I've got to say, this book did not play out at all the way I expected it too. Nonetheless, it had an intriguing plot.
 
And it was the plot that carried this book. I found it really hard to get into the story and to care about the characters. While I eventually became intrigued by the court case, I never really related to the characters at all. I couldn't understand their decisions and I struggled to see things from their perspective. The book mainly centres around a rape case.
 
Kit and Laura's love was very sweet but very intense. I appreciated it for the perspective it brought; however, they were incredibly judgemental and I found it hard to really care for them. I didn't comprehend the complete and utter terror they had, their fear to the point of crippling anxiety, even after the ultimate reveal. This could have worked with more setup or perhaps if I'd suspended my disbelief more, but while some incidents did happen, I expected a lot more horrible things to have occurred to have completely altered the way they lived their lives.
 
The final twist itself was pretty great, almost enough to carry the entire book, but the ending itself was incredibly strange and not really what I expected from those characters. The most accurate portrayal in this book seemed to be of the rape case itself. I was intrigued by how all of the players were set up and by the ultimate results, which dealt with a very real world topic.
 
Ultimately, though this book didn't quite draw me in, plot was great and the twist was surprising, and I recommend this to those who enjoy thrillers.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This was a very slow-moving story about people that I didn't care about. I kept waiting to discover what the mystery was. There were many changes of time and it was very confusing. ( )

I was *thrilled* to win this one via Goodreads giveaways -- my first win! --and I so appreciate the beautiful hard-cover copy that arrived promptly in the mail. Here's my take: I've put it down for now, but it's a classic (and genuine) case of "it's not you, it's me." I tried reading this while I was at the beach, and what I really needed at the time was something light and fun and fast. This is beautifully written, but it's a slow-burner, and I got a little impatient. 5/5 stars for writing quality, and I get why people love it so much. It wasn't the right time or place for me, but I do intend to revisit it at some point soon.

3.5 for some good twists near the end. "Secrets are leaky." says one of the main characters, Laura. This book is rife with them. She and her husband Kit have some -- that they've kept from each other and some that they are in on together that has set them apart from everyone else. This is conveyed in a very heavy-handed way early on when there is much allusion to being incognito and hoping to not be found. Slowly (almost painfully slowly at some points), the details are doled out by flipping between the present (2015) and the past (2000) and between the narrators Kit and Laura. Kit is a solar eclipse chaser and Laura has learned to love the phenomenon thanks to him. When the original incident takes place it is Aug. of 1999 at an eclipse festival in Cornwall. Laura interrupts a rape in progress and aligning herself with the victim, Beth, she sets in motion a chain of events that will haunt them for the next 15 years. The accused is Jamie Balcom, a rich public school boy whose sense of entitlement tries to spin the incident into consensual sex. The trial happens in 2000, and the outcome has Kit and Laura still attached to Beth afterward. It soon becomes a bizarre Fatal Attraction scenario with Beth overstepping boundaries and taking advantage of their good will and Laura's bleeding heart until she threatens their well-being and safety. In response, Kit and Laura change names and go off the digital grid, hoping not to be traceable. In 2015, Kit is traveling to the North Sea solo for an eclipse because Laura is pregnant and not allowed to travel. Both fear Beth will show up and they live in that shadow more than any eclipse. Meanwhile at home in London, Laura is beset with anxiety for Kit's safety. Will Beth show up? Where? The anticipated event goes down in a way neither could've have predicted or planned for and reveals that Beth wasn't the threat in the first place. Creepy for sure, but a little frustrating in the British judicial system -- I saw holes all over the trial and legality of the proceedings -- but maybe it's just different there? Couldn't fully buy in as a result, but enjoyed the roller coaster ride all the same. ( )

I can’t believe how much I hated Kit by the end. ( )