This book is an adult read with trigger warnings of abuse, rape, and suicide

RATING ★☆☆☆☆

GENRE: adult fiction, mystery, thriller, drama

“When a beautiful blonde girl is found half-drowned on a beach, she has no memory of who she is or what horrors have left her there.

I’ve only read one Lesley Pearse book before this, Trust Me, and that was nearly 9 years ago– it was hard to collect my emotions after finishing that book and is perhaps why I had to wait 9 years before picking up another one of Lesley Pearse’s books. However, Stolen was a disappointment.

The back blurb as well as the beginning of the book started off with a lot of promise and I was readying my heart for heavy emotions but as soon as the book plot was set, the story becomes just a tad bit too far-fetched for a fiction read. It made it unrealistic and slightly cheesy in a way– though still presenting hard topics. These hard topics also seemed like they were just in the story for drama purposes (in an attempt to engage the reader) and not actual purpose for the story. The characters were alright, but I did not feel that all the side characters had a purpose either, and some were not expanded upon to create any connections with the reader. 

My favorite author without a doubt is, Lesley Pearse.  

I own 23 of her books and i am hopefully full-filling one of my dreams by meeting her at a book signing next week (July 16th) for her newest release. Please everyone, cross your fingers and toes for me!

I finished Charity only a couple days ago and like all of Lesley’s books it definitely did not disappoint.

It starts with a family; two parents and Four children, they live in poverty with a mother who shows no love, seems depressed with her life and a highly religious father who is more interested in sexual abusing Charity (the oldest) than taking care of them. Charity’s life is turned upside down when a fire breaks out in the family home killing her parents. 

‘As the misty, sleepy feeling gradually faded and the bright ward full of children became clearer, a sweep of jubilation filled her. She’d been rescued! She would never again have to submit to her fathers will, never step into that dark, cold house again. No more sermons, no more wondering why their mother never stood up for them or showed any love. It was a new beginning, a brand new start for them all.’ 

       Separated from her siblings she ends up working as a skivvy in an all boys school where she meets Hugh Mainwaring and falls head over heels in love with him. After they part Charity discovers she is pregnant but Huge has already made his mind up in breaking all ties with her. 

This book is full of so much heartbreak for Charity, first; being apart from her brothers and sister, to having no option in putting her baby Daniel up for adoption. She discovers so many new things about a family she never even knew existed which leads to her revealing her mothers childhood, giving some clues as to why she maybe treated them the way she did. Its a highly emotional story with the main character fighting through dark times of depression alone, for me personally i could relate to some of her feelings and in some cases found myself shutting myself away from the ‘real world’ and its human race to be alone with my books. 

‘Charity had heard their excited giggles as they set each other’s hair and swapped clothes, but she stayed in her room, immersed in a book.’ 

On one of my book researching sessions i so love and do a lot, i actually found an article for ‘the mail online’ talking about Charity and how her story echos one of Lesley’s own past. She gave her first child Warren up for adoption in the 60′s, then using her own memories and heartbreak she created this book; using her own painful experiences to create many scenes within.  

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1244831/Why-I-gave-away-baby-boy-half-lifetime-ago-Lesley-Pearse-left-just-threadbare-towel-heart-yearning.html         

Like most of Lesley’s books they are long and just when you think you coming to the end she just keeps throwing more shocking twists at you keeping you glued to your book.

Lesley Pearse has definitely left a lot in the open air with all the characters and their stories, which could even get my hopes up for a sequel. Does Charity trace Daniel down? Does Daniel go looking for Charity? What about Charity’s sister, what does she do with her life? what happens to that fabulous house, do they follow through with their plans? 

I wanna know what you fans thing :)