The Lost Wife

by Anna Mansell

When Ellie Moran passes away, she leaves her newborn son and husband Ed behind her. Their marriage was perfect, their lives everything they had hoped for. So why was Ellie keeping secrets from Ed?

Knowing he can never ask his wife the truth, Ed is struggling to cope. When the secrets threaten to tear his whole family apart, Ed turns to Rachel, the one person who sees him as more than just Ellie’s widower.

But then Rachel discovers something Ellie was hiding, something that would break Ed’s heart. Can Rachel help Ed to find peace without the wife he lost – and a second chance at happiness?

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2017

About the author

Anna had a brush with 'fame' as a magician’s assistant back in 1977. She later decided that being sawn in half by her father, at barely 6 months old, was too submissive a role, vowing to channel the trauma in to something much more pro-actively creative. Having failed at acting, singing and professional murder mystery parties (she was ALWAYs the one to die!), she fell to something much more solitary: writing. How To Mend a Broken Heart was her first novel and her life was not on the line in order to write it, or The Lost Wife. Anna lives on a dairy farm in Cornwall with her two children, her husband, and her ex-racing greyhound, Olive Dog.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having thoroughly enjoyed How to Mend a Broken Heart, I was dying to read this book by the same author.

The Lost Wife is told at the perfect pace, allowing me to enjoy this emotional journey at a comfortable speed, while at the same time finding it really hard to put down.

The author has created some wonderful characters that I found myself really caring about. Sometimes I found it very emotional seeing what they were going through. Despite this being an emotional read, I would say it has an overall uplifting feel to it and sometimes rather funny.

A particular part of this story made me think about how I never met my grandad’s brother until my grandad’s funeral two years ago. He seemed so much like my grandad, who I loved so much. He was also covered in tattoos just like my grandad, as their father was a tattooist, and used to try out tattoos on them both. How did I live 37 years of my life never meeting my grandad’s brother? I would have loved to have seen them both together.

On a more positive note, who doesn’t love a cheesy pineapple hedgehog, and I have to agree with Rachel, I’d marry Tom Hardy too. ❤

I also found it entertaining that Rachel and Mo chose to watch Dirty Dancing, because just before reading this book I watched it three nights in a row. I watched the 2017 remake the first night, the original on the second, and Havana Nights on the third. I think I’m the only person I know who loves the 2017 remake. I feel so alone in this, so I wanted to ask Rachel and Mo to watch the 2017 version and let me know what they thought of it. I’m so desperate to find someone who likes it, that I’m now eager to encourage fictional characters in a book to watch it. What does that say about me?!

I laughed heartily at the reference to living like students and there being road cones in a house. I believe I was about seventeen when I woke up one morning after a night of drinking, to discover a bright orange road cone in the middle of my bedroom. I was too hungover to remember how I explained that one to my parents, but that cone lived in my bedroom until I moved out. Oh, the nostalgia.

I highly recommend this to fans of great fictional characters within a story of love, loss, grief, but also funny and feel good moments and definitely the important ingredient that is hope. I can’t wait to see what Anna Mansell comes up with next.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

An horrific tragedy happens which really was emotional because Anna Mansell writes such relatable characters! You feel deep,y for them.

We jump around to three time lines that are written so perfectly it’s very easy to follow.

I found myself so engrossed at times I needed the author to go backwards and lead me to this point in their lives.

This book sees how we need to find strength from inside ourselves and bitterness just eats away at you like cancer.

I thought this a stunning read!

Reading this as one of my backlist books.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story written beautifully in 3 parts depicting life in its entirety, with tragedy, grief, secrets, inner strength and ability to move on
Part 1 : Jan 2012 : introduction to the two main characters Ed and Rachel

Ellie and Ed Moran with newborn Oli live a happy life till Ellie dies in a car accident, which Ed’s brother, Simon was driving. Ed is devastated and is barely able to survive the tragedy, just living on for his child, Oli. But Ed is still unable to talk to Simon about the details of the accident which took the life of his young wife.

Rachel with her best friend Mo share a flat together. Rachel is in childcare, looking after babies while parents are at work. She lives a life of a carefree girl but has her own personal problems, with her dad selling their family home and missing her mom, even after so many years of her death.

Part 2 : March 2012 : meeting of Ed and Rachel

Ed gets baby Oli to the child care where he meets Rachel for the first time. He is dealing with his own grief, doubts about his dead wife and Simon’s silence about the accident. There are more questions than answers. Rachel helps him by looking after Oli and by being there for him at his points of breakdown as she too understands loss. But in her eagerness to help Ed, she abuses his trust in her and makes a mistake of opening the secret, hidden in the cupboard. Ed comes to know, considers it a betrayal and they separate. A beginning of something is squashed abruptly.

Part 3 : September 2016 : paths crossing of Ed and Rachel

Ed and Rachel meet again after 4 years. Rachel is his son’s primary teacher and initially there is awkwardness followed by discussions, secrets revealed, mystery solved, anger vanquished, forgiveness given, and friendships regained . Love starts budding ultimately….

