Thank you to #NetGalley and #Penguin for my copy of The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini.
I did finish the book, but found it heavy going, with too much detail and the back and forth between characters and timelines.
The premise of the story was good two mothers, one baby, but it didn’t quite do it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

There is a good story here but I felt it was diminished by the back and forward storylines and the amount of detail about the daily lives of the characters. We ger some of the same events told from the perspective of different characters but I didn't feel that added very much to the book and felt a bit like padding. It is really quite slow and (whisper it) dull until well after half way when the story comes together. I feel that a number of important plot points were just sprung abruptly on the reader without much hinting or suggestion. I was very surprised when Sorcha was mentioned. I daresay that was partly the author's intention but I could not see any clues which had led up it.

The events in the book seem far fetched but it is based on real events so there you go! I assume the book differs from the real events because in the introduction the author says that someone went to prison. It is often very easy to feel sorry for people who have committed crimes but after all, we should not forget the victims of criminal carelessness or negligence. Frankly I was rather shocked at how (in the book at least) the various parties almost conspired to dupe the police by refusing to tell the whole truth.

What a fantastic book! So sad and thought provoking and I found it very emotional in parts, I was kept guessing about what what had happened throughout and although I kind of thought I knew what had happened towards the end, it was in no way obvious. I loved how it ended, even though it was sad it had a really good conclusion.
Brilliantly written with lots of wonderful characters, I 100% recommend this book. It’s excellent.

The Day I lost you is a propulsive emotional thriller that really packed a punch. It's thought provoking plot had me constantly changing my mind about whose side I was on. It had me eagerly thinking about what happened. It's taut with tension that brings to light the complexities involved in the story line. If you are looking for a light and fluffy read this is definitely not. I had to stop reading a few times because I was holding my kindle so tight in anticipation of what was going to happen. The story can get confusing so I urge you to pay attention when reading this one.

Mishap, misadventure, mislay, mistake, mislead, mystery. Lauren, is hiding out in Spain with her toddler son, Sam. Or with Hope’s son, Sam. Or with Drew’s son, Sam. Drew is Hope's husband, so surely Sam is his son. But perhaps he was also Lauren’s lover. So, Sam is certainly his son. Unless he's Charlie's son, since Charlie is Lauren’s husband, although he isn’t around anymore. Hope and Drew are definitely hiding something. Lauren is suffering from PTSD, but we don't know why, because whatever caused it also blanked out her memory of the trauma. Anyway, the police are trying to find Lauren and bring her back to the UK, because they think a crime of some description must have happened. But they don't know who's done what to whom. And, for 80% of the story, nor do we!
In terms of genre, this would appear to be a psychological, crime mystery, thriller, with the emphasis on mystery. The author has created a puzzle and leads the reader a merry dance in trying to resolve the relationships and the backstories of the main characters. The story is told in two main timelines, the recent past and the present, and mostly from the view point of one or other of the two women, so it’s a convoluted tale as it leads up to the answer to the questions raised above. The resolution of the puzzle and the solution to the legal dilemma is brought about by the intervention of Sarah Kellerman, a solicitor who proposes a surprising legal solution. The author, Ruth Mancini is undoubtedly a great writer, and an even better plotter. A solicitor herself, she handles the legal aspects with skill and provides an ending which may surprise you even more than the puzzle itself.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I was completely gripped by this book. I loved Ruth Mancini’s first book, but this one is even better. It comes packed full of twists and the ending is fantastic. I’d definitely recommend this book.

This is the first book I have read from this author and I am afraid this was just an ok read for me. A very slow burner . Unrelatable characters . I found the timeline disjointed and confusing.

Lauren has made a life for herself in Spain with her two year old son, Sam. But one day there is a knock on the door and the police say she’s been accused of child abduction. Lauren says she has the birth certificate and passport to prove otherwise and promises to take these to her local police station. The allocated day for the appointment comes and goes and when the police go knocking again, Lauren and Sam are nowhere to be found. If Sam is hers, why would she disappear?

