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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
3.5 Stars / 1 Steam Fan
This story was more of a mystery than a romantic suspense for me. I actually could have done without the lukewarm romance that was blossomed between Maisey and Rafe to solely focus on the family drama that Maisey stumbles upon. I really enjoyed the interaction of Maisey, Rafe, and Laney but I felt there were a lot of plot points that were not closed up. I wanted more romance than what I was given but I did like the mystery that was provided.
This book was read for #romanceopoly space - Cozy Corner.
This specific video review will be included in the February 2019 wrap-up.
For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
This story was more of a mystery than a romantic suspense for me. I actually could have done without the lukewarm romance that was blossomed between Maisey and Rafe to solely focus on the family drama that Maisey stumbles upon. I really enjoyed the interaction of Maisey, Rafe, and Laney but I felt there were a lot of plot points that were not closed up. I wanted more romance than what I was given but I did like the mystery that was provided.
This book was read for #romanceopoly space - Cozy Corner.
This specific video review will be included in the February 2019 wrap-up.
For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
A good story with somewhat Gothic atmosphere. Maisey Lazarow is starting over after a failed Marriage and goes back to her childhood home. She refuses to live with her overbearing mother and decides to move into a bungalow where she has an encounter with the guy who took her virginity many years before. The rest of the story she finds out about a possible sibling whose been kept a secret for some reason and starts her own investigation on what really happened and her attraction to Rafe gets deeper. All in all I really enjoyed this book and think it is a good start to the series and can’t wait to read the next one.
Oh, man, this was a really awesome book! It is a bit of a mystery book, so it was like her mystery trilogies, and that was awesome, I've been starting to miss them! So awesome, can't wait to see what's going to happen in this series!
Definitely worth the twist. I usually prefer more of a gripping thriller, that's why I found the first half of the book a little slow. I knew there would be some romance, which I am not a huge fan of, but it was minimal and not very graphic comparatively. The character developments were great, even the smallest roles. She made me loathe people as well as love some.
If you are a Romance fan looking for a little Mystery or a Mystery fan looking for a little Romance, this would be a good but to try out. This book is the epitome of a small town, powerful family, secrets, lies, tragedy, and how all of it can bring you together or tear you apart. And, its Brenda Novak, she never disappoints!!
If you are a Romance fan looking for a little Mystery or a Mystery fan looking for a little Romance, this would be a good but to try out. This book is the epitome of a small town, powerful family, secrets, lies, tragedy, and how all of it can bring you together or tear you apart. And, its Brenda Novak, she never disappoints!!
I loved this story. The characters were engaging and it moved along quickly. It's the perfect beach read (too bad I wasn't at the beach!)
Family secrets, troubled siblings, small town rumors, loss and love -
Family secrets, troubled siblings, small town rumors, loss and love -
Maisey Lazarow decides to return home to Fairham Island off the coast of South Carolina to try and heal from a divorce, loss of her only child and to help her brother who is dealing with issues of his own. Maisey trying to find her way back to living her life again, ends up having her life turn in directions she never expected.
This book has such an unexpected ending. It leaves you craving for the next story in the saga. I loved the twists and turns the story took. Once you start to believe one thing another thing happens that makes you rethink your own belief. There are so many things that make Maisey a person we can all identify with one way or another. Keith, her brother, is someone everyone has either known, or knows and you understand why Maisey wants to be there for him. There are other characters that are identifiable too but you MUST read the book to see exactly what I am talking about.
Brenda Novak has done it again! Another fantastic book written by an author that can grab the readers attention and keep it until the very end. I can’t say enough about the talent in her writing and the feelings her books invokes as you read. This a a definite MUST read!
This book has such an unexpected ending. It leaves you craving for the next story in the saga. I loved the twists and turns the story took. Once you start to believe one thing another thing happens that makes you rethink your own belief. There are so many things that make Maisey a person we can all identify with one way or another. Keith, her brother, is someone everyone has either known, or knows and you understand why Maisey wants to be there for him. There are other characters that are identifiable too but you MUST read the book to see exactly what I am talking about.
Brenda Novak has done it again! Another fantastic book written by an author that can grab the readers attention and keep it until the very end. I can’t say enough about the talent in her writing and the feelings her books invokes as you read. This a a definite MUST read!
Initial reaction: Leave it to Brenda Novak to keep me up during a late night glued to one of her stories. "The Secret Sister" falls quite firmly in the romantic suspense category - revolving around a family with many complications in their relationships and a mystery that threatens to tear them apart for purported events. I found myself drawn into the carefully developed characters and the overarching mystery, though I'll admit I was still left with questions that were either loosely expounded upon or had some flaws in the progression to where they weren't entirely answered. It still came across as a solid read for me - 4 stars.
Full review:
"The Secret Sister" had my attention from the very beginning on the strength of its premise. Maisey returns home after a series of horrible events in her life, but returning home isn't exactly a welcome homecoming. Considering her family history, it's little wonder. Her brother Keith is a recovering -on again, off again - drug addict. Her father had passed away many years ago, and her mother, Josephine, is a controlling matriarch who will use every bit of her money and power (a given with the family name and presence in the community) to undermine those who cross her, including Maisey.
Maisey finds a bit of refuge with Rafe and his 5-year-old daughter Laney. Maisey has a bit of awkward history with Rafe, but their chemistry is very strong and believable in its alternating waves of push and pull. When Rafe finds a hidden box in a wall of what he thinks are Maisey's baby pictures, it starts a tense mystery and huge rift in the family as secrets and doubts float to the surface. Maisey's determined to get to the bottom of events, and she meets some notable resistance in her journey to do that.
I definitely liked the focus on the strong characters in this narrative. It cycles between different POVs (Maisey's, Rafe's and Josephine's) and all three characters are strongly asserted for their motivations and emotions. Novak's prose is spot on for its intimacies, and I felt invested in both the development of the relationships here as well as the mystery. I did feel that as the book went on, certain plot points felt a bit thin in their drawing, particularly in the push to the end where some threads were left untied, but I still found the conclusion satisfying even when I had an idea of the direction it would go.
This is the first in a series, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of the events on Fairham Island.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Harlequin Mira.
Full review:
"The Secret Sister" had my attention from the very beginning on the strength of its premise. Maisey returns home after a series of horrible events in her life, but returning home isn't exactly a welcome homecoming. Considering her family history, it's little wonder. Her brother Keith is a recovering -on again, off again - drug addict. Her father had passed away many years ago, and her mother, Josephine, is a controlling matriarch who will use every bit of her money and power (a given with the family name and presence in the community) to undermine those who cross her, including Maisey.
Maisey finds a bit of refuge with Rafe and his 5-year-old daughter Laney. Maisey has a bit of awkward history with Rafe, but their chemistry is very strong and believable in its alternating waves of push and pull. When Rafe finds a hidden box in a wall of what he thinks are Maisey's baby pictures, it starts a tense mystery and huge rift in the family as secrets and doubts float to the surface. Maisey's determined to get to the bottom of events, and she meets some notable resistance in her journey to do that.
I definitely liked the focus on the strong characters in this narrative. It cycles between different POVs (Maisey's, Rafe's and Josephine's) and all three characters are strongly asserted for their motivations and emotions. Novak's prose is spot on for its intimacies, and I felt invested in both the development of the relationships here as well as the mystery. I did feel that as the book went on, certain plot points felt a bit thin in their drawing, particularly in the push to the end where some threads were left untied, but I still found the conclusion satisfying even when I had an idea of the direction it would go.
This is the first in a series, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of the events on Fairham Island.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Harlequin Mira.
The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak is a 2015 MIRA publication.
I found this story to be very fascinating, with Gothic undertones, which is right up my alley.
Reeling from a series of emotional punches, children’s author Maisey Lazarow returns home to Fairham to be closer to her brother, Keith, a man suffering from addictions, who recently attempted to take his own life.
But, Maisey refuses to stay at the sprawling manor she grew up in, due to the torn relationship with her overbearing and controlling mother.
So, instead she moves into a bungalow, which happens to be right next door to Rafe Romero, the guy she had an awkward sexual encounter with, in her teens. Determined to make it up to Maisey, Rafe tries to be very neighborly, but Maisey is determined to avoid him, knowing her life is too unstable to even think about getting involved with him.
However, the discovery of a box of old photographs dislodges buried memories of a little girl she believes could be her sister. But, how could this be?
Determined to get to the bottom of things, Maisey will have to confront her mother and risk unearthing a very dark family secret…
Although it takes a little time for all the pieces to start clicking into place, once the mystery begins to unfold, the story takes on a different tone, which reminded me of a good old fashioned Gothic tale. I loved all the sinister undertones that made the story so atmospheric.
It’s hard to imagine a parent so formidable her grown children are still afraid of her. But, Josephine is a figure that loves having power over people, and isn’t afraid to pass out harsh punishments if you don’t fall in line. She’s hard, cold, insensitive, and quite villainous. So, it was no wonder her children were intimidated by her, or that they are underdeveloped emotionally.
Maisey was hard to warm up to initially, although her fragility is palpable, and it’s obvious she needs time to heal. I didn’t like the way she ran hot and cold with Rafe, who was a terrific guy from start to finish. But, it was wonderful watching her slowly learn to let go of her fears, to give love a second chance, and to finally grow a backbone and take charge.
Rafe is my kind of guy- patient, sensitive, and rock solid. He is also the father of an adorable special needs child, who all but stole the show.
While I enjoyed seeing the romance develop between Rafe and Maisey, it was the mystery that took center stage. This story is riveting, shocking, and could spark a little debate in regards to the moral dilemma of the situation presented.
Josephine’s parenting style seems to harken back to a different era, where basic physical needs are met, but emotional issues were rarely addressed. Being raised in such an environment would certainly have a profound effect on the children. So, there is an interesting character study at play here as well.
The conclusion, left me with a great deal of optimism about all the characters, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say everyone will become better, stronger, and happier, especially now that they have solved a mystery that has brought them all closer together.
4 stars
I found this story to be very fascinating, with Gothic undertones, which is right up my alley.
Reeling from a series of emotional punches, children’s author Maisey Lazarow returns home to Fairham to be closer to her brother, Keith, a man suffering from addictions, who recently attempted to take his own life.
But, Maisey refuses to stay at the sprawling manor she grew up in, due to the torn relationship with her overbearing and controlling mother.
So, instead she moves into a bungalow, which happens to be right next door to Rafe Romero, the guy she had an awkward sexual encounter with, in her teens. Determined to make it up to Maisey, Rafe tries to be very neighborly, but Maisey is determined to avoid him, knowing her life is too unstable to even think about getting involved with him.
However, the discovery of a box of old photographs dislodges buried memories of a little girl she believes could be her sister. But, how could this be?
Determined to get to the bottom of things, Maisey will have to confront her mother and risk unearthing a very dark family secret…
Although it takes a little time for all the pieces to start clicking into place, once the mystery begins to unfold, the story takes on a different tone, which reminded me of a good old fashioned Gothic tale. I loved all the sinister undertones that made the story so atmospheric.
It’s hard to imagine a parent so formidable her grown children are still afraid of her. But, Josephine is a figure that loves having power over people, and isn’t afraid to pass out harsh punishments if you don’t fall in line. She’s hard, cold, insensitive, and quite villainous. So, it was no wonder her children were intimidated by her, or that they are underdeveloped emotionally.
Maisey was hard to warm up to initially, although her fragility is palpable, and it’s obvious she needs time to heal. I didn’t like the way she ran hot and cold with Rafe, who was a terrific guy from start to finish. But, it was wonderful watching her slowly learn to let go of her fears, to give love a second chance, and to finally grow a backbone and take charge.
Rafe is my kind of guy- patient, sensitive, and rock solid. He is also the father of an adorable special needs child, who all but stole the show.
While I enjoyed seeing the romance develop between Rafe and Maisey, it was the mystery that took center stage. This story is riveting, shocking, and could spark a little debate in regards to the moral dilemma of the situation presented.
Josephine’s parenting style seems to harken back to a different era, where basic physical needs are met, but emotional issues were rarely addressed. Being raised in such an environment would certainly have a profound effect on the children. So, there is an interesting character study at play here as well.
The conclusion, left me with a great deal of optimism about all the characters, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say everyone will become better, stronger, and happier, especially now that they have solved a mystery that has brought them all closer together.
4 stars
I liked this book overall, but the ending was odd, and some parts of the scenario didn't work for me. I felt a little unsettled at the end.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes