I love human interest stories and this tale of family secrets really captured my attention in the way I love, the way the world melts away when you're into a good story.

The story begins with Lizzie, 31 weeks pregnant, going into early labour. Her twin boys are delivered safely, but they spend the first few weeks of their lives in the NICU. Oli thrives, but little Joe needs some extra time and care.

There are subtle hints in this part of the book that Lizzie might be hiding something, but as skip sixteen years ahead, the story then focuses on Oli and Joe as they grow and develop complicated lives of their own.

It is only in the last parts of the book that we return to those early days of Lizzie anxiously waiting in the hospital for the twins to be discharged, and learn the truth about their birth.

Brilliantly and perceptively written, this book was a joy to read and there were moments that made me well up, particularly the scenes with Martin, Lizzie's wonderful neighbour.

Quite a moving book which tackles difficult subjects. Domestic abuse plays a large part and and is dealt with well. It then revolves around family issues and sibling rivalry. It is well written and gives good perspective.

Well written, I could not put this book down. It deals with very difficult matters sensitively and I can thoroughly recommend reading it.

When Beth gives birth to her twin boys two months early, everything changes for her. Desperate to protect her tiny sons, especially Joseph, clearly the weaker, more vulnerable twin, Beth starts making a plan to leave her old life behind as soon as the boys are strong enough.

Years later, the differences between the boys have only become more pronounced: Oli is sporty and popular, while Joe (who suffers from cerebral palsy) is happier playing video games by himself. Beth has built a life for them, but has never stopped looking over her shoulder and, when the truth about the past comes out, there is no going back.

The Day We Left is my first foray into Caroline Bond's work, and it's an easy, well-paced read that will be enjoyed by many fans of domestic drama and tales of plucky women overcoming adversity. However, it lacked the dramatic tension required to elevate it to the next level of fiction.

The author draws on her own experiences of raising a disabled child to describe Joe's struggles navigating school, dating, a social life and a career, and these were the parts of the story which stood out for me as something different and interesting, along with the early chapters, which give a detailed, authentic (from my understanding) picture of parenting a baby in the NICU and of uncertain, anxious process of extracting oneself from an abusive relationship.

Beth is a well-drawn, likeable heroine and I rooted for her readily, so it is a shame that she is sidelined for much of the plot in favour of her two sons, whom we follow at intervals from age 16 to 24. Neither Oli nor Joe is particularly likeable, and it was sad to see Beth portrayed through their eyes.

The big reveal is foreshadowed so heavily that when it comes it is underwhelming, and undercuts the narrative tension. It also relies on both Oli and Joe being utterly incurious about their background - would neither of them have Googled their dad?

There are some interesting relationships depicted, particularly that between Oli and Carrie, Joe's girlfriend, but the book does not explore these - or the way they evolve over time - as incisively as it could have. Finally, the ending neatly wraps up all the loose ends, explaining away any lingering questions, but I didn't find it particularly satisfying. Conflicts between various characters just fizzle out quietly without any great reckoning, and it definitely concludes with a whimper rather than a bang.

All in all, an engaging enough family drama which will undoubtedly be enjoyed by existing fans of Bond's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is an interesting and engaging read with an easy writing style which moves back and forwards in time with the lives of its main characters.

Focusing on the lives of twin boys born early following a fall, Ollie and Joe are fighters from the start, with Joe being smaller and being diagnosed early with CP. In their lives they grow up with a strong female household and the knowledge that their father died from a sudden fall on the day they were due back from NICU.

The complications derived from early told white lies follows the lives of the twins and sees their ups and downs. A well told story that I enjoyed. I did find it difficult to engage with the main characters at some points, hence the loss of one star.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Day We Left is such a great family drama, sharing so much insight into the emotions of the victims of domestic abuse towards their abusers which often brought me to tears. It also gave me feelings of validation as a survivor who at times felt great guilt for still having feelings for my abuser but now I am aware that this is a 'thing'.
I could also recognise the relationship between my grown up sons in the love/hate relationship between Oli and Joe.
The author drew on a lot of her past experiences, work history, to present a beautiful story with enormous empathy and understanding.

As always this author has written from the heart and this was a compelling and poignant read

This book was an emotional rollercoaster of a read and ripped my heart to pieces and slowly built it back up again. The book covered a lot of difficult and relatable issues and did so in a very compassionate and sensitive way.

The storyline and the characters were engaging and Beth was such a strong character and I felt very emotional while reading about her journey and the difficulties she has faced since her twins were born.

This book will stay with me for a long time. A very well written and thought out story that highlighted a lot of difficult issues and brought them to the forefront covering things we don’t often read about in books and should see more of.

I have several read Caroline Bond books and they never fail to impress, all with a slightly different twist. The tale covers themes of family, twins, love and friendship.

This one ‘appears’ as a normal story at the start, although with a feel that something is not quite right, always a little niggle left in your head.