Both Rachel and Ed are well characterised, their transformation and maturity over the course of time is both gradual and dramatic. Ed’s feeling of helplessness, his grief over his wife is written with a lot of pathos, I could literally feel his pain emanating from the pages. His finding the situation unbearable and taking steps to start anew is admirable. Self discovery is amazing….

Rachel on the other hand is an insecure, unsure, wine loving, fun girl who has a lot growing up to do in the first half. One mistake changed her world, broke her heart but brought out her inner strength and determination. Her growth from a girl without an aim to a woman going back to school and retraining, was like a butterfly emerging, strong and sure. It was an absolute pleasure to see her as a teacher, radiating self confidence and happiness yet her heart stumbling when she meets Ed after 4 years..

Anna Mansell in her second novel after how to mend a broken heart, has written a beautiful prose, where words are chosen with love and the story just flows seamlessly. Anna understands what makes a romance stand out. She adds a bit of suspense and mystery and a whole lot of strength, finding oneself and second chances. There are times when time heals all hurts and fate plays its mysterious hand… Que sera sera..
An advice which Rachel gives Ed when she comes to know of his loss and baby Oli…

Bitterness and anger, it changes nothing but our hearts. It makes us ill. Acceptance and learning to cope, to manage, to find a way to put on the face of someone who is dealing with it on the days when you aren’t, that’s what you need to find..

That’s life and we all need to find the inner strength and make peace with the circumstances and face it head on.. That’s all we need to do and that’s all we can ever do….

Brilliantly shown.. Ms. Mansell.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture and this is my honest and unbiased opinion

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com

This is broken up into three separate parts and is told from the viewpoint of Ed and Rachel. It begins in 2012 immediately after Ed loses his wife in a tragic accident just a few weeks after their son, Oli is born. Rachel is in her late twenties during this section and is trying to figure out what she wants out of life. Part two is where the two lead characters meet, Rachel works at the daycare where Ed takes Oli. The bulk of the story unfolds during part two and then part three is four years later. The pacing was dead on here, it was a really compelling read that had me hooked throughout.

This is the second book by Mansell and also my second time reading one of her novels and one of my favorite things about her writing is that there is such a lovely flow. Her style is absolutely beautiful, she writes in a really evocative way and Ed's story especially was touching and heartbreaking. I can't even imagine losing my husband, much less right after having a child and Mansell did such a wonderful job in creating his character. His grief was so raw and devastating, you could feel his pain flying off the pages and it totally broke my heart. Rachel was also very well crafted, she was relatable and kind.

This was ultimately an uplifting story, but there was so much heartache along the way, I did tear up a few times, but I also smiled quite a bit as well. Much like her first novel, things were left very open ended and while that's not always my favorite way to end a book, it truly works well here. The characters are so realistic that it's fitting when things are left a bit messy and unresolved, much like real life. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone looking for an emotional read with heart.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning! I started reading this last night and I couldn't stop. It was one of those compulsive books that take you over, so you think, just one more chapter and then before you know it, dawn is streaking the edges of night and the book is over, the story finished and yet only just beginning for the characters. You want more, you are bereft. You want to start the book again, to savour the beauty of the prose, to inhabit the minds of the characters again. This is an incredible, beautiful story of loss, love, forgiveness, moving on, overcoming, grief, redemption and above all, hope. The writing is amazing, each sentence perfection. I loved this author's debut, the story stayed with me long after the book was over and this one, wow! Absolutely amazing! This is an author to watch - she is brilliant. I cannot wait for more.

[Meggy Chocolate'n'Waffles · Rating 5 out of 5]

All stories are made of words. We all react differently to them. They can be cold, they can make you smile, they can give you goosebumps. The Lost Wife isn't about words. The Lost Wife is about feelings. My eyes slid on the letters but it was my heart that reached out to the book, to the characters, to the message behind the story.

Grief is a subject I used to avoid. I couldn't bear to think about the sadness and the pain. I still hate it, and being over-sensitive makes me feel any emotion ten times stronger than others. But sometimes it is good to be reminded it is part of the giant “life” game we play. I chose to read The Lost Wife knowing it was dealing with losing close relatives, and with coping. I was expecting tears and tissues. Heartbreaking scenes. Then I remembered the wall I created around myself did not allow those feelings to get to me so I would be fine. Remember the monster who wasn't moved by Me Before You? Haha. I'd never been so naive.

Anna Mansell stared at my protective wall, laughed, took a bulldozer, and smashed it hard!

