I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Great storytelling
Lots of twists and turns

Drawn in from beginning to end

Would highly recommend

The prologue of The Ex-Boyfriend sets the reader up in anticipation of the answer to the question - is Becca poisoning her 3-year old daughter?

The author's insight into the typical life of a mom and career woman and the avalanche of events that can lead to a person's undoing will have you erasing your search history and throwing out any potential toxins! The story builds in a slow burn that takes us on a journey from Becca's nursing job early in her career when  circumstantial evidence  and accusations send her spiraling into a breakdown, to her idyllic vacation in Australia where she meets the ex-boyfriend (Connor) of the title.  We see the slow unraveling of her marriage and feel her pain as her husband gets more and more distant and her daughter gets sicker and sicker.

Halsall's characters are well developed. Thrown into the mix of Becca's troubles is a father, Frank, who is sweet but needs looking after and Kate, a sister who you will love to hate. I loved the description of Ruth, who Becca employs a "child minder” and who loves Mia maybe a little too much.  Maybe she is the one poisoning her daughter. Dean is the ever-absent father, a good dad and provider, but he's been a little distant and maybe wants to get rid of her.  Is he poisoning her daughter?  And why has her ex-boyfriend gotten in touch with her after ten years?

I loved that I was constantly flipping between suspicion of each of the characters, only to have my final guess be wrong!  Halsall had me ping ponging between empathy for Becca, and worry that maybe life was too much and maybe she was suffering from “factitious disorder".  This book will have your heart pounding as it comes too close to what could happen when family relations are strained, social media is abused, and the social service system is bound by rules. 


Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced reader's copy for review.

Becca is accused of poisoning her daughter – she must find out who is behind this and get her daughter back. Full of second guessing... who is responsible? You are left guessing through out who of her nearest and dearest could possibly be betraying her in such a horrendous manner and why? I was hooked from start to finish and would definitely recommend this book.

Wow this book had me guessing all the way, it’s so twisty, and suspenseful. Things begin to happen once our main character, Becca Thorton, receives a message from a long ago ex boyfriend, Connor. Hearing from Connor awakens her memories of their romance in Australia and questioning if she made the wrong decision. They met ten years ago, Becca returned to the UK when her mom had a stroke with the promise of Becca returning, but that never happen. Becca met Dean, she became pregnant with Mia and they got married. Becca realizes what she has been missing in her marriage to Dean and shares this with Connor. Oh no don’t hit the send button! Well Mia begins to get sick every few days, though blood tests always come back negative Becca is never settled. Becca listens to her motherly instinct and believes Mia is being poisoned but by whom? Who would want to harm a child? So I’ll be reading more from this author! Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a gifted ARC. This is my honest review.

Author: Rona Halsall
Book: The Ex Boyfriend       
Publication Day:  30/09/20

Description:

 He promised to love her until her dying day…
When Becca’s first love shows up on her social media feed, she can’t help but smile fondly. Once upon a time Connor was the love of her life, and though it was over ten years ago, he’s always held a place in her heart.

Then he sends her a message. He sounds happy – still kind and funny, still living across the world in Australia. But he wants to know everything about her life now. How can Becca tell him the truth? About her workaholic husband, her stressful job, and the challenges of caring for her elderly father and her longed-for, adorable but exhausting three-year-old daughter Mia?

Becca hesitates, knowing she shouldn’t even reply. But Connor lives on the other side of the world. Just how dangerous can becoming friends again be?

It feels harmless. Until Mia gets sick – in a way that no one can explain. And it starts to become clear – someone will do absolutely anything to make sure Becca never escapes her past…

A completely unputdownable psychological thriller – perfect for fans of My Lovely Wife, The Girl on the Train, and The Woman at the Window.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW 

Review for 'The Ex Boyfriend' by Rona Halsall 

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous 

Publication date 30th September 2020

This is the second book that I have read by this author. The first book I read by her is called 'Her Mother's Lies' which I really enjoyed and Rated 5/5. 

I was originally drawn to this book by  its intriguing and beautiful cover and interesting sounding blurb. I was also drawn to the fact that I have already read one good book by this author so am hoping this will be just as good  I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture  that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 40 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case! 

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Becca. I enjoy books written in third person with several protagonists as it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters. 

