It's not hers to share, but is it hers to keep?
If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage.
If she tells someone else in Jason's family - the family she's come to love more than her own - she'd not only tear them apart but could also find herself on the outside: she's never really been one of them, after all.
But if she keeps this dirty little secret to herself, how long can she pretend nothing is wrong? How long can she live a lie?
Jen knows the truth - but is she ready for the consequences?"
Rating: 4/5
You can buy Skeletons as a paperback or an eBook now!
I have read all of Jane Fallon's previous 4 novels, and have thoroughly enjoyed them. They're well written, enjoyable stories and it's been a while since we've had a new book from Jane When I read that her new book Skeletons was to be published in March of this year, I was thrilled to see she has been writing again. I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy of the book to review, and was part of Jane's blog tour too, with Jane revealing her 'Desert Island Reads' on my blog tour stop. But... back to Skeletons... what a good novel it is, and here's why you should read it.
Jen has been married into the Masterson family for a long time now, and she loves it - she loves the stability the family gives her, and how they include as if she's always been there. It's a vast difference from her own upbringing, and one she tries hard to forget. But when Jen discovers a secret about the Masterson's that threatens to ruin the family setup as she knows it, she doesn't know what to do. She can't tell her husband and destroy his family, but how long can she keep the secret to herself without it affecting her opinion of the family, outwardly too?
As you can see, this is a book about skeletons in the closet, and whether they should stay there to fester or be released upon the world to wreak their havoc. Jen's secret is related to her family, probably one of the worst kinds of secrets you can find out, and being about someone that she loves is even worse. Jen starts to treat this person differently, without even meaning to, and we all know how easily we can show displeasure towards someone without properly meaning to! I did feel sorry for Jen, she really had no one to turn to and was left all by herself with this secret eating her up from the inside.
The relationship portrayed between Jen and her family-through-marriage the Masterson's was great to read. She is genuinely close to her husband Jason's parents, and even his sisters, one of which is her best friend too. Jen's own relationship with her mother left a lot to be desired, and she seemed to seek solace in the Masterson's rather than fix the broken relationship with her own mother. It's an emotional book, showing us that the people we love the most can let us down and shatter our expectations, and I felt sorry for Jen as she struggled to do the right thing for everyone. I didn't like the last quarter of the book, with Jen getting very unfairly treated (I felt, anyway), and it totally changed my opinion of a lot of the other characters in the book. I didn't see a few of the twists and turns coming which was great, and by the end, I felt satisfied with the outcome, even if it wasn't what I had initially hoped the ending would be.
For me, this was a really enjoyable read. No, it's not an easy read, some sweet love story you can lose yourself in, but it is a gripping and though-provoking read. I honestly don't know what I would have done had I been in Jen's position - either way, I felt she was getting a rough deal, and I felt so awful for her because it would have meant losing the family she loved dearly either way. Fallon weaves a wonderful tale, her writing drawing all sorts of emotions out of you - pity, anger, frustration and many more besides. If you've enjoyed Jane's other books then you'll certainly want to pick up a copy of Skeletons, the family dynamic is really interesting, and the story leaves you wondering what will be happening next! Definitely recommended.
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