The Beautiful Words by Vanessa McCausland is a beautiful and emotional story that I absolutely adored. Essentially the title sums up the book perfectly!

Booklovers Sylvie and Kace were childhood best friends with a deep connection. It all changes one night – Sylvie is left unable to remember the circumstances of the night and Kace has completely disappeared from her life. 20 years later, Sylvie lives a small reclusive life as a cleaner whilst Kace has become a bestselling author. When Kace invites Sylvie to her 40th birthday celebration off the wild Tasmanian coast she accepts hoping to rekindle their friendship and uncover the secret of the night that tore them apart.

Beautifully written, the narrative moves across multi-generational perspectives so masterfully to weave an intricate and compelling storyline. The descriptive language captures the ruggedness and beauty of the Tasmanian coastline, the characters are well crafted and the mystery at the heart of the story had me guessing right up until the end.

This book, to me, doesn’t fit neatly into one genre category. There are many genres/themes in the book – friendships, romance, mystery, betrayal and trauma – and the crossover is faultless. Plus, those who love books, will enjoy all the literary references and books mentioned.

While it’s hard for me to pick a favourite book of Vanessa McCausland’s as I have loved them all, this is my fav so far and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.