This book is based in Llandudno, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇬🇧 . I always enjoy when books are set in the UK and even more so when they are set in Wales as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. In this case I have visited Llandudno so this should make it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.

Wow!! Well what can I say!!! Well done Rona, you've done it again!!! Another cracking unputdownable psychological thriller!!! The book sucked me straight in from the first gripping chapter to the fantastic finalé. Very well written with fantastic descriptions that really kept me in the pages. 

The storyline was scarily realistic and the authour has definitely done her research!! I liked the fact that mental illness cases are being written about more now and that the research is actually going into them. The story was written in both the presebt and had flashbacks from the past which tied in nicely and worked smoothly with the storyline. I LOVED the fact that I thought I knew what was going on just to have that bombshell thrown in. I was not expecting that!! Plenty of red herrings, action, drama, suspense, lies and tension to keep any reader hooked and guessing away. There's nothing worse than guessing what's going on when your not even half way through a book. I thought I had it sussed but not until about 70% and even then I was wrong. 

I loved the different range of characters presented and how realistic they all were all with their own personalities, strengths and flaws. I loved watching how Becca's character developed and strengthened throughout the novel and the different relationships she had with friends and family. 

This would make an excellent movie and I am looking forward to reading more of this very talented author's books. Well done Rona you have got on my favourite authour list!! 

Overall an unputdownable psychological thriller that will keep you hooked and guessing throughout. 

Genres covered include , Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Police Noir Fiction and Crime Fiction. 

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Gone Girl and anyone who loves a good page turner. 

297 pages.

This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! 

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED IT! ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. 

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews 

#TheExBoyfriend #RonaHalsall #Bookouture  #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
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Author Bio:

Rona lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and three guinea pigs. She has been a bookworm since she was a child and now she's actually creating stories of her own, which still feels like a dream come true. 

She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful beaches on the Island while she's plotting how to kill off her next victim. She also makes sure she deletes her Google history on a regular basis, because... well, you can't be too careful when you spend your life researching new and ingenious ways for people to die.

She has three children and two step-children who are now grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories!

Social Media Links:

To find out more about Rona's novels, go to www.facebook.com/RonaHalsallAuthor or follow @RonaHalsallAuth on Twitter.

Buy Links

Amazon: https://geni.us/OPJI7x

Apple: http://ow.ly/DSAs50AM4Me

Kobo: http://ow.ly/sBYU50AM4IH

Google: http://ow.ly/Yxmw50AM4Pk

First, I want to thank Rona Halsall, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

From the moment I saw the beautifully designed cryptic book cover, the title, and the description The Ex Boyfriend from Rona Halsall NEEDED to be on my TBR list!! If you are a fan of psychological thrillers this is a must read!! I was at the edge of my chair for this thrilling and gripping read! 

Rona just jumped right into the story head first and shocked this reader by the turn of events. Whoever would  think of hurting that sweet girl?! Not to mention why?! Mind blown and needed to find out what happened to sweet Mia!! 

Many of us readers like myself can relate to some aspects. Finding your former flame on social media and catching up. The reminiscing of the good ol days and wondering what could have been. Questioning why now is this person coming back into my life? The taboo aspect if one another is taken or not? Oh I have been there-done that-bought the tshirt. 

Mental illness is an important topic that is brought up. 

In Rona’s new book we get to learn about Becca’s husband Dean and the famous ex. Oh there are some fun facts we learn about them along the way as well. 

Rona shows us in The Ex Boyfriend that she is meant to write in this genre. 
Her climatic endings are so intense and mind boggling!

Wow this is some domestic noir, it has enough drama to make a soap opera look like a kiddies programme. Take one frazzled working mum, a workaholic husband, a dad that needs caring for and then just to to topple everything Becca is juggling in the air her daughter Mia gets sick and the hospital are saying she’s being poisoned.

But as if all that isn’t enough to complicate her life add in an ex from years ago who was the love of her life, Ruth the over protective childminder and sister Kate who is bitter at having the majority of the caring duty for their dad. That is a whole cast of suspects for you to enjoy, and if you are like me, you will no doubt suspect all of them at some point as you try to figure who is behind the poisoning.

This has a lot of unlikeable characters and I wasn’t sure how much I could trust Becca either, I have seen a few Münchausen syndrome dramas and read a few books with this in and it was my first thought or was this a cleverly added red herring?

