I have just finished reading 'Losing You' by Susan Lewis and what a fabulous read it turned out to be. Not that I am surprised because Susan Lewis is a fantastic writer who is able to create realistic characters who are often plummeted into unexpected dramas. Every book is different but, in the case of those I have read, all are equally gripping.

Lauren Scott is a young girl with a promising future as a talented flautist. Oliver Lomax is a young man who potentially has it all apart from the fact that he has to deal with his alcoholic mother. They don't know each other but both their lives are transformed out of all recognition due to a chain of unrelated events and some bad decisions on both their parts. What follows has a devastating effect on both their families and their lives become intertwined in a way that they could never have imagined. I don't want to say any more about the actual story though as that would give away what happens which is quite unexpected to say the least. What I will say though is that 'Losing You' is a compelling story that will leave you wanting so much more.

When Susan Lewis writes, there is always that element of suspense not knowing quite what to expect next. This is true of 'Losing You' but what I really like is the way that she has also interwoven through the suspense a gorgeous love story. Not only this, 'Losing You' also delves into that most difficult of relationships - that between a mother and her teenage daughter. Lauren's mum, Emma loves her deeply and will always fiercely protect her but as the story unfolds, she sadly discovers that she does not really know her daughter as well as she thinks she does. It's not helped by the fact that her relationship with her own mother has never been good and there is a lot of tension between them simmering just below the surface.

Added to that is the sad story of Oliver's mum, Sylvie, an alcoholic who won't admit she has a problem. It's tragic to see how her addiction hugely impacts on the rest of her family and to read how her extreme behaviour on just one night has such devastating effects. There's also a much more sinister story lurking that definitely took me by surprise.

As you can probably see there are many different stories being told in 'Losing You' but Susan Lewis is such a good storyteller that they all work together perfectly and the reader is never confused. Probably, the best thing about 'Losing You' though is the fact that almost to the very end, the reader has no idea how things are going to turn out. I was desperately hoping for a happy ending but, knowing Susan Lewis's work, I knew that there were no guarantees! What is guaranteed though, is that 'Losing You' is a fabulous read from the very first page up to the very last.

This review has previously appeared under my name at www.curiousbookfans.co.uk