Book Review: Only Ever You

Only Ever You

By:  Rebecca Drake

Publish Date:  March 22, 2016

Format:  Print ARC, 292 pages

Genre:  Fiction

Series:  stand alone

First Impression:  When every parents fear becomes heart breaking reality.

Synopsis:
Jill Lassiter’s three-year-old daughter disappears from a playground only to return after 40 frantic minutes, but her mother’s relief is short-lived–there’s a tiny puncture mark on Sophia’s arm. When doctors can find no trace of drugs in her system, Jill accepts she’ll never know what happened, but at least her child is safe.

Except Sophia isn’t. Someone is watching the Lassiter home in an affluent Pennsylvania suburb, infiltrating the family’s personal and professional lives. While Jill struggles to balance building her photography business with parenting high-spirited Sophia, and David is distracted by pressure to make partner at his law firm, both of them are holding on in a marriage that’s already been rocked by loss.

Three months after the incident at the park, Sophia disappears again, but this time Jill and David become the focus of police and media scrutiny and suspicion. Facing every parent’s worst nightmare a second time, Jill discovers that someone doesn’t just want Sophia for her own, she wants to
destroy the entire family.

First Sentence:
On the day her life began to unravel, Jill Lassiter smeared sunscreen on her three-year-old daughter's soft skin and drove her, as promised, to the park.

Purchase At:
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My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested a copy of this book from the author or publisher for an honest review.

I'm not going to summarize the story as the book description is perfect. I'm also going to try very hard to not spoil the story with a few great details. Without them, you will enjoy the story as you read it.

The story caught me in the heart. As a parent we all fear that one moment out of sight and gone. That's all it takes, and kids move so fast! I can feel for Jill through the book. I remember having an active three year old. Ugh. Things could be seen by others differently.

The story is told from Jill Lassiter's POV along with a woman by the name of Bea. These two views help draw the full picture for us. We also get journal entries of a young woman, a mistress. When it all comes together, ooooh it will click all that has happened in these lives to bring us to where we are.

Things we learn grow the plot, deepening all as we go. There is a secret that's revealed about 90 pages in. With the journal pages and what we learn, I started to draw my own conclusions of who people are and how they all relate. By then I needed to know if Sophia would be found, how all the truths come out, and if I was right in my thinking.

I was surprised at the ending when it all comes out!

Rebecca crafts a story that many can relate to with the normalcy of life and fears that parents hold close to their hearts. Then the fear becomes a heart breaking reality. Rebecca uses the short time lapses with perfection, we get a strong feel for daily activities and the characters while each scene has a powerful impact in the story, now and later, leaving hints along with drawing the characters and their actions for us. There is no down time in this novel.

The ending! Oh my! Never saw that all coming. Definitely a page turner to the end! And it all fits.

This is not my normal genre read. But I am glad I read the book. I didn't want to stop when I started. I found time was lost to me and I'd just spent an hour in the anxiety with Jill. I found I was so drawn into the story that I didn't even feel droggy with the late hour of reading.


**If my thoughts were helpful, please click Yes at Amazon. Thank you!