Kerry Darcy has survived the fateful day in March when the tsunami struck, but she is struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Pregnant and alone, Hope Kennedy is left wondering what happened to the man she loved so much. Two very different women, two perfect husbands, but what happens when their lives horribly collide?
Having not read the first book in the series, I was unsure as to how I would be able to "jump in" mid series- I did and found Aftermath to be quite enjoyable. I was absorbed in the story immediately and finished this enjoyable book in one sitting. I received this book for free through GoodReads First Reads.
I received a free copy of Aftermath (Secrets & Lies #2)by Joanne Clancy through a free Amazon download offered August 8th and 9th.
Again I have nothing but praise for this author.This is such an intriguing story, the 2nd part in the trilogy.I read this book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down.
The first book leaves off to see if Kerry and daughter Saoirse are alright. And what about the fate of Kerry's husband Conor and Hope's husband Niall.
It is difficult to imagine what it must be like to experience a tsunami.When Kerry returned to consciousness, she was clinging to a tree. Her survival instincts had taken over. But where was her daughter Saoirse. The last thing Kerry had said to her was "Catch the Roof".We then learn that Saoirse managed to haul herself onto the roof.Hours passed for Kerry and then two Japanese rescuers tried to assist her, but she had two broken legs and couldn't be moved. They came back with others and loaded her on a mattress/raft. Kerry was brought to a room in the Hotel with other survivors, but no doctors or nurses. Eventually,she was transported to a hospital along with other injured.Kerry experienced such great acts of kindness from complete strangers.She was sent to another hospital and told she had a fractured pelvis and broken legs, but wouldn't require an operation.Back in Ireland, her twin sister, Maura and family contacted the authorities in Japan to locate her whereabouts.When Maura located Terry, she flew directly to Japan.In the interim, Maura located Saoirse, soon to be reunited with her older sister Emer and her mom.But Conor was still missing.
Kerry learned to control her unbearable pain with her energy, cutting back on her morphine.Finally the day came for her and her two daughters to fly back to Cork, Ireland from Japan, to continue her rehabilitation.Terry felt a deep sadness about leaving Conor behind, but she knew she would return to Japan as soon as she could.But returning to Ireland made her feel guilty for being alive...but what about Conor. The aftermath of the tsunami had shown her what was important in life.
Hope was 6 months pregnant, with her son, with her husband Niall still missing.She couldn't grieve him, because she didn't know if he was dead or alive.At the time of the tsunami, Niall was in Japan on business. Following the devastating news, Hope and her mother had flown to Japan to search for him...but no such luck.
Halfway through the book, the author throws us a left curve...which totally blows us away.I can't say any more, or I will spoil it for others. Just read this book.I was then glued to the book until the end.I can't wait for the 3rd part of the trilogy , "Redemption", which I believe Joanne said will be available in the winter. These are well written novels and so enjoyable to read.Thank you Joanne and keep up the great work!
This is the second book of Joanne Clancy's 'Secrets and Lies' trilogy and it was amazing! The problem with being an avid reader is that there is never enough time in the day to read. But an even bigger obstacle is a holiday long weekend such as Easter! In any event, I was able to steal a few hours away yesterday and once I began reading 'Aftermath' I was hooked and would not put it down until I reached the last page. (Turkey dinner must wait!!)
When Kerry Darcy and her husband Conor and daughter Saoirse went on their dream vacation to Japan, they never believed they would be not only witness to, but part of one of the biggest most devastating tsunami's in history. Kerry had been separated from her daughter and was badly hurt and when help finally came she hoped and prayed with every fibre of her being that her daughter and husband were safe and they would soon be reunited. Back in Cork, Hope is now six month pregnant and has no idea where her husband, Niall Gilligan is since he left for Japan and has not been seen or heard of since the tsunami. Hope had not even told him of her pregnancy yet. The waiting and hoping and praying have been very trying on Hope, but when her Mother shows her something on the internet, her life begins to unravel and everything seems to become surreal. It is now in Det. Garda Isabel Murray's hands of the Cork Police Department to try to get to the bottom of these strange and haunting happenings before people's lives are ruined forever.
Excellent story and I am itching to begin the final story of this trilogy, 'Redemption'!
again, thanks to Joanne Clancy for the book, & again I'll try not to spoil the read for anyone.
in this second installment of Secrets & Lies, we get a look at Hope & Niall's past as well as Hope's present, and focus on Kerry's current life.
we start with Kerry struggling to survive the tsunami. We then follow her through her lengthy recovery period. When she is well enough, Kerry uses all resources available to her to find her missing husband, Conor, who remains missing in the wake of the tsunami.
meanwhile, Hope is getting on with life as best as she can with her unexpected pregnancy nearing the end, & still having heard nothing of her husband since his disappearance while on business in Japan at the time of the disaster.
Along with the private investigator Kerry has searching for Conor, the local police become involved in the search for these two missing men.
We're left with the closing line "We've found him. We've found your husband."
but who did they find, and what will be the outcome for these to grieving women?
as with the first installment, Joanne's writing is a breeze to read!! can't wait to get started with the final book!
The second book in the Secrets and Lies Trilogy starts out with a bang, and it ends with one as well. The author continues with the ability to describe the events as to what is happening with such great detail, that you do not want to put it down.
In the first book, you are introduced to Kerry and Hope, two completely different women who you know are connected yet you do not know why. In Aftermath, you learn what it is that connects the two completely different women.
In Kerry’s story, you can feel her pain as she is learning how to walk again due to her injuries from the tsunami. You can feel her worry as she is concerned with the welfare of her daughter and her husband. In Hope’s story, you can feel her worry as she is pregnant and has no clue what is going on with her husband. Neither woman knows if their husband is alive, but they are both hoping for the best.
The twist that is in this book which will catch you off guard, and it leaves you wanting for more of the story.
It was an ongoing battle with myself to do anything else other than read this exciting novel until I'd finished it, because I simply didn't want to put it down. And I will never complain about period pain ever again, having read what poor Kerry went through in the first part of this book, when she got trapped with her daughter right in the middle of the Japanese Tsunami. I felt like I was almost there myself with them, for the whole devastating episode was captured extremely well in the descriptions by Joanne Clancy. When the details of the marriages between Kerry and Conor and Hope and Niall are revealed, I honestly thought that I would favor one wife over the other and emotionally take her side, but I didn't seeing as they are both such likable main characters and you feel for them both equally. Will that all change in the third and final installment of the trilogy? I can't wait to find out, can you?
Thank you to the author for this free ebook to read and review. Aftermath is certainly aptly named. This story delves into the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami and the lives that are left in ruins. Both Kerry and Hope are directly affected and as they begin to heal, both physically and mentally, shocking secrets begin to emerge that entangles their lives forever. The reader can sympathize with both women's struggles and with the emotional journey they must take.
I truly look forward to reading book 3: Redemption since book 2 ended with quite a revelation. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy romance with a bit of mystery mixed in.
The second book, Aftermath, in the secret and lies trilogy was even better than the first. I think I just needed more to the story and I got it in this one. We get the background on Hope and Naill's relationship and get to see the after affect of the tsunami on Kerry and her family. With Conner and Naill missing, these two women have no idea that their lives are about to collide and get much more complicated.
I can't wait until the next and last book in the trilogy! Especially with that ending!
I enjoyed the 2nd book in the series almost as much as the first. The loose ends of the story are being pulled together. The characters are developing. There are more areas yet to be pulled together. I am anxious to read the next book. I was lucky enough to get a free copy on Kindle.
The book keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next.