bitofabookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Hooked all the way to around 175 pages in, I think at that point the author must've realised she was running out of time and scribbled whatever ending came into her mind. I was very disappointed that having created such full and rounded characters from the start there was a fuller emphasis on just Bev & Petra (approx 2/3 of the book it felt like!) the other characters had their stories loosely tied off but without a viable conclusion to their tale if you ask me - the ending was not believable enough to feel it did justice to the characters - no convincing emotion or conviction, it left me feeling very disappointed as it had held such promise until that point *sad face*
book_sniffer's review against another edition
3.0
It is nice to see an original storyline or three actually. I read this book very quickly; it was engaging as were the characters and their situations. Even though the outcomes were just as I had predicted I felt it did not impact the likeability of the book as a whole. A light read after all. The third storyline about Lorrie was not given enough time or development in my mind. It was such an interesting predicament and I think the end or wrap up was abrupt and almost an afterthought. I would have like to have had a little less Bev/Petra/Jeremy and more Lorrie. That would have afforded another star or half a star for me. All in all a good read. Best to buy on sale.
sarahsloveofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
It's all chance, the toss of a coin. You meet somebody who will change your life; at that moment, the story of your future begins to be written.
Well I certainly didn't expect to like this after reading the blurb, but I can tell you that I did!
It really helped that every chapter centered around a different character from the one before and these characters had absolutely no connection with each other at the start, but as their individual stories unravel we begin to connect the dots. The women in these stories, all coming from different backgrounds, each have their story to tell and we as readers, travel the globe with them.
Well I certainly didn't expect to like this after reading the blurb, but I can tell you that I did!
It really helped that every chapter centered around a different character from the one before and these characters had absolutely no connection with each other at the start, but as their individual stories unravel we begin to connect the dots. The women in these stories, all coming from different backgrounds, each have their story to tell and we as readers, travel the globe with them.
dani_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
Below is my quick review. You can read the not so quick version on my blog: http://danireviewsthings.com/2015/06/14/something-to-hide-by-deborah-moggach/
Something to Hide follows the lives of three very different women on three different continents, all somehow connected by the massive but often forgotten continent that is Africa. Who they really are and how they are connected is not immediately made clear, and Moggach takes her time weaving the intricate storylines until the reader finally experiences the satisfying moment of the last puzzle piece fitting into place. While the book is not necessarily fast-paced or action-packed, there is a sense of mystery: who are these people and what are they hiding?
This was not a book I finished quickly, as it really only gripped me in the last third, but Moggach did write some very rich characters that were so real that I didn’t like them as people. The plot had a number of twists and a few shocks, but once you reached the unexpected ending, you could see how all the little signs laid out along the way pointed towards the conclusion. I would recommend this for any contemporary fiction fans with a love for complex characters, international settings a bit of whodunnit.
Something to Hide follows the lives of three very different women on three different continents, all somehow connected by the massive but often forgotten continent that is Africa. Who they really are and how they are connected is not immediately made clear, and Moggach takes her time weaving the intricate storylines until the reader finally experiences the satisfying moment of the last puzzle piece fitting into place. While the book is not necessarily fast-paced or action-packed, there is a sense of mystery: who are these people and what are they hiding?
This was not a book I finished quickly, as it really only gripped me in the last third, but Moggach did write some very rich characters that were so real that I didn’t like them as people. The plot had a number of twists and a few shocks, but once you reached the unexpected ending, you could see how all the little signs laid out along the way pointed towards the conclusion. I would recommend this for any contemporary fiction fans with a love for complex characters, international settings a bit of whodunnit.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
Something to Hide by D.B Donalds is an independently published contemporary romance. This is the first book in a planned trilogy.
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
It has been thirteen years since Sophie left the world of television, stopped drinking, went back to school and found a descent job. She keeps her head down, works hard, stays away from social scenes that could cause her problems and tries to deal with all the demons of her past.
