Knowing You - Samantha Tonge (Blog Blitz)

Date of Reading: 03/03/2019

Author: Samantha Tonge

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date: March 14, 2019

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

(This review is part of the publication blog blitz organised by Rachel's Random Resources)

About the book:

An abrupt change; a new friendship; a dark secret...

Kind-hearted Violet has never fitted in, but despite being bullied at school is now content. She is dating ambitious Lenny, has her dream job in publishing and runs a book club at the local retirement home.

However, when her relationship with Lenny begins to falter, Violet, hurt and alone, seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella. She changes her image and with her head held high aims to show that she doesn’t need Lenny in her life to be happy and successful.

Her long-term friends Kath and Farah worry about Bella’s influence and slowly Violet starts to distance herself from them. When she was a child, her closest confidant and companion was a boy called Flint. Her mother didn’t approve of their closeness and he suffered a terrible end. She won’t let the same thing happen to Bella, no matter what anyone says...

Knowing You is about friendship and knowing who to trust with your deepest secrets; it’s about taking control of your life and not being afraid to stand out. 

Perfect for fans of Ruth Hogan, Gail Honeyman and Amanda Prowse 

My Review:

         This novel took me by surprise and shook up my work schedule. There is no way I was able to concentrate on anything else before knowing what happened to Violet. If you are a fan of psychological thriller, you would see it coming I am sure. Since I am not, the ending left me astounded. 

          Being my first book by Samantha Tonge, I could very well say her popularity is well earned. The elegant diction tugs at your heartstrings and will sweep you off your feet. And what I loved most is the way it is set in the publishing industry giving us a very intimate picture of the editorial process. I have always wondered how it is to work as an editor - the passion, creativity and the happiness when your hands help to deliver a perfect book - and now I know. Thank you, Samantha, for the touching compliments on book bloggers that you have lavishly supplied in between the pages. I just couldn't help myself from glowing while reading those words.

          The novel takes a dual narrative mode with Violet's present interspersed with the memories of her childhood. Bullied and alone in school, her only friend was Flint who instigated her to follow through her outrageous impulses. Effortlessly written, it won't take us much time to side with Violet in everything while she pulls through the betrayal of Lenny with the help of her new flatmate.

        Altogether a brilliant piece of work that will thrill you and make you weep. Without any doubt, one of the best books of 2019.

Meet the author:

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines. 

She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association romantic comedy award.