Emma's Secret

Finding Emma #2

by Steena Holmes

For two years, Megan, Peter, and their two older daughters, Alexis and Hannah, dream of nothing but being reunited with the family’s youngest child, Emma, who was kidnapped just before her third birthday. When Emma is miraculously found living with an elderly couple just miles from the family’s home, they are hopeful that her return will heal the wounds her disappearance created.

But Emma is vastly different from the sunny toddler they remember. She barely remembers her parents or her older sisters. She is quiet and withdrawn, and, worst of all, longs for the very people who kidnapped her.

Megan is consumed with bitterness, while Peter works later and later nights in the company of his gorgeous business partner. And in the middle of everything, Megan’s best friend has become suddenly distant and secretive.

Then a chance encounter in town leads to a secret that changes everything again for Emma. And Peter must decide between the happiness of his youngest daughter and the trust of his family.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Drama, Family, Chick Lit

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Steena Holmes is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with nearly 3 million copies of her titles sold worldwide, including The Patient, The Forgotten Ones, and Sister Under the Stairs.

Named in the Top 20 Women Author to Read by Good Housekeeping, she won the National Indie Excellence Award for her breakout novel Finding Emma and the USA Book News Award for The Word Game. Steena has been featured in various newspapers and magazines, websites such as Goodreads, BookBub, RedBook, Glamour, Coastal Living and Goodhousekeeping.

One of Steena's passions is to travel with her readers, so she created her Sweet Tours, where she shares her love for the sweet life with her readers, whether in Paris, Italy, or exploring Christmas Markets.
To learn more about her books and join her on the next Sweet Tour, visit her website at http://www.steenaholmes.com.
You can also find Steena on the web at:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorsteenaholmes
Facebook: SteenaHolmes.author

LIST OF HER NOVELS STARTING FROM MOST RECENT:

SHE TOOK MY BABY

THE GIRLS IN THE BASEMENT (follow up to The Sister Under the Stairs)

THE TWIN

ENGAGED TO A SERIAL KILLER

THE SISTER UNDER THE STAIRS

THE PATIENT

THE FORGOTTEN ONES

SAVING ABBY & ABBY'S JOURNEY

THE WORD GAME

Stillwater Bay Series:
Stillwater Shores
Stillwater Rising
Stillwater Tides
Stillwater Deep

The Memory Child & The Memory Journal

FINDING EMMA series:
Finding Emma
Dear Jack
Emma's Secret
Dottie's Memories
Megan's Hope

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★s

Five year old Emma had recently been returned home after she was discovered living with an elderly couple; her kidnapping two years prior had consumed her mother Megan but now all she wanted was for the family to return to the way it was before Emma disappeared. Older sisters Alexis and Hannah both reacted differently to Emma’s reappearance – while they were both happy she was home, ecstatic even, Hannah fussed over Emma constantly; wouldn’t let her out of her sight, while Alexis was resentful and angry. Megan’s husband Peter was so happy to have Emma home, but he didn’t know how to talk to her, couldn’t seem to interact with her. And Megan; her thoughts were bitter, her mind constantly consumed with anger at the old couple – she would never forgive them…

But when a solemn faced Emma showed how much she was missing her captors, Megan didn’t know what to do. She did her utmost to make her child happy, to hear her beautiful laughter once again; but with Peter working longer and longer hours at the office, her other daughters unhappy but trying to hide it and her best friend, Laurie hiding something from her, Megan felt something crack inside. She had no idea how to fix what was going wrong with her family – no idea how to be happy once again. Megan also suspected Peter was hiding something from her; was what she suspected true? What would happen to this fractured family?

I thoroughly enjoyed Emma’s Secret by author Steena Holmes which is book 2 in the Finding Emma series. A gripping read which had all the emotions rippling through it – heartache, anger, forgiveness and lack of it, love, loyalty, trust and friendship. The author depicts beautifully little Emma and her mental anguish; Megan’s torment and Peter’s patience with his wife. I read through Emma’s Secret in a matter of hours, not wanting to put it down. I highly recommend this novel, but also recommend #1, Finding Emma, be read first.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish this book had been marketed for the sequel that it is. This is a follow-up novel to Holmes’ Finding Emma. Had I realized that before being two-thirds of the way through this one, I would have read them in order! And it certainly explains a few things that seemed odd, or left without a more detailed description. The book opens a few months after Emma’s return to living with her family after two years of living with an elderly couple on a nearby farmhouse. The main perspective of the novel is that of Emma’s mother, Megan. But Holmes also offers insights into her husband, Peter. Emma’s abductor, Dottie, has a few journal entries and Jack’s own perspective is also present throughout the novel.