I knew from the opening I was in trouble. Ed talking about his wife, and those conversations we don't want to have. Weirdly, I often wonder if someone will know which song I want for my funeral, or how I want to be dressed. Does someone know me enough, has paid attention enough, to remember? Ed's narration was spot-on. And I don't mean just at the beginning. I mean through the entire book. This man is lost, in love, widowed, angry, devastated. I wanted to hug him tight and tell him it would be alright. I thanked the author for reminding that passion and love were still around in this world and that there were still people ready to love someone with every fiber of their being. Because more than Ed's grief, I felt Ed's love for his departed wife. I could see the hole in his heart and I wanted to fill it, to put tape on it with old and new memories, and … And I have a thing for widowers! Is there a name for this? A support group?? Because I fell hard for the same kind of father in A Suitable Lie. Wow. I could be in one of those reality TV shows where women talk about this. “Hi, I'm Meggy, I have the Widower-in-Need syndrome.” But it only works because Anna Mansell created a flawed and drowning man without romanticizing his married life too much. It all felt real. The breakfast in bed, the discussions on the couch, the sleeping on the other's shoulder, the reassuring scent around the house. The bickering, the arguments, the making up. Learning to know about his wife through his eyes was beautifully painful. How do you live when the woman you promised to cherish until death is gone? What is the meaning of everything when your world has come crashing down?

I do believe that even if everyone (except sociopaths) can empathize and support, only those who have been through a similar experience really understand what grieving means. I am not saying it is the same for everyone. We are not programmed robots, our coping mechanisms can be different, but there's a silent understanding. A “been there” bound that help alleviate the idea you are alone. Anna Mansell captured this unspoken phenomenon and explored it until it made sense.

This is where Rachel comes into the picture.

Losing her mother so young, she had to deal with life minus one, thankfully helped by a wonderful father who won my heart with his endless love for his children. Twenty-seven and yet, still far from having grown up. Rachel was static, frozen in a life she had settled in because jumping outside of her comfort zone was too frightening and she felt she did not have the strength to make it.

Two people broken by an unfair loss and a baby in the middle.

This story isn't a soppy maudlin tale of how you can mend someone. The Lost Wife is about the stages of grief, about how letting someone in, someone you don't know, can be exactly what you need. This book is about facing your grief, dealing, not being okay and being alright.

My heart was filled with pain for a little boy that would have to live without a mother, for a husband left on his own, for a young and lost woman. But my heart was also tickling with moments of stolen happiness at a tiny face smiling, the warmth and vital presence of a best friend, the sun in the sky at times. I was absorbed in the author's portray of life and the characters' guilt at living, feeling, breathing, having to move on. Because what does moving on means? How do you move on without leaving your best behind? The dilemma was genuinely and smoothly written, and I can only thank the author for picking the right words to make me go through this with Ed and Rachel.

Of course, while the shadow of grief is always around, there is joy, too. Anger. Harsh words. Doubts. Ed's wife's accident is shady, and this element is the thread that leads every character along the line of this new life. I thought the plot blended with perfection and added a clever and disturbing layer to the story, making every emotion twice as difficult to feel, to handle, to go through without a scratch.

Rachel's narration resonated with me with such force I was taken aback. I live with my mother while she has lost hers, but I could relate to so many of her questions, to her need to help to fill the void and find a use to this tragedy she has lived, to find a meaning to her pain, and to find her place in the world.

I am very very … Very hard to please when it comes to endings. I won't reveal anything, but I put down the book thinking “This is it. This was perfect.” Emotional doesn't even begin to describe this story. Life. Yes, this is the right word for it. The Lost Wife is an exceptional and poignant tale of love, genuine and true.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I loved this book, the story was just excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed every page and didn’t want it  to end.  I loved the writing style and having read the previous novel by this author I was genuinely excited to get my hands on this new release!  I thought that the story was simply compelling and the writing style added to this in a delightful way allowing the author to be able to bring the characters to life.  I highly recommend this one – 5 stars from me – it really is well worth a read!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Wife, written by Anna Mansell, is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, family, and having the strength and courage to move on.

Ed is still reeling from the tragic death of his wife, Ellie, two weeks after the birth of their son Oli. Any time you lose a loved one, it's completely devastating. In this case, it is even more devastating because Ellie wasn't the one driving the car...Ed's brother Simon was driving. In addition to his grief, Ed still has so many unanswered questions...questions Simon refuses to answer.

Rachel is twenty-eight-years-old and living a carefree life with no set goals for her future. She spends her days working at a childcare center, and her nights hanging out with her best friend, Mo. Rachel first meets Ed when he signs up his son for daycare. She instantly relates to his grief, especially since she is still struggling with the death of her own mother sixteen years ago. She helps Ed with Oli, and tries to be supportive of Ed, and the two become friends. However, that all changes when Rachel finds out the secret Ed's wife was keeping from him.

Anna Mansell is an amazing storyteller! She beautifully weaves together the characters and storyline. Rachel, initially, was a carefree woman in desperate need of a stable life and career. Her mistake with Ed made her rethink her life, and in turn, she found an inner strength and focus that she never knew she had. It was wonderful to see the transformation of her character. Ed also transforms, and the author brilliantly tells his story as well! His grief is real, as well as his struggles to find forgiveness. Both characters are well developed and written in such a realistic way that you truly feel what they are going through. The supporting characters perfectly round out this story. Overall, this was a beautifully written story in which the words flow easily throughout the entire story. It has a great balance of emotion and humor, with a bit of mystery thrown into the mix. This was a heartbreaking story at times, but also one with a positive and uplifting ending for all of the characters. I would strongly recommend this book

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone.

