Lauren lives in Spain, a loving mother to her son, Sam, and starting out in a relationship, until the day the police arrive and say that there is a warrant for her arrest, that Sam isn't her son. Lauren flees into the countryside but realises that she needs to return to England to clear her name. Hope lives in a beautiful village with her husband and new baby Sam, but then Sam disappears and Hope is concerned that he has been taken by the woman who seems to have been stalking her.
This is an example of a popular domestic thriller that will sell well as it ticks a lot of boxes. There's a strong psychological element, a mystery that is revealed slowly and the usual 'aspirational lifestyle' descriptions. I think I enjoyed it more because I was on holiday and it was a simple read, rather than for its own sake as it's not my usual genre of reading. However it is a well constructed book of its type.

Although based on a true story, it didn't grip me. I found it very slow going and nearly gave up a quarter the way through but soldiered on to the end. The plot is very good but I did not like Mancini's style. Having said that, I am sure many readers will enjoy it.

What a fabulous and well written book. I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t know what to believe or what had happened right until the end of the book. At times I was confused and thought perhaps the author had made a mistake and used the wrong name, but no – she was drip feeding us. There were some heart-wrenching and uncomfortable scenes but I loved the ending and will certainly read more of this author’s work. Brilliant.

Truth can really be stranger than fiction. Another fabulous read by this talented writer. A genuinely brilliant take on the writer’s career in law. I felt the phrase ‘truth is as strange as fiction’ holds strong here. I finished this knowing the characters will remain with me.

Lauren, had everything: a loving husband, expecting their first baby and about to start a new life in Spain. She moves to Spain with her baby and lives in remote areas with little contact with the locals.

Hope has everything she wanted out of life, a job as a therapist, loving husband, beautiful home in the country and baby Sam. When Sam is reported missing, the police investigation leads them to Lauren and her baby in Spain.

Lauren is adamant that her baby is hers and shows his birth certificate and passport to prove it.

As the story unfolds, the lives of Lauren and Hope are revealed and the tragedies that interlinked their lives.

What a great book - I was totally engrossed and loved all the twists and turns. It was very readable and just a bit different - I loved the structure and the way it all came together at the end. Highly recommended - four and a half stars.

The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini drew me in right away. I loved that Ruth’s background as a solicitor and criminal defence lawyer added an extra layer of authenticity to the story. While I figured out parts of the plot quite early, there were still a few pieces I couldn’t quite put together, which kept me turning the pages. I was hooked, eager to see how everything would unfold. In the end, it was an intriguing, engaging read that kept me invested right through to the final page.

I was such a fan of The Woman on the Ledge, so I jumped at the chance to read Mancini’s new one. This one had my brain going around in circles as it would circle around and then give me additional information for something I thought I already knew. Catch that? And at one point, I had to go back and figure out what I either missed or my brain didn’t pick up on. It’s a smartly written tale that I had to pay close attention to so I could stay on top of what was going on.

There are so many lies and secrets, I am not sure how any of them could keep it all straight. But in a nutshell, one woman is Mom to Sam and has the paperwork to prove it, while a different couple is missing their son Sam. Are they the same Sam? Who is the rightful parent(s)? Who is telling the truth? And I should throw in that I am not sure I liked any of the lot.

The more I read, the more I questioned if any of them should be parents. I really had no idea where this was heading until it backtracked and got to the beginning.

I should throw out there that as this unraveled, I did roll my eyes a time or two over some of the outrageous behavior of these adults.

I would not read too much about this one. As I am writing I am having a hard time compelling you to read this and at the same time making sure I tread lightly as to not overshare and spoil a thing. So many twists that I not only didn’t see coming, but seemed to just appear out of thin air.

If you’re a fan of character driven suspenseful mysteries, pick this one up and buckle up for the wild ride.

The Day I Lost You is a heart wrenching story from start to finish.
Two families that are intertwined without even knowing it. Hope and Drew are expecting their first child soon when we meet them but their world comes crashing down when Drew confesses to something and although Hope is usually optimistic this confession floors her especially when she realises she’s been fooled again by her husband so soon. Lauren lives in Spain with her son, Sam. Lauren has emigrated for a better life and has met someone special, how are these families linked? Will it be good or bad?
This was a rollercoaster of a read for me. I had no idea where this was going until about three quarters of the way through. It deals with sensitive subjects well and doesn’t distract from the storyline. There are parts that are a little far fetched but I think it is needed to keep the book moving forwards. I haven’t read anything by this author before but will be looking out for them in the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

For me this was a 3.5 stars book, but I have rounded it up. It was a heartbreaking story and sensitive topics dealt with very well. Saying that, I do think that the book could have been shorter..... it felt like it dragged on a bit and some of it jumped about a bit.
That being said, I still enjoyed the book.

What would you do if the person you love most suddenly vanished — and the truth about their life wasn’t what you thought?

Today’s my review spot for The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini part of the Compulsive Readers Blogtour

From the very first chapter, I was pulled straight in. I honestly had no clue where this story was heading until around the 90% mark — and I loved that sense of unpredictability. Every time I thought I’d figured it out, Ruth Mancini would twist the story in a new direction. The story unfolds through several different points of view and in a backwards, unraveling timeline, so the truth is revealed piece by piece. The structure kept me completely hooked — it felt like I was peeling back layers to get to the heart of what really happened. The subject matter at times was a hard read, touching on some difficult and emotional topics, it added depth and weight to the characters’ journeys. Despite the heavier moments, I flew through it in just a couple of sittings — it’s one of those books where you keep promising yourself “just one more chapter” and suddenly it’s midnight.