The title doesn’t quite fit since Emma has no real secrets, just trying to adjust to her new lifestyle. The focus of the entire novel is trying to achieve that balance for Emma. It should be easier to identify with Megan than it is. Her whirlwind of emotions and pure fury and hatred may be logical, but there isn’t enough joy to balance it out. Maybe I just read too many mysteries, but I would expect more sheer gratitude that Emma is actually alive and that this elderly couple cared for her, and did not abuse her. A much worse fate seems much more likely... Which is perhaps why it is easier to sympathize with Peter, who seems to be living in fear of his wife as he must hide the fact that he is putting his daughter’s best interests ahead of anything else.

The way Holmes handles the “villains” works very well, but really takes away from any real conflict in the book. As the novel progresses, it really feels like the only real villain here is Megan - who is so wrapped up in her own negativity that she manages to be a bad friend, mother, and wife. It’s a fairly fast-paced book, but the focus here is on the characters who just never really become very authentic. Perhaps reading these books in order would make this a more satisfying read, but overall, I found it to be a little dull by the end. Nothing really happens and I never liked Megan.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very happy to have found a new (well new to me) author. I just read Finding Emma and Emma's Secret back to back and really enjoyed both of them. I found the characters to be well rounded and likeable and also believable. I am a quick reader but was very engrossed in the story and am very glad that I was able to read them both. I look forward to reading more by this great author.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Emma's Secret" is the sequel to Steena Holmes' "Finding Emma." I'm so glad that she continued Emma's story so that we could read about what happened after Emma was found. For a family to be able to heal after a child is kidnapped is a very difficult process, and Holmes explores what happened after the child is returned, the family dynamics of this dramatic change, and how the family chooses to deal with the family of the kidnapper, and those whom their child became close to after they were kidnapped.

We find Emma and her family a few months after Emma has been returned. At age 5, Emma does not understand the gravity of the situation, and has developed strong relationships with her kidnappers, who in her mind were here grandparents. Emma's mother Megan cannot forgive them for what they did, and wants to keep them away from her child. Peter, Emma's husband does not agree, and through daddy/daughter dates, he makes it possible for Emma to see her "papa" Jack. Sadly, Jack's wife, who kidnapped Emma was very ill and passed away shortly after Emma was returned to her family.

Megan and Peter's marriage is going through a rough patch, much of which is due to the kidnapping, but also to changes in Peter's business. Megan feels that he is keeping many secrets from her, and her level of trust in Jack is diminished. The family isn't completely restored upon Emma's return, and there is much work to do. In "Emma's Secret" the healing process is only just beginning, and I hope that she continues this series with another book someday!

[Denise]

4 stars for this heartfelt book about Emma's return to her family. Stenna Holmes has done a great job including the reader into this struggling family. Each member is having trouble adjusting to their new situation.

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this and found Megan to be really annoying.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever watched or read the movie/book The Face on the Milk Carton or watched the TV series Finding Carter or even read Angie Stanton's Don't Call Me Greta and enjoyed them all, then you will love the Finding Emma Series by Steena Holmes which takes on a similar storyline, the only difference is that unlike the others returned when teenagers - Emma is returned when she is only 5 years old after being kidnapped two years earlier. Dottie was slowly losing her memory and was convinced that Emma was their granddaughter, a second chance after their daughter Mary took a life of drugs and alcohol. Jack went along with it being none the wiser. That was until the truth unraveled and it turned out that Emma belonged to another family. Now Emma is back with her original family but of course, she misses her Papa Jack as the two had a special relationship. Megan should be happy all her family is back together but she is struggling and I have to admit I hated Megan's character as she came across as selfish and all about her. This reminded me of the mum in Finding Carter when Carter was returned as she was a bit like this too. I did love the relationship Emma had with her real dad Peter and the fact that he understood her to need to still have Jack in her life and of course Jack's need to have Emma in order to have something to live for. This is the perfect series for those who love stories of abduction and children returning to their biological families. Mystery with a hint of Family Saga and memories.

[Becky Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick pace, but that is because it isn't a very stimulating read. If the main character mentioned going for coffee or having coffee one more time I was going to contemplate slitting my wrists. The main character is whiny and indecisive, but worst of all, boring.

