This was a domestic thriller that I found somewhat predictable. However, I don't think the purpose of Mercer's novel was to have startling twists and turns. My guess is that the author was more focused on an in-depth character study and writing a book that makes us thing about how far reaching our decisions can be. If that was her goal, I feel it was achieved! This novel made me think about how much of an impact our actions can have on others that we never really learn of or know about.

I found this book quite slow to start with. The characters weren’t all that relatable but as it progressed I definitely got more into the story. It was an interesting ideas which I did like and would read more by the author!

Isabelle ran away home home. For years her mother Ruth did not know where she was. Then she’s back. And not by herself. With her is her son. The grandson, Ruth knew nothing of.
What caused her daughter to flee and why is she back? Family secrets are about to be uncovered.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an arc

An enjoyable audiobook. Interesting characters and fairly well paced. Some elements were predictable and some weren’t which made for a good twist. I’ve not read anything by this author before but will be checking out her previous audiobooks. Overall, definitely worth a read if you like this genre. Great narration, too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

I got a chance to listen to this audio book via an advance copy provided to me by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review -- and if I didn't feel obligated to finish in order to write the review, I might have given up. The novel just wasn't very good. Lots of overblown drawn-out scenes of hand-wringing and wondering if everything will work out. Shallow characters who behave in inexplicable ways and have a mysterious lack of friends. Just meh. Don't bother.

When I started this thriller, I was pretty sure of how it all ended up - but I was definitely in for a surprise. I enjoyed these characters and the setting and the way the plot unfolded. It wasn't earth-shattering, but it definitely held my interest and would recommend for fans of the domestic/family secret/not gruesome or terrifying type of thriller.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Why she left by Leah Mercer.
Narrated by Mira Dovreni.
When I open the door and see her, my mind starts churning. Why are they here? What do they want? And why did my daughter leave in the first place? Am I finally, after all of these years, going to find out? I take a deep breath and usher them in....
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Great story and characters. 4*.

Ruth's estranged daughter, Isobel, turns up on her doorstep with a son Ruth never knew about. Isobel left school and her home as a teenager and Ruth never knew why or where she was. She had always thought Isobel would take over the private school her family started and ran, but when this didn't happen, her other daughter returned home to help. Ruth now sees this as her second chance with Isobel as well as grooming her grandson, Isaac, she never knew about. As well, Ruth will always do what she thinks is best for the prestigious Burlington Square School she has spent her life building.

Why She Left is a domestic drama with some suspense thrown in. There is a lot of family drama in this one. I have to say that I disliked Ruth, a lot. This was a woman who put the family's school above everything else. She was a bit high and mighty and when the mighty fall, they fall hard. The school is it's own character in this story. It’s the center of everything as it looms over the square and their lives. Both Isobel and her older sister Cecily have been shaped by the school, it explains their personalities and actions just as it does with Ruth. The interactions between the three women can be harsh, but Isaac seems to be a buffer between them. There are flashbacks in the story so we can see how the past has effected the present, but I quickly figured out why Isobel left home. There is a lot of emotion in this one, especially pain and anger that must be dealt with for them to move forward. There is a huge twist near the end that had me shaking my head. I enjoyed this story of a damaged family, characters who needed to heal, some revenge, and feelings of pain that will lead characters to act in certain ways. Not a thriller, which was what I had been expecting, but a good story nonetheless. Mira Dovreni narrates the audiobook and did a good job with this story. Her voices, expression and emotion made this a pleasant listening experience.

Fifteen years ago, Isobel ran away from home, leaving behind her beloved mother, sister and the prestigious private school that her family had run for many years. But now, running away from an abusive partner, she's back - with her fifteen year old son.

It's fairly obvious throughout the book why she left - that isn't really the mystery involved in this thriller/family drama, which is more about the relationships between parents and children. I did find it quite frustrating that it seemed so problematic that Ruth cared about the school (how dare she care about something other than her family! women shouldn't do that! terrible!), particularly as Isobel never told her mum her reasons for leaving in the first place, and never gave her the chance to test her priorities. The story was a little bit slow paced at times, and some of the descriptions of how the characters were feeling and why were a bit laboured and repetitive, but on the whole I enjoyed the story and didn't mind the narrator - I thought her voice went well with the story she was telling.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the audiobook in return for an honest review.