An encounter at a gas station of all places with a guy named Nicoli turns Sophie's life into plot television never could have dreamed up.
Nicoli is the son of a mob boss. He has removed himself from that life, but his father still has to control things in his life when can. Nicoli giving up his playboy lifestyle and dating a regular girl doesn't fit into his father's plans.
Sophie knows Nicoli's family situation, and to make matters more complicated Sophie's best friend works for the FBI.
After ten long years of putting men on a back burner, Sophie falls under Nicoli's spell. Once they start going out, they rarely come up for air... except when someone is trying to come between them, and well, there are quite a few people in seems that would like to see them go their separate ways.
It is my understanding that this is a first novel for this author. There are few things that experience will help to rectify, but overall this book was a good start.
The story is told in part by Sophie and in part by Nicoli using first person narrative. Nicoli is a real charmer and once he sets eyes on Sophie he doesn't let her go. Sophie doesn't have the confidence Nicoli does and really needs someone that will hang in there despite quite a few difficulties such as Nicoli's former girlfriend, his father, Sophie's best friend, and then ... well there is in all fairness a cliffhanger. Some people just absolutely hate cliffhangers. If there is going to be a long time between books, then yes, it sucks. But, you know you deal with this issue in TV shows that make you wait for two years before there are new episodes and the same with some movies. So, for me it's no big deal. We know going in that this is a trilogy. The next book has a very intriguing title of Something to Fear. So.... Stay tuned!!
I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
It has been thirteen years since Sophie left the world of television, stopped drinking, went back to school and found a descent job. She keeps her head down, works hard, stays away from social scenes that could cause her problems and tries to deal with all the demons of her past.
An encounter at a gas station of all places with a guy named Nicoli turns Sophie's life into plot television never could have dreamed up.
Nicoli is the son of a mob boss. He has removed himself from that life, but his father still has to control things in his life when can. Nicoli giving up his playboy lifestyle and dating a regular girl doesn't fit into his father's plans.
Sophie knows Nicoli's family situation, and to make matters more complicated Sophie's best friend works for the FBI.
After ten long years of putting men on a back burner, Sophie falls under Nicoli's spell. Once they start going out, they rarely come up for air... except when someone is trying to come between them, and well, there are quite a few people in seems that would like to see them go their separate ways.
It is my understanding that this is a first novel for this author. There are few things that experience will help to rectify, but overall this book was a good start.
The story is told in part by Sophie and in part by Nicoli using first person narrative. Nicoli is a real charmer and once he sets eyes on Sophie he doesn't let her go. Sophie doesn't have the confidence Nicoli does and really needs someone that will hang in there despite quite a few difficulties such as Nicoli's former girlfriend, his father, Sophie's best friend, and then ... well there is in all fairness a cliffhanger. Some people just absolutely hate cliffhangers. If there is going to be a long time between books, then yes, it sucks. But, you know you deal with this issue in TV shows that make you wait for two years before there are new episodes and the same with some movies. So, for me it's no big deal. We know going in that this is a trilogy. The next book has a very intriguing title of Something to Fear. So.... Stay tuned!!
flogigyahoo's review against another edition
2.0
Deborah Moggach can be very witty and sly, both characteristics one notices in her writing of Something to Hide. This is about Petra, an Englishwoman in her 60's who falls in love with her best friend's husband. It's also about Lorelei, a mid-western American mother who gets involved in a scam while her husband is away on a tour of duty and how she proposes to recoup her money. Both women's stories intertwine in Africa--the part of the novel that just doesn't ring true and the part I didn't like at all. Deborah Moggach writes better stuff than this.
taphophile's review
2.0
Not an entirely successful book. It was really Petra’s story and stories that were meant to interweave never really worked. If it had just been Petra’s story it would have been 3 stars
jillysnz's review
3.0
Brings in lots of the ways that we screw up this world and steal from others, their lives, their land, their futures.
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