The consequences of not facing your past.

Synopsis

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: what would you risk for a shot at happiness?

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.

2021. The last thirty-seven years have not been easy for Bess. At fifty-three she is visibly weary, and her marriage to Mario is in tatters. Watching her son in newlywed bliss—the hope, the trust, the joy—Bess knows it is time to face her own demons, and try to save her relationship. But she’ll have to throw off the burden of shame if she is to honour that sixteen-year-old girl whose dreams lie frozen in time.

Can Bess face her past, finally come clean to Mario, and claim the love she has longed to fully experience all these years?

My review

In 1984 Bessie is a sixteen – year – old girl confident that she will achieve all her dreams. She is sure that she will pass her exams and become an air – steward. And her secret boyfriend won’t be secret for long anymore!
But everything comes crashing down quickly and now her future isn’t so bright anymore, especially when she has a secret she must carry with her for the rest of her life.

Now Bessie is married to Mario, but her marriage is as good as over. And seeing her son being an over the moon newly – wed, makes her rethink about where it all went wrong for her. It’s time to face her demons and come clean trying somehow to salvage her marriage, if possible. But is it all as easy as it seems? And how will her loved ones react to the truth?

Oh, being sixteen, wasn’t it amazing thinking the whole world was at our feet? And how wrong we were thinking that!
And that is also a realization Bess has made while she was still full of dreams…

The laidback attitude that Bess initially had, was so recognizable, even if she took that attitude to a higher level than I ever did. Her love for Lawrence was the most important thing, making her fail her exams and her dream of air steward is just what it is, a dream, nothing more.
I felt so sorry for her when her secret was out. And even if she was naïve in her way of thinking, the way she got treated was just horrible. Okay, teenagers not always do know better, but there is not knowing better and just being cruel on purpose.
And then having a secret that changed her whole future, just heart – breaking.

Seeing the fifty – three Bess, made me initially believe that eventually, it all ended well for her. But quickly it’s obvious that her demons are still haunting her, and even at such level that her marriage is at risk. There were moments that were so obvious that sixteen – year – old Bess still resurfaced making wrong decisions.

The main feeling I got from this story was sadness. Because of one decision as a teenager, Bess her life took a total different direction and obviously she has a feeling that she failed.
I also pitied Mario, because he has tried so hard and for so long being a great husband, but no matter how much you love a person, sometimes you have to be selfish and think about your own happiness.

However it was also a story of courage. Because Bess realizes that she has to face her demons and she also knows that once the truth is out, the outcome is unpredictable. Yet she does the right thing how hard that is…

This was an enthralling story of a young girl maturing too quickly, making sometimes the wrong decisions. It’s about seeing how the past got a hold on you, limiting you to live your life at full but having the guts to open Pandora’s Box and see that no matter what, those who stand by your side have your back in one way or another. And most important: nothing is unthinkable or unsurmountable.