Incredibly gripping story that left me hanging on every word until the very last. This was the first book I’ve read of this authors but definitely wont be my last. Hauntingly beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Isobel fled her mother, her home, her school, her entire world with no explanation. Years have passed and the wounds this caused her mother, Ruth, still remain. When Isobel suddenly appears on her mothers doorstep, Ruth is elated. But, why did Isobel leave all those years ago? And what is she still hiding?
I loved the premise of this book. The story was well told and the characters were engaging. However, I felt the pacing was a bit off and some of the rationalizations that guided the characters decisions were a bit perplexing to me. Overall, though, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Why She Left by Leah Mercer, AUDIO, read as a thriller would but turned out to be so much more. It is the story of a young woman, Isobel, who left home when she was 16, only to return fifteen years later with her son in tow. At first, her mother, Ruth, was wary. She was thrilled to see Isobel and happily surprised by her grandson, but life had changed in the 15 years she's been gone. The family owned and ran a school: The Square, as it was known. It was the premiere private school in all of London. It had been in the family for three generations and it was the most important thing in Ruth's life. Cecily's also. Cecily was Isobel's sister and second-in-command at The Square. By the next day Ruth had Isaac all fitted out and ready to attend school at The Square. Isobel was to work there as well. She didn't want to but she wanted to be able to keep an eye on Isaac. Ruth had never known why Isobel had left home. Now she had an idea. Ruth was considering taking on a partner, a private equity firm. There were all kinds of things the school needed, things she couldn't afford. Now she would move forward in order to leave a legacy.

This was an enjoyable listen. As the story unfolded, I could usually see one step ahead. Not always, though. Mercer did a good job with misdirection. The plot was decent but not really startling. There was plenty of hurt and lack of communication to go around in this story until finally it all came together. The characters were likable in that they did all they were able. Isobel was a little hysterical, and Isaac wasn't really rounded out as well as he might have been. I felt like there were a few liberties taken with the timeline, as well. All in all, it was decent.
I listened to the audio version, which was read by Mira Dovreni, who I thought did a credible job. She was just the right mix of mystery and familial love. She was the perfect voice.

I was invited to listen to the audio version of Why She Left by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bookoutre #leahmercer #whysheleft

A well narrated audiobook with a compelling ending which I enjoyed listening to.

When Isobel ia forced to return to her childhood home in London, where her mother remains headmistress of their prestigious school, we uncover myriad secrets with unexpected consequences.

Worth a listen but don't expect to like the characters.

I listened to the audio version of this book. It was well read and gave me the opportunity to paint pictures of the setting and characters in my mind. I must admit that it took sometime for me to get into the narrative but then about 60% through, I began to find the story more interesting. One of my issues was that I never really liked any of the characters and even Liam, who seemed a likable lad, changed later and became unrealistically uncommunicative.
A good 3.5 stars I'd say so give it a go and make your own mind up.

I listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed the narration.

Unfortunately, Why She Left, left me wanting overall. Isobel left home and her pre-ordained future as head of the elite private school 15 years ago. All she left was a note and no one had heard from her since. Until she suddenly shows up on her mom's steps with her teenage son, Isaac. She swears she is only staying to get on her feet. Her mother has other ideas and enrolls Isaac in her school where he quickly falls in with a new set of friends. Isobel reluctantly signs on to work at the school once again, the school she swore she'd never return to.

When Isaac is hurt Isobel immediately goes on the hunt for who was responsible but will getting to the bottom of this mystery bring up too many memories of her own secret? How will her family ties be affected by this new (as well as the old) mystery.

