Review - Stolen by Susan Lewis

O.M.FlippinG! 

That was my reaction when I finished this book.  Another amazing and incredibly emotional story from the fabulous Susan Lewis who comes up with the most unexpected plot lines that you can imagine.

Stolen is a story about Lucy Winters, whose parents have always been nothing but wonderful to her, who decides that she’d like to leave a life in London where she has always felt that something is missing, to take over the family auction business in a small village in the country.  Her daughter Hanna is going with her, much to Hanna's disgust, while son Ben is taking a year out to travel the world.  Lucy sees this as a trial separation from husband Joe who she is leaving behind in London.  He is an out of work actor and is in her eyes a drain on her and her resources.   When she arrives in Cromstone, she couldn’t be made more welcome and makes some wonderful new friends, not realising just how much of an important part they will be playing in her future.    She finally feels that she is starting to get her life together when astonishing events that she discovers, uncover a lifetime of lies and deceit and she is not sure if she will ever be able to forgive the people who are involved.   

I simply could not tear myself away from this book.  With the riveting story spanning 584 pages, I found that I had to make myself go to sleep at night and was very nearly late to take my little boy to school one day as I’d been reading it far longer than I should have!  I thought about it while I was at work, trying to put the pieces of the jigsaw together.  I even forgot about the dinner in the oven last night, as I was so into the story trying to find out how on earth it would end.  I sat and sobbed my heart out at one point last night, quite devastated by the actions of some of the characters.  This book really got under my skin – can you tell?

Susan is an incredible author.  The characters are so real and the places so authentic that you become involved in the plot very quickly becoming mesmerised and extremely concerned about people and events and I even heard myself sighing and gasping in certain places! Yes ok – a bit freaky even I admit!  She weaved a web of intriguing coincidences, which finally came together in a stunning climax and I honestly felt that I’d really gone through the mill with the characters in this book and felt completely exhausted when it was over.  I love it when you have finished a book, but are still worried about the people in it.  Ok - I think I’m going to quit now before you all realise that I really do need to get out more! 

Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of an impressive twenty-six novels.   Born and raised in Bristol, she started her career in the world of TV and after launching her writing career she moved to France, then California, back to England and once again in France.    After meeting her partner James, she has now settled in Gloucestershire.  You can find out more about Susan and her books at her website.

Susan is a supporter of the childhood bereavement charity; Winston’s Wish and of breast cancer charity; BUST.  She became involved in both of these charities as she tragically lost her young Mom to breast cancer when she was a mere nine years old and wanted to do what she could to help others in the same situation.