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A review by booksuperpower
The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
4.0
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