Why She Left is really not the best title for this one, in my opinion as that seems to be the lesser of the mysteries in the book. This book is really more a family drama and family secrets. I didn't love any of the characters and it made it harder to be truly invested in the story. This isn't one I'll go recommending far and wide but I do think that it will have its fans and it will hit the mark better for others than it did for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture audio for a copy of this one in exchange for an honest review.

Why She Left by Leah Mercer is a family drama thriller with some messages about putting family first.

Ruth is shocked when her daughter Isobel shows up after running away 16 years ago and is looking for refuge for her and her son Isaac from an abusive relationship. Ruth owns a prestigious school and has devoted her whole life to it but she is thrilled to have her family whole again. Oldest daughter Cecily may not be as happy.

There is much to reveal about this family and why Isobel left and narrator Mira Dovreni brings the right amount of heart, despair and righteous anger to these characters. I figured out why she left right away but not the consequences of it. There were some flabbergasting reveals making for a dramatic deathly end.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Isobel is back. With a fifteen-year-old son in tow. Ruth is not sure why her daughter left, but now that she is back, she will do anything to get them to stay.

The private school where Ruth serves as headmistress is her family’s legacy. The very first thing that was does is to install her grandson Isaac at the school. Isobel is none too happy. For years she struggled to raise her son and give him all the things that she should could provide and the two have always been very close. She had a reason for leaving in the first place, and it was easy to know that it was connected to her time as a student at the school. Now Isaac is already growing close to his grandmother and Isobel feels like she’s losing a piece of him.

As I was listening to this audiobook it was very clear to me that Isobel had a very difficult past with the school and with the turn of events it was interesting to see how she could resolve those things and move forward for herself and Isaac. However, this is one of those books where you listen to both sides of the story from Isobel and Ruth and realize that you don’t like either of them. This only made this dramatic story even more intriguing because there was Isaac and his future to consider.

Family drama and a bit of mystery in this story of family secrets had a few surprising twists and kept my attention throughout as I couldn’t wait to see how things would resolve.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

EXCERPT: Isobel slumped in a chair in the corner of the hospital ward, her hand clutching Isaac's. Thankfully, his face had a bit more colour now. He'd even opened the one eye he could for a second, then sunk back to sleep. The doctor had given him an alarming number of painkillers and sedatives, but he'd said Isaac should be all right....despite a potential eye haemorrhage and two broken ribs, all caused by what the medic had termed 'blunt force trauma.' For one heart-stopping moment they thought that his spleen may have ruptured, but scans had shown only a bruised kidney and no internal bleeding. He'd be in pain for weeks, and there could be long term complications that she'd need to watch out for. But in time, he should recover.

She'd finally been able to breathe again until she remembered the paramedics words that this wasn't an accident.....that someone had done this to him. Then anger surged through her so strongly it almost lifted her off the chair.

Who would do this? And why? To beat a boy so badly it had to be someone full of venom. Someone violent. Someone with a reason to target him. Someone....she shivered, her mind flashing back to the man on the corner. To the brick through the window; to the constant feeling she was being watched.

ABOUT 'WHY SHE LEFT': Ruth has spent every day of the last fifteen years wondering why her daughter Isobel left. Walking around the school to which she has given her life, every child she sees reminds her of her family’s bright future which vanished in an instant.

So when Ruth opens the door to find Isobel and a teenage grandson she never knew existed, she feels a rush of relief. Despite the years of hurt she never stopped loving Isobel and wants to help rebuild her life. Enrolling her grandson at the school, Ruth wants to make sure they stay for good.

Isobel has spent her life running from a painful secret. A secret which could have destroyed her family. Now, as she flees a bad relationship, she knows that her childhood home is the only place where she can be safe.

But as Isobel looks at her son in his crisp new uniform, she is taken straight back to the reason she ran all those years ago. Soon it becomes clear that she is not the only one tormented by the past. Someone is prepared to destroy everything Ruth and Isobel hold dear. Can Isobel confront her darkest secret before it is too late?

MY THOUGHTS: I found Why She Left to be quite a depressing read, and I am left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed, something I am not familiar with when reading Leah Mercer's books.

