Review: "Fragile Lies" by Laura Elliot
Note: This ARC was provided by Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One night. An illicit affair. A homeless teenager. An accident shrouded in mystery and secrecy, its effects reaching far and beyond the three people involved. Secrets and lies connect two families in a way they never expected and when the truth finally comes to light, how many lives are irrevocably altered?
Lorraine Cheevers is moving back to her hometown of Trabawn with her teenage daughter Emily in tow. She's leaving her husband Adrian after discovering his affair with her best friend and cousin Virginia. Being betrayed by the two people she trusted the most has left her bereft and she struggles to make her daughter understand what's happening to their family. Even her artwork has been left untouched, with nothing much to inspire her to create something new.
Michael Carmody keeps a vigil by his son's bedside. He talks to him each time he visits, hoping that Killian is listening and hears what he has to say. Killian is still in a coma after having been struck by a car in the middle of the night, the perpetrators leaving him behind on the street. Michael wants to find those who have hurt his boy, needing to look them in the eye and find out how they could do something so heartless to someone absolutely defenseless.
When Michael hears a name in connection to what happened to his son, he makes it a point to go looking for her, but when he finally sees Lorraine in person, there's something about her that makes him hesitate, suddenly unsure of her involvement in his son's hit and run. The more time he spends with her, the more his feelings grow, making him wonder if he's betraying his son by pursuing anything further with her. When Lorraine learns the truth about Killian's condition, she feels deceived by Michael.
The lives of the two people involved in Killian's accident are slowly unraveling. They may finally find themselves together but they've hurt their respective spouses. One is still carrying the burden of what he's done to his family and being a participant in the what happened to that young man that dark night while the other goes on living her life, aware of what she's done to her husband, her best friend, and that faceless young man but not allowing herself to feel guilt or remorse.
And in the midst of it all, the truth about what happened to Killian and whether he will wake up from his coma or not will shake things up once again. Will Michael be able to convince Lorraine that his feelings for her are true and will Lorraine be able to open herself to another chance at love? Will those involved in Killian's accident come forward when they begin receiving notes knowingly accusing them? Lies have brought these people together but will the truth finally set them free?
Fragile Lies was a very interesting novel that mixed mystery and suspense with a hint of romance and family drama. It is told in several parts so I was able to get a complete picture of who the characters were and the motivations for their actions. Admittedly, my utter dislike was reserved for Virginia Cheevers Blaide. The woman was obviously self-centered and was solely concerned about what she wanted and what was going to be beneficial to her and her situation.
Michael was my favorite character in the book and it was mainly because of his love for his son and the need for him to find those involved in his accident. Then he met Lorraine, the woman he originally thought was in the car that hit Killian, and was left feeling confused about whether he was betraying his son or not by developing feelings for her. He wasn't one-dimensional and you could see his character evolving from start to finish.
If you're looking for a serious and intense drama about love, betrayal, and family, Fragile Lies may be right up your alley. From the adultery, the hit and run, the separation, and the discovery of the truth, I found myself wondering what I would do in those various situations and if I would have handled them better (or worse) than the characters here. There's nothing deceptively simple about this book but it's the complexities that led me to become invested in the story. I'm giving this four stars! ♥
Release Date: 13 February 2015
Date read: 13 February 2015
Learn more about author Laura Elliot here.
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