Today I’m thrilled to say I am part of the blog tour for Sarah Bourne’s latest release When Lives Collide. Massive thanks to Donna Morfett for inviting me along and Sarah Bourne for the ARC to bring you my honest and unbiased review.
A hit-and-run puts two women on a collision course with fate, in this mind-blowing psychological thriller from the author of Exile.
It only takes one second to change a life. Loretta Davidson learns this the hard way when, on a rainy afternoon, her car crashes into another vehicle at an intersection. Loretta survives with only a few stitches. Her four-year-old son is not so lucky. Falling into a coma, he soon succumbs to his injuries, leaving Loretta and her husband devastated.
Emma Elliot’s four-wheel drive glanced off the car she hit, and she left the scene of the accident convinced no one was hurt. She could not be late running errands for her partner—or there would be hell to pay. He had hit her before, and he would do it again.
In the months following the accident, Loretta struggles to survive her grief as her marriage crumbles. Emma gets engaged—and then pregnant. But the twists and turns life throws at the two women have a way of balancing things out, sending them straight into one another’s paths one more time.
“The novel does what fiction does best: exploring the small moments that can change lives for good.” —The Bookbag
When Lives Collide is a psychological thriller that I was dying to get my hands on as soon as possible. Sarah Bourne writes so skilfully I knew I would be in for a treat when I sat down to read.
We meet Emma and Loretta, two women who have no idea of the day their paths crossed. All Loretta knows is her darling boy is dead and Emma, that she will be in line for a beating if she is late.
The story is told in alternating chapters by each woman. We learn about them and their lives. Sarah has easily made these two women human and relatable. I felt for them both as they lived their daily lives.
There are definitely sensitive issues that are the main threads of this book. Sarah Bourne has dealt with both as carefully as possible, while maintaining the mystery, danger and suspense. The depiction of the death of a child and the fallout from that along with the domestic violence are believable. Her research has been thorough and I don’t say that lightly. I have worked with victims of Domestic Violence and I read this book and felt that Emma’s actions as a woman in that situation were as real as someone I have worked with in the past.
As the story unfolded, I had a feeling of impending doom in the pit of my stomach. This increased the suspense within the story for me. I was really reading so quick in order to find out what was in store for these two women. At one point I was almost pleading with Emma not to do what she was doing!
My heart was in my mouth at certain points and it seemed like another car crash waiting to happen. This is most definitely a gripping read that held me captive within Loretta and Emma’s world’s. The ending was one I most certainly wasn’t actually expecting and I can say it left me thinking long and hard for days after I finished it. All I can say is, it begs for a sequel at least.
If you enjoy a twisty, addictive and fast-paced psychological thriller with a story that reflects issues in today’s world and realistic, flawed characters this may just be for you.
Buy Link – https://is.gd/ugbhsj
Author Bio
Born and raised in London, Sarah has travelled extensively and finally settled in Sydney, Australia. She is married and has three children. She is a counsellor, yoga teacher and writer, and loves skiing, swimming, long dinners with friends and walking her two dogs.
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 