I didn't find the plot at all suspenseful, mainly because it seemed to go over the same ground repeatedly. The characters, with the exception of Isaac, are all self-obsessed, angst fueled individuals, intent on holding on to what they have amassed, perpetrating their various grudges, and concealing their secrets, rather than doing anything constructive about their problems or trying to repair their relationships. And believe me, they do have problems. This is a shattered family, torn apart by the very things that they are trying to hold on to, and yet still they persist. Status and reputation is everything. The characters endless internal thoughts were largely so negative that I was glad to finally close the cover on this.

There are no dramatic revelations, no startling surprises, no unexpected twists, and definitely no levity. Why She Left is a pretty predictable family drama, its only redemption being the ending.

Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from Why She Left, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead, check out some of the more positive reviews, and read it. Just because this wasn't for me, doesn't mean that you won't enjoy it.

⭐⭐.3

#WhySheLeft #NetGalley

I: @leahmercerauthor @bookouture

T: @LeahMercerBooks @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama

THE AUTHOR: Leah can't remember a time when she didn't love writing. From creating fake newspapers to writing letters to the editor, scribbling something was always on the agenda. Even the rejections she received after completing her first novel at age 13 didn't dent her enthusiasm.

So it makes sense, then, that she pursued a career in anything but writing. Public relations, teaching, recruitment, editing medical journals -- even a stint painting houses -- until she finally succumbed once more to the lure of the blank page.

When she's not being jumped on by her young son or burning supper while thinking of plot-lines, Leah can be found furiously tapping away on her laptop. Leah also writes romantic comedies under the name Talli Roland.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing both a digital and audio ARC of Why She Left written by Leah Mercer, narrated by Mira Dovreni, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Devastating family secrets lie behind the story of Ruth and her daughter Isobel. This suspenseful novel gives us each of their stories in their voices so that we can sympathize with what happened in their past. Why did Isobel leave home at such a young age and return with a teenage son years later?

I suspected why Isobel left, figuring it had to do with the school that her mother so fervently oversees. This directly affects not only Ruth and Isobel’s relationship but their relationship with Isobel’s son and sister. Throw in someone who may or may not be a con and someone who is attracted to Isobel, and the whole family crumbles under secrets, misplaced allegiances, and outside threats.

I loved the novel as narrated by Mira Dovreni. She brought the characters to life and made this novel, I suspect, much better to listen to than to read. The beginning of the novel seemed long and repetitious, but once past that, the suspense built and so did the characters. I think most people will love the ending although I wasn’t fully convinced of its sincerity. However, overall, the novel and characters kept me fully in the story and rooting for all of them to learn something from their experiences.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #LeahMercer. #WhySheLeft

Ruth is the headmistress & owner of a very exclusive private school in London, assisted by her elder daughter Cecily. 15 years ago, teenage Isobel ran away from home, leaving everything about her old life behind her. So why has she just turned up on her mother’s doorstep? who is the young man with her? Why did she run away? Why has she come home?
So many questions, but the answers are soon revealed as the novel unfolds in alternating voices from Ruth and Isobel's perspectives.
Ruth welcomes them and enrols Isobel’s son Isaac into her school immediately, offering Isobel an administrative job in the office. However being back in the school environment brings back unhappy memories for Isobel & threatens to uncover some long-hidden secrets. When Isaac is attacked, and Ruth dismisses it as an unfortunate accident, Isobel is determined to get to the truth, even if this will ruin everything her mother cares about.
I found the book very predictable & it wasn’t particularly unusual or unique. The “twist” was really not a twist at all & felt very anticlimactic. The characters came across as quite naïve & bland, and we rarely heard from Cecily who could have added a huge dimension to the story. It is unfortunate that it is set in a school environment as the author seems to understand nothing of the safeguarding protocols etc in place in schools.
The narrator was fine, and it was easy to follow, but quite slow and might have been more enjoyable as a read rather than an audiobook.
Overall this is a story about family relationships, secrets, misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions.