Cover Image: The First Wife's Secret

The First Wife's Secret

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Member Reviews

A book about family and the illusions we weave to make ourselves feel successful. A blended family must face their differences and especially what they share as a family when their father is seriously ill. I enjoyed the journey with this family. Claire Amarti has obviously lived with them in her heart for awhile. She shared with us and made us care for them.

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This is the first time I've read Claire Amarti and I will definitely read more. The story is about three sisters (2 from a previous marriage and 1 from the current marriage) with lots of secrets. This was a story that encompasses all the intricate details of family. The characters were very likeable and the plot was very good. Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

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Couldn't put this book down just had to turn page after page til I hit the very end in one day. You will not regret reading this book from this author. Thanks so much for BB the great read.

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I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Interesting drama novel. Recommend

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If we could rate in halves, it would be a 3.5. It takes a little while to figure out you are getting a story from different viewpoints and a lot of agendas to conquer. Everybody has a secret, its just a matter of how they all tie them up in a bow and come together or ..not. No spoilers. Good family saga, no ah ha moments, no really big twist that you don't see coming, just a lot of family dynamics to muddle through. Not one that evokes any great emotion either. If you want a book that doesn't really hang with you and that you can pit down, then this is it. A solid read and just that.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

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The family gather for a party and then the patriarch is whizzed off to hospital just when he was going to make an announcement. A pleasantly written family drama but not a thriller by any stretch of the imagination. The things that happened are all cliched situations and the big secrets that are spoke of aren’t really that big. The book is cosy and frothy but nothing that will stand out afterwards. The cover was lovely. A great bedtime read or something to take with on a journey.

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This is my first book by this author and it was absolutely wonderful. Family, illness, divorce, new babies.......you name it it's there. Very well written with characters that could have been slightly more developed. A great relaxing read.

I received an ebook ARC from Netgalley but read a paperback copy and this is my voluntary, honest review.

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The Spencer family has it all. Secrets, lies, and maybe murder? As the Spencer family gets together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their parents, their dad collapses into a coma after a heart attack. The daughters must work together to keep the family together, even if it means discovering the secrets of two different families. Such an emotional story kept the pages turning all night. I couldn’t put it down!

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Great book. Highly recommend and will most defiantly read more by this author and suggest to others!

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This book is great! I could not put it down! I
kept catching myself going right back to it. I
was up all night with it.
Some family books can be boring but not this
one. It just kept getting deeper and more interesting!


Thank you so much, NetGalley, Claire Amarti, and your
Publisher for the chance to read and give an honest
opinion on the book! I loved it~

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Sadly this didn't hold my attention as much as I would have liked and was too drawn out in places for me. I did enjoy the storyline and grew to like and know the characters .

A good book overall and recommended for an easy read.

Thank you Netgalley.

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I really enjoyed this family drama. I thought the portrayal of the sisters was pretty realistic and how they came together during a crisis was heartwarming. It's amazing how one secret from more than 25 years ago can profoundly affect the present.

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The First Wife's Secret is a great women's fiction novel by Claire Amarti.
I love family sagas and this one had me engrossed early on.
The family kept me interested and I couldn't put this one down.
Of course it involves some suspense, secrets, and twists, which is always fun.
Overall, it's a story of three women who have to deal with their pasts and their feelings about each other. The author does a great job exploring the way secrets and misunderstandings grow over the years. The characters are realistically stubborn, carrying this pain.
I love everything about this book.
Definitely check this one out when you're in the mood for a good family drama involving sisters.

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Dinah's father is celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary to his second wife, Mara, and she's back in town for a quick visit with her daughter Josie. Lottie and her step sisters were once close but not lately. When they discover a box in the attic that belonged to Dinah and Vaughn's mother (the first wife) the family looks like it's going to implode. With their dad, George clinging to life from a heart attack the women in the family must decide what is important and what defines family. A good story with strong women characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Nice, easy read with relatable family dynamics. Definitely not a "grippng page-turner", but the book does have a few mysterious underlying storylines within the main story. Will definitely read more of author, as book was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

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I loved the alternating perspectives of this one. It was a fairly quick read with mystery and secrets - my favorite type of book! Even though I read it quickly, I hung on to the author’s word. She has such a way of captivating readers and immersing them in the story. I felt like I was part of the Spencer family. I love the way the ending tied up. All in all, a solid read. It definitely won’t be my last by this author.

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Amarti's novel focuses on a family barely held together after a father's serious illness, as well as the revelation of mysteries at the basis of the family's unrest. Told from the perspective of each of the characters, the novel is a pleasure to read--a great get away!

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A family with secrets. Three sisters. A father celebrating a wedding anniversary with his second wife when he collapses. A box is found with letters from the first wife. Will the family hold together?

A page-turner. Not what I expected, which was good. I like the unexpected. I hope to read more from this author.

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I grabbed this book when it was part of the read now so I never requested it. I really enjoyed The Silent Daughter so I was thrilled to get this one. However it lost steam for me around the middle. I feel it’s one that I might purchase later on to finish though.

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Families have secrets and they all come out when the patriarch of the family has a heart attack. In the hospital on a ventilator and not able to answer the questions that are arising within the family. The three daughters come together and find the answers they were not actually looking for.

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