If you like stories that keep you guessing, blend emotion with tension, and deliver a satisfying ending, this one’s for you. Definitely a page-turner, and one that will stay with me for a while..

Thank you so much to century books uk. Ruth Mancini and the book dealer for sending me a gorgeous physical copy and Netgalley for my digital copy.

Reading the author’s foreword at the start of the book really impacts on how you read this! Knowing that she had encountered something similar during her previous career made to constantly guessing as to what was actually happening!

I loved this book and all its twists and turns. Each part was structured perfectly and drip fed the reader exactly right. I kept switching allegiance as to who I thought was being truthful, which I think is the sign of a brilliantly written book.

I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end but it was pitched exactly right, giving it a satisfying ending!

It is an absolutely gripping plot which had me glued to the page from start to finish, desperate to find out the truth about this heartbreaking and perplexing situation. It is clear that Ruth Mancini knows how to tell a story and deliver those killer plot twists that we live for!

We first meet Lauren, who lives in Spain with her young son Sam. They are absolutely devoted to one another, but we soon find out that it’s not as idyllic as it seems. Lauren is accused of having stolen Sam from another family, and she’s going to have to go back to the UK to face the music.
Saw
The other potential mother is a woman called Hope who lives with husband Drew. Drew hasn’t always been the best or most faithful of husbands, but Hope is well practiced at putting a brave face on things and focusing on the best.

The story reveals itself by jumping back and forth between the two women and also back and forth in time, with plot details being dropped in at the perfect moments. My head was spinning from the revelations and the different directions I was going in!

This was a case were the blurb absolutely hooked me and I needed to read this book, thankfully it did not disappoint. This was a tense, emotion filled read that was very unsettling at times, as a lot of the events are so realistic & could easily happen anyone. Set between Spain & the UK and told from a dual POV, which I think really helps the reader see things from both women's perspective, it also adds to the uncertainty of it all.

I wouldn't necessarily describe this as a fast-paced read, but I also found it gripping and addictive. This was a well written book with well developed likeable characters, the authors professional experience is evident throughout and I was surprised to find it such a thought provoking read, the author did an incredible job of touching on the very fine lines between right & wrong and the grey areas in between, would I really enjoyed.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read I would absolutely recommend.

This one totally drew me in from the very start and had me hooked!

Told from multiple POV and timelines going back and forth. I really enjoyed the timeline switch as we learn more about each character and the connections between them, or do we? These characters are untrustworthy and I had no idea whose version was the truth.

I was so invested to find out what actually happened. I can’t say I really liked any of the main characters. I did feel some sympathy towards Lauren though.

I recommend this one if you enjoy a psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to Compulsive Readers for having me on the tour and to the publisher for my gifted ebook.

This book intrigued me from the start. Lauren is living in Spain with her son, Sam. As the story unfolds, we are taken back to a time when Lauren seems lost and is acting completely out of the character we have been introduced to.
Hope is living in England with her husband and has just reported that her baby, Sam, is missing. Hope, to me, was a bit of a dreary character and if I’d been her, would have been doing a lot more to get my baby back.
Of course, there is more to this story than meets the eye and as the tale unravels, as do both of the women’s lives.
I’d definitely recommend this book for all its intrigue, twists and turns.

An edge of your seat read, full of suspense and lies. The concept was so good suspicion was high, I suspected everyone but at first I wasn’t sure of what! As the story unfolded I didn’t know who to trust or believe.
If you like psychological thrillers this is must read and one to keep you guessing how it’s going to unfold.

Told over five parts from multiple POVs, over a dual timeline, this had me hanging on to every word. Nice short chapters that will have you flying through the pages.
This fully immersed me into the storyline and had me conjuring up all kinds of theories, none of which were correct! I loved the way Ruth had every corner covered, my own down side was that I’d have liked to have heard more from Gabe.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading an earlier book The Woman on the Ledge so was looking forward to reading this. I hadn’t realised that one of the characters in that book had featured in earlier novels so I was interested in her role here. For other readers who feel the same, her role is small but crucial because it is through her that my suspicions were confirmed as well as other details that I missed.
This was one of those novels that despite only having a few characters had a very detailed storyline with plenty of depth. For much of this novel there are two narrators. Lauren, who is hiding in Spain, desperate to keep her child save but facing questions from home. And Hope, who in theory should have a wonderful life but was grieving over her missing child. Both have their faults, secrets and regrets. Both are unreliable. It is only when a third narrator, Hope’s husband Drew, appears that I started to form a theory over what had happened in their lives.
At first it was one of those novels where I couldn’t really decide if I liked the characters or not because of their unreliability. But as the novel progressed and I started to understand both women more I felt more empathy and could see past the pain to their true character. Drew was different, the more I got to know about him the less I liked him.
Two families, one child and plenty of heartache. And one reader who really had no idea which family they had more support for. Another excellent novel from Ruth Mancini and I need to read the books I have missed.

I really don’t know how to review this book! I’ve been in a field with no Wi-Fi so wasn’t able to post for a few days and have kept coming back to change my review! The fact that I’m still thinking about it must be a positive and there was lots to love… a real page turner, unreliable narrators, with constant twists and turns, but there was also a fair bit that I found annoying… too much jumping around of time lines and the story and storytelling just felt convoluted and deliberately misleading. I was confused, which is fine for most of the time but was wearing for the whole book. Without giving any spoilers, I felt slightly letdown by the ending especially when you look back at how mixed up and deceitful most of the characters were. My sympathies were with Lauren and I feel everyone should have a Gabe on their side! I hope we get to hear more about Sarah Kellerman in further books from Ruth Mancini. Rather horrifyingly the novel was inspired by a real-life case!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for an eARC of this book.