[Tara]

Anna Mansell has a knack for taking two (or more) characters that seemingly have nothing in common and weaving their lives together - sometimes gently, sometimes hurling them towards each other - so you almost forget that they were ever apart.
It makes her stories virtually impossible to put down because you really need to know how it all works out in the end.
The Lost Wife is a wonderful tale told in such a way that it keeps you guessing right to the end.
And the characters, oh, the characters. I desperately wanted to hug Ed whose grief felt almost tangible. My heart ached along with his when the love he and Ellie shared was called into question.
As for Rachel? She is also heartbreaking in her own way. I must also mention her bestfriend Mo. Their relationship moved me to tears towards the end of the book (I won’t tell you why) but it was so, SO well written.
While this is a story about loss, on both sides, the overriding feeling I was left with is hope – and that’s no small feat when you consider the subject matter.
If you haven’t already read her first book, How To Mend A Broken Heart, you’ll want to after reading this one.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book enticed me in before I’d even read the blurb. The front cover is lovely – blue skies, green meadows – the book looked like it was going to be a delight to read. It was a delight, but only because of how fantastic the writing is, the actual story is a story of tragedy, heartbreak, secrets and love. It certainly wasn’t the chick lit type book I was expecting (that will teach me not to read the blurb first!), but it was so beautifully written that it kept me hooked from page one.

The story is set in parts. To begin with the story is set four years before. Ed is recently widowed with a two week old baby boy, Oli. His wife died in a car accident one night where his brother Simon was driving. Ed’s story begins with her funeral and the sheer grief he is having to cope with. As well as the grief of losing his wife, he is struggling to understand how or why the accident happened in the first place. Simon hasn’t spoken to him since the accident, but Simon’s wife begins to insinuate that Ed’s wife was having an affair with Simon. Ed is trying not to taint his wife’s memory with these accusations and concentrates on going back to work and caring for Oli.

We also meet Rachel. Rachel’s mum died when she was 12 years old. Since then, Rachel has drifted through life, not really knowing what she wants to do. Her dad has decided to put the family home up for sale, the one where she grew up and has memories of her mum. He tells Rachel that he will pay for her to go to University, to work towards a career that she wants to do. Rachel currently works at a nursery, in the ‘baby room’. One day, she meets Ed when he brings Oli in to look around. She finds out that Ed is recently widowed and wants to help with advice and a friendly ear. She decides to stay at the nursery and not take up her dad’s offer of going back to University, initially because she feels that she can help Ed with his grief as she knows what it is like to lose someone you love but later on because she begins to have feelings for Ed.

The chapters are each told from either Ed or Rachel’s perspective. As the book moves on you can see how grief and uncertainty is affecting Ed’s life. He isn’t bothered about his job or home anymore, all he wants to do is find out the truth from his brother. From Rachel’s view you can see that what initially started as friendship is now turning into love, a love which isn’t reciprocated by Ed. Two troubled people who aren’t up to helping themselves, let alone helping each other.

I won’t tell anymore of the story for fear of spoilers. Safe to say though that this book is an emotional roller-coaster of a story, so make sure you have a supply of tissues to hand. Wonderfully written and well recommended!

[Zarah]

I just didn’t ever get into this book. It felt a bit forced and my mind kept wandering, which is why I won’t rate it. “It’s (probably) not you. It’s me (maybe).”
It picked up a little bit towards the end - and then that feeling went away - but as a whole it just kinda… didn’t ever engage me.
It also failed, I thought, rather hugely on the Bechdel test, which was interesting since it dealed a lot with loss and grief, which should have been enough to make it pass.
Anyway.
Might be me. Might be my scatterbrain. Might be lack of chemistry between me and the characters (who also lack chemistry, if you ask me). Might just be time for me to read something else. Yup.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

 Occasionally, I love to change up my almost continuous mystery, suspense, and thriller reading habits by reading Women’s Fiction or a nice romance. The Lost Wife by Anna Mansell was exactly the palate cleanser that I needed at just the right moment because I was headed towards a nice reading slump. Anna Mansell has written a wonderful, lovely book that will carry you away with all the emotions the characters experience of loss, grief, self-doubt, bitterness, anger, fear, passion, happiness, joy, friendship, self-discovery, forgiveness, and love. Believe me, the book will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! This is the second book by Anna Mansell and although I haven’t read her first book, she writes beautifully and eloquently and her characters are so life-like, I felt as if they were old friends or even new friends who I wanted to acquaint myself with and become a close part of their lives.

In the novel, the reader meets Ed and Rachel, two people who are thrown together by fate not just once but twice. Ed is a grief-stricken young father trying to put the pieces of his life, no, his world back together when he meets Rachel. He has recently lost the love of his life, Ellie, who died in a car accident not long after the birth of their infant son. It is only their baby son Oli keeping Ed from a complete and utter breakdown as Ed not only feels devastated over the loss of Ellie but rage towards his brother Simon since he was the one driving the car that killed his wife. Rachel is a young, single woman in her twenties working in childcare and like Ed, she is battling her own grief and loss over the death of her mom who died years ago when she was a young girl. It is a loss she has never forgotten or let go, and it permeates all her decisions causing her to have no direction in her life and be adrift.

Although I loved the backstories of Ed and Rachel, it was rather predictable that Rachel and Ed would end up meeting because Rachel was in childcare. But that didn’t stop me from loving the way the two met or their interactions together. It is Rachel’s understanding and help during this time that really begins to help Ed through his heartbreak even though he has burning questions swirling in his head about what really happened the night of the accident and he’s questioning if Ellie and Simon were lovers. All Ed’s questions lead to self-doubt so he knows nothing anymore except he loved Ellie and she is lost to him. Rachel is the support system he doesn’t have, the person we all need when we have experienced a true loss, a shoulder to lean on. Because of her own experience with loss and her ongoing grief, she understands what Ed is going through and knows ways to help him. Until she loses his trust by making a terrible decision and their friendship is abruptly ended.

What I loved is how Mansell has Ed and Rachel blossom and metamorphize after they were both so broken by not only their losses but by their ruined friendship. Ed realizes he can't really be there for Oli unless he stops drowning in his grief, so he truly finds himself and discovers who he is apart from Ellie without ever forgetting Ellie as his first love. The questions about Ellie’s death and her relationship with Simon are finally answered, which is a big mystery solved!  Yet, Rachel is the one who changes the most after her betrayal of Ed’s friendship. She finally finds herself and is no longer adrift in life but gains direction after going back to college and starting a new career. When she and Ed cross paths 4 years later, she is self-confident and self-assured. It was beautiful to see the two of them overcome their individual griefs, seek and give forgiveness, and watch their newly reawakened friendship bud and blossom into something more.

The book ended on the notes of redemption and forgiveness, as well as a burgeoning new love…a new love that respected the first one, which made me squeal with delight! While the story had its imperfections, it was still beautiful. Stunning in places. I wish it had not ended because I want to know more of what happens with Ed and Rachel....and young Oli too! I was emotionally invested while reading, and I think anyone reading the novel will be too! I loved The Lost Wife, and I cannot wait to read more books by Anna Mansell! Just delightful!

**Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Anna Mansell for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.**

[Shelby Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed is still drowning in grief from the tragic death of his wife, Ellie, just two weeks after the birth of their son, Oli. The death of Ellie is not one that Ed could just get past, however, as Ellie was not driving the car that day - his brother Simon was. What was Ellie and Simon doing together that day? Was something more going on between the two? Where was they driving to? Were they running away together with the baby? So many questions unanswered and Ed had no way in retaining the answers from his brother, due to the guilty conscious that now hung over his head, consuming copious amounts of alcohol all day, everyday, leaving his wife alone and worried.

Rachel is a carefree young woman still trying to figure out what she wants in life. She works as a nursery nurse through the day and parties with best friend, Mo, through the night. Rachel meets Ed and Oli when he signs his son up for her nursery - a lost and broken man in need of so much help. Rachel was immediately invested - no matter how many times she was told to stay away. There is more to why Rachel is so drawn to Ed and Oli and that is because the pair of them have allowed her to open her eyes and see what her father had to go through when her mother passed away, leaving him to take care of two young children, herself and her brother. Rachel finds herself helping Ed and Oli in every way possible, possibly crossing some professional lines, but not caring. She takes time out of her day to look after Oli and allow Ed to get the truth about his wife's death - only to find some extremely vital information herself. However, does Rachel want to be the one to tell him? Especially because she'll then have to reveal that she was snooping through his wife's belongings.

I could not put this book down all day! I started it Saturday morning and had it completed by the evening... This is a book that is going to take you just one day to complete, so choose the day you decide to read it wisely, as all chores/work for that day will need to be postponed. Anna managed to weave two characters, who had little to nothing in common, and made it in to something huge to the point where you just couldn't see them not being in each other's lives. It was a joy to see the progression of Ed and Oli, from a lost, widowed father who had no faith in life at all to a father who, although still mourned his passed-wife, had built a new life for him and his son, rekindled old hobbies and was willing to move on and have happiness in his life. Rachel's progression was also wonderful to watch, as she was just a young woman with no idea of what her path was supposed to look like, to then finally knowing what she wanted to do and achieving every goal possible.

Another character that deserves a little paragraph is Mo. She was the most supportive best friend, also with no real motives for what she wanted in life, but was a lot more confident than Rachel with how she wanted her life to go. She found her happy ending with Greg, a previous friend of Ed's and started a family. A loved character with a well-deserved story-line!