[Orbs n Rings · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret is not Emma's. Tip: Read the pre-sequel first.

***Warning Contains Spoilers***

I had mixed feelings about this book, at times I liked it, yet at other times I was not so sure. Emma's Secret centers around a family (with no last name) and with a major emphasis on the one daughter Emma. Just before she turned three Emma was kidnapped by an elderly woman with dementia and had been living in the same town with said woman named Dottie and her husband Jack.

Emma's disappearance happened in a pre-sequel called Finding Emma which I did not read. The time is now 3 years later and Emma has now been returned to the family, as the mother Megan struggles with the need to center her daughter in the family since her return. This is a major issue for Megan because Emma had bonded with the couple who had kept her for those years. However Emma's emotional attachments to this couple do not seem to be as much of an issue for Emma's father Peter.

My problems with this story had nothing to do with Holmes's writing style, I found the book was fluid and easy to read. Although I read this book from cover to cover I was still left confused by a few things. I didn't understand why the book was Called Emma's Secret, when the actual secret was being held by Dottie, the demented kidnapper.

Although Holmes does reference a few times in the book how long Emma has now been home, for me the time line felt blurred as I was unsure of how much time had passed between both books. I didn't understand why Emma and her mother were not receiving regular therapy sessions anymore. Although Megan does have a few minutes of a refresher during a moment of stress with the apparent previous therapist. You would think this would continue considering Emma had only been home for a few months, and being a kidnapping is a very tramatic experience.

Throughout the story the author tries to give a sense that Peter is having an affair with his business partner Samantha (aka Sam). I didn't feel enough clues were given into making the reader feel her husband Peter might have been having an affair, other than his partner Sam stating a couple times, that he must tell his wife, leaving it open ended. Then at the end of the book I find out Megan might have had her own affair, when she sees her friend locking lips with someone she appartently locked lips with. Appartenly a character who was the police officer involved in searching for Emma who the author does not reference as such during this episode.

I also did not understand what was going on with the relationship Jack had experienced with his wife. Jack knew Dottie had dementia and knew his wife thought Emma's was their granddaughter. Although the secret does clarify why Dottie might have thought Emma was the granddaughter. Any person with dementia bringing home a child that they seem to have plucked out of the thin air without any explanation is reason enough to set off flags in any marriage. Yet Jack who seems to be in his right mind did not question this, yet he is still allowed to see this child. So is Peter a little crazy for allowing him ascess to his daughter? Is it really good for Emma in the long run?

I don't know what information the pre-sequel contained however I felt Holmes could have detailed more in this book for those who have not read the pre-sequel. I would say I don't feel this book is one that reads well out-of-order and the reader would need to read Finding Emma to get a grasp as to what is actually going on with these characters. I don't like giving a bad review but I do belive in being honest, maybe this story was just not one I could relate to. I have my own three children and understood Megan's anguish and need to protect Emmas as well as her other daughters at all times now that Emma was home. I tried to place myself in Megan's shoes when it came to Emma's relationship with Jack I just couldn't do it.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bring on the feels and inner turmoil. Be prepared to drop all pretenses of what is black and white when it comes to kidnapping. This story has me sympathizing or even empathizing with every character. Well, all the major players in the book at least. Even the bit characters like Jan and Laurie are well played out though!
If you have not read Finding Emma already, I highly suggest you do so. It really adds so much to this book to understand what has happened already.
So this book takes place a few short months after the first book. Emma is back home and is trying to adapt but is missing her "grandparents" dearly and still thinks of herself as Emmie. Megan wants to remain angry at them forever for stealing those two years from her family and wants Emma to forget all about them. Peter just wants what is best for all his girls. And Jack misses his wife and Emmie and is heartbroken.
This story has so many shades of gray. They is no real "right" or "wrong" in how they are handling this very awkward situation. But how do you handle it? Each character has very different thoughts, feelings and reaction yet I cannot say what is or isn't okay. It is not a cut and dry scenario. How the kidnapping happened, the terrible mistake of a woman with dementia and the parents who had their family ripped about. So much emotion turmoil. Each character felt very real to me. Their behaviors fit to what what going on. And it had me wondering over and over "what would I do?" I still cannot answer that question. And I don't think anyone could, but that is was makes this a wonderful read.

