Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book had me guessing for a bit - then I figured out the twist - but at the very end - it got very convoluted and I got lost. I'm still not 100% sure what happened.

Sometimes one twist is enough - story was good til the author decided to add more to it.

Great read. The book grabbed me from the start and I was captivated. However some parts were very predictive. But that didn’t keep me from enjoying it.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy. A great psycological thriller! Claire decides to move her family into her dad's house to take care of him. Her husband Luke ends up having an affair and it really hits Claire hard. Then she is contacted by a woman claiming to be her half sister. Once they start bonding questions start whirling in Claire's head. Should she trust her or is she putting her daughter in a very bad situation. A very twisty ending. Well written.

I have loved some of this author’s previous works. This one not as much.

Overall, it was well written but predictable. There were still some surprises but they were not as exciting as I wanted them to be. The ending was a bit crazy and somewhat confusing, causing me to reread it. It was not all that satisfying.

The premise was interesting. The story grabbed me from the start. The switch in narrators was well done. But the characters, as a whole, are unlikable. It was hard to root for anyone other than poor fragile Emma.

I do really like how this author writes and this did provide some entertaining moments but wasn’t my favorite. I still think it’s worth a go and will look forward to the next by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.

Claire's father, Bernard, is losing his mind and she has moved into her childhood home to take care of him. Her husband, Luke, is not happy with this decision although their 4-year-old daughter, Ella, is doing well enough with the situation despite the fact that her mom is overburdened and trying to deal with Bernard's increasing dangerous and aggressive behavior. In addition, Ella, is a hemophiliac and her parents worry that she's not safe. After an argument one evening, Luke storms out of the house, gets drunk at a bar, and ends up embroiled in a huge mess with a woman he meets that night. To top it off, considering that Claire is already at wit's end, she gets a text message from someone who claims to be her half-sister. And that's when the whole thing kicks off. NO SPOILERS.

I read this ARC titled as THE FAMILY SECRET -- which actually is a more apt title than the new one. This is a domestic drama about the effect that a parent's secrets and lies can have on their child. The unfortunate aspect is that this sort of trope has been done to death. I intensely disliked all the characters in this novel so much that I almost had to mark it a DNF. I don't know any woman who would act like Claire and I can't imagine how most of the events that transpired would ever take place as they defy even my imagination. I have read far too many similar books to be shocked or surprised by anything that happened and the conclusion was quite disappointing. I'm sorry to report that this just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* Things are just not working out for Claire. Her mother has passed away and she is trying to look after her elderly father, who suffers from dementia, whilst looking after her own child, Ella and maintaining the semblance of a relationship with her husband, Luke. Claire starts to feel it all crumbling away from her. Her father's condition is getting worse and she also begins to suspect that Luke may be having an affair. Just when it seems like things can't get any more complicated, a woman named Sophie appears on the scene, claiming to be Claire's long-lost sister. As with Browne's previous novels, this book is full of twists and turns as Claire struggles to reveal the truth before it is too late. An enjoyable and fast-paced read.

Claire and her husband Luke are struggling with their relationship: their daughter has haemophilia, Claire’s dad Bernard has dementia and they have moved in with him, they have no time together as a couple.
On a night out, Luke kisses another woman who seems vulnerable but it soon becomes clear she is emotionally unstable. Meanwhile Claire is contacted by a woman claiming to be her half sister and is thrilled to have some family to support her as her father’s mental capacity fades and her marriage collapses. But is Sophie really a perfect sister…?
The plot is a little far fetched and the major twist developed as I expected. However, there are twists even up until the very last line of the book (one which I didn’t expect at all!) to hold the reader’s attention.
The narrative is told mainly through the viewpoints of Claire and Luke but we do also get flashes of other perspectives including Sophie and Bernard. This allows us as readers to explore the emotions and motivations of the characters and understand their actions better.
I felt very frustrated by Claire and Luke’s inability to communicate with each other and lack of understanding. Both main characters are being manipulated and are aware of this so seeing them try to manage their conflicting emotions is interesting to read.

This was a decent domestic thriller once you got past the slow start. At about 45% I noticed the story picking up some, so decided to stick with it. It got a lot better and at times, I wasn't sure which sister I believed.

The reason I gave it a lower rating is for the slow start and weak reveal. I figured out the main twist very early on which took a lot of the fun out of the book.

I do recommend this book regardless of my issues because it's one of the better thrillers I've picked up lately.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was captivated from the start. The family, as dysfunctional as they are, are relatable. Not your normal storybook family, they presented as real and raw and easy to like. There were more moments than one I found myself yelling at the pages “what are you doing!” as if they could hear me, knowing that they were about to make a mistake.

Claire and Luke have a strained marriage from the start. Claire is caring for not only her father with Alzheimer’s, but her young fragile daughter. The stress becomes too much and Luke finds himself at another woman’s apartment. A damsel in distress, this girl is throwing red flag up all over, that Luke just can’t seem to see. Claire get a strange message from something claiming to be her half-sister. Her father doesn’t remember her, or does he?

When Claire decides its time to put her father in a care home, for her daughter sake and her sanity, it takes it toll on her. She is alone and vulnerable, and she becomes almost obsessed over the past and wanting to know who her father truly was. She reaches out her to supposed half-sister and finds the family she needs. To Claire, Sophie is so normal and genuine, and she appreciates having someone to lean on and confide in, despite warnings from others. Little Ella absolutely loves her auntie Sophie, and Sophie is so good with her. Meanwhile Luke finds himself in trouble and falling deeper into it with no end in sight.

As the book goes on, you start to question EVERYONES motives. Who do you trust? Will the truth ever be revealed? Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist and another turn will present itself and leave you scratching your head.

