By Wendy Janes

Book Blurb

A vital member of her Surrey community, Jennifer Jacobs is dedicated to her job as a dance therapist, helping children with special needs to express themselves through movement. Wife of a successful though reclusive sculptor, Gerald, and grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, she is known for having a deep sense of empathy, making her a trusted confidante. So when two very different friends, Freya and Abi, both share information with her that at first seems to be an awkward coincidence, she doesn’t tell them. But as the weeks roll by, the link revealed between the two women begins to escalate into a full-blown moral dilemma – and also brings to the surface a painful memory Jennifer believed she had long since forgotten. What is the right thing to do? Should she speak out or is the truth better left unsaid?

My Review

Jennifer is the friend everyone should have. Do you have a secret?  Jennifer can be trusted to keep a confidence.  She divides her time among the things most important to her – her grandchildren, husband, friends, and her part-time job as a dance therapist teaching children with special needs.  But her relationship with her daughter Blythe is strained. They both have a lot to work out before they can have the easy relationship Jennifer longs to have with her daughter.

When Jennifer meets Freya at the grocery store, she soon is listening to Freya’s plan to propose to her boyfriend, Oliver. Jennifer and Freya soon fall into an easy friendship, and Jennifer wonders why she and Blythe can’t have the same kind of relationship.

Jennifer’s longtime friend Abi can’t make up her mind whether or not to ask her boyfriend Ed to move in with her. Jennifer supports Abi in her decision.

But when Jennifer discovers what Freya and Abi don’t know, can she tell them?

Will Jennifer and Blythe ever find common ground? What role does Jennifer’s grandson Tim play in keeping Jennifer and Blythe at odds or helping them reconcile whatever differences are keeping their relationship on rocky ground?

I relished reading What Jennifer Knows. Wendy Janes did an excellent job crafting the story and developing the characters.  It is a quick read but contained all the necessary details needed to keep my interest.  Jennifer must deal with the issues of morality and loyalty and leaves the reader wondering, “what would I do?”  I recommend this to all readers of women’s fiction.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

I was given a copy of What Jennifer Knows by author Wendy Janes in exchange for an honest review.

Format: Available as an e-book.

Publisher: Self-published

Publication Date:  October 11, 2015

Page count: 223

Genre: Women’s Fiction

About the Author

Wendy Janes lives in London with her husband and youngest son. A number of her short stories have recently appeared in anthologies, and 2015 sees the launch of her first solo novel, What Jennifer Knows. Her writing is inspired by family, friends, and everyday events that only need a little twist to become entertaining fiction.

As well as writing contemporary fiction, she loves to read and review it.

Wendy is also a freelance proofreader, and a caseworker for the National Autistic Society’s Education Rights Service.

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