In an effort to escape unwarranted and adverse media attention, Robin Tyler rents a house in Cushlow Close, a family-owned development of four properties in a remote location. The striking-looking but mild-mannered Robin had enjoyed a charmed life in the city but is totally unprepared for country living. His new neighbour, artist Kodi Bates, helps him to adjust but their friendship quickly disrupts the lives of other residents in the Close. Suffering the most serious disruption is her twin brother Aran Cushlow's family. Widower Aran is about to remarry but, convinced she has seen her mother in a nearby town, Aran's daughter Lisa attempts to scupper his plans. When Lisa's sighting is dismissed as wishful thinking by both her family and the police, impulsive actions by the teenager backfire in a way the girl could never have anticipated, leaving everyone in Cushlow Close with decisions to make.
My opinion:
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
If you can't trust the living is a wonderful book filled with romance and mystery. Half of the story is focused on Karen's love life and the other half on Aran's family drama. The plot is exciting and has a slow build-up with a surprising ending. The characters are quite common, like your next-door neighbors. It is well written with detailed descriptions and vivid images. When I started reading it I thought it would be a fun romantic novel but as the story progressed it became quite dramatic and so mysterious. My favorite parts were the conversations between the main female character and the twins. I have to say that I did not expect the revelation in the last chapter, it just blew my mind. I enjoyed it immensely and I urge everyone to buy it, you won't regret it I promise you. I will rate it with 5 stars.
A few words about the plot: Karen Bates was a widow who had moved back to her parents' house and took care of the houses they owned in Cushlow Close. She worked from home as an illustrator. A few houses away lived her brother Aran alone with his two kids, Lisa and Jack, after his wife had gone missing years ago. In her old house moved a new tenant, Robin Tyler, who wanted to escape the media after the fiasco in his latest job. From the very first day, the romance started brewing between Karen and Robin. But the mayhem that started in her brother's house about his missing wife affected them as well. In the end, every one of them had to make some big life decisions.
If You Can't Trust the Living
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