The Custody Battle by Ellie Monago
Genre: Domestic Suspense
Read: 22nd February 2024
Published: 21st February 2024
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
“What’s going to happen to me?” my little girl asks, clutching her teddy bear tight. “Daddy and I love you,” I reply. “Nothing is going to change.” But I was so wrong. How far will I have to go to keep my darling daughter?
When Greg and I first decided to separate, we promised to keep it civil for our daughter Lola. So when she stopped wanting to hug me, I thought Lola was just struggling with the divorce. Then she started screaming at me, calling me a liar, and I could hear Greg in her words. I’m certain he’s trying to turn our baby against me.
He’s determined to dig up dirt on me, to make the court think I’m a terrible mother… But two can play that game.
So when he reveals the worst thing I have ever done, my heart pounds in my chest. Because I know Greg’s deep dark secrets, too. But the more we each try to win, the harder it is to turn back. Now I’m terrified that we’ve put Lola in terrible danger…
By the time we realise what we’ve done, will it be too late for us to save her, or ourselves?
A completely gripping dark domestic suspense novel about a family tearing themselves apart, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.
MY THOUGHTS:
They want to protect their child...but what if they're the danger...?
OMG! This book was like a car crash from which you couldn't look away! Let me be clear, this is all about a custody battle. From start to finish. And it gets ugly. It's gets dirty. And not the bedhopping kind, either. Both parties pull no punches to get what they want. And boy, is it ugly!
Madeline had it all planned out. She and Greg would divorce with as little disruption to their ten year old daughter Lola as possible. It would be quick, clean and respectful. But soon their amicable divorce would turn into an acrimonious one filled with allegations and accusations hurled at each other from ten paces.
Greg doesn't want a divorce. He adored the very ground on which Madeline walked. And while she said she loved him, she was no longer in love with him. Bu Greg thought that if he could just remind her how good they are together then she would give up the divorce and welcome him home with open arms.
But Madeline isn't being open and honest with Greg (or her divorce lawyer, for that matter). Waiting at the sidelines of battle is Tarek. The man Madeline has fallen for and he her. She hasn't slept with him or begun an affair - not while she is still married to Greg. No, she is waiting for the divorce which should take six months to be granted.
But Madeline has under-estimated Greg. He wants her back and will stop at nothing to win her back. He has his lawyer stalling her lawyer throughout the entire process at every turn, giving him time to woo her back into his arms. Until he discovers there is another man waiting in the wings. Suddenly, it's all bets are off.
And caught in the middle of their war against each other is Lola. Lola, who has her dad's deep blue eyes and is sense of fun but her mother's looks and analytical mind and stubbornness. She sees all and hears all...and she doesn't like one bit of it. She sides with her dad almost from the first moment that no matter what Madeline does or say, she takes no notice of her. And soon it becomes a clear case of parental alienation. Using their daughter a pawn to score the most points and make the other look bad.
This domestic suspense is an ugly tale. The lengths two people who once loved each other, and claim to have the best interests of their daughter at heart, will go to just to tarnish the other and win sole custody. It's brutal and it's dirty.
Neither parent wins any popularity contests with me as they are both as bad as each other. Madeline wasn't upfront in the first place when she should have been and Greg has blinkers on, the narcissistic personality that he is. It's true, he took Madeline for granted all the years they were married and what he was most missing was her organisational skills and her ability to make his life as smooth as possible. He had the Disneyland dad quality where he would swoop in and do all the fun things with Lola while Madeline did the grunt work - that much is true. But they both played dirty to come out on top. And for what? Where did it leave them in the end?
You'll have to read the book to find out!!
An unputdownable domestic suspense that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end.
I would like to thank #EllieMonago, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheCustodyBattle in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
No comments:
Post a Comment