is a well written, emotionally-charged story and in this book, some sensitive, uncomfortable and controversial subjects are explored, such as domestic abuse and restorative justice.

Claudia Winters has a chance for a fresh start in Kesterly-on-Sea in the West Country, Northern England. Taking her sixteen-year-old daughter, Jasmine and her mum, Marcy, the family are fleeing from Claudia's second husband, financier Marcus Huxley-Browne who is on trial for fraud, insider trading and money laundering. Before his arrest, he threatened Claudia, telling her never to leave him as he would have her found very swiftly. Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old prison inmate Archie is busying himself writing letters to someone he has caused terrible harm. The reader follows Archie and Claudia and their families on a collision course that will change everyone's lives.

Forgive Me was gritty, emotionally gripping and the story built very nicely. The characters were well-drawn and an interesting combination as Susan Lewis revealed their personal struggles, gradually drip-feeding information in a way that made me desperate to continue reading. The novel evoked many emotions within me including sadness, anger and disbelief. For certain, it was provocative and thought-provoking family drama-style thriller with forgiveness as one of the main themes running throughout. This was one of my favourite novels by Susan Lewis who continues to thrill me with her wonderful, top-notch writing style. Forgive Me is an extremely worthwhile read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

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

When her abusive husband is arrested, Claudia takes the opportunity to escape to a new life by the sea, creating new identities for her daughter and mother. She is always alert for reprisals, but when an attack comes, it’s not Claudia who is hurt. Given the chance to meet the culprit, can the family learn to forgive him and move on with their lives?

At the start, I expected Forgive Me to focus on Claudia’s relationship with husband Marcus and his attempts to win her back, but actually, Marcus hardly appears. Instead, it looks at the work of restorative justice practitioners, and the benefits for victims and perpetrators in coming to terms with what happened. Whether in real life there would be such a level of forgiveness, I’m not sure, however the process and procedures are sensitively described.

A good story.

Claudia, her mother and daughter were running away from an abusive husband Marcus to start a new life in a small English village. But for how long can they stay hidden? Marcus is in prison but still has contacts and Claudia has something he needs. This is a book of two stories the abuser and the abused and the benefits of restorative justice.

A brilliantly twisty tale.
A psychological thriller with a strangely light and airy feel, despite the dark undercurrents running beneath the surface.
A well crafted plot and engaging characters. There are plenty of unexpected moments
Sensitively approaching the subject matter and very up to date, introducing current themes with flair.
A thoroughly enjoyable read

So....I read this in a couple of days (lucky I am on holiday!!!). Absolutely gripped from start to finish. Asked to say nothing by her husband, we quickly discover that Claudia is a victim and needs to get away from her husband. Changing her name, she flees with her daughter and mother and starts again. She builds a new life with new friends. Only a few people know the truth. The book also introduces another person, what does he have to do with the story. It all becomes clear. Brilliantly written, fantastic story, twists and turns. Also understanding the power of forgiveness and how life can change through no choice of our own. Would totally recommend.

This is a very well written, easy reading feel good book. From the first few pages I was invested in the future of Claudia, Jasmine and Marcy.

This was first book by Susan Lewis and I cant wait to read more.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an unbiased review.

As an avid Susan Lewis reader I couldn't wait to get into the latest offerings. Before I start I would definitely class this more of a family saga than the thriller title it's classed under.

A truly compelling and emotive read, this had me hooked from the prologue. As expected Susan Lewis knows how to draw you in with the first breath, a breathe you will hold in until everything is tied up neatly with a bow at the very end.

The story covers some dark, disturbing and unsettling themes, such as domestic abuse/violence which is so obviously researched to the highest degree! One of the main topics is Restorative Justice which I had never heard of previously. It definitely makes you question what you would do in the situation the victims were in, would you be able to forgive?

The characters are likeable, totally plausible and lifelike and more than anything relatable.

A real heartwarming story at times that sat with me for quite a while after. The whole concept of 'forgiveness' was shown to me in a whole new light.

5*

Huge thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

Wow what can I say. Once again Susan Lewis has pulled it out the bag. Just so gutted when it ended. An amazing tale, I was so drawn in to this story then bam it’s just finished. Gutted to say the least but an amazing read and would highly recommend

Susan Lewis always writes a good book; this one is no exception. 'Forgive Me,' is a challenging read emotionally, with the topics of domestic abuse and restorative justice at its heart.

'...just in case you get any ideas about leaving me, you'll be watched; you won't get away and if you try, I'll find you and by then you'll wish you hadn't.'

Marcus Huxley-Browne is a desperate man on the brink of imprisonment. Once in custody, despite his threats, his long-suffering wife changes her name, and along with her daughter Jasmine, and her mother Marcy, escapes London to a new life in Kesterley-on-Sea.

At first frightened and cautious, Claudia gradually begins to relax, buys a house, makes new friends and re-establishes her previously successful business.

Marcus however, is not far behind! One devastating night, Claudia's carefully constructed life is brutally attacked, and as her mother bears the brunt of her husband's wrath, Claudia begins to wonder if she will ever be free...

Alongside Claudia's story, is that of nineteen year old Archie, who opens 'Forgive Me' with a letter to an unknown recipient, telling a sad story of a youth forced into a life of crime to keep his vulnerable mother safe from harm.

Archie and Claudia's stories gradually come together in a climatic mix of violence, forgiveness, love and pain that is quite breathtaking!

To say anymore would be to give too much away; suffice to say that 'Forgive Me' is an excellent read which will not disappoint. Enjoy!

Claudia and her daughter disappear from her husband when he's sent to prison. A name change and a new life with her mother beckons but is it that easy to escape. Will they be truly free?

I was expecting this to be a thriller but its more of a family drama focusing on redemption and forgiveness. Its a good read though and really gets you thinking about how you might deal in their situation. The plot was well paced with a couple of dramatic moments added in. The ending was very good and tied the story in perfectly. Marcy was by far my favourite character in this. She goes through so much and yet her strength shines through. An interesting, thought provoking read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Susan Lewis and Harper Collins for this e-copy in return for my honest review. This book follows the lives of three generations of women as they escape their pasts. It is beautifully written and the story is well crafted. I've only read a few of Susan's books previously but I'll definitely read others as she's fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

In afraid this has been my first did not finish in quite a while
I was sent a review copy from NetGalley but found the story was not moving the way I thought it was going to from the 60% mark and sadly lost interest

I have read a few of Susan Lewis's books and never been disappointed. Her writing is always of a high standard, and this book doesn't let us down.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book and thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I’m going to buck the trend by giving this book 2 stars. I felt the whole story was sugar coated and totally unbelievable. The dialogue was so poor and the written word of the arsonist was the same as the educated voice of Dan et al. The reason I’m awarding two stars rather than one is that despite the saccharine treatment and plodding writing (especially in the middle part) there was a small kernel of a good story here. I also acknowledge the research into burns.

Forgive Me tells the story of Claudia and her daughter Jasmine who have fled their home to escape from Claudia’s criminal and abusive husband. Although he has been sentenced to five year’s imprisonment, Claudia knows he has friends who will do whatever it takes to keep her quiet. They move into a new apartment with Claudia’s mother and forge ahead in a new live with new identities. Unfortunately, a terrible incident occurs that changes everything for them all.
I enjoyed the characters in this book but did find the pace quite slow at times. The restorative justice storyline fitted in well with the main narrative and was well researched.

Title: Forgive Me
Author: Susan Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 3/5

A huge thank you to Susan Lewis, Harper Collins, Netgalley and Random Things Tours for letting me be part of the blog tour.

Synopsis:

Claudia Winter’s is giving up everything for a fresh start. Changing her name and leaving her old life behind she has fled to Kesterly with her mother and daughter. The reason for this being her safety, to escape the clutches of her abusive, criminal husband. Claudia and her family soon adapt to their new life and their safe haven, finally finding happiness but Claudia knows the past can not stay hidden, it will always catch up on you. One disastrous night it does just that and things are about to change forever.