This story had so much packed in to it; humour, emotion and mystery. The story flowed perfectly throughout and all supporting characters balanced it all wonderfully. It will most definitely be a book that will have you feeling many emotions by the last page and a little empty that you have finished it and have now come to the end of Ed and Rachel's story... Hopefully this isn't the end though! I will definitely be reading more of Anna's stories for the time being... *wink wink* *hint hint*

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you feel as though you have lost everything? Your wife, your future, your relationship with your baby brother? This is the prospect facing Ed Moran when his wife is killed in a road traffic collision. The ramifications of the collision are far reaching and secrets which can now never be told threaten to tear Ed’s life apart. So when he is offered friendship by Nursery worker, Rachel, he may not want to have to rely upon her, but the truth is that he needs someone.

Feeling a kinship over a shared sense of loss, Rachel grows closer than she ought to Ed and his young son. Rachel’s strong need to help Ed, to protect the love he felt for his wife Ellie, leads her to making a terrible mistake, one which if Ed discovered, he may never be able to forgive.

The Lost Wife is a beautifully poignant tale examining the effects of tragic loss upon a young family, and the impact that suspicion can have upon even seemingly strong relationships. Ed Moran is a man very much in turmoil, his whole life turned upside down by his wife’s unexpected death. He has questions to which no one seems willing or able to provide answers. The only person who can is so lost in their own grief and guilt that they are no use to him and those who are willing to speak have only bad things to say. People around him struggle to know how to approach his grief and so it is little wonder that he turns to Rachel so easily, the one person who doesn’t try to assume they know how he must be feeling.

I kind of liked Ed. He seemed so devoted to his wife and his son, Oli, that the discoveries he makes are heart wrenching and potentially life changing. Anna Mansell has done such a good job of capturing his grief on the page that you can almost feel the tears building within yourself as you read. I won’t deny there were times that I wanted to scream at him to snap out of it, I’m impatient like that, but his actions and feelings rang true to his character as did his decisions to put his son first, above all else. He doesn’t have a close relationship with his mother, she is far too cold and reserved, failing to cope well with the situation they find themselves in. Losing the bond with his brother on top of everything else nearly breaks him, and this is where he needs support. This is where he needs Rachel.

In Rachel we have a truly engaging character. She is at a crossroad in her life when she meets Ed, uncertain of what path she wishes to take and his grief provides her with a reason to delay choosing. Some of the scenes in which Rachel features are light hearted and add a touch of humour to the story, particularly scenes with her best friend and roommate, Mo. Their’s is a brilliant friendship, and cleverly constructed to add a touch of light to the story. They are typical of two young women living the single life, even if that is soon to change for one of them. Mo is self assured and very much set in a successful career. Rachel is the polar opposite; uncertain, indecisive, unable to move on fully form the past and unwilling to make a decision about her future. Together they are great fun and compliment each other perfectly.

Now nothing in the book is plain sailing. There are so many hidden secrets and elements of misdirection, or at least misinformation, which lead our protagonists down a very rocky path. Rachel’s error pushes them apart, breaking a bond which was only just starting to form. And yet fate often determines that nothing is forever. When, years later, they meet again, their lives have both changed so much. But perhaps the passing of time brings a touch of clarity to things too, especially for Ed.

The book will make you smile. It will make your heart break at times. But most of all it will give you a feeling of hope. Because this is a story of second chances. For family, for friendship and perhaps for love. There is no absolute happy ending here, no skipping off into the sunset, but then maybe, in this case, the mere promise of what could be is more than enough.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Wife is the perfect title for this book, for once we see how life is for a young father taking on the role of single dad to baby Oli, Ellie the wife/mother is tragically killed in a car crash just a couple of weeks after the birth. The sheer grief coupled with being a new father take it’s toll on Ed.

There were moments when I could feel his pain acutely .. in order to return to work he has to find daycare for Oli. Here he meets Rachel one of the nursery nurses. She empathises with his loss, her mother died when she was a child. When Ed appears late to collect Oli she witnesses his flustered state and subsequent ‘breakdown’. She tries to support him in the only ways she knows how.

The story is set over a few years and highlights the tensions of family life. Ed’s brother Simon is the one who drove the car in the fatal accident, how does Ed deal with that? Their mother feels torn between supporting both sons for various reasons but I found her rather cold and callous.

Rachel has a brilliant friendship with Mo and a loving relationship with her dad, some of the moving parts occur when he decides to sell the family home. Can Ed ever learn to live with his loss, will Rachel be able to ease him back into life .. she has to accept responsibility for her actions first.

I have to say I did love the ending very poignant and that bought a lump to my throat.

Well written, flows smoothly, I connected with some of the characters and enjoyed seeing what the outcome would be. A good book to pack in your suitcase and read on holiday.

My thanks to Anna, Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Jeanniehay64 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book!! It slowly drew me in and I found I was trying to read just one more chapter each time I opened it!!

The two main characters Ed and Rachel were both so well written and their story was fascinating to read , I was rooting for Rachel throughout.