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Emma had been missing for two years. When she’s finally found and returned to her family at 5 years old, they realize that she wasn’t very far from their home. Unfortunately, over those two years, Emma has changed. She’s now a quiet subdued child and doesn’t speak very much. To make matters worse, she barely remembers her parents and misses “Grandma” and “Papa”. Her mother, Megan, is overwhelmed with bitterness and hatred for the people her daughter now holds dear, while her father works extra long hours and now suddenly her best friend is distant. An unexpected visit in town changes everything for Emma and her dad Peter has found a way to get Emma to open up. But, by keeping this secret, Emma is happy. Now he must choose between his daughter’s happiness and his wife’s trust.

This was a very moving novel. There were moments when I wanted to scream at Megan to stop being so selfish. I spent a lot of time wondering why she kept expecting Emma to be the person she was two years prior. I loved this book. Usually, you see books where a kidnapping takes place and the search thereafter. This time, it’s a unique look at what happens after the victim has been found. All in all, this is a fantastic summer read, but be sure to have some Kleenex handy, you’ll need it! Most definitely a five heart read!

[Rebecca Berto]

I bought Finding Emma, book #1, and loved that book before starting this one. However, about 1/3 of the way through Emma's Secret it took a turn. One that I couldn't enjoy. So I've put down the book as it wasn't of my enjoyment any longer. Not a bad book by far and I imagine many others have loved it; just not for my tastes.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[David Highton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The follow up to Finding Emma, this book looks at the reintegration of a five year old girl into her family after being with an older couple for two years. Some obvious issues covered but it all felt a little stereotyped.

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma's Secret is the sequel to Finding Emma, chronicling life after her return to her family. While Emma's dad,Peter, and Jack, the husband of the woman who took Emma have a voice,most of the story is told through the eyes of Megan, Emma's mother.
As expected,despite being returned to her family unharmed,Emma and her family are struggling to move forward from the trauma of the past two years.Her sisters are by turns over protective yet resentful of their little sister. Her parents,their marriage on soft ground already, are having a difficult time dealing with one anothers feelings of guilt. Through much of the story they run parallel to one another, each wondering why the other one doesn't "get it".
And Emma struggles most of all. Just five, she is torn between the adults in her life. Her mommy and daddy,and her Papa, the widower of the woman who took her.Until the adults heal and work through their pain, there can be no healing for Emma.
Often when an abducted individual is returned to the bosom of their family and community, I have wondered down the road how they have done. After the media frenzy has died down and "normal" living commences, how do they and their families cope and come to terms with what happened? This story gives a peek behind the curtain.Interesting.

[Heather Prewo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Finding Emma and was beyond disappointing. The timeline does not match though it was written by the same author as the original. I found it poorly written and lacking emotion not to mention very childish. The characters in the first story were rich based on character while the second one made the characters complete lacking. If I only read this story maybe I would give a better rating but I did and that made this story hard to complete.

[Sara Freitag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow is all I can say! Such an emotional book for me. Steena has a way that you feel each emotion from all characters. I cried several times, and was happy and even furious at times. I LOVE how it ended. But I was so sad that the book was done.

[Lisa Jones]

Love this cover!

[John Gilbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read the first book and the joy of Emma being reunited with her family, I thought this book would round out the tale. But the trauma remains, mostly due to Megan, Emma's mother not being able to move on. Poor Emma still loves her 'abductor' who was not her abductor but she thought her grandpa (as he thought she was his granddaughter), but her mother will not allow any relationship to continue. The day intervenes and allows contact with Emma and Jack. Too fraught for me, Emma, Jack and her dad are the only likeable characters and I felt the story was squeezing an orange long after all the juice was gone. DNF after 65%

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great follow on to Finding Emma. Following the characters as their lives change and the struggles they all face.
Another wonderful story and great read.

[Kathy Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steena Holmes’s EMMA’S SECRET is the sequel to her February 2013 FINDING EMMA. I did not read that first novel, so my reaction to EMMA’S SECRET may be different from those who have. The story revolves around a family that would have seemed “traditional” in the sixties – mom Megan bakes cookies with her three daughters while dad Peter works late at the office. Megan is obsessed with protecting her five-year-old daughter Emma, who has just been returned to her after being kidnapped two years earlier. An older woman, Dottie, had taken Emma because she believed she was her granddaughter (coincidentally, the granddaughter was named Emily, or Emmie). For the two years she was away, Emma lived on a farm with Dottie and her husband Jack, just a few miles from Megan and Peter’s home. Now, with Emma home again, Megan struggles to accept her daughter’s continuing attachment to Jack, who Emma calls “Papa” (Dottie has died, so she is no longer in the picture). The perspective in EMMA’S SECRET shifts between Megan’s desperation to make her family whole again and Jack’s struggle to understand how his beloved wife could have kidnapped Emma.