Review:
The cover is what initially caught my attention with this read, I found it to be very appealing. Then I read the description and it does a good job of hooking you in without giving anything away, I was left with questions and I needed to read to find out those answers. The reviews also hinted that this could be a promising read so I was eager to find out for myself.

I found the opener of Forgive Me to be very powerful, it left me itching to uncover the story ahead. However, I did find that it took a few chapters from then on to get my head around the story line and confidently know who was who, this got easer as I continued to read.
Some characters intrigued me and I was very curious to see how they would develop throughout the story. I was also very intrigued to see how the story would also come together, I knew something wad coming, I just wanted to know what it was. Despite the fact I really felt for Claudia at times in this read, I loved how united she was with her mother and daughter, there relationship with each other was lovely and touching.

As for Marcy, by far she was one of my favourite characters, I just adored. She was genuine, sweet and very likeable. When Marcy’s character changed due to reasons I will not spoil, it really tugged on my heart strings and I began to miss the bubbly character she used to be. Her resilience however is to be admired and it is an important lesson for us all.

I felt the pace of this read was a little too slow for me and the build up too be a little too long for my liking. I found I would zone in and out as I was reading and I love it when a book has you captivated from the start to the very last page. However, I knew something was coming and when it did, it was very unexpected and caught me off guard. I was shocked and it got me in my feelings quite strongly so this I really appreciated and thank the author for.

The author does a brilliant job at writing in a way in which you really feel for the flawed characters and as a result of this is thought provoking in parts. Forgive Me highlights how important it is to try find forgiveness so you can be at peace. This read opened my eyes at times especially when characters were talking about restorative justice. It brings home how important it is to be able emphasise with others and show compassion.

Forgive Me wasn’t the read I expected, it was more about a family facing and over coming barriers than the usual thriller I read. There wasn’t as much tension and suspense that I’d of liked but there were strong messages throughout and the read itself was pleasant and I enjoyed the writing style of the author.

This is such a thought- provoking book, and a completely immersive story. It deals with the topic of restorative justice, which I had not heard of before reading this book. It’s a very interesting concept, but likely to be a polarising one amongst readers.
Claudia, her daughter and her mother assume new identities, appearances and home, unbeknown to the police, to escape the clutches of Claudia’s abusive and manipulative husband Marcus, who has been arrested due to some highly suspect business dealings.
To begin with, the trio’s plan goes swimmingly - almost unbelievably so. Just when the reader begins to think that this is all too good to be true, a devastating incident occurs which looks set to destroy all of their lives.
The characterisation is exceptional, the plotting is faultless, and the story never flags. This is a gripping narrative which keeps the pages turning, and this reader thinking ‘ Could I handle this so well, if I found myself in such a situation?’ I’m not convinced I could, but I’m full of admiration for anyone who can.
Susan Lewis is a top class author, who never disappoints this reader. This book is no exception. I highly recommend it.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to have an advance copy of this title.

Another great read from Susan Lewis, she never disappoints.
A family drama involving 3 generations of ladies and their move and identity change to escape an abusive relationship.

The book carries a lot of information about restorative justice, as well as dealing with domestic abuse amongst other things.

I've said it before and I am sure that I will say it again, I would love to read a new Susan Lewis that isn't set in Kesterley and doesn't involve Andee Lawrence, San Lewis has such a skill for creating characters that she doesn't need to keep bringing old ones into her novels.
Please lets have a new location and give Andee a rest!

Thank you to Netgalley for an early review copy

It seemed to take an absolute age for me to get into this book, I took about a month to read it but once I got into the book, I really couldn't put it down as it was a great read. It was about half way through when the book seemed to take a different direction to the one I thought it was going to be, and you then get the title of the book. A fantastic read with a great storyline and some very good characters you enjoyed reading. Highly recommend the book!