Full of secrets and family tension this is a read that will make you question everything and I would recommend this to readers who love a bit of juicy drama.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.

I thought this book was absolutely brilliant! The title is very clever.

Becca's daughter, Mia, keeps having episodes of violent illness but no one knows why or is listening to Becca.

I changed my mind so many times about who I thought it could be, but never guessed the ending!

My favourite quote:
"On social media its like talking to yourself really."

Publication date: TODAY!

Well holy shoot, this book was a total roller coaster that had me second guessing every single character!

Becca is married to Dean, who are parents to 3 year old Mia. Once Mia starts to become sick, Becca is sure someone is poisoning her. Suspicions turn to her child carer, husband, sister, father and even Ex Boyfriend, though she’s so run down, she even questions if it’s her that may be behind it.

Normally I pick up clues and work out the twists early but this book had me guessing and second guessing until the very end! A fantastic page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. All reviews are of my own honest opinion.

Twisted doesn’t even begin to describe this one. 

Honestly, I read so many psych thrillers that it takes a lot to get one completely over on me. But this one did. Not only did the author have me going on several fronts, she also had me convinced that I had outsmarted her and knew who it was from the beginning. 

I was wrong. Well done. 

The reader knows from the prologue that something nefarious is going on in Becca’s life. We then immediately skip back to 2.5 weeks earlier to where it all began. But as events unfold, we find out that things began even further back than this. 

The author did a fantastic job of plotting. As Becca succumbs to the pressures of life, her long-held doubts come to the forefront making her question her own sanity. In turn, this makes the reader question Becca’s trustworthiness as a narrator. It was effective, because I never knew if she was truly a victim or if she was bringing it on herself. 

Becca’s past job experience also plays heavily in the plot, which was another great aspect. As situations worsen, so does Becca’s perspective. She keeps trying to do the right thing, but her past keeps passively working against her. 

Except for when it comes to Connor, the titular ex-boyfriend. This was perhaps one of the most effective plot threads. Everybody has “the one that got away,” and in times of stress it would be natural to think about “what might have been.” It’s easy to look at the past through rose-colored glasses. 

Somebody close to Becca knows this and uses her uncertainty and unhappiness to prey on her family in the worst possible manner. Is it the ex-boyfriend who wants her back? The husband she suspects of cheating? Or somebody else?

No way in hell am I going to give anything away on this one. The twists keep right on coming, literally up until the very last chapter. 

If I had any complaint at all, and this is nitpicking, it would be that one of the last twists was never really explained and the follow-through on it wasn’t as plausible as the rest of the story. That, and one character’s actions were never fully addressed. 

But those are minor compared to overall arc, as it was well-written and definitely a page turner. By far, one of the best ones I’ve read this year. You do NOT want to miss out – go get it now!

I enjoyed this psychological thriller as it was easy to read and intriguing.
Becca Thornton is a district nurse living in Llandudno, North Wales, with a past she would rather remain hidden. She also happens to be going through a troubled phase in her marriage to Dean who seems less interested in his wife and more interested in his business. Or is he more interested in his business partner Alice?
Becca seems plagued by worries and guilt, in the way that many working mothers are, juggling her part-time nursing job with looking after her energetic three year old daughter Mia. Becca's Mum died a long time ago and there is only her sister Kate and Dad Frank to lean on, but Becca feels guilty because Kate is the one caring for Frank and Becca seems to think she herself isn't doing any of her roles justice. Is she a good sister, daughter, mother, wife? Or is she failing miserably?
There is Ruth, Mia's childminder in the picture as a usually reliable source of support, but in the tale of The Ex-Boyfriend Rona Halsall manages to cast serious doubt on many of the characters' motives and it isn't any wonder Becca becomes caught up in second guessing family and friends, uncertain whether there is anyone she can trust.
Just as Becca is feeling her most vulnerable, a long lost love from Australia, Connor Cywinski, gets in touch via Twitter. Becca is torn emotionally between her marriage and some wonderful memories of a relationship she thought would last forever. And at the same time Mia experiences frequent bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting which are brief but intense and prey on Becca's mind.
As Becca's marriage, work and personal life unravel at an alarming rate, the reader is misdirected again and again, left in turmoil and confusion, just like Becca and just like the harried Mum, I was desperate to get to the bottom of Mia's mystery illnesses.
I wasn't so keen on the ending, finding it a tad unbelievable and a bit too neat, hence the 4 stars, but overall I think The Ex-Boyfriend is an enjoyable read that I would recommend to others. I will also be certain to read more of Halsall's thrillers, satisfied I have now found a new author to add to my list of favourites.

