Bestselling author Lesley Pearse weaves her writing web of magnetism and lures you in with a tale of hard times, abuse and survival. This book tackles many triggering themes (domestic abuse, grooming, child abuse, suicide) in a beautifully sympathetic way. I won't say I loved the topic, or the situations some of the characters found themselves in, but I loved how it was written and found myself unable to put it down. With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried - a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse - and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. I have always enjoyed Lesley Pearse books way back when I was pregnant with my first child and on maternity leave 40 years ago now.

Don starts to make Eve’s life a nightmare and refuses to let her go quietly, using intimidating behaviour to frighten her.Beautifully written from start to finish and never one to shy away from uneasy topics, Betrayal covers some difficult subjects with this author's trademark skill of empathy, sensitivity and cracking good story telling. Eve decides to permanently move her family to Sidmouth, to finally start over and to work on the interior decorating career she has always wanted. I was rooting for Eve all the way through; hoping she'd put the past behind her to start a new and prosperous life in Devon. Fear has made her obedient for far too long and she wonders what would the neighbours say if she left Don? I was a bit wary of reading this one as the previous few books I’ve read by Lesley Pearse I must admit to struggling with.

As the book moved on though, I found myself disliking her slightly due to reasons I won't mention for fear of spoilers!Betrayal follows the story of Eve, a mother doing everything she can to keep herself and her children alive while in an abusive marriage. Eve is warned that it’s a difficult path ahead but she wants to give her children hope for the future. It is a clear and stark insight into the other side of the equation when those who have -thankfully-never been in a relationship like this, ask 'Why didn't you leave? Just be warned though — it deals with domestic abuse and grooming which may be triggering for some readers. The impact of constant change and uncertainty in Lesley's early years is reflected in one of the recurring themes in her books: what happens to those who are emotionally damaged as children.

When one particularly scary beating left Eve in a bad way she had to put not just her safety but that of her children first and set the wheels in motion to leave her husband. She goes to the police and gets in touch with a social worker who helps her leave London to flee to a refuge in Sidmouth. One is instantly caught up in Eve's story of domestic abuse and her subsequent escape with her children into her new life despite its ups and downs. I really enjoyed the story of Eve, her character is strong but sometimes too strong and she is encouraged to relax and give a little. It is a neat device as what she made could be an allegory for hiding the things which happen behind closed doors, or could be used to frame a beautiful view.From the brutal first pages, Betrayal is a twisting, turning and often harrowing tale of domestic abuse, grooming, the pain of guilt, and the dark shadow of violence and cruelty. I expected this book to be historical fiction, something I don't usually enjoy, but this book was actually set at the end of 1990s/early 2000s so make your own minds up as to if that's historical fiction (but to me it isn't).

A good yarn which gets you involved in the story, and you can’t put it down until you’ve finished it. If you are looking for a decent read to take away on your summer holidays this year then this is the book for you. This is a book that reels you in from the first chapter, throwing the reader straight into the heart of the abuse and the sense of danger and urgency flowing through those first few chapters.I liked so many things about this story – the characters, the linear narrative, but most of all the message that we can overcome tragedy, and we can be forgiven for our mistakes and, most importantly, that we can learn to forgive ourselves, and move on to a more hopeful future. Her honest restructuring of a life and finding her self worth is reflected in how her two children grow into themselves away from Don, and I liked how her original training as a curtain maker reflected her circumstances.