At the same time back in England, Hope and Drew cannot believe when they are told that their precious baby, Sam, who was stolen one night just over a year ago, might have been found. But things don’t quite add up. Neither Lauren, nor Hope or Drew seem to be telling the truth. Whose child is the Sam living in Spain? And is there more to this case than meets the eye?

The story is cleverly told from multiple points of view and we keep going back in time, slowly giving us more and more information about what’s happened helping you to try and start putting the pieces together.

If you’ve read Ruth’s other books, you will be familiar with the criminal defence lawyer Sarah Kellerman in her stories. I love Sarah and she is back in this book! She is excellent at her job but more than that, she has integrity, looks for the truth and always wants to genuinely understand her client and do the best by them. I have to say the last few chapters in this story were so emotional in my view, where you see it all come together and Sarah’s empathy plays a huge part in the ending. Another absolutely wonderful and gripping thriller by Ruth. Loved it!

I couldn’t stop reading, all the while sat on the edge of my seat. Ruth Mancini knows exactly how to write a twisty little thriller!

I spent the first part of this book trying to put the characters together and in order. They just didn't fit. They still intrigued me and eventually it all fell into place.
I am not going to spoil the book but wow, so many twists and turns and all the characters make you feel their anguish and pain.
The second book of Ruth's that I haven't been able to put down and read in one sitting

One baby, two mothers, but who is telling the truth? Is it abduction or a baby being returned to its rightful mother? Well written and very readable

Addictive reading. Twists and turns galore.

1 child 2 mothers, who is the child's real mother? Adulterous behaviour that with an accident 2 lives are lost. Was it an accident?

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

This is a good beach read but you really need to pay attention to the plotline as the story jumps back and forth in time.

Sometimes I struggled to recall which part of the story I was in. The story covers the lives of two women and a child called Sam with each woman believing he is their son. But, just who is telling the truth??

They say truth is stranger than fiction and as this book is based on a real case it would seem to provide the proof as no one could make up such a tangled story! I found The Day I Lost You very difficult to get into. I didn't like the jumping about of the timeline. I thought it made the story very disjointed, although I have read other books where this works well. The plot seemed overly complicated. I did not feel invested in any of the characters - they were quite a dislikeable bunch - therefore I didn't feel inclined to put in any extra effort to unravel the tangles of the plot. This was my first Ruth Mancini book and although not a favourite read, I'd certainly try one of her other books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

A good page turner with red herrings and unexpected turns. Suspend belief and enjoy a good beach read.

Im afraid to say I didn't really enjoy this book. I found the story too slow paced and the plot far too complicated. I couldn't really work it out at all, and the time switches were confusing.
On top of that, i didn't gel with the characters so didn't really care what happened to them

The book started strong but lost pace quite quickly… it slowly unfolds. Unfortunately I didn’t feel any suspense, I had a few guesses as I read each persons perspective.

I got confused at times with the back and forth over timelines and the story felt a little unrealistic.

Not all books are for everyone and unfortunately this didn’t grip me like I expected it to from the description. I have got Woman on the Ledge on my tbr pile so I’ve not given up on the author.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book.

I've never read this author before, and im so glad I did.

Well written, fantastic storyline.

Characters well thought out

The Day I Lost by by Ruth Mancini ⭐️⭐️⭐️
You have to really pay attention to this twisty thriller. The timeline jumps and I have to admit I lost my way a couple of times. Lauren is living in Spain with baby Sam, Drew and Hope are in a difficult relationship, living in England. One child, two mothers. Story told from Lauren and Hopes perspective.

I did finish this book as I enjoyed reading it and loved the story flow. I just had trouble remembering who was who and to whom the baby belonged to. I honestly do not think it was the writing, but my head just could not get to grips with each person. I am still going to recommend this as the story is a good one. Plus, I did like it as I read all of it, but I was just a bit confused.

I will publish this everywhere on the 31st July.