The story handles grief with sensitivity. Eds world has Ben shattered since he lost his wife in a tragic accident leaving him to bring up his newborn son Oli alone.
Rachel is Olis daycare carer and through a shared experience of grief they become friends.
There are a few twists along the way and I was guessing right up to the end about what way the story would go. I loved the ending I thought it was perfect
The book explores loss,grief, friendship, relationships, forgiveness, love and the ability to move on.

I wizzed through the book in a weekend, feeling as if I knew the characters. Sometimes I need to look back in books at who's this character but not this time.

Anna Mansell is a new author to me but I will definitely be looking out for her other books. Rarely do I experience so many feelings whilst reading, and I feel this is a true talent Anna has as a writer.

Overall a. Beautiful book I didn't want to finish!! A must read !!

[Angela Mellor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read how to mend a broken heart a couple of months ago and thought that was great but the lost wife I feel is a step up from that making this a 5 star read for me.
Anna Mansell has written this book well, it has a lot of different type of emotions running through it which she manages to capture brilliantly with the well thought out and descriptively written main characters.
The book is split into chapters from Rachel's viewpoint and Eds viewpoint making this a very deep read. Ed has lost his wife in a car crash and has been left to cope with not only his loss but 2 week old Ollie who survived. Eds brother Simon was driving the car and Ed has a lot of unanswered questions like why was his wife in his brothers car?? Rachael is a nursery nurse and looks after Ollie when Ed goes back to work because her mum died when she was young she thinks she knows how to handle Ed and Ollie and bounces from caring to business like as her life freefalls after a stupid mistake.
This book had me laughing one minute and tearful the next!! There wasn't anything I disliked in this book and wished I could have followed the journey a bit longer.
I would like to thank netgalley and bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This stunning book blew me away, I couldn’t put it down.

It’s divided into three parts. In the first part we get introduce to the two main characters. There is Rachel, who lost her mother and works at a nursery. She lives with her best friend Mo. She has not found her place yet, so she goes through a real journey in this book. Ed recently lost his wife and has a son. Ed’s brother Simon was driving the car, when Ellie (his wife died). This makes things a bit complicated.

The second part is dedicated to the moment when Rachel and Ed meet and everything that happens after. Ed takes has baby son Oli to the nursery, where Rachel works. The grow close very quickly, because Rachel is the only one who sees more than just the widower and she went through something similar. After a while Rachel discovers something about Ed’s wife’s accident and doesn’t know what do do about it. This calls for a lot of drama and Anna Mansell’s writing has a real talent to include all this in the storyline. I was hooked from the start. I really liked Ed and Rachel getting to know each other and with the little Oli in between, there were just so many little sparks.

Part three happens a few years later, a lot has changed. We finally find out the truth about Ed’s brother and Rachel has changed her life completely.

This book has everything! It’s very emotional, touching and moving! It’s about loss, grief, love, family, strength, friendship, life and much more. Anna Mansell has captured it all beautifully and created a magnificent story.

Rachel and Ed took turns narrating, which I really liked. Some chapters also end in a very interesting way and the other person just takes over telling us his/her way. This added a lot of great tension to the story and made it really exciting. Both characters are really authentic and well lined out.

I couldn’t put this book down! I liked, how it was structured and the storyline always had a great flow. I couldn’t recommend this enough, definitely not your usual chick-lit and I totally mean that in a positive way!

[Steph Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a wonderful, deep story taking in some very serious topics.
Relationships, death, accidents, children, thinking you are doing the right thing, wanting to do the right thing. All tackled perfectly by the author.
Some very thought provoking situations, especially between Ed and his brother Simon.
I liked the pace of the story and the chapters told from the perspective of each of the main characters, I was able to pick it up whenever and not lose my way.
The characters were really likeable and had good depth.
I liked Ed and just couldn’t imagine what he was going through.
Rachel was so lovely too. I loved Mo and her Dad.

What the author gives is a story of real emotions, I had goosebumps many times, even tears which for me is quite rare when reading.

It’s another lovely story by this author after really enjoying ‘How to Mend a Broken Heart’.
I look forward to the next one!
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy.

https://steflozbookblog.wordpress.com...

[Misty's Book Space · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

This book is split up into 3 separate parts and we get 2 POVs. The first part takes place immediately after Ed loses his wife in a tragic accident days after their son Oli was born in which his brother Simon was involved. It's hinted that Simon is hiding something and I was immediately curious.

The second part is where Ed and Rachel meet and this is where everything unfolds. We learn a lot about each of the characters in this section as well as the side characters. There is then a time jump to 4 years later which was very abrupt to me and this is where we learn Simons secret which after all of the build up was actually a big let down. From the way Ed was acting I was expecting Simon to have done something horrible. The romance in the book was also not really existent but implied and honestly unbelievable and very rushed. So while I enjoyed some aspects of the story others aspects kind of let me down.

[Sally Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Ed's wife Ellie is killed in a car accident their son Oli is only two days old, Ed is heartbroken and doesn't know which way to turn with his grief - its only Oli that make him get up in the mornings and when accusations are made about his wife he doesn't believe them - he knew her inside out........didn't he.....but why was she in the car with his brother Simon and why wont Simon speak to him now?

