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The Secret Sister
Can you trust a sister who is a stranger?
Ella Matthews has it all. A beautiful house, a charming husband and a precious baby daughter – her life has pretty much turned out exactly as she planned.
But when Ella’s mother tragically dies, her perfect life starts to crack. Her mother had been harbouring a life-long secret. Ella has a sister – an older sister – called Colleen.
Excited by the thought of no-longer being an only child, Ella can’t wait to find her.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. Desperate to escape her troubles, she is ready to go to any length to start afresh.
As their paths collide, someone is keeping secrets… and when Colleen mysteriously disappears without notice, Ella can’t help but question if she should have started looking for her at all…
Ella Matthews has it all. A beautiful house, a charming husband and a precious baby daughter – her life has pretty much turned out exactly as she planned.
But when Ella’s mother tragically dies, her perfect life starts to crack. Her mother had been harbouring a life-long secret. Ella has a sister – an older sister – called Colleen.
Excited by the thought of no-longer being an only child, Ella can’t wait to find her.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. Desperate to escape her troubles, she is ready to go to any length to start afresh.
As their paths collide, someone is keeping secrets… and when Colleen mysteriously disappears without notice, Ella can’t help but question if she should have started looking for her at all…
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2020
85 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
About the author
Karen Clarke
46 books292 followersI live in Buckinghamshire with my husband and three grown-up children where I write psychological thrillers for HQDigital/HarperCollins and romantic comedy novels published by Bookouture.
Over the years I've been a secretary/bookkeeper, a wedding photographer, a pub manager, I've worked in a supermarket, a newsagent's and as a librarian - all good for story ideas.
I now write full-time and when I'm not writing, I read a lot, enjoy walking - which is good for plot-wrangling and ideas - photography, watching Netflix, baking and eating cakes. And then more walking to work off the cakes.
Over the years I've been a secretary/bookkeeper, a wedding photographer, a pub manager, I've worked in a supermarket, a newsagent's and as a librarian - all good for story ideas.
I now write full-time and when I'm not writing, I read a lot, enjoy walking - which is good for plot-wrangling and ideas - photography, watching Netflix, baking and eating cakes. And then more walking to work off the cakes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 13, 2020
3.5 ⭐️’s for my second sad and heart-breaking story this year!
The story is narrated by Colleen and Ella. Two women, from the same mother, but one was given up at birth. After living separate and different lives, they are reunited when their birth mother dies.
But their expected happy reunion doesn’t happen, as secrets surface. I was surprised to find out that the role of each sister was written by a different author. They blended together perfectly!
The writing was fantastic and the story was very engaging, but became even more so after Colleen’s disappearance. For me, the epilogue was the best part and explained so much!
Thank you to Pigeonhole for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐️’s (rounding up)
Published: January 10th 2020 by HQ Digital
@karenclarke123 @amandajbrittany @HQDigitalUK
#TheSecretSister @ThePigeonholeHQ
The story is narrated by Colleen and Ella. Two women, from the same mother, but one was given up at birth. After living separate and different lives, they are reunited when their birth mother dies.
But their expected happy reunion doesn’t happen, as secrets surface. I was surprised to find out that the role of each sister was written by a different author. They blended together perfectly!
The writing was fantastic and the story was very engaging, but became even more so after Colleen’s disappearance. For me, the epilogue was the best part and explained so much!
Thank you to Pigeonhole for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐️’s (rounding up)
Published: January 10th 2020 by HQ Digital
@karenclarke123 @amandajbrittany @HQDigitalUK
#TheSecretSister @ThePigeonholeHQ
March 16, 2020
This turned out to be a really good book!
While clearing out her late mother's cupboard, Ella comes across a box and it contents which basically tell her that she has an older half sister Colleen whom Ella's mother gave up for adoption as a baby. Excited to find that she has an older sibling and desperate to fill the void left by her mother's death, Ella tracks down Colleen on social media and puts forward an invitation to meet. Colleen, on the other hand, is trying to pick the pieces of her life together after leaving her abusive husband and trying to locate her birth father when she accepts Ella's invitation. They meet and from the first meeting it is clear that they are two different sides of the same coin. To hide her past and insecurity Colleen is rude which hurts and angers Ella and they have a huge argument which almost ends the reunion. However, Ella has a change of heart and decides to give Colleen one more chance. But then Colleen disappears and Ella feels obligated to find her all the while unaware that she could very well be putting her own life in danger.
It is a well-paced and well written thriller with lots of twists and turns and an unexpected ending. The dual narrative by both the sisters really brings out the contrast in their personalities and the lives they are leading.
Many thanks to the authors, HQ Digital and NetGalley for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
While clearing out her late mother's cupboard, Ella comes across a box and it contents which basically tell her that she has an older half sister Colleen whom Ella's mother gave up for adoption as a baby. Excited to find that she has an older sibling and desperate to fill the void left by her mother's death, Ella tracks down Colleen on social media and puts forward an invitation to meet. Colleen, on the other hand, is trying to pick the pieces of her life together after leaving her abusive husband and trying to locate her birth father when she accepts Ella's invitation. They meet and from the first meeting it is clear that they are two different sides of the same coin. To hide her past and insecurity Colleen is rude which hurts and angers Ella and they have a huge argument which almost ends the reunion. However, Ella has a change of heart and decides to give Colleen one more chance. But then Colleen disappears and Ella feels obligated to find her all the while unaware that she could very well be putting her own life in danger.
