Secrets of the Tides by Hannah Richell

Description: Every family has its secrets. Some are small, like telling a white lie or snooping through a private drawer. Others are more serious, like infidelity and betrayal. And some secrets are so terrible they must be hidden away in a deep, dark place, for if they ever came to light, they would surely tear a family apart . . . The Tides are a family full of secrets. Returning to Clifftops, the rambling family house high up on the Dorset coastline, youngest daughter Dora hopes for a fresh start, for herself and the new life she carries. But can long-held secrets ever really be forgiven? And even if you can forgive, can you ever really learn to love again? Secrets of the Tides is a family drama with a dark thread of suspense at its heart.

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Family, Contemporary

My rating: 4/5

Review: Secrets of the Tides follows the story of the Tides or to be explicit 'secrets' of the Tides and to be more precise 'guilt' of the Tides. The story mainly focuses on 2 characters Helen and Dora and has a constant switching between past and present. An incident of the past has destroyed the family and pushed them into a persistent feeling of guilt.
The story opens with a Young girl attempting suicide by throwing herself in the Thames river. Her identity and reason for suicide are not disclosed till very late in the book, which keeps us guessing who that was. In the past, Helen starts her life with her husband and kids in their new house Clifftops, for which she had to lose her job and her old life behind. In the present Dora living with her boyfriend learns that she is pregnant. Even though this baby is expected to bring positive change in their life, Dora is haunted by the tragic past. She is in constant guilt and doubts her ability to be a good mother.

But what is this tragic accident? and who caused it? Finding the answer to these questions was why the book was so compelling.

The climax of the book was up to scratch. I would hate the whole book if the ending would turn out to be something unrealistic and overdramatized but it was simply perfect. Perfect!!!

I was in tears at the end of this book. Tears of happiness not due to more misery.