It ends up being a brave and, at times raw, retelling of family life. The characters are flawed individuals which adds to their authenticity. This plot raises several important issues (not mentioned here due to not wanting to put in spoilers) with great sensitivity and understanding.

The story is told across several timelines with back and forth from the past to present day. There are also different viewpoints, from both twins perspectives to Lizzie’s. A book I would thoroughly recommend.

I really couldn’t get on with this book, I tried twice but did not finish,
2 stars because unfinished - sorry!

I love Caroline Bond’s books. She usually has an ethical element to her books which i love.

This book is no different, covering topics of domestic abuse, disability and loyalty.

The book starts following the birth of premature twins Oli and Joe. It skips through their childhood in quick chunks, and it’s only when they get to their twenties that the book then goes back to the beginning to retell the story of their father.

I loved the characters of Heather and Mick, and their role in the story. I loved the interplay between the boys and the reality of living with a disability/disabled sibling.

A story of love, loss, family, love, choices and redemption. A great read.

This was a quick read with fairly short chapters and every character was well introduced. I wasn’t thrilled
With the plot and didn’t particularly take to either of the twins or their mother.
I did guess most of the twists but probably made lots of wrong predictions in my head too to be fair. A tidy ending which some will love and some not. Not my favourite book but worth a read.

Enjoyed reading this book where the change of timelines gives depth to the characters. This is a study of strong women, family dynamics and what love is. It kept me interested right to the end.

I always look forward to a new book by Caroline Bond and The Day We Left did not disappoint. It is a book of two halves. The first half concentrates on the life of the premature twin boys brought up by single mum Beth. Oli who is sporty and popular and Joe who has cerebral palsy with all the problems that brings.We are led to believe that their father died in an accident just before they were discharged from hospital so has had no part in their lives. The second half of the book explains how the boys came to be brought up solely by their mum and what really happened to their dad. The book raises the issues of domestic abuse and living with disability and the profound effects they can have on the lives of all they touch. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read and one I'm happy to recommend. 5*
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

"The Day We Left" is a story of family, love and friendship. In the first part of the book Lizzie gives birth to twin boys at 31 weeks. They both struggle and are in the special care baby unit for a long time. The second boy, Joseph or Joe, is particularly small and takes a long time to put on sufficient weight to be able to leave hospital. Lizzie and partner Ian are both attentive, with Lizzie staying at the hospital all day while Ian goes to work.

In the second part of the book time has moved on, Lizzie is now known as Beth and is a single mother. As the twins grow up, their different personalities and abilities lead to clashes, but they are both loved by their mum.

Eventually we find out what happened on the day that Lizzie was supposedly taking the twins home, and get an understanding of exactly how hard her life has been.

This is a beautifully written and complex story which keeps the reader engrossed. The characters are great and so many topics are touched upon. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

A bit of a slow burner but flows easily.
Lizzie had her twins prematurely at 31 weeks due to an abusive husbands attack, when the babies were ready to leave hospital Lizzie disappears with the boys and starts a new life.
The story follows the life of Lizzie and her two boys as they grow up and finally find out the secret of the family.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

I really enjoy books from this author and what a splendid book this was from the very beginning. I was involved with the storyline straight away, so beautifully written, sad and heartwarming with great characters so well described.

I just loved how the story unfolded and gave such an insight into the characters, with such an ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for this great ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Lizzie is pregnant with identical twins and their birth is imminent. But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be, at 31 weeks the babies shouldn’t be making an appearance yet. From the moment they are born it’s clear that although Oli and Joe are twins that’s where the similarities end. The premature birth has affected Joe, who is in no way as strong and robust as his brother.
Once the boys are both well enough, they leave the hospital with their mum, but they don’t return to the family home. They flee their home town in the north and Lizzie doesn’t look back, changing her name as she goes.
Years later when the boys are grown, Beth has a successful business and nice home with a good relationship with and unfaltering love for her son’s. The truth about why they fled their previous life emerges and the twins find out that their mum has lied to them for many years. The twins must come to terms with the lies that they believed to be the truth about their past, for so many of their childhood years.
You know when picking up a Caroline Bond book that it’s going to be good. This book has a compelling story with lots of family drama. The story is emotional and Lizzie’s courage and love for her son’s shines through. It’s both realistic and compelling. A truly gorgeous story that I devoured in a matter of days.

Great book! I got cross, I laughed and yes I cried! Extremely thought provoking and well written. Highly recommended.

What a heart breaking story. This plays out so well and truly shows the anguish involved in the decisions made and how the different characters handled this. An excellent book.

A brave attempt to deal with disabilities and can anger issues be nature or nurture. But this is just hinted at rather than discussed. Plot is minimal and mostly predictable. The writing is good but there is nothing to pull you through the book. So it was no surprise when all ends happily ever after.