Those who have read Mitchard’s THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN will recognize some of the plot developments and themes in EMMA’S SECRET. Megan wrestles with guilt over losing Emma, and bitter jealousy over Emma’s attachment to her kidnappers. Peter withdraws from his wife and pours himself into work to escape the tension at home. Could he be getting too involved with his co-worker Samantha? Jack is a nice guy who didn’t realize his wife had kidnapped the child she brought home one afternoon – now, with Dottie dead, he’s left alone with her journals, which may or may not contain answers. And then there’s Emma, the cute little five-year-old who wants to remain in touch with the man she sees as her grandfather.

There’s not much plot here. And surprisingly, the so called “secrets” in this novel are everyone’s but Emma’s. She’s not keeping secrets at all. The novel’s ultimate resolution is predictable from the first chapter. Holmes’s characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting, their dilemma has been done before (not only in Mitchard’s novel, but in countless made-for-TV movies), and there’s nothing compelling enough to keep the reader turning the pages.

Had I read FINDING EMMA, perhaps I would have appreciated this more. But I doubt it. There’s nothing likable about bitter, obsessive Megan, and Jack’s story, while sad, is ultimately told too late to make much difference. Actually, had this novel been about Jack and Dottie – their relationship, her dementia, and her secrets (because the secrets in this novel, for the most part, are hers) – it would have been a more interesting story.

Fans of Lifetime movies will probably enjoy EMMA’S SECRET. It’s an easy read that doesn’t require much thought. Unfortunately, I found it tedious and dull.

[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Description- For two years, Megan, Peter, and their two older daughters, Alexis and Hannah, dream of nothing but being reunited with the family’s youngest child, Emma, who was kidnapped just before her third birthday. When Emma is miraculously found living with an elderly couple just miles from the family’s home, they are hopeful that her return will heal the wounds her disappearance created.

But Emma is vastly different from the sunny toddler they remember. She barely remembers her parents or her older sisters. She is quiet and withdrawn, and, worst of all, longs for the very people who kidnapped her.

Megan is consumed with bitterness, while Peter works later and later nights in the company of his gorgeous business partner. And in the middle of everything, Megan’s best friend has become suddenly distant and secretive.

Then a chance encounter in town leads to a secret that changes everything again for Emma. And Peter must decide between the happiness of his youngest daughter and the trust of his family.

I literally sat down and read this book straight through. I had read the first book in the series "Finding Emma" and kind of forgot about the sequel to this book until just recently. I was hoping that I didn't forget much about the first book but as soon as I started reading I was sucked it. The author conveniently placed a few reminders here and there for readers to remember what happened in the first book, but you definitely need to read the first book, "Finding Emma", to have any real understanding about what the heck is going on in this book.

The book starts out with Emma just coming home from her 2 year kidnapping. Megan, her mother, remembers Emma as a 2 year old toddler with a life full of joy, always happy and ready to have fun. Now having spent 2 years away, Emma is quiet, shy, and sullen and Megan has no idea what to do about it. The family therapist says to give her time and Emma will eventually return to her old self. However, Megan wants her Emma to return more quickly than she is moving.

So not only is Megan stressed about Emma's sullen mood, she is also stressed about her marriage. Peter seems to be working later and later with his partner, Samantha, and Megan begins suspecting that Peter...to be continued

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would you do if the child that you thought forever was suddenly returned to your life? Would you lock her/him up and never let her out? Would you ignore your other children in favor of this one? What about the kidnappers unknowing associates. Would you let them see the child they thought were family? These are all questions that Megan goes through when her daughter Emma is returned to her after being taken two years ago. Emma was the victim of a mistaken identity. Elderly Dottie saw Emma playing one day and believed she was her granddaughter Emmie. Her husband Jack believed her and helped raise her as her granddaughter. It was later realized Emma was not their granddaughter when a neighbor recognized her photo on a missing child poster. Now Dottie is dead and Jack is left trying to make sense of what happened and how a mistake could be made. Along the way, Emma and her family are trying to reconnect. Yet Emma misses Jack. Do they let him into their lives or keep him away? What is truly best for Emma?