This was a great book. Twisty and generally fast paced (with a slightly slower pace in the middle) and characters that I just didn't know who to trust! I was questioning them in every chapter! Just when you think you figured it out, wham! Another twist!

I am starting to think of myself as something of a Rona Halsall veteran having now read three of her other books - The Honeymoon, One Mistake and Her Mother's Lies. I was so impressed with this outstanding psychological thriller! The premise of The Ex Boyfriend beckoned to me and I knew that I had to read this novel.

In The Ex-Boyfriend, district nurse Becca is married to workaholic Dean and the busy couple have a lovely daughter, Mia. One day, Becca receives an unexpected message from her first love Connor who's in Australia. She knows that she shouldn't reply to his tweets but decides that it will do no harm as he is on the other side of the world. As Becca's load becomes ever greater - Dean is spending even more time working, Becca is looking after her lively three-year-old, and the demands of her job, albeit part-time, are increasing - she knows she still has feelings for Connor but is determined to put her marriage first. Then Mia starts to suffer from periodic bouts of illness... but why?

With her particular brand of style and flair, Rona Halsall wowed me with this classy psychological thriller. The author really excels with this type of novel that explores toxic relationships. It was a well-written story and the plot execution was tremendous, as was the characterisation, and pacing. There were no disappointments and it had abundant twists and turns, keeping me fully engrossed in occurrences and events. There were many suspects, each potentially having a different motive, and it was exciting to try to figure out who the culprit might have been, whilst realising that nobody could be trusted.

The story was told mostly from the perspective of Becca, across different timescales, and was jammed full of 'lowbrow' topics - family drama, mental instability, and affairs, among others. As events and clandestine behaviours began to manifest, the fabulous formula of Rona Halsall kept me on the edge of my seat. The Ex Boyfriend was everything I wanted in what was a pretty special psychological thriller, and I enjoyed how things played out in the surprising finale.

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

This book opens with a slice of domesticity: a frazzled wife, an overworked husband, a sickly child, with plenty of eyes that widened and narrowed, faces that crumpled, cringed and continually frowned while  everyone folds their arms across their chest. A plethora of dry, mundane backstory including the hot ex-boyfriend from Australia who was the perfect free spirit. Then he pops up on Twitter and takes our heroine back to a fantasy in her head.

This is very much how it is until half-way through. Then the story begins with suspicions about why the toddler is ill all the time. A family secret, which is easy to guess, is often referred to and off-page arguments make the text repetitive. Everyone is in the frame at some point and the one whodunnit is a surprise, and an unrealistic one at that. The ending is a little far-fetched and overly romantic.

Billed as a psychological thriller, this book is neither. There is some reference to mental illness but the story is a family saga with issues such as childcare, taking care of elderly relatives, work-life balance and family dynamics as the main themes. Easy to read and not unpleasant.

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Rona Halsall's twisty domestic thriller THE EX-BOYFRIEND.

I must say, I was hooked from the very beginning despite the book's slow pace, so much so I read it in one sitting! It kept me up till gone 3am and I wasn't putting it down till I knew the outcome. THE EX-BOYFRIEND begins as a slow burn that builds up to an exciting twisted climax...leaving you breathless by its end. It covers mental illness, exploring the controversial issue of Factitious disorder imposed on another or FDIA (most commonly known as Munchhausen by proxy) interwoven with grief, narcissism and a whole web of complex relationships.

The focal point of this emotionally charged thriller is Becca, whose emotions are thrown into chaos when her ex-boyfriend Connor contacts her via Twitter. He was her first love, her best friend...the man she probably would have ended up with had life not taken a twist.

Ten years ago, Becca was the focus of an investigation at the hospital where she worked as a nurse after a series of incidents that put patients' lives at risk was linked to each of her shifts. Having been suspended with fingers pointing in her direction, Becca ultimately had a breakdown and at the behest of her friend Tina who had emigrated to Australia, Becca packed herself off on a holiday down under to refresh and recharge. It was there Becca met Connor, carefree spirit who did nothing but travel and surf. He was her best friend, her confidante, her lover. But with her biological clock ticking, Becca wanted to settle down and Connor just wanted to live free.

