Released 2nd August 2021 by Perfect City Press.
Narrated by Eilidh Beaton.
From the cover:
She thought she had the perfect stepfather. So why is she running for her life?Emily longs to be an artist. So she’s thrilled when her famous and talented stepfather offers to act as her mentor. But when his teachings take a darker turn, she flees his fancy home.
Bad boy Jack has made good as a hot DJ. Then he sees thugs attack a rough sleeper, and shocking memories spur him to her rescue. He doesn’t know she’s only 15 and running from a deadly predator.
Emily’s hopes of safety are crushed when her stepfather hunts her down. Now Jack faces the hardest choice of all. If he protects Emily from the fiend who’s stolen her childhood, he’ll kiss good-bye to his future.
What would you sacrifice to save a life?
**********************
Emily lives with her single mother in a little cottage on the outskirts of Bath. Their lives may be a struggle sometimes, but she is happy, has good friends, and dreams of one day becoming an artist. Their lives take an unexpected turn when they attend an art show for the talented and swoonable artist David, who seems to take an instant shine to Emily's mother. A whirlwind romance ensues, and it is not long before wedding bells are on the horizon.
After the wedding, Emily and her mother find themselves living a very different sort of life in a big house, with everything they have ever wanted. Emily is even given the chance to attend a private school which promises to nurture her artistic abilities - something she is very excited about, despite the need to leave her friends behind.
At first, David seems the perfect husband and step-father, setting Emily's mother up in her own floristry business, and assisting Emily with her homework, helping her develop her artistic skills, and even being a shoulder for her to cry on as she struggles with life at her new school- but it becomes clear that David is not quite the man he appears to be. His motives are far from pure, and his plans for Emily are a long way away from those of a caring parent. Emily is forced to grow up fast, but she truly believes David loves her, and they will spend their lives together once she is old enough for their secret relationship to be declared to the world. However, as time passes, Emily comes to learn that she is being used by David, and she takes the difficult decision to run away from home to escape his attentions.
The other half of this story tells the tale of Jack. Jack is a young man who has had a difficult upbringing through no fault of his own, and often gets into trouble by using his fists a bit too freely. After the fallout from a violent altercation at a party in Bristol, Jack becomes homeless, taking odd jobs and working at festivals, until he finally ends up in Birmingham where he lands himself a job as an upcoming DJ in a club. For once, his future is looking bright, but fate has another twist in store for him when he intervenes to protect a young rough-sleeper from being attacked.
This rough-sleeper is Emily and Jack takes her under his wing, showing her the ropes of living on the fringes as a squatter and casual worker - he has no idea that she is only 15 and on the run from her sleazy step-father, and Emily keeps her secrets close. Love and trust begin to blossom between them, with the promise of safety and security, but it is only a matter of time before cruel destiny catches up with Emily and Jack is forced to make a choice - will he sacrifice his own future to save Emily's?
Bright Lies is a compelling and emotional story that will tie you in knots. Both Emily and Jack's tales are those of vulnerable young people who have been taken advantage of by those who should have known better, and what happens to them is completely heart breaking.
As Emily's story plays out, transforming her from a normal, innocent young girl into a troubled teenager a gut-wrenching tension builds. From quite early on you are aware that David's behaviour is predatory, but Emily is too naive and trusting to understand where his attentions are leading, and his consummate charm and accomplished lies keep everyone in the dark, including Emily's mother. Emily becomes consumed by her belief that he loves her, and it makes you sick to your stomach. Jack's story unveils rather differently and although you are aware from the beginning that his background has been troubled, and he can be triggered into violence, it is not until much later in the book that you understand exactly what makes him tick - and how his past has shaped him. At so many points you ache to help them both, as you become completely invested in their stories. Abbott manages to get right inside the heads of both teenagers, and you feel every ounce of their hopes, dreams and conflicted feelings. I really enjoyed the slow burn build up to the point where their stories must collide, and when they do, the suspense becomes almost unbearable as you wait for the inevitable climax that will determine the course of their lives.
I must admit I did approach this audiobook with some trepidation, as it revolves around some very distressing themes, but A.A. Abbott handles the subjects of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual grooming sensitively. You are in no doubt about what is happening at any point in the story, but rather than dwell on the distressing details of the abuse itself Abbott keeps the worst of it in the wings. I have to say that she rather cleverly treats you to a masterclass in how sexual predators like David operate - the building of trust, the gradual isolation, the flattery and attention, and the web of lies and deceit that can trap the innocent. It's upsetting enough, but remains at a level that lets you concentrate on how the story unfurls rather than be overwhelmed in the telling of it.
I was really impressed with the narration of this book by Eilidh Beaton - this is the second book I have listened to voiced by her and she is rapidly becoming one of my favourite narrators. She handles all the accents here beautifully, and infuses the diverse cast of players with so much character. I was completely creeped out by her performance as David - the smooth, persuasive tone of voice she conjures up for him is unsettling perfection!
This story completely hooked me from the start to the emotional ending. It's powerful, worryingly believable and one that will stay with you!
Bright Lies is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats from your favourite book retailer.
Thank you to A.A. Abbott for allowing me to listen to this story in return for an honest review, and to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
Helen’s earlier 5 book Trail series is a lighter read focused on a vodka business. Snow Mountain is a premium vodka made in the former Soviet Union, and its owners have blood on their hands. The saga follows the fortunes of two families running the business and what happens when they fall out with each other and with a London gangster. Glamorous heroine Kat is the girl readers love to hate at the beginning of the series, but by the last book, she has won them over. Book research for the series included prison life, hotel research and vodka. Helen especially enjoyed a tour and tasting with the helpful folk at the Chase Distillery in Herefordshire.
Like 10% of us, many of Helen’s family are dyslexic. While she is not, she wants her books to be enjoyed by readers with dyslexia and visual impairment too. She publishes her thrillers in a Large Print dyslexia-friendly edition as well as the standard paperback and Kindle versions. (You can also adjust the font on your Kindle to suit your needs.) Audiobooks are definitely on the cards.
Helen likes speaking to book groups, business networks and social circles, and reading thrillers and short stories at live fiction events and on Zoom. If you're a book blogger, litfest organiser, reviewer or simply adore books, she’d love to hear from you.
Helen is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Bristol Fiction Writers' Group, and Birmingham's New Street Authors.
Find out more and get a free e-book of short stories at https://aaabbott.co.uk/
Thanks for the blog tour support x
ReplyDelete