I won this book from goodreads "First Reads" program. I admittedly didn't realize it was a sequel till after i won. I them spent a good amount of time reading other people's reviews to get a good idea what happened in the first book. "Emma's Secret" is a truly touching book. You feel for both the plight of both Emma's family and Jack. Megan and Peter need to protect Emma. And Jack, feeling the bout of loneliness that could only come from losing ones longtime companion and believed granddaughter. In the end, i think a good compromise is made. Realistic one. I'm not sure. Yet for this book is made sense. A good read for those who liked the prequel.

[Holly Tymoczko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Emma's Secret and once again, Steena Holmes did it! By the last few pages I had tears in my eyes. This book is a wonderful end to an amazing set of books. I came across Finding Emma by chance and couldn't put it down, then I was lucky enough to find that the story had continued with Dear Jack. Having to wait so many months for Emma's Secret to come out was pure torture! This is a story that you can't help but fall in love with every single character in the book. I think what has grabbed me most, not just from Emma's Secret, but since the beginning, is how real and human these characters all are. The struggles, emotions and moments that happen to Megan, her family,Jack and of course Emma; they're all how you can only imagine a real family would deal with this tragedy and trying to put their lives back together. Emma's Secret is a wonderful story to read alone, as the back story from Finding Emma isn't left out. It really holds it own, but if you haven't read the previous two books, do yourself a favor and start from the beginning!

[Sharon Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follow-up to Steena Holmes' "Finding Emma," "Emma's Secret" takes readers back into the drama that surrounded the disappearance of three-year old Emma and her recovery two years later.

Things have not gotten back to normal yet, but it's only been a couple of months since Emma was returned to her family. While her mother Megan treads carefully around her youngest daughter, not wanting to upset her, Emma's father Peter wants to just make his little girl happy, and if that means letting her see the man whose wife had kidnapped Emma, then so be it. Thus the conflict on how to proceed with getting family life back to how it was - only life will never be "like it was," but can only be "how it is now."

Steena Holmes once again gives her readers a thoughtful and emotional story that will stay with them long after the book is finished. I thought she did a great job winding up the story and bringing a good conclusion to this family drama.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a frist read win book that was given to me. There was a frist book called Finding Emma which I did not read. you could read this without having read the first though it might have given you a better glimpse into these people and how their lives had been when Emma went missing.

I absoltely loved it. I wasn't sure I was going to like Megan at first because she seemed a little crazy but she had lost her daughter and was now very over protective of her since she had been returned. Emma was gone for 2 years and her family which is 2 sisters and her Mom and Dad have gone on without her but always remembered her. The difficulties of reuniting everyone is very real and done quite well. I could definitely see how each would feel and how difficult the adjustments would be for everyone. I can't wait to read another of her books.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I got to read this book, although it would have been helpful to read the previous one, I still adore this as well.

Can you imagine one of your children being kidnapped and finding out she was living not far away from you at all? And since she was taken when she was younger, she doesn't remember anyone in the family and misses her capturers? You have Emma's secret right there.

Everyone dealing with all of it differently. The mother, Megan is very anger. Of course, you have to have someone that withdrawals, so the father was given that role. Maybe an affair? Cliché, but it works! And then the secret.

Watch out, secrets abound in this brilliant book!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmm ….how do I describe this book Emma’s Secret that has totally taken over my life? It’s a good thing and a (bad thing) that I read fast. I started this marvelous book late last night and now at 1:15 am I am finished and can get back to my life. I say bad thing because now I am going to miss these characters that Steena Holmes has brought to life for us. I told her I was mad at Megan and I was. I really liked Jack and Emma. I so do not want to spoil things for anyone else. Steena wrapped it all up in a nice blanket of forgiveness.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG...this book was amazing...even more so then the first one...I could not put it down...all the secrets that were being keep, not just by Emma, but by Megan's husband and her best friend were so compiling. I had to have a box a tissues when I read this book...I did not think Megan was ever going to get over her anger for losing Emma to the old people, but....

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a great read, another book that I couldn't put down. I was disappointed that I didn't know until the end of the book that there was a book before this, but now I am going to search for it and acquire it to read it. The characters and storyline were great, and the ending didn't leave you guessing about what would happen, everything was tied up, and that to me makes a good book