4 Stars from me
Oh Janet, Janet, Janet! If I Let You Go is a classic example of “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!” (Sir Walter Scott, 1808).
The heroic tales of her actions during a train crash catapult downtrodden Janet Brown into the eyes of the world as she is heralded as a modern day wonder woman, elevating her from her frankly awful life and allowing her to briefly glimpse a a desirable future for herself.
Charlotte Levin explores some weighty subjects within the pages of this book, tackling both grief and domestic abuse without shying away from their devastating impact.
I was torn between sympathy for Janet, and sheer frustration at her acquiescence and seeming willingness to lead herself deeper into hot water.
A clever and dark emotional tale that had me hooked – my thanks to the author, NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Blurb: Every morning, Janet Brown goes to work cleaning offices. It calms her – cleanliness, neatness. All the things she’s unable to do with her soul can be achieved with a damp cloth and a splash of bleach. However, the guilt she still carries about a devastating loss that happened eleven years ago, cannot be erased so easily.
When Janet finds herself involved in a train crash, she recognizes her chance to do what she couldn’t all those years ago. And she makes a decision. As news spreads of Janet’s actions, her story inspires everyone around her and, for the first time, her life has purpose. Her future is filled with hope.
But Janet’s story isn’t quite what it seems. As events spiral out of control, she soon discovers that coming clean isn’t an option. Because if Janet washes away the lies, what long-buried truths will she finally have to face?
Read and Rated 