Cynthia Clark

Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/





If You Only Knew By Cynthia Clark was a good read, It's the sort of book I would pack for my holidays to read around the pool not too taxing but a very enjoyable read nonetheless.
This Novel revolves around Elizabeth and explores how the numerous wrong decisions made on one single night can impact and shape the course of our lives the repercussions echoing down through the years affecting our lives dramatically.
It's a bit like a pebble thrown into a pond, the ripple effect, who knows where it ends.
"So If You Only Knew" is told from two timelines, the then and the now.
So as the reader we are fully aware, eyes wide open from the start. Elizabeth's secret is also ours. we get to experience all the fear, longing and confusion alongside her.
This works as we get to walk in her shoe's hearing her private thoughts.
It helps to build a sense of sympathy and solidarity as we get to feel the pain and panic first hand, making us feel somewhat closer, almost a friend, the only other person in the know.
Like being part of some secret exclusive club.
So we have the "THEN" which consists of a narration and walkthrough of the big secret.
And the "NOW" seventeen years later where Elizabeth is now a wife, mother and successful lawyer.
and we get to have a ringside seat as all the ripples settle and Elizabeth has to deal with a past that has finally caught up on her.
So "If Only You Knew" is not really a mystery as you the reader, are aware throughout of what is going on. There are no big reveals and no unexpected twists.
This was a minus for me as I kept waiting for the penny to drop, a big twist and there just wasn't one.
Also, I found the husbands Attitude "Miles" extremely hypocritical, considering what is revealed about his own past actions, I really couldn't take to him, talk about a lack of sympathy.
Yes, I could understand his shock and anger at his wife, but when the dust finally settled and he had time to think and reflect, you'd think he would have behaved in a much warmer manner towards his wife and the mother of his children.
The woman he supposedly loves, the wife who is aware of his deepest dark secret, The wife who didn't judge him,
Unlike Miles !!!
Talk about needing to man up.
despite these two above points, this was a good solid read that I would definitely recommend.
It was well written and flowed brilliantly making this a very easy entertaining read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free Arc of "If only you knew" By Cynthia Clark. This is my own personal unbiased opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/… (mais)

Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/





If You Only Knew By Cynthia Clark was a good read, It's the sort of book I would pack for my holidays to read around the pool not too taxing but a very enjoyable read nonetheless.
This Novel revolves around Elizabeth and explores how the numerous wrong decisions made on one single night can impact and shape the course of our lives the repercussions echoing down through the years affecting our lives dramatically.
It's a bit like a pebble thrown into a pond, the ripple effect, who knows where it ends.
"So If You Only Knew" is told from two timelines, the then and the now.
So as the reader we are fully aware, eyes wide open from the start. Elizabeth's secret is also ours. we get to experience all the fear, longing and confusion alongside her.
This works as we get to walk in her shoe's hearing her private thoughts.
It helps to build a sense of sympathy and solidarity as we get to feel the pain and panic first hand, making us feel somewhat closer, almost a friend, the only other person in the know.
Like being part of some secret exclusive club.
So we have the "THEN" which consists of a narration and walkthrough of the big secret.
And the "NOW" seventeen years later where Elizabeth is now a wife, mother and successful lawyer.
and we get to have a ringside seat as all the ripples settle and Elizabeth has to deal with a past that has finally caught up on her.
So "If Only You Knew" is not really a mystery as you the reader, are aware throughout of what is going on. There are no big reveals and no unexpected twists.
This was a minus for me as I kept waiting for the penny to drop, a big twist and there just wasn't one.
Also, I found the husbands Attitude "Miles" extremely hypocritical, considering what is revealed about his own past actions, I really couldn't take to him, talk about a lack of sympathy.
Yes, I could understand his shock and anger at his wife, but when the dust finally settled and he had time to think and reflect, you'd think he would have behaved in a much warmer manner towards his wife and the mother of his children.
The woman he supposedly loves, the wife who is aware of his deepest dark secret, The wife who didn't judge him,
Unlike Miles !!!
Talk about needing to man up.
despite these two above points, this was a good solid read that I would definitely recommend.
It was well written and flowed brilliantly making this a very easy entertaining read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free Arc of "If only you knew" By Cynthia Clark. This is my own personal unbiased opinion.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/… (mais)

We All Fall Down by Cynthia Clark is a recommended drama that focuses on the individuals involved in an incident and the aftermath of their actions.

In 1989 five children are living in a foster home with Miriam, their abusive care giver. Bea, her brother Sebastian, Helen, Sandra and John have all experienced pain, bruises, and abuse at the hands of Miriam so they decide on a course of action together and set out to execute it. Their plan was supposed to slow Miriam down and protect them a bit, while keeping the children together. Then a terrible accident happens that resulted in the children being separated from each other. Ronnie Moss was blamed for the accident and he ran as far away from Great Britain as he could to escape any recrimination.

It is now 2017 and some business men on vacation recognize Ronnie and he is arrested and now awaiting extradition. The children, now adults, are informed of the arrest and the police want their statements about what they remember from 1989 and the accident. This request brings them back together, but also causes them a great deal of anxiety and worry about how much information will be revealed or uncovered.

The story begins with ten-year-old Bea being abused at the hands of Miriam. The ongoing physical and verbal abuse the children have all experienced is revealed, as well as how close the children feel to each other. Their plan is revealed and the reasons for it. Then the accident happens, resulting in a different kind of pain for Bea, and the children are all separated. The background information and the actions from 1989 is clearly presented and then where the characters of Ronnie, Bea, and Helen are looked at in the present day. This is not a mystery or a thriller. We know what happened. Rather, it is an exploration of the characters and their motives and thoughts.

We All Fall Down is a slow-moving novel that builds up and reveals the whole story slowly. I have to admit that the dilemma the surviving adults are concerned about due to their circumstances from 1989 is really a non-issue. I'm surprised that they didn't just come up with their final decision right away. I'm surprised they didn't say something about Miriam in 1989. Sure they wanted to stay together, but they could have said that while telling someone about the abuse. When they turn back as adults to the logic they used as children, it's unfathomable. Either speak up or don't. This is an airplane book. It's interesting, moderately well-written, and will help you pass the time, but you won't be too worried if you lose or misplace the book.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the Head of Zeus/Aria.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/12/we-all-fall-down.html… (mais)

If You Only Knew by Cynthia Clark

Drama aplenty in this story of rape and murder – I was left with mixed feelings because though well written I guess my response would have been so much different to that of Elizabeth. She was raped, she murdered her rapist, she felt more guilt than I would have and she never came forward. That was not the only issue I would have handled differently but then, each person makes their own choices in life.

Elizabeth moved on after her rape and became a lawyer who took on many pro bono cases involving young women who had been violated and would not have been given adequate defense without her by their side. In this story Chloe’s court case parallel’s Elizabeth’s story closely. There is another young woman living on her street, Maya, that she is intensively involved with and that does and doesn’t work out well for both of them at points in the story. Elizabeth’s husband and children take a backseat in this book and it is really more about the guilt Elizabeth feels, her choices in the past and how those choices impact her in the present. I am still not sure what Elizabeth’s future will hold for her at the end of the book but do hope that having her secret out will give her some peace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars… (mais)