Then Becca received word that her mother had died so she flew back to the UK with the promise that she will return in a month. But nothing prepared Becca for the care her father needed at the loss of his lifelong partner...and Becca felt she couldn't leave him.

The day of her mother's funeral Becca meets Dean, the two begin dating and she soon finds herself pregnant. Dean has always wanted a family with children and so they marry and plan a life together. But Becca miscarries...again and again and again. By her fourth pregnancy, she is so worried about losing her baby she doesn't have time to enjoy the glow of pregnancy. And then Mia is born. Beautiful, sweet, adorable "mini me" Mia.

Now ten years after her return to the UK, Becca is working part time as a district nurse while Dean is busy building up his business. Disheartened by the fact that she never sees Dean anymore and when he is home he's not really present, Becca feels lost and lonely although 3 year old Mia keeps her busy.

So when Becca sees Connor pop up on her Twitter feed, she begins to reminisce about the those days wrapped in Connor's love. She sees no harm in responding to him and before long a conversation ensues where Connor confesses he has never stopped loving her. Becca begins to wonder what life might have been like had she returned to Australia. Would she and Connor have picked up where they left off? With many fond memories of those days, Becca can't help but feel like she needs someone to confide in...and Connor had been her best friend. And now he seems to want to know everything about her life.

One day after her childminder drops a bombshell on her that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, Becca ropes her sister Kate in to watch Mia while she works. Kate is none too pleased but acquiesces reluctantly. Though Mia hates the car and screams protest at the mere idea of travelling in one, Becca manages to bundle her up and drive her the half hour away to her dad's place where Kate also lives. Her dad adores Mia and his face lights up upon seeing her and the two trundle off to get into mischief.

That night, Mia is violently ill as Becca spends the night changing and washing bed linen and bathing her little girl. The next morning, she is fine. Becca suspects a 24 hour bug but a couple of days later the same thing happens. Vomiting and diarrhoea and Mia crying in pain. Becca takes her in for blood tests, which come back clear. But whatever it is continues to plague Mia as she has several more attacks throughout the week, prompting Becca to do her own investigating. And then it hits her. Someone is poisoning Mia. But why?

But when Becca tries to get health professionals to take her concerns seriously, things go from bad to worse and suddenly Becca finds herself in the firing line. No one believes her and everyone suspects the worst of her. Becca has never felt so alone...she only has Connor to confide in.
But something isn't right. Things that he is saying Connor wouldn't normally say...but it has been ten years, right? Maybe he's changed. But can Becca trust him? Who else is there?

A compelling domestic thriller, THE EX-BOYFRIEND is a book where no one is exempt from suspicion. There are lies, secrets, deception and betrayal of the worst kind that keep you engaged right up to the end. And when the big reveal comes, the truth is more chilling and more sinister than Becca could have ever imagined. Without revealing the "who" I will say the person was my first suspect initally before I began looking at everyone else...for reasons I cannot divulge without spoiling it.

While the book began at a slow pace, it did hold my interest as I pondered where everything was going to fit in. But it wasn't until around 50% that it really picked up the pace and it was a race to the end from then on and I wouldn't rest until I had swiped the last page.

THE EX-BOYFRIEND is an intriguing nail biter of a read once it gets going that will have you engaged right up till the end. There are plenty of twists that keep you guessing with a complex web of secrets that make this a dark and thrilling read.

Another suspenseful read for fans of domestic thrillers.

I would like to thank #RonaHalsall, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheExBoyfriend in exchange for an honest review.

You know when you read a Rona Halsall book that you are going to be getting one cracker of a read and The Ex-Boyfriend is no exception. She really is one talented author and delivers each and every time, which makes her one of the best psychological thriller authors out there!

Rona has put together an interesting plot that drew me in right from the outset and took me hostage until the final page. The opening is chilling and sets off the tone for the rest of the story. It really got under my skin and shook me to the core.

The characters have been very well developed and have been brought to life beautifully. Rona Halsall knows how to get into a readers head and mess with it, as she makes you second guess everyone. So many times I thought I had it in the bag, but I couldn’t have been more wrong!

