Your husband took his own life. Tell the truth and destroy what’s left of your family. Or keep a secret that will tear you apart. What would you do? Olivia and David were the perfect couple with their whole lives in front of them. When beautiful baby daughter Zoe came along, their world seemed complete. But now David is dead and Olivia’s world is in pieces. While she is consumed with grief, her … pieces. While she is consumed with grief, her mother-in-law Ivy is also mourning the loss of her son. Both women are hiding secrets about the man they loved. Secrets that have put the family in danger.
Something was very wrong in Olivia and David’s marriage. Can Olivia and Ivy break their silence and speak the truth? A mother should protect her child, whatever the cost… shouldn’t she?
From the bestselling author of The Secret Daughter and Me Without You comes another emotionally gripping and gut-wrenching read about love, loss and the strength of a mother’s love.
What everyone’s saying about Kelly Rimmer:
’A simply incredible book… gripping and moving this is going straight into my top ten reads of 2016’ The Book Club
’I am blown away… I am simply just in awe of this story’ Must Read Soon
’What a beautifully written book. Kelly Rimmer completely masters telling the same story from different time and character perspectives.’ Big Sis Little Sis
‘An emotional read that covers the full scale of human emotions… I do recommend that you have a box of hankies at the ready! Five stars.’ Book Literati
’I loved this book… I would recommend this book to everyone but keep in mind that you are going to cry’ Leander Library
‘This was a refreshingly different read which I would put in the same vein as Diane Chamberlain but this was even better than some of Diane’s latest releases. This is no girl meets boy and falls in love read but rather a heartbreaking, beautifully written story based on true facts… a thought provoking, emotional story not to be missed.’ Shaz’s Book Blog
‘I adored this novel. Absolutely, 100% adored it. Kelly Rimmer is a beautiful writer… The Secret Daughter packed such an emotional, powerful punch, one that I don’t think I’ve felt before that I’ll always associate with her novels from now on.’ Becca’s Books
‘Kelly Rimmer did an amazing job of telling such a heartbreaking tale. This story had me laughing, crying and hugging my daughter a wee tighter. I loved this story!’ Steph and Chris Book Reviews
‘This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster from the first words… a story that will stay with you long after you have finished the book.’ Ask a Bookworm
‘This was such a moving story, convincingly told. It is almost as though you are reading a memoir rather than a novel… a really compelling read and would definitely recommend it.’ Portobello Book Blog
‘Full of deep raw emotion and had me hooked until the end.’ That Thing She Reads
‘warmed my heart to the very core, and then tore it out and stomped all over it… an unforgettable tale that I couldn’t recommend more.’ Girls Love to Read
‘I fell in love with this amazing book after the first sentence and would read it all over again. A wonderful mixture of emotions, real love, secrets, laughter and sadness.’ Sky’s Book Corner
‘It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that made me ‘ugly cry.’ You know what I mean… big, fat tears rolling down your cheeks leaving you with eyes so puffy you look like you’ve had an allergic reaction…a heartbreaker of a book that has great characters and a gut-wrenching ending that left me feeling a weird mix of bereft and yet hopeful.’ Judging Coversmore
The subject of this book is spousal abuse, and really showed how a relationship can morph into such a dark life – slow manipulation, control, promises. And then the just as slow restoration of an independent life, safe, confident. It is definitely not a happily ever after read, but I couldn’t put it down. Well written, believeable characters, compassion. It’s one of those books that you’ll think about long after you’re done reading.
I read this book and once and when I found out the ending, I read it again. It made me cry but was so moved by the mother’s courage. It was so wonderfully written. I have told others that this is definitely a book to read.
A Mother’s Confession by Kelly Rimmer comes with a subtitle on the book cover: “A heartbreaking story with a breathtaking twist.” Readers logically expect the breathtaking twist will show up at the story’s conclusion, and that is what happens. What happens throughout the story is a slow, inexorable twisting by several principal characters that might cause readers to hold their breath at many story points. Most readers will suspect that nothing in this 354-page novel is going to end well. It will be worth the reader’s time to stay with the story to the conclusion to find out if the suspicion is proven right. The story is not a page-turner, but it is seductive. Portents of adverse outcomes draw the reader along to each successive level.