Sheryl Browne has delivered a stunning and well written thriller that I had the pleasure of reading. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

Thank you to the author, Sheryl Browne, the publisher, Bookouture, and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this title, in exchange for an honest review.

So many secrets...so many lies...this family is seriously dysfunctional! Sheryl Browne's latest book is a domestic thriller that left me trusting...nobody!!!

This was a book that I just could not get into. I found the storyline quite weak, and the characters were ones I could not sympathize with at all. A book that was not one for me at all

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my early copy for my review

Claire is struggling in many ways in her life. Her daughter has an illness and must be monitored carefully and her dad has moved in with her family because he is suffering from dementia. Claire’s husband Luke is having a hard time dealing with all this too and as a result, their marriage seems to be crumbling. One day Claire is contacted by someone who claims to be her father’s daughter, a half sister. And Luke has gone out and supposedly cheated on her. Claire finds herself needing a sister to lean on more than ever. But is she the right person to lean on or are there family secrets Claire is just better off not knowing? I figured out the main twists in this book pretty quickly as I’m sure you will too. BUT, this still makes for an enjoyable read and ONE very big twist at the end that I don’t think you’ll see coming. Worth reading as it’s a fast paced thriller and well written!

Totally twisted psychological drama spinning through until the final stunning turn! Just when you think you have it figured out another clue drops turning you in a different direction. Ends with a bang!

A book with turns you don't expect,mix in looking after a loved one with dementia,a daughter and a husband. Bang along comes someone who says is related!!! Thank you netgalley

Thank you @NetGalley and @Bookouture for my copy of The Family Secret by Sheryl Browne in exchange for an honest review. This book is about Claire, who is contacted by a woman named Sophie claiming to be her half-sister and father's love child. Claire is going through a lot in her life at the time. She has been caring for her deteriorating father diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, watching after her four-year-old daughter with a life-threatening illness, and grappling with a broken marriage - all of this at the same time. Claire can use a sister, so although she is a bit apprehensive about the idea of a mysterious new sister coming out of the woodwork, she welcomes the idea and invites her into her life.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Sophie and Claire’s daughter, Ella, get along perfectly and Sophie is everything that Claire could have ever wanted in a sister. One day, they are at the beach and Claire has to step away to call her husband. She leaves her daughter with Sophie, only for an accident to happen that shakes Claire to the core, causing her to start doubting Sophie’s real intentions. Claire goes down the rabbit hole and starts probing into the family’s history.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Unfortunately, although the premise sounded so promising, this book was a pass for me. I read the synopsis thinking it would be the perfect, all-consuming story, however, it was anything but that for me. I figured out the main twists right in the beginning of the book, as well as other twists and turns throughout the book. I don’t feel they were concealed at all. They were blatantly obvious.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The characters fell flat for me, as did the storyline which was predictable and has been done to death before. I couldn’t stand Claire for the life of me. Sophie also grated on my nerves. I would also say there was nothing really happening in most of the book. It was just a series of repetitive events all establishing the same idea. I wanted the plot to catapult forward and surprise me in some way, but it never did.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The book has generally decent reviews on other websites, so please don’t hesitate to check it out for yourself before writing it off. These are my humble opinions.⁣

A psych thriller with lots of twists, this was a quick read because the action moved right along. The author tackles a difficult topic (dementia and the care of a failing parent) with care and sensitivity, even as the illness plays a significant part in the plot. The characters are well-developed and there are more than a few “no way!” moments. The author doesn’t let up until the very last page. I definitely recommend this book. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

Claire is having a hard time. Her father is suffering from dementia & moving the family in with him so she could be his carer is taking its toll. Her daughter,Ella, has haemophilia & do great care has to be taken to get any bump or knock treated & Luke, her husband is finding dealing with her father difficulties very trying & is going out more. How she wishes she had someone with which to share the burden- be careful what you wish for as into her life comes Sophie- a result of a long ago fling her father had. When Luke's attempt to be gallant in a nightclub goes disastrously wrong Claire tells him to leave & Sophie seems to have arrived at a perfect time in her life!

This was a read that made you want to shake the main character. I could understand that Claire was under enormous strain but the person I felt really sorry for was Luke who just seemed to dig himself into a bigger hole! It described the agonies of dementia very well and it kept the reader hooked to the page. I found Sophie a bit too predictable which is why I only gave this four stars. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This book was really enjoyable!!! When Claire finds herself having to handle her father, a child, and a husband that she is sure she knows, along comes a sister she didn't know about!!! Thru twists and turns, one jaw dropping moment, you are sure to enjoy this book.

This was a really great book. My first from this author and I'll definitely be reading more from her. Talk about a family with secrets?? I was not expecting the twist in this story. Pretty great.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this – right from the start Claire was difficult to read. Despite most of the chapters being from her perspective, I constantly felt as if there was something about her being hidden. She was intriguing and it hooked me from the start. Although most of the chapters are from her perspective, we do get some from her husband Luke, her half-sister Sophie and a couple of others, which makes it absolutely fascinating as we get to see glimpses, but not too much, into the thought processes of the other characters.

There are mysteries in this book right from the beginning – everyone seems to be keeping some kind of secret, whether it’s big or small. It’s really clever as it stops the reader from guessing too much about the plot and kept me hooked throughout. Sophie is particularly fascinating and the chapters from her perspective don’t make it much clearer. She does seem suspicious throughout and I loved the way that Browne wrote her without giving too much away.

It’s a fairly fast-paced plot and the odd chapter that is from someone else’s view, such as Claire’s father or her best friend, helps to keep the pace moving even more. It breaks up in a way that builds the intrigue without disturbing the flow of the book.

Sheryl Browne’s books are always great, but if you want a really gripping psychological thriller, then this is the one for you without a doubt.