Publication date: 27th January, 2020.
Description
They told me he died, but I never believed them. I’d have known,’ she says, her voice little more than a whisper and her eyes searching mine. ‘A mother would know if her child died, wouldn’t she?’
The phone call comes in the middle of the night, rousing Danni from her safe, warm bed. The police have found her mother Diana wandering along the main road, miles from her house, confused and lost.
Danni races to her mother’s side, but when she arrives, as always, her mother doesn’t seem to care. ‘Go away, Danni,’ she says. ‘I don’t want you.’
When she was a child, Danni would lie awake at night wondering what she had done to make her mother so cold. Now she is determined to put the past behind them and make Diana as happy as she can in the time they have left.
But as some of Diana’s memories are slipping away, others are forcing their way to the surface. One night Diana breaks down in tears and reveals her heartbreaking secret. Years before Danni was born, there was another baby who never got to see the world. Now there is one last thing Danni can do for her mother. She will find her brother’s resting place, and bring Diana some peace.
But good intentions can have unexpected consequences, and soon Danni’s life will be changed forever. Are some secrets best left buried?
A completely heartbreaking and compelling story of families, secrets, and the fierce love between mothers and children. Fans of Amanda Prowse, Ali Mercer and Jodi Picoult will smile through their tears.
About the author
Julia Roberts self-published her first novel in 2015, Life’s a Beach and Then, the first part of the Liberty Sands Trilogy, followed by books two and three in the trilogy and the stand-alone, Alice in Theatreland, before signing a three book deal with Bookouture, under the name J G Roberts, for a detective/crime/thriller series centred around DCI Rachel Hart.
Little Girl Missing, was published in June 2019, followed by What He Did and Why She Died. She has now re-signed with Bookouture as Julia Roberts for two emotional heartbreakers; the first one, My Mother’s Secret, is publishing in January 2021 and is available now on pre-order.
Born in Nottingham, Julia travelled the world working as a professional dancer, singer and TV presenter, experience she was able to call on when developing the character of travel blogger, Holly, for her Liberty Sands trilogy.
Following roles as a hostess on the The Price is Right and a member of the Beadle’s About hit squad, she auditioned as a presenter for QVC, and launched the American shopping channel in the UK where she still works full-time.
She has two grown-up children who are in part responsible for her becoming a novelist. On Mother’s Day 2013, they gave her a notebook with words ‘Hold On People… I’m Having An Idea’, on the cover. On the first morning of a much-needed holiday in Mauritius, following a year of treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, Julia had just that – the idea for her first novel.
My thoughts
This book was so sad! So very, very, sad. I really felt for Danni. Mostly because of the situation she had been thrown into with her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but the other reason was the state of their mother/daughter relationship. I asked myself a few times, how can all their issues be repaired? In my head, I couldn’t see a solution. All I could see were rising tensions and vitriol.
I loved main character, Danni’s interactions with her husband, her two girls and Maxine; they were a delight to read. I also felt a sense of realism with it all, such as the financial constraints that Danni’s family were suffering at such a time when money would make a few things easier for them. This gave the whole book an authentic feel to it.
Julia Robert’s tells a fantastic tale of dealing with lifelong rejection. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding Diana’s secret. The investigative journey that Danni took to reach the truth really had me flipping over the pages at speed. Word of advice, make sure you have tissues at hand. ‘My Mother’s Secret’ is a tearjerker of a read!
Thanks for reading!
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