Here is a complex story of domestic abuse. If the book were to be adopted as a book club read, a first main question might be, “How many types of domestic abuse are going on in this story?” David certainly abused his wife, Olivia. David’ mother, Ivy, suspected but never admitted that her perfect son David abused her daughter in law, Olivia. Ivy chose first to ignore her suspicions, then evidence, and finally accusations by Olivia, that perfect son David was less than ideal.
Ivy had also ignored teachers’ warnings when they had reported David’s fondness for causing pain to Rachael, a kindergarten classmate. Even when Ivy saw David physically abusing Rachael at his sixth birthday party, she knew that perfect David was acting out as boys his age were prone to do.
Ivy had puppies around the house when David was young, and David told her that he thought his mom liked puppies more than him. Ivy denied it, of course, and was sure that the crushed skull of one of her puppies was an accident, just as David claimed.
In high school, there was a long-term relationship with Jennie. Ivy overheard tense conversations between David and Jennie before their breakup. David reluctantly informed his mother that he was forced to abandon Jennie; she was no longer suitable. When Ivy received a call from Andrea, Jennie’s mother, the story was a bit different. Jennie had told David to leave her alone. David had almost turned into a stalker as he ceaselessly sent notes to Jennie. Andrea wanted it stopped. Ivy denied it happened.
Rimmer’s characterizations of Ivy and David trace the evolution of an abuser. Ivy was an enabler as she refused to acknowledge her son was less than perfect. Ivy’s husband Wyatt was a further enabler for a different reason. Wyatt was happy if Ivy had dinner ready for him at the same time each night. Ivy had her job, to stay at home and take care of the house. Wyatt would provide the money so that Ivy could devote herself to Wyatt and the motherly needs of David. Any deficiencies of David reported to him by Ivy were just the typical growing pains of a boy. Later problems David had in his marriage with Olivia were problems for the married couple to solve. Occasional evidence of excessive discipline was not for him or Ivy to worry about. Is this a type of abuse of Ivy by Wyatt? A book club might adopt this issue as question #2.
This story takes place in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Not only do they know, but some residents take as a responsibility to channel information in a direction where it will do the most good. The town postman delivers some mail intended for David and Olivia to the home of Ivy and Wyatt. David’s parents (Ivy) could deal with some issues better than Olivia. There was no reason to upset David.
There is a lot of suspense and many well-concealed event outcomes in this well-written novel. Not my usual reading genre, I gave the story five Amazon stars. On sale by Amazon for USD 3.99, it is available on Kindle Unlimited as a free read.
I look forward to reading more stories by this author in my newly discovered genre of Women’s Literary Fiction.
I couldn’t believe how this story ended, a real surprise. Amazing what a family will do to protect one of their own and even deny it even if it is right in front of their faces. I know a women in this situation close to me that is exactly what she has done all her life and honestly it didn’t do her son any good, he is now in jail for 13 years for the things he has done and his mother is still denying he did anything wrong. 🙁
Very sad story but realistic. Had it figured out until almost the end then figured it out just before the reveal. Had to go back to reread to make sure I had read it correctly as it was so sad/shocking. Nevertheless love the story. It makes one admire what women will survive/accept all in the name of love (good or bad – we cannot judge others without walking in their shoes).
This book has an unexpected ending. It was an interesting read.
A book about abuse in all its forms by a controlling and heartless husband.
It’s a wake-up call for many who are not aware of the horror that takes place in some women’s homes.
The mother in law made the book interesting.
Loved,it
Couldn’t put the book down. The book was totally unpredictable. Every other chapter of the book was told from Ivy’s viewpoint (David’s mother), and the next chapter centered on David’s wife Olivia. Until the end of the book, I couldn’t figure out what effect the wife abuse on Olivia had on the outcome. Most interesting to me was reading the excuses and rationalizations that Ivy gave to explain David’s awful behavior.
I did not expect the ending to be what it was. So sad but so happy for the wonderful ending.
Didn’t have ending I thought.
Brilliantly conceived and written. Hard to put down. Kept my interest & kept me wondering. Happy to give it 5 Stars!!
loved it, lots of twist and turns, ending was way more than I expected.