Rachel is a nursery nurse and when Ed brings Oli to her for day care she finds herself getting too involved with the heartbroken man......she just wants to help and relieve some of his pain - but when she finds out a secret kept by Ellie she doesn't know what to do and she doesn't want to ruin her fragile friendship with Ed

A great story - a real emotional rollercoaster - the characters were really good and believable and it worked really well having the story told by both Ed and Rachel....just have the tissues ready!

[M T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Ed is left bereft after the death of his wife and the mother of his two week old baby boy. His relationship with his family is fractured after his brother is driving the car in which his wife died.

Rachel is a nursery nurse whose mother dies at a young age. She has a wonderfully supportive father and best friend Mo.

This is a lovely story of loss, love and trust. Family dynamics can be fraught and unreliable. The story tells the tale of both Ed and his coping with a baby amidst his grief and the maturing of Rachel.

I loved the main characters but really couldn't understand the coldness of Ed's mother and the complete absence of his father. I know they had choices to make but oh goodness it was heart wrenching. This book made me laugh and a little tearful. Not over sentimental but well rounded and developed characters.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored the last book I read by Anna Mansell so was really looking forward to reading The Lost Wife and I wasn't disappointed.

It follows the story of Rachel. Her
Mother died when she was young and she finds herself just drifting through life. Then she meets Ed, he's just become a father to Oli but he's recently widowed. Rachel seems to be the only person who sees him for himself. Can she help him to overcome his grief?

This story is beautifully written and the subject matter is handled delicately and with grace. I read this book in a day as I couldn't put it down. The chapters flow together seamlessly and you really feel you're on the journey with both Rachel and Ed.

It's another fantastic offering from Anna and I can't wait to read more of her books. A definite 5 star book that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lovely novel of grief, forgiveness, and love has more twists than I expected and went a bit differently than I supposed it would. Secrets never stay secret if more than one person knows them; it's how those party to the secret handle the information that matters. Ed and Rachel couldn't get it together the first time around as both of them need to deal with their grief and problems, grow up, and think differently not only about the world but about themselves. Poor little Oli- left motherless and with a drifting dad- but you know he's going to be ok. Mansell has created some nice characters (don't forget Mo!) and a thoughtful plot. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- I'm going to look for Mansell again.

[Sue Kitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lost Wife is a beautifully written, emotional and heartbreaking story of love and loss and devastating grief.

Ed is struggling to cope with life since losing his beloved wife in a tragic car accident, leaving him with his newborn baby son, to care for.

Ed eventually realises that it is time to get back to work and slowly introduces his baby son, Oli, to day-care, where he meets Rachel, who will be Oli’s childminder. A strong friendship begins to form until Rachel abuses Ed’s trust and he feels betrayed and they part ways.

Four years later Ed and Rachel, now a primary school teacher meet again when Oli starts school.

A beautiful and heartfelt story that kept me turning the pages on my recent holiday.

A book I can highly recommend and I look forward to more from Anna Mansell

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a good heartfelt/emotional story with plenty of drama which is exactly what I got with this women's fiction book by author Anna Mansell, who was a new author to me.

Very well written with truly wonderful characters, there were sad moments through out, I definitely felt for Ed, can't even begin to imagine what he had to go through.

In some ways I was expecting more from the story, was waiting for a shocking relevation or unexpected turn in the story but it never happened, which is not a bad thing as I did still thoroughly enjoy the story from start to finish.

I will definitely be reading more by this author in future.

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid women's fiction novel with humor and likable characters; an earnest heroine, a widowed father trying to do his best by his son; reliable and capable friends/parents/loved ones. There weren't too many surprises or twists. I did find my mind wandering during some parts that were just a bit boring; Rachel's father was a sweet character and while some of her visits with him moved the story along, some dragged. This book was an advanced copy that might benefit for some editing, and a bit more tension/chemistry between the main characters. Thank you Netgalley for this preview!

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, an amazing story of love, loss, tragedy, forgiveness, grief, hope and moving on. Absolutely beautifully written I didn't want to finish it. An emotional rollercoaster - it made me smile but I cried too.

Fantastic believable characters with lovely supporting characters too. This is a book which will stay with me. A perfect ending.

Highly recommended - a fabulous 5 star book. I can't wait for Anna's next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by Anna Mansell and I have enjoyed both. When Ed loses his wife just after his baby son is born he struggles to cope and realises he needs help. Along comes Rachel who helps him to cope with fatherhood. Ed is convinced his wife was unfaithful with his brother and starts to doubt everything that he believes in. When Rachel finds something by snooping in Ed's house he cannot forgive her. A lovely story of heartbreak, friendship and forgiveness.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This book just blew me away and was an incredibly emotional read. The way Anna Maxwell writes about such emotive issues (grief, love, loss and family secrets) was so heartfelt and passionate. The characters were excellently portrayed and I almost felt like I knew them personally.
Highly recommended.