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doramar 's review for:
Her Mother's Secret
by Natasha Lester
This novel started so well, I was disappointed to see it descend into formula romance as it went on - heavily dependent on unlikely coincidences.
Ms Lester obviously did thorough research, and the early scenes in England and New York were convincing. I did stumble over the unlikely scenario on the boat but the story was well enough written to keep me reading.
However after, the wheels fell off the wagon completely in my eyes. The convolutions which were necessary to resolve that whole mess were simply unbelievable.
I didn't like the switch to Alice's story towards the end. It felt as though Ms Lester had an idea for a ballerina romance but decided it wasn't going anywhere, so she tacked it onto this story instead. There was nothing in Alice's story that couldn't have been told from Leo's point of view. Actually, throughout the story, I would have liked to see some chapters from Everett's point of view too.
Ms Lester obviously did thorough research, and the early scenes in England and New York were convincing. I did stumble over the unlikely scenario on the boat
Spoiler
(Leo's new lover just happens to be a friend of the very family she's travelling with, and I found it hard to believe he'd have anything to do with them, considering he recently dumped the daughter and he must know she's unhappy about it)However after
Spoiler
Ben's fatal car accidentSpoiler
First, Faye conveniently goes insane, so she is no longer a threat and Leo can get on with her life for the next fifteen(?) years or so. If she had stayed insane, I wouldn't have felt it was contrived - but she makes a miraculous recovery around Chapter 25, completely back to normal after being catatonic for years. Then it turns out that Leo and Faye, who both knew each other and who were both keeping their pregnancy secret, had their babies on exactly the same day all those years ago. The number of coincidences required for that boggles the mind! Of course, the babies were switched.I didn't like the switch to Alice's story towards the end. It felt as though Ms Lester had an idea for a ballerina romance but decided it wasn't going anywhere, so she tacked it onto this story instead. There was nothing in Alice's story that couldn't have been told from Leo's point of view. Actually, throughout the story, I would have liked to see some chapters from Everett's point of view too.