As always Rona Halsall captured my attention with writing that is perfectly flawless and just flows so well, as she makes your fingers get a workout furiously flicking those pages on the Kindle. The Ex-Boyfriend sure is a page turner that had me reading until the sun came up and was completely worth the book hangover I had afterwards!

The Ex-Boyfriend is a gripping first class read and one that you must add to your reading list for this year. It is engrossing, intense and with a jaw dropping outcome that I did not see coming, makes this a very satisfying read and I can’t wait to see what Rona Halsall will come up with for her readers next.

Thank you to Rona Halsall, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Ex-Boyfriend which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Rona Halsall really knows how to rock the domestic noir genre. This one is a beauty! Becca and Dean have a wonderful life. Dean’s new business is doing well and growing. Becca combines three half days of work community nursing with caring for their energetic three year old daughter Mia. Everything is wonderful - until it isn’t. 

When you lift the lid on this simmering cauldron you find that Dean is spending more time than ever at work (and we all know what that means) while Becca is struggling with competing demands just when her child minder thinks she has cancer and her sister, Kate, demands a break from looking after their father who has never quite recovered from the death of his wife - Becca and Kate’s mother 10 years ago. So when she gets a Twitter message from Connor, the surfer who swept her off her feet 10 years ago while she was on sabbatical in Australia, she can’t help thinking “what if?”

But when Mia starts having inexplicable bouts of illness and people start to suspect Becca of causing it because wasn’t there a cloud over her all those years ago that led to a breakdown...and caused her to flee to Australia? Things go from bad to worse for Becca and she doesn’t know who to believe, or trust or indeed if she is really going insane. This twist, when it comes, well you may have been thinking it but it still slaps you in the face with its sheer horror. How well do you really know the people close to you? I really enjoyed this one! 4.5 stars rounded down. Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Rona Halsall for providing this copy. My opinions are my own.

Such a deep and twisted book. I loved it!! You will never guess what is about to happen next and the author tells an amazing story.

The main responsibility of any parent who genuinely loves their child is to raise and nurture them to the best of your abilities and the worst thing that you could ever be accused of is intentionally harming them in any way. Unfortunately there has been far too many cases were a child who was not being abused has been taken away from its loving parents due to suspected child abuse only for it to emerge later that the child was suffering from a medical condition. Then, at the other end of the scale are the cases of genuine abuse where a child is left with or returned to its abusers and is unfortunately killed. Usually after these terrible cases the authorities sprout the same old excuses and lessons will be learned nonsense but nothing ever changes. Our main character and narrator of this gripping domestic drama Becca finds herself trapped in every parents living nightmare after her young daughter is rushed into hospital. It's a horrible and very upsetting situation for a parent to find themselves in and I really tried to feel some empathy for Becca but sadly I just couldnt. There were times when she came across as rather self centred and selfish, a perfect example being her reaction when her child minder Ruth informed her that she wouldn't be able to take care of Mia anymore because she had been diagnosed with cancer. That said, after witnessing Becca's interactions with her workaholic, golf obsessed husband Dean, I could fully understand her obsession with her first love,free spirited surfer dude Connor. But was it just pure coincidence that Becca's apparently perfect life started to fall apart almost from the moment that Connor contacted her? Or was someone closer to home using a episode from her past for their own personal reasons? My favourite characters were poor little Mia and Ruth who I thought was a wonderful character. I can't say that I like Becca's sister Kate or their father very much for various reasons.

Rona Halsall is one of my favourite author's, her thrillers are always extremely well written and The Ex Boyfriend is no exception. Her words flow with ease, drawing the reader into her realistic and relatable characters fictional world. The plot covered a wide range of issues, held the reader's attention throughout and the identity of Becca's tormentor was a genuine shock. A brilliant read and highly recommended.

This is a difficult book to review without giving too much of the superb plot away, but believe me when I say that you will not figure this one out.

It starts with a totally arresting prologue, a snippet of what is to come. Becca's daughter is unwell, and all is not what it seems.

Her ex comes back into her life via social media, at a time when she's already feeling a bit dissatisfied with some aspects of her life.

There are so many layers to this clever plot. It really kept me guessing, and is a hard book to put down, or to forget.

A twisty and addictive domestic suspense thriller, I was totally absorbed by this book, and really recommend it. Yet another fabulous novel from this excellent author.