It is a well-paced and well written thriller with lots of twists and turns and an unexpected ending. The dual narrative by both the sisters really brings out the contrast in their personalities and the lives they are leading.
Many thanks to the authors, HQ Digital and NetGalley for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2020
When Ella's mother died, she finds evidence that she had been hiding a secret from everyone. Ella has an older sister, Colleen, that she never knew about.
Ella can hardly hold her excitement in check at the thought of a sister. But Ella's husband is skeptical of the idea.
When finally they meet, Colleen gets drunk and makes a couple of passes to Ella's husband. Seems like Colleen has some secrets of her own .. like running from an abusive husband. There's nothing more that Colleen wants than to escape her past and start over.
When Colleen disappears after an argument with Ella, she feels obligated to look for her ...but what she finds may put her own life in danger.
Can you trust a sister who is a stranger?
This is a well-written psychological thriller, it's full of twists and turns and deep dark secrets that have been hidden a life time. The characters are sharply described and the differences between the sisters are intriguing.
Many thanks to the authors / HQ Digital / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 19, 2020
Woah!! An unexpected read.
Ella had a beautiful home and family. At her mother's death, she discovered that she had a half sister Colleen. And planned to meet up with her. But their happy union didn't occur as Colleen went overboard. There were too many secrets between them. Then Colleen disappeared after an argument with Ella. And she went in search of her.
My first book by the author duo K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, I loved their writing, their prose enmeshed beautifully with nary a seam. This was a perfect thriller which started slow building up the foundation of the different characteristics of the sisters and laid down their background.
The twists and turns made the plot intriguing, the secrets added to the dark flavor. I loved the contrasts between the sisters, and that made this book thrilling.
A fun read, I would say
Ella had a beautiful home and family. At her mother's death, she discovered that she had a half sister Colleen. And planned to meet up with her. But their happy union didn't occur as Colleen went overboard. There were too many secrets between them. Then Colleen disappeared after an argument with Ella. And she went in search of her.
My first book by the author duo K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, I loved their writing, their prose enmeshed beautifully with nary a seam. This was a perfect thriller which started slow building up the foundation of the different characteristics of the sisters and laid down their background.
The twists and turns made the plot intriguing, the secrets added to the dark flavor. I loved the contrasts between the sisters, and that made this book thrilling.
A fun read, I would say
June 16, 2020
I have always been fascinated with the whole discovering of another family and I wonder if it's stemmed from my own experiences of discovering I had an older half-brother when I was 6-7 years old and then my Dad not knowing his "real dad" and the imagining that he might have half-siblings out there. Then when my Grandad passed away we discovered that he had another daughter out there as he was a truck driver and had kept this secret from my Nana and his family for over 60 years. In The Secret Sister, Ella's mother has died and she has discovered a box of things at the back of her wardrobe - in the box is a picture of her mother and a baby named Colleen and a letter from Colleen's father Reagan. Turns out at the same time, Colleen has just discovered that she was adopted and has another family - she is headed to Sligo, Ireland to search for her father. During this time it has also given Colleen a chance to escape from her life with her possessive husband Jake. We have Colleen in Ireland and Ella in Surrey, London and Ella find Colleen on Facebook, and the pair connect and start chatting. This ends with the pair meeting up in Sligo with Ella's family. Things though don't turn out exactly how Ella imagined as Colleen is bitter and also things aren't adding up in Colleen's stories. Jumping forward Colleen goes missing and Ella being the "good girl" decides to hunt her down, however, she ends up being caught up in Colleen's drama and the pair are kidnapped. However, we are about to discover all is not what it seems, and will Ella ever see her own family again, or will the sisters die in each other's arms? Find out in this duo authored book The Secret Sister.
April 20, 2020
Loved this thriller - cracking storyline and intriguing back story from the characters. Perfect bedtime read!
November 2, 2020
This was a great read. I enjoyed every page. The story was good, the characters were complete and the exiting parts were thrilling.
January 26, 2024
3.5 stars
This is the second collaboration I've read by these two authors and I liked it better than the first one, The New Wife. I liked the characters better in this one and I read it instead of listening, so I didn't have narrators I didn't like adding to the overall experience. I docked half a star from my rating because there's a character—Ella—that was yet again, too stupid to live. Thankfully it wasn't throughout the whole book. I liked Ella except for when she didn't use her brain a few times. Her sister, Colleen was one of those characters that I kept wondering if I could trust or not, and I liked that aspect of the book a lot.
There was a twist that surprised me in this one, so that was a real plus for the book. There was one minor plot hole that I found that I'm still wondering about, but overall I found this to be an enjoyable story that once I got going, I had a hard time putting down.
I now have a Booktube channel, follow me at Recordings of a Reader.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
This is the second collaboration I've read by these two authors and I liked it better than the first one, The New Wife. I liked the characters better in this one and I read it instead of listening, so I didn't have narrators I didn't like adding to the overall experience. I docked half a star from my rating because there's a character—Ella—that was yet again, too stupid to live. Thankfully it wasn't throughout the whole book. I liked Ella except for when she didn't use her brain a few times. Her sister, Colleen was one of those characters that I kept wondering if I could trust or not, and I liked that aspect of the book a lot.
There was a twist that surprised me in this one, so that was a real plus for the book. There was one minor plot hole that I found that I'm still wondering about, but overall I found this to be an enjoyable story that once I got going, I had a hard time putting down.
I now have a Booktube channel, follow me at Recordings of a Reader.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
January 10, 2020
That was a really good book, with quite a few unexpected twists. Despite being co-authored, it was very well written! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to others!
January 14, 2020
'The Secret Sister' is the first book by the writing partnership of K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany. K. A. Clarke also writes novels under the name of Karen Clarke and A. J. Brittany also writes under the name of Amanda Brittany. I am a huge fan of both authors and I was interested to see how the partnership would work together. Oh boy, 'The Secret Sister' was certainly one hell of a read and then some. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Secret Sister' but more about that in a bit.
I found the characters of Colleen and Ella to be very intriguing and interesting at the same time. Both ladies have the rugs pulled out from under their feet and their previous beliefs challenged. Colleen is a young woman, who appears to be quite disorganised and a bit of a mess. She discovers that the woman, who brought her up and who she thought of as her mother, was really her aunty and that her uncle is really her biological father. When the story begins she has just discovered who her father is although she doesn't know who her birth mother is. Colleen is definitely troubled but the news tips her over the edge. Colleen seems desperate to have a new start and she goes on a journey of self discovery after she learns of the bombshell news and she also tries to find out more about her biological parents. Colleen is more desperate to track down her birth parents than she is to find her sister. On the face of it Ella seems to be the woman, who has it all. She is happily married with a family. Whilst clearing out her late mother's possessions she discovers that she (Ella) has a sister and that she is older than Ella. Ella knew nothing about this but rather than being resentful at her mother for keeping it from her, Ella seems thrilled to have a sister and sets about trying to track her down. What does fate have in store for Ella and Colleen? Well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
I was drawn into this story from the start. I find the subject of secret families to be very interesting and I have uncovered a lot of secret relatives in my own family tree. I was intrigued to see the direction in which the story would go. Reading 'The Secret Sister' soon became an addiction and I found it increasingly difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I found every excuse that I could to get back to reading the book. The pages turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out what happened steadily grew and grew. At one point the pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and before I knew what was happening I reached the end of the story which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong I was pleased to finish the book because it meant that I knew how the story concluded but at the same time I was enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines that much that I just wanted the book to continue.
'The Secret Sister' is brilliantly written. I absolutely love the books that the two authors have released in their own right and so I just knew that I would love a book that they had jointly worked on. I must be psychic because that is exactly what happened! Both authors have the sort of writing styles that are easy to get used to and easy to get along with. They both know how to grab your attention from the start and once they have your attention they won't let it go until the moment you get to the last word on the last page. The authors use such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really felt as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Secret Sister' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I hope that this is not the last we see of this fabulous and extremely promising new writing partnership. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I found the characters of Colleen and Ella to be very intriguing and interesting at the same time. Both ladies have the rugs pulled out from under their feet and their previous beliefs challenged. Colleen is a young woman, who appears to be quite disorganised and a bit of a mess. She discovers that the woman, who brought her up and who she thought of as her mother, was really her aunty and that her uncle is really her biological father. When the story begins she has just discovered who her father is although she doesn't know who her birth mother is. Colleen is definitely troubled but the news tips her over the edge. Colleen seems desperate to have a new start and she goes on a journey of self discovery after she learns of the bombshell news and she also tries to find out more about her biological parents. Colleen is more desperate to track down her birth parents than she is to find her sister. On the face of it Ella seems to be the woman, who has it all. She is happily married with a family. Whilst clearing out her late mother's possessions she discovers that she (Ella) has a sister and that she is older than Ella. Ella knew nothing about this but rather than being resentful at her mother for keeping it from her, Ella seems thrilled to have a sister and sets about trying to track her down. What does fate have in store for Ella and Colleen? Well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
I was drawn into this story from the start. I find the subject of secret families to be very interesting and I have uncovered a lot of secret relatives in my own family tree. I was intrigued to see the direction in which the story would go. Reading 'The Secret Sister' soon became an addiction and I found it increasingly difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I found every excuse that I could to get back to reading the book. The pages turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out what happened steadily grew and grew. At one point the pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and before I knew what was happening I reached the end of the story which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong I was pleased to finish the book because it meant that I knew how the story concluded but at the same time I was enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines that much that I just wanted the book to continue.
'The Secret Sister' is brilliantly written. I absolutely love the books that the two authors have released in their own right and so I just knew that I would love a book that they had jointly worked on. I must be psychic because that is exactly what happened! Both authors have the sort of writing styles that are easy to get used to and easy to get along with. They both know how to grab your attention from the start and once they have your attention they won't let it go until the moment you get to the last word on the last page. The authors use such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really felt as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Secret Sister' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I hope that this is not the last we see of this fabulous and extremely promising new writing partnership. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
February 4, 2020
Can you trust a sister who is a stranger?
The Secret Sister is my first book by the author duo K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, although I have read some of Amanda Brittany's previous independent work, namely Traces of Her.
The story opens with a short prologue that immediately sets the tone of the book and from this point I was totally engrossed in the story. Told from the perspectives of Colleen and Ella, this book crackles with tension. The cleverly crafted and intriguing plot follows the two half-sisters, Colleen and Ella. When Ella comes across a letter whilst clearing out her deceased mother’s possessions and discovers that her mother had a child before she was born, Ella decides to track down her older sister and after a couple of internet searches, she travels to Ireland for what she hopes will be a happy reunion. But Colleen's past has not been all sweetness and light, and the reunion is not a huge success. Events plummet into a nightmare for them when Colleen’s past catches up with her.
I totally adored the combined descriptive styles of K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, which I found to be emotive and affecting. The writing flowed effortlessly and the narrative was very well structured. The Secret Sister was a story that was packed with mystery and twists as it spiralled its way to the surprise denouement. It is a must-read for fans of the psychological thriller genre. I look forward to reading many more books from this duo. I read The Secret Sister with relish and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Overall, an enjoyable and easy to read domestic thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion. Thank you also to Pigeonhole for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
The Secret Sister is my first book by the author duo K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, although I have read some of Amanda Brittany's previous independent work, namely Traces of Her.
The story opens with a short prologue that immediately sets the tone of the book and from this point I was totally engrossed in the story. Told from the perspectives of Colleen and Ella, this book crackles with tension. The cleverly crafted and intriguing plot follows the two half-sisters, Colleen and Ella. When Ella comes across a letter whilst clearing out her deceased mother’s possessions and discovers that her mother had a child before she was born, Ella decides to track down her older sister and after a couple of internet searches, she travels to Ireland for what she hopes will be a happy reunion. But Colleen's past has not been all sweetness and light, and the reunion is not a huge success. Events plummet into a nightmare for them when Colleen’s past catches up with her.
I totally adored the combined descriptive styles of K. A. Clarke and A. J. Brittany, which I found to be emotive and affecting. The writing flowed effortlessly and the narrative was very well structured. The Secret Sister was a story that was packed with mystery and twists as it spiralled its way to the surprise denouement. It is a must-read for fans of the psychological thriller genre. I look forward to reading many more books from this duo. I read The Secret Sister with relish and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Overall, an enjoyable and easy to read domestic thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion. Thank you also to Pigeonhole for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
January 16, 2020
I will rate The Secret Sister a 3/5 stars. This is a story of a daughter, Ella, discovering that she has an older sister, Colleen, that she never knew existed until she was going through her mother's, Anna, belongings after she passed away. Shocked, yet delighted to find out that she is not an only child, she researches Colleen's whereabouts online and finds her profile on Facebook. Despite her husband's, Greg, warning, she messages Colleen and it sets the pace for the two sisters to meet. Colleen is five years older than Ella and recently discovered that she was not the lady who raised her daughter. This revelation disturbs Colleen and she sets out to find her father, Reagan, since her adopted mother informed her that Anna recently passed away. Colleen is also trying to escape a seemingly controlling marriage to her husband, Jake, and has a history of substance abuse. There's also a mysterious tragedy from the past surrounding Colleen and invading her present being. When Ella and Colleen meet, it is clear that the two women are nothing alike and both sisters begin to wonder if meeting each other was the right thing to do.
What I liked about this book:
Around the middle of the book the story became interesting and I wanted to find out more about why Anna decided to give up her firstborn daughter. Reading the story from two POV was okay, although I enjoyed reading from Colleen's POV over Ella's.
What I didn't like about this book:
It took way too long for this book to grab my attention, yet, due to Colleen's erratic behavior and thinking, I decided to give the story a chance and stick with reading the book instead of classifying it as a DNF. Ella's POV bored me terribly and she seemed quite gullible, dim-witted and child-like. While I can relate to wanting to establish a relationship with a sibling you never knew you had (because I have actually attempted this before in my own life) the way she went about it was unrealistic. She seemed to be living in a fantasy world. It isn't easy to meet a new family member. You can't just insert a sister, stir and serve and think that everything will go as you hoped and planned. Ella should have taken heed of her husband's warnings about Colleen instead of being so naïve and jumping into the situation with her eyes closed. The way she went about getting to know Colleen was irritating.
I didn't like the fact that the ending of the book felt rushed. Some scenes didn't make sense at all. Especially the cliff scene at the end of the book. How Reagan and Ella just happened to show up at the scene of the would be crime was a little far-fetched and unbelievable.
I honestly did not like any of the characters in this book. I cannot even say that I enjoyed the three year old daughter, Maisie. It just felt as it all of the characters were dry/dead and lacked any depth, flair, and life to them. Ella's father, by far, was the worst character in this book.
I really didn't follow whether or not Colleen had fabricated her situation with Jake or not. The ending of the book confused me with how easily he let her go. I really believe that Colleen was suffering from PTSD and some other form of mental illness and misinterpreting her relationship with her husband and that she was the actual problem, not him. This was really not made clear in the ending.
I feel as if this story requires a little more work. It just doesn't seem to be finished as it did not flow well or end well at all. A lot of scenes felt rushed, unfinished, and not well thought out.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked about this book:
Around the middle of the book the story became interesting and I wanted to find out more about why Anna decided to give up her firstborn daughter. Reading the story from two POV was okay, although I enjoyed reading from Colleen's POV over Ella's.
What I didn't like about this book:
It took way too long for this book to grab my attention, yet, due to Colleen's erratic behavior and thinking, I decided to give the story a chance and stick with reading the book instead of classifying it as a DNF. Ella's POV bored me terribly and she seemed quite gullible, dim-witted and child-like. While I can relate to wanting to establish a relationship with a sibling you never knew you had (because I have actually attempted this before in my own life) the way she went about it was unrealistic. She seemed to be living in a fantasy world. It isn't easy to meet a new family member. You can't just insert a sister, stir and serve and think that everything will go as you hoped and planned. Ella should have taken heed of her husband's warnings about Colleen instead of being so naïve and jumping into the situation with her eyes closed. The way she went about getting to know Colleen was irritating.
I didn't like the fact that the ending of the book felt rushed. Some scenes didn't make sense at all. Especially the cliff scene at the end of the book. How Reagan and Ella just happened to show up at the scene of the would be crime was a little far-fetched and unbelievable.
I honestly did not like any of the characters in this book. I cannot even say that I enjoyed the three year old daughter, Maisie. It just felt as it all of the characters were dry/dead and lacked any depth, flair, and life to them. Ella's father, by far, was the worst character in this book.
I really didn't follow whether or not Colleen had fabricated her situation with Jake or not. The ending of the book confused me with how easily he let her go. I really believe that Colleen was suffering from PTSD and some other form of mental illness and misinterpreting her relationship with her husband and that she was the actual problem, not him. This was really not made clear in the ending.
I feel as if this story requires a little more work. It just doesn't seem to be finished as it did not flow well or end well at all. A lot of scenes felt rushed, unfinished, and not well thought out.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2019
When Ella Matthews looses her mother she is devastated but determined to be strong for her family; when she discovers a long hidden secret she begins to question everything she thought she knew. Ella has an older sister she had no idea existed and she wants to find her, much to husband Greg's dismay.
Colleen is down on her luck, alone and desperate, she is searching for her father but hiding at the same time and her only friend is the cheap bottle of vodka she buys far too regularly. When her sister contacts her she sees a way to escape and reaches out not realising the danger about to descend on her.
This was an easy read, written from both Ella and Colleen's point of view it flows well and has believable characters whose lives are about to collide in a world where there are some slightly iffy coincidences as well as original moments of jeopardy. I enjoyed it and would definitely read more in the future by these two authors.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys family drama with a twist, good mystery and a satisfying storyline.
Colleen is down on her luck, alone and desperate, she is searching for her father but hiding at the same time and her only friend is the cheap bottle of vodka she buys far too regularly. When her sister contacts her she sees a way to escape and reaches out not realising the danger about to descend on her.
This was an easy read, written from both Ella and Colleen's point of view it flows well and has believable characters whose lives are about to collide in a world where there are some slightly iffy coincidences as well as original moments of jeopardy. I enjoyed it and would definitely read more in the future by these two authors.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys family drama with a twist, good mystery and a satisfying storyline.
January 11, 2020
I'm not sure why a number of people have said this was an 'easy read'. I found it heartbreaking and so sad at times. Poor Colleen being given up at birth and then losing her little sister Bryony. No wonder her life is so messed up. Poor Celia having lost her baby daughter. Poor Anna having given up her baby. I could go on. Poor everyone! But this was a well crafted and superbly written book. So many red herrings we started to suspect all sorts of people. I know it was written by two different authors writing in different 'voices' for Ella and Colleen but after a while I didn't really notice. I was worried it might interrupt the flow but it never did. I had a couple of reservations but I can't say more due to spoilers. Just curl up with a hot chocolate and read into the night. Fabulous.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for allowing me to read along with the other Pigeons and the authors.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for allowing me to read along with the other Pigeons and the authors.
January 10, 2020
This was an enjoyable page-turner. Ella finds a letter when clearing her deceased mother’s wardrobe and discovers that her mother had a baby before she was born. Ella decides to track down her older sister and after a couple of message exchanges she heads off to Ireland for what she thinks will be a joyful reunion.
Colleen has been raised by her parental aunt, has a sad past, a controlling husband and a history of drug misuse. The reunion is not a great success, but the book spirals into a nightmare for both women when Colleen’s past catches up with her.
Suspension of disbelief required a couple of times, but this is an enjoyable, easy to read domestic thriller. Thanks to the Pigeonhole for the reading opportunity.
Colleen has been raised by her parental aunt, has a sad past, a controlling husband and a history of drug misuse. The reunion is not a great success, but the book spirals into a nightmare for both women when Colleen’s past catches up with her.
Suspension of disbelief required a couple of times, but this is an enjoyable, easy to read domestic thriller. Thanks to the Pigeonhole for the reading opportunity.
December 2, 2020
I just loved this book, it was brilliant. Two amazing authors have came together to produce a gripping story that dont let go until the last page! I loved everything about this story and didn't want it to end.
January 10, 2020
This was a very good psychological thriller told from the point of view of 2 sisters who only met after the death of their mother. It was a very easy read but at the same time one in which I didn’t want to put down.
April 9, 2022
This was pretty decent… I wasn’t sure to begin with but I ended up really enjoying it.
January 11, 2020
I had the chance to read this with Pigeonhole. I thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected twists throughout and I would recommend this book. The story is told from the point of view of Colleen and Ella, each character being written by one of the authors. I found it to be a page-turner and I also enjoyed finding out more about the main characters and their pasts. Thanks!
April 20, 2021
I wasn't expecting this book to be any good but I knew as soon as I read the first page it was gonna be great and it didnt disappoint
January 4, 2021
WoW.....New Author's alert and what brilliant book The Secret Sister by K A Clarke and A.J. Brittany was.
I just LoVed it. It's very good psychological thriller told from the point of view of 2 women Colleen and Ella, They find out they are half sisters.
Ella, is married to Greg, they have a small child called Maise. Whilst tiding and organising her mothers house who has recently died. Ella finds an old box in her mums wardrobe hidden,. Ella opens it and finds some personal items of her mothers, a letter and a photo. At first Ella thinks the photo of her mum and the little girl is her, until she turns the photo over and see's the name written on the back - Colleen. Ella then reads the letter and finds out she has a half sister called Colleen, who is slightly older than her.
Ella goes and looks for her sister and finds her on social media, she sends her message. Colleen has just left her abusive husband Jake and is hiding from him!
They finally meet and they are totally different personalities but one thing in common they have the same mother.
Do they become good friends, sisters? or just strangers passing?
I was hooked from the very first few pages and wanted to find out more about the new relationship between Ella and Colleen. It's full of twists and turns with deep dark secrets that have been hidden a for a long time that comes to the surface. Plus, sadness to get both of them where they are today.
I highly recommend this new Book The Secret Sister.......I LoVed it.
Big Thank You to HQ Digital, Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
I just LoVed it. It's very good psychological thriller told from the point of view of 2 women Colleen and Ella, They find out they are half sisters.
Ella, is married to Greg, they have a small child called Maise. Whilst tiding and organising her mothers house who has recently died. Ella finds an old box in her mums wardrobe hidden,. Ella opens it and finds some personal items of her mothers, a letter and a photo. At first Ella thinks the photo of her mum and the little girl is her, until she turns the photo over and see's the name written on the back - Colleen. Ella then reads the letter and finds out she has a half sister called Colleen, who is slightly older than her.
Ella goes and looks for her sister and finds her on social media, she sends her message. Colleen has just left her abusive husband Jake and is hiding from him!
They finally meet and they are totally different personalities but one thing in common they have the same mother.
Do they become good friends, sisters? or just strangers passing?
I was hooked from the very first few pages and wanted to find out more about the new relationship between Ella and Colleen. It's full of twists and turns with deep dark secrets that have been hidden a for a long time that comes to the surface. Plus, sadness to get both of them where they are today.
I highly recommend this new Book The Secret Sister.......I LoVed it.
Big Thank You to HQ Digital, Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 13, 2020
I enjoyed reading this book and the plot twist are unexpected.
This is a story from Colleen and Ella POVs. Ella found out that Colleen is her secret sister after their mother passed away and she reached out to her. They met and things happened. Both of them has a different personalities but at the same time they has a similar trait which is selfish. Goshh so annoying!
The ending felt a bit rush like hellooo I thought Jake love to control Colleen but what happened at the end? Just like that? Hahaa
Thank you Netgalley and authors for giving me ARC of The Secret Sister ❤️
This is a story from Colleen and Ella POVs. Ella found out that Colleen is her secret sister after their mother passed away and she reached out to her. They met and things happened. Both of them has a different personalities but at the same time they has a similar trait which is selfish. Goshh so annoying!
The ending felt a bit rush like hellooo I thought Jake love to control Colleen but what happened at the end? Just like that? Hahaa
Thank you Netgalley and authors for giving me ARC of The Secret Sister ❤️
March 16, 2020
Did I read the same book as these 5-star reviews? So boring. I kept wanting to put it down but thinking it must get better if it has all these good reviews? Very slow and repetitive - we get it, the sisters are not similar. The twist was the only remotely interesting part.
January 6, 2020
Still reeling from the loss of her mother, Ella is thrilled when she discovers a secret sister - her mother’s first child, born from a relationship 5 years prior to Ella’s birth. She immediately sets out to find her, but she soon learns that family isn’t always what it seems, and some secrets are best left hidden...
Right from the beginning, I struggled to connect to either of the two sisters. Ella is this preppy cheery woman who approaches the news that she has a secret sister by mentally rewriting the past to make her childhood as an only child all sad and lonely, and to become very possessive and obsessive over this random stranger and the wonderful idea of having a sister. But then the reality isn’t so great, and she immediately begins to backtrack. Plus, she is selfish to the extreme. When she finds out about Colleen, her husband had to stop her running off to tell her dad about his dead wife’s first child who he might not know about. She couldn’t even comprehend that news like that could affect a man still buried in grief. Just a very unlikeable woman.
Colleen was more likeable, but still not very realistic. I don’t want to ruin anything, but there was a huge contradiction between what her personality was, and what she was meant to have lived like for the past 10 years. It just felt like lazy writing, as the two halves of her story just never felt true. Speaking of the writing, I also found the tone very uneven and inconsistent. It veered from domestic drama to psychological thriller, whilst also throwing in a level of cheese that seemed straight out of a hallmark film.
Now, I know this review makes it sound really bad. Honestly, the book isn’t awful! It’s just not great, and unfortunately I’ve read too many lacklustre thrillers lately to really commit to this one - I ended up skimming most of it, and on that basis it sadly isn’t one I can recommend.
Right from the beginning, I struggled to connect to either of the two sisters. Ella is this preppy cheery woman who approaches the news that she has a secret sister by mentally rewriting the past to make her childhood as an only child all sad and lonely, and to become very possessive and obsessive over this random stranger and the wonderful idea of having a sister. But then the reality isn’t so great, and she immediately begins to backtrack. Plus, she is selfish to the extreme. When she finds out about Colleen, her husband had to stop her running off to tell her dad about his dead wife’s first child who he might not know about. She couldn’t even comprehend that news like that could affect a man still buried in grief. Just a very unlikeable woman.
Colleen was more likeable, but still not very realistic. I don’t want to ruin anything, but there was a huge contradiction between what her personality was, and what she was meant to have lived like for the past 10 years. It just felt like lazy writing, as the two halves of her story just never felt true. Speaking of the writing, I also found the tone very uneven and inconsistent. It veered from domestic drama to psychological thriller, whilst also throwing in a level of cheese that seemed straight out of a hallmark film.
Now, I know this review makes it sound really bad. Honestly, the book isn’t awful! It’s just not great, and unfortunately I’ve read too many lacklustre thrillers lately to really commit to this one - I ended up skimming most of it, and on that basis it sadly isn’t one I can recommend.
January 19, 2020
Imagine life as you know it being turned completely upside down by the revelation that your mother had another child. A child she chose to give away and keep secret for the entirety of her lifetime. Ella is thrown for a loop, and yet part of her feels drawn to find this stranger, who is part of her mother and part of her.
Colleen has had a turbulent and painful life, which hasn't been made easier by a partner who appears to be a loving person to the outside world. The truth is that Gabriel has another face completely - a persona that only Colleen gets to experience.
In a way Colleen has made similar choices to Anna without being aware of it. The need to be loved overshadows the negative aspects of the relationships they have with men. They both have or had a tendency to pick men with possessive, jealous streaks, which ultimately ends up defining the lives they lead.
The difference is where one gave in and subjected herself to the wishes of her man and thereby ignoring her needs and those of her loved ones - can the other woman break the cycle and be free to determine her own path in life?
It's a moving tension filled psychological thriller which draws from the complex relationship structures of mothers and daughters. If this collaboration is anything to go by the writing duo Clarke and Brittany is off to a fantastic start and I hope this is the first of many more.
*I received a courtesy copy*
Colleen has had a turbulent and painful life, which hasn't been made easier by a partner who appears to be a loving person to the outside world. The truth is that Gabriel has another face completely - a persona that only Colleen gets to experience.
In a way Colleen has made similar choices to Anna without being aware of it. The need to be loved overshadows the negative aspects of the relationships they have with men. They both have or had a tendency to pick men with possessive, jealous streaks, which ultimately ends up defining the lives they lead.
The difference is where one gave in and subjected herself to the wishes of her man and thereby ignoring her needs and those of her loved ones - can the other woman break the cycle and be free to determine her own path in life?
It's a moving tension filled psychological thriller which draws from the complex relationship structures of mothers and daughters. If this collaboration is anything to go by the writing duo Clarke and Brittany is off to a fantastic start and I hope this is the first of many more.
*I received a courtesy copy*
March 1, 2020
Ella’s life is turned upside down when she discovers, after her mother’s death, that she has an older half sister, Colleen. She cannot believe that her mother could have had a child and given her away. Ella decides that she must try and find this mystery sister. Ella is married to Greg and they have a daughter Maisie. Greg tries to dissuade Ella from finding her sister but she is determined that she will be the sister she has always wanted. Colleen’s life is a mess, she is married to Jake who is very controlling. She decides to leave him and go over to Ireland as she has discovered that who she thought was her ‘mother’ was in fact her Aunt so she is on a mission to find her biological father. Ella traces Colleen, and her and her family fly over to Ireland to meet up with her. When they finally meet they realise that they are two totally different people even though they are half sisters but they could never imagine what events will trigger from this and when Colleen’s past catches up with her things turn very nasty. The story is told from Ella’s and Colleen’s perspective and was brilliantly written. I find it hard to believe that this was written by two authors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and definitely recommend it to other readers,
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 12, 2020
I really, really wanted to love this book but I really, really couldn't!
There were parts that were tense, fast paced and gripping, that kept you guessing, but there were also a lot of parts that just didn't seem particularly plausible for me because I couldn't warm to the characters. In turn it was contrived and bewildering and then interesting and menacing.
Ella has just lost her Mum and she has been charged with the emotionally traumatic task of clearing out her mother's things. As Dad and husband Greg stand on the sidelines Ella's world tips into a state of uncertainty when a box of bits reveals that Ella may have a sister she never knew about.
The story takes us between England and Ireland and shows how Ella's naivete can put her in danger. Two very different lives, with very different backgrounds and experiences collide painfully and threaten to ruin the seedling of a relationship that needs far more nurturing and understanding.
The usual catalogue of guilt, secrets, betrayal and lies weaves its damaging way through the past to present day relationships with the possibility that the sisters will not survive the onslaught.
I felt disappointed with this novel but as I read it in staves over a 10 day period I don't know whether it would have fared better had I had the whole book to read.
There were parts that were tense, fast paced and gripping, that kept you guessing, but there were also a lot of parts that just didn't seem particularly plausible for me because I couldn't warm to the characters. In turn it was contrived and bewildering and then interesting and menacing.
Ella has just lost her Mum and she has been charged with the emotionally traumatic task of clearing out her mother's things. As Dad and husband Greg stand on the sidelines Ella's world tips into a state of uncertainty when a box of bits reveals that Ella may have a sister she never knew about.
The story takes us between England and Ireland and shows how Ella's naivete can put her in danger. Two very different lives, with very different backgrounds and experiences collide painfully and threaten to ruin the seedling of a relationship that needs far more nurturing and understanding.
The usual catalogue of guilt, secrets, betrayal and lies weaves its damaging way through the past to present day relationships with the possibility that the sisters will not survive the onslaught.
I felt disappointed with this novel but as I read it in staves over a 10 day period I don't know whether it would have fared better had I had the whole book to read.
February 9, 2020
Can you trust a sister who is a stranger?
Ella Matthews has it all. A beautiful house, a charming husband and a precious baby daughter – her life has pretty much turned out exactly as she planned.
But when Ella’s mother tragically dies, her perfect life starts to crack. Her mother had been harbouring a life-long secret. Ella has a sister – an older sister – called Colleen.
Excited by the thought of no-longer being an only child, Ella can’t wait to find her.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. Desperate to escape her troubles, she is ready to go to any length to start afresh.
As their paths collide, someone is keeping secrets… and when Colleen mysteriously disappears without notice, Ella can’t help but question if she should have started looking for her at all…
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to see what the authors bring us next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
Ella Matthews has it all. A beautiful house, a charming husband and a precious baby daughter – her life has pretty much turned out exactly as she planned.
But when Ella’s mother tragically dies, her perfect life starts to crack. Her mother had been harbouring a life-long secret. Ella has a sister – an older sister – called Colleen.
Excited by the thought of no-longer being an only child, Ella can’t wait to find her.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. Desperate to escape her troubles, she is ready to go to any length to start afresh.
As their paths collide, someone is keeping secrets… and when Colleen mysteriously disappears without notice, Ella can’t help but question if she should have started looking for her at all…
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to see what the authors bring us next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
January 24, 2020
The Secret Sister
by K A Clarke; A J Brittany
HQ Digital
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 10 Jan 2020
I am reviewing a copy of The Secret Sister through HQ Digital and Netgalley:
Ella Matthews seemingly has everything. She has a loving husband, a beautiful house, a daughter she adores. Her life has turned out just as she planned, or has it?
After her Mother unexpectedly dies, Ellen’s perfect life starts to crack. She learns she had an older sister, named Colleen.
Ellen is excited about the prospect of no longer being an only child and starts out to search for Colleen.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. She is so desperate to escape her past she will go to any length to do so.
Just as their paths start to collide it is realized someone is keeping secrets...After Colleen disappears without notice Ellen cannot hell but wonder if she should have started looking for Colleen.
I give The Secret Sister five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
by K A Clarke; A J Brittany
HQ Digital
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 10 Jan 2020
I am reviewing a copy of The Secret Sister through HQ Digital and Netgalley:
Ella Matthews seemingly has everything. She has a loving husband, a beautiful house, a daughter she adores. Her life has turned out just as she planned, or has it?
After her Mother unexpectedly dies, Ellen’s perfect life starts to crack. She learns she had an older sister, named Colleen.
Ellen is excited about the prospect of no longer being an only child and starts out to search for Colleen.
But Colleen has a whirlwind past of her own. She is so desperate to escape her past she will go to any length to do so.
Just as their paths start to collide it is realized someone is keeping secrets...After Colleen disappears without notice Ellen cannot hell but wonder if she should have started looking for Colleen.
I give The Secret Sister five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
January 10, 2020
Ella is recovering from her mother's death and is clearing out her things. In her wardrobe she discovers that she has a sister, Coleen, who was born 5 years before Ella. Excited at the prospect of having a sister, she sets out to find her. Her husband, Greg, a lawyer, urges caution.
Meanwhile Colleen has issues with her adoptive mother, and has only recently been told she's adopted. She is keen to find her father.
Eventually the pair meet up but Colleen is not at all as she had presented herself in emails. Instead of being happily married, she has actually left her controlling husband who seems to be stalking her.
This is an easy to read story where the reader needs to suspend disbelief and just go with it. From that point of view it is quite a good page-turner. But if you prefer your stories to have some depth to their characters, and being based in reality, then you'll be disappointed.
Meanwhile Colleen has issues with her adoptive mother, and has only recently been told she's adopted. She is keen to find her father.
Eventually the pair meet up but Colleen is not at all as she had presented herself in emails. Instead of being happily married, she has actually left her controlling husband who seems to be stalking her.
This is an easy to read story where the reader needs to suspend disbelief and just go with it. From that point of view it is quite a good page-turner. But if you prefer your stories to have some depth to their characters, and being based in reality, then you'll be disappointed.
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