The Things We Wish Were True
Fiction
Lake Union Publishing
September 1, 2016
Paperback
276
Publisher via She Reads
In an idyllic small-town neighborhood, a near tragedy triggers a series of dark revelations. From the outside, Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, might look like the perfect all-American neighborhood. But behind the white picket fences lies a web of secrets that reach from house to house. Up and down the streets, neighbors quietly bear the weight of their own pasts until an accident at the community pool upsets the delicate equilibrium. And when tragic circumstances compel a woman to return to Sycamore Glen after years of self-imposed banishment, the tangle of the neighbors intertwined lives begins to unravel. During the course of a sweltering summer, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the neighbors learn that it s impossible to really know those closest to us. But is it impossible to love and forgive them?"
My review:
An enjoyable, light read about a neighborhood dealing with a crisis, and several secrets, during the course of one summer. I thought the characters were well drawn, or as well as they could be since the book has a lot of them. It had nice pacing, I never felt that it dragged, although I was invested in some plot lines more than others. I liked the plot twists, the major one I figured out, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. The only real complaint I had was that it seemed there were just too many characters who harbored secrets. The first few chapters we are thrown hints about every single character having a secret. It would have seemed more believable to me to have a few "regular folks" thrown into the mix. I was very satisfied with the ending, even if it did tie everything up rather nicely.
This book reminded me of a shorter, lighter version of Liane Moriarty's latest, and that's not a bad comparison to have made for any book! This would be great to tuck in your suitcase for a weekend away, where something heavy and long just doesn't usually suffice.
This book is the September read for the She Reads book club. Click the link in my sidebar to be taken to their blog, which has lots of great book talk and suggestions. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy. As always, my opinions are my own.
Hmm I don't like a book with too many characters. But lighter version of Liane Moriarty is not bad! And light and easy to read. Might do!