Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Ein ganzes Leben lang

I truly didn't know what to expect going into this book. I picked it up because it was linked to some goodreads achievement and man was this a whirlwind. Especially since its a white woman in the UK suburbs. Highly rec, big page turner with just the right bread crumbs to keep you guessing

Content Warnings

astifelreads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Title: The Love of My Life
Author: Rosie Walsh
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: March 1, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Entertaining • Twisty • Propulsive

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she’s told them about herself is a lie.

And she might just have got away with it, if it weren’t for her husband’s job. Leo is an obituary writer; Emma a well-known marine biologist. When she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – researching and writing about his wife’s life. But as he starts to unravel the truth, he discovers the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Even her name isn’t real.

When the very darkest moments of Emma’s past finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was...

But first, she must tell him about the other love of her life.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I included The Love of My Life on a list of 23 books to read in 2023 because it was one of the 2022 releases that intrigued me, but that I never got around to picking up. I wasn't exactly sure where this story would take me, yet it ended up taking me to the right place at the right time.

Combining elements of a variety of genres (mystery, suspense, romance, literary) flawlessly this book was an entertaining exploration of marriage, motherhood, and whether we ever really know the people we love. Well rounded complex characters are the foundation of this novel. Switching between Emma and Leo's perspectives, there's a slow suspenseful pace where everything unravels at the perfect moment. I didn't ever quite know where things were going to go next, which is why I ended up enjoying my time with this book.

The Love of My Life was another enjoyable GMA pick. Despite this having a slower pace, it was still a page turner that kept my interest. If you're looking for something thrilling, this isn't it. I look forward to reading Ghosted next year.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• domestic suspense lovers
• readers who loved The Last Thing He Told Me

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"When we have experienced more loss than is bearable she says, we hold on to everything."

"I don't know anything, other than that it's only when something's damaged beyond repair that we realize how beautiful it was."

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noladawnreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

backpackingbookworm's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I remember winning a copy of The Man Who Didn't Call when it first came out and finding it such a refreshing change to predictable contemporary romances. The Love of My Life was no different - it had strong character building, multiple red herrings, and plenty of twists and turns that caught me off-guard.

While I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first (I couldn't connect to the narrators and worried it would be just another book about an affair I don't care about), I soon realised it was much more than I had assumed. The story was raw, engaging, and just the right length to keep things moving at a steady pace. I found myself tuning in at every opportunity, especially once the reveals started unravelling.

Rosie explored difficult subjects with care and sensitivity, and had evidently done her research to ensure they were portrayed correctly. These extra layers gave the book authenticity and made it stand out from other books I've read in this genre. It was the perfect mix of contemporary domestic drama and fast-paced thriller.

As with most thrillers though, there were some parts that felt contrived for the sake of the plot, as well as quite a lot of withheld information (also for plot purposes) that didn't feel as seamless as I would have liked. The ending was also a tad rushed after all the build-up. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending!

Rating breakdown

Plot/narrative - 4.3
Writing style/readability - 4.2
Characters - 4.3
Diverse themes - 4.3
Ending - 3.9

Overall - 4.2

Content Warnings

suzelarson's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A mysterious history that starts immediately. There’s a sense of curiosity that grabbed me and held on until I finished this well-crafted